Match

Melbourne vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 26 Mar 2016

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to MCG for the Melbourne v GWS Giants Round 1 clash.

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

The Giants missing Jeremy Cameron for the first four games this season. Cameron has kicked 183 goals for the Giants in the last four seasons, their next best goal scorer has kicked just 69 (Devon Smith).

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

02:49

Tom Scully with five disposals in the first three minutes including the opening goal against his former club.

06:29

Melbourne with five of the first seven inside 50 entries, but no scores from any of these entries. Last season the Demons were ranked 17th in goals per inside 50 entries.

07:26

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Devon Smith)

08:12

GWS with a second goal from just three inside 50 entries. Last season the Giants were ranked 12th in goals per inside 50.

09:18

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)

10:45

Melbourne leading in both contested possessions (17-13) and tackles (7-5), but the Giants more efficient in their ball use.

11:46

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bernie Vince)

14:14

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rory Lobb)

16:13

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Ben Kennedy)

16:28

Both of Melbourne's goals have come from defensive half intercepts. Last season the Demons averaged 17.9 points per game from such a source.

17:51

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Rory Lobb)

18:23

The Giants with the first score of the game from a stoppage, and it comes from a centre bounce clearance. Last season the Giants were ranked 17th in scoring goals from centre bounce clearances.

19:42

SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)

21:30

Melbourne lead in centre bounce clearances 5-1, but has not scored from any of these clearances, and the Giants have 1.0.(6) from their one centre clearance.

22:06

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Ryan Griffen)

23:59

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Steve Johnson)

24:39

Phil Davis with five intercept possessions and three score involvements, was the number two ranked Giant for intercept possessions last year with seven per game.

25:12

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Aaron vandenBerg)

25:54

Melbourne with a goal from a kick-in, averaged 3.1 points per game (ranked 14th) from this source last season.

26:24

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)

26:54

The Demons finally able to convert their centre bounce clearance dominance (6-1) on to the scoreboard with that last goal.

29:23

Jack Viney leading the Demons in disposals (10), tackles (3) and score involvements (3). Dylan Shiel with 11 disposals in the opening quarter for the Giants but at only 40 percent kicking efficiency.

29:31

GWS lead in one-on-one contest wins 9-1 in the first quarter, with Phil Davis winning four of these.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:32

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)

01:35

Clayton Oliver on debut leads all players on the ground for contested possessions (7) and score involvements (4).

02:36

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Steve Johnson)

05:10

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Watts)

05:59

The second quarter starting in a similar fashion to the first with the Demons leading inside 50 entries (5-1), but the Giants with the only goal in the quarter.

08:16

Demons Interchange - Jack Watts off due to an injury.

09:00

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rory Lobb)

10:44

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callan Ward)

11:24

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Steve Johnson)

11:46

GWS with the last six inside 50 entries, but not able to convert any of these into goals.

14:34

Rory Lobb with four of the Giants six marks in the forward 50 (Melbourne has 3), and a game-high seven score involvements, but with 1.3(9) from his four shots at goal.

14:54

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rory Lobb)

16:51

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jack Steele)

17:29

Both of the Giants goals this quarter have come from throw-in stoppages, with the previous goal the first of the match from a forward half stoppage.

18:21

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)

19:56

Demons Interchange - Jeff Garlett off due to the blood rule.

21:16

Phil Davis now up to eight intercept possessions, which is double that of the next best player on the ground. The Giants lead in intercept possessions (31-21) and have scored 2.7.(19) to 3.0.(18) from these intercepts.

24:36

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callan Ward)

29:15

Melbourne lead in inside 50 entries (32-20) and disposals in the forward 50 (35-21), but the Giants more effective at converting these opportunities into scores.

30:03

GWS has 14 scoring shots from just 20 inside 50 entries in the first half. Last season West Coast (ranked first in this category) scored from 41 percent of inside 50 entries.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

02:30

Melbourne with 17 of the first 20 disposals to start the third quarter, but again no score to come from this..

02:53

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Devon Smith)

03:24

Jack Viney leading Melbourne for metres gained (376), tackles (5) and disposals (22) but with kicking efficiency of just 40 percent.

04:20

Demons Interchange - Sam Frost off due to an injury.

04:45

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callan Ward)

05:57

Demons Interchange - Tom McDonald off due to an injury.

09:11

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Tom Scully)

09:22

GWS now has nine of the last 10 scores in this match for 2.7.(19) to 0.1.(1).

10:17

The Demons have generated five forward 50 intercepts, but have not scored from any of these. Last season teams scored from 70 percent of such intercepts.

11:21

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (James Stewart)

14:42

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Dean Kent)

15:22

Phil Davis now with a game-high five intercept marks. The most he has had in a game is six (also against Melbourne in round two last season).

16:53

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callan Ward)

17:12

The Giants able to convert a forward 50 intercept with a Callan Ward goal. They now have scored 1.1(7) from their three forward 50 intercepts.

18:45

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Rory Lobb)

20:31

GWS has scored 2.0.(12) from five centre bounce clearances, compared to Melbourne 1.1(7) from ten centre bounce clearances.

21:51

Demons Interchange - Oscar McDonald and is possibly out for the game.

22:33

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Devon Smith)

23:41

Melbourne scored 3.0.(18) from intercept possessions in the first quarter, but have not scored from this source since. GWS has scored 2.7.(19) from intercepts since quarter time.

26:22

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Lachie Whitfield)

28:27

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)

28:31

The Giants have yet to put the Demons away, despite having 24 shots at goal compared to 11, and leading marks inside 50 (10-6).

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:59

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Watts)

02:41

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)

02:58

The Demons with the opening two goals of the quarter both coming from centre bounce clearances by Clayton Oliver. Melbourne now with 3.1.(19) from centre bounce clearances.

04:44

Melbourne with 17 of the first 21 disposals to start the quarter, and three inside 50 entries for three goals.

05:01

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)

06:31

Melbourne's first 13 kicks in the final quarter were all effective, after kicking with 53 percent efficiency in the third quarter.

07:20

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)

07:44

Melbourne able to finally convert a forward 50 intercept into a goal after six such attempts.

08:56

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Adam Tomlinson)

09:55

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Sam Frost)

11:19

Tom Scully with a game-high 637 metres gained, which is the second most he has had in his career. The most is 770 metres also against his former club in Round 4, 2013.

11:40

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Steve Johnson)

12:50

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)

16:03

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jesse Hogan)

16:20

Melbourne now with 3.0.(18) in the final quarter from chains started by intercept possessions. The Demons only scored 0.1.(1) from such a source in the second and third quarters.

17:56

Melbourne has scored 5.2.(32) from seven inside 50 entries in the final quarter. GWS has 1.2.(8) from its six forward 50 entries.

18:34

Giants Interchange - Toby Greene off due to an injury.

19:58

Demons Interchange - Dean Kent off due to an injury.

20:07

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)

20:36

GWS has five players who have not touched the ball in the final quarter. Melbourne only have the injured Oscar McDonald yet to have a disposal.

20:49

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Aaron vandenBerg)

23:13

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Caleb Marchbank)

23:44

Jack Watts with five disposals at 100 percent efficiency, four score involvements and a goal in the final quarter.

26:27

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)

26:40

GWS with another wasted shot at goal. The Giants have had 29 shots at goal for a return of nine goals. Melbourne has had 21 shots at goal.

28:09

GWS lead in inside 50 entries in the final quarter (12-11), but the Demons with kicking efficiency of 80 percent compared to the Giants 61 percent.

29:10

Jack Viney leading Melbourne for score involvements (11), tackles (6) and equal for contested possessions (15) with first-gamer Clayton Oliver.