Pre Game
00:00
When these sides met in Round 23, the Lions trailed by 66 points at half-time despite both teams having 26 inside 50 entries in the first half.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:16
Despite neither of these teams being ranked in the top-8 this season for centre bounce clearance differential, both teams rank in the top-4 in points scored differential from this source. Melbourne has won the opening centre bounce clearance tonight but failed to score from this chain.
01:34
The opening score of the game to the Demons and Luke Jackson came from a forward 50 stoppage. Melbourne averages 8.9 points per game from this source, and Brisbane averages a competition-high 10.7 points from its forward 50 clearances.
03:31
Melbourne has an early 8-1 lead in contested possessions and 90 percent time in forward half to start this game. The Demons have won first possession at all six stoppages.
05:27
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Ed Langdon)
05:40
The first goal of the game to the Demons was launched by a defensive half intercept. When these teams last met, Melbourne kicked a season-high eight goals in the first half from such chains with Brisbane struggling to disrupt ball movement.
08:58
Max Gawn has averaged only 11.2 disposals per game against Brisbane, which is his lowest return against any opponent. Gawn has already recorded six disposals and four hit-outs to advantage in a prominent start to the game.
09:34
Lions Interchange - Charlie Cameron off due to an injury.
09:47
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
11:20
Melbourne has been the No.1 ranked team in the first ten minutes of games this season and has again made a strong start tonight with the first three scores of the game.
11:51
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)
13:01
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
13:10
The goal to Alex Neal-Bullen came from a chain launched by a kick-in. Melbourne is ranked last in points scored from this source in 2022 with an average of only 1.5 points per game.
15:26
Melbourne has won the first three centre bounce clearances of the game with the last of these leading to the Jake Melksham goal. The Demons now lead 11-1 in first possession wins at stoppages.
18:14
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Ed Langdon)
19:28
Brisbane has generated just one inside 50 entry from 14 defensive half chains, while Melbourne has recorded five inside 50 entries from only eight such chains in an indication of the difference in ball movement this term.
19:34
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
21:41
Melbourne now leads 42-15 in forward half disposals, 11-1 in forward 50 disposals, and 7-1 in forward 50 marks.
22:04
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
23:20
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
24:33
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Daniel McStay)
26:11
Melbourne has dominated both in the air (contested marks 5-1) and in the ground balls (27-17) this term which has continued the recent trend in games between these teams of the Demons winning the contested possession count.
27:34
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
29:31
In the last ten minutes, Brisbane has managed to break even in contested possessions and leads the inside 50 count (7-3) and uncontested possessions (12-7).
29:45
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
31:31
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
31:38
Brisbane is ranked No.1 in points scored from clearances this season, but in the opening term, Melbourne dominated first possession at stoppages (18-5), won the clearances 12-8, and led 10-0 in points scored from this source.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:40
Melbourne now has a 5-0 lead in centre bounce clearances and its rucks have a 7-2 edge in hitouts to advantage.
00:41
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
04:10
Brisbane has won 11 of the 12 games this season when it has won the clearance count. It has won only five of its other 11 games in 2022. Melbourne currently leads the clearances 13-10.
07:49
The second quarter has seen the Lions matching the Demons for contested possessions and inside 50 entries, but there has only been one shot at goal for either team (which failed to register a score).
09:49
Brisbane is yet to win a ground ball in its forward 50 tonight, while Melbourne has won six in its forward 50 including the last by Kysaiah Pickett which led to his opportunistic goal.
12:25
Brisbane has already taken more marks this quarter (20) than it did in the opening term (17) and twice as many in the forward half.
12:42
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
14:31
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
14:59
From Round 1-19, Brisbane averaged 28.6 points per game from chains launched by a defensive half intercept (ranked No.1). Since Round 20, the Lions have averaged only 14.2 points per game from such chains (ranked 16th). Both of its goals tonight have come from such chains.
17:10
Melbourne has averaged 26 points per game from forward half intercepts this season. The Demons are yet to score from this source tonight and now trail 7-8 in such intercepts.
18:57
Daniel Rich has now recorded a game-high 365 metres gained from his 14 kicks and has been the main opponent for Christian Petracca tonight.
21:50
Bayley Fritsch has recorded a set shot scoring accuracy of 70 percent this season, which is the fifth-best percentage of the top-25 goalkickers in the league and he has converted his first shot at goal tonight following a contested mark. Melbourne leads 8-2 in such marks.
23:07
The stoppages continue to be a problem for Brisbane with Melbourne now leading clearances 22-12 and points scored from stoppages 18-0. The Demons have won the last eight clearances.
26:00
Demons Interchange - Jake Lever off due to an injury.
26:39
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
27:28
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
27:46
Another Melbourne clearance led to the last goal to Pickett. Clayton Oliver leads all players for clearances (6) and contested possessions (12) despite the close attention of Deven Robertson.
28:48
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Callum Ah Chee)
28:53
The handy late goal for Brisbane came from a rare centre bounce clearance. It was the first score from a stoppage for the Lions (who average a competition-high 38 points per game from this source), and Melbourne leads centre bounce clearances 7-2.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:09
Brisbane recorded forward half kicking efficiency of only 42 percent in the first half. Only once this season have the Lions had forward half kick efficiency of below 50 percent and that was in Round 15 against the Demons (43 percent).
00:25
Harrison Petty is currently the No.1 ranked player on the ground. Petty has recorded a game-high seven intercepts, three tackles, and three intercept marks.
01:30
The first goal of the second half goes to the Lions following a forward half intercept. It was the first goal of the game for either team from this source. Brisbane leads 12-9 in such intercepts.
04:24
In the first quarter, there were 36 uncontested marks taken and in the second term, this increased to 60 such marks with the game starting to change in nature. There has been only one such mark in the opening minutes of this term.
05:52
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
06:16
Three goals in a row to the Lions and the last one, launched from an intercept in the defensive 50, was the first of the game for Brisbane to come from this zone in an indication that ball movement is becoming easier.
07:47
Brisbane is winning contested possessions (12-6) and clearances (4-1) this term, with this helping the Lions to a 7-1 inside 50 advantage.
10:31
Melbourne has won all six games this season when it has recorded a higher pressure rating than its opposition. Brisbane has won nine of the 11 games when it has recorded a higher pressure rating than its opposition. The Lions currently have the higher pressure rating tonight.
12:29
Melbourne leads 19-10 for contested possessions in its forward 50 and 16-9 in its defensive 50. The contested possession count in the midfield is relatively even (60-58 to the Demons).
13:52
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
14:23
Brisbane is yet to score from its seven forward half clearances tonight, while Melbourne has scored 2.6.18 from 17 such clearances.
15:27
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
16:11
The last goal to the Lions came from a kick-in chain, with Brisbane continuing to move the ball more freely as the game progresses. The Lions have averaged 7.5 points per game from kick-ins across the past month (ranked second).
16:41
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Jack Viney)
17:39
Lions Interchange - Brandon Starcevich off due to the blood rule.
18:15
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
19:46
Melbourne took six uncontested marks in its forward 50 during the first quarter but has not taken another such mark since.
21:10
The Demons lead 15-4 in forward 50 ground balls, 9-0 in forward 50 tackles, and 19-10 in shots at goal, but have scored 3.6 to 3.1 from shots at goal in the 30-50 metre range.
23:49
Five goals in a row to the Lions following the long-range goal from Hugh McCluggage which was again launched from a defensive half chain. McCluggage is averaging an equal career-high 25 disposals, one goal, and seven score involvements this season and is tracking for similar numbers tonight.
26:24
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
28:07
Harrison Petty has now recorded a career-high ten intercepts which include an equal career-high five intercept marks, while also contributing a team-high five spoils.
28:54
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
29:37
The badly needed goal for the Demons was launched by a clearance. Melbourne now leads in both clearances (38-23) and points scored from stoppages (32-6).
30:23
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
30:46
Lions Interchange - Keidean Coleman off due to an injury.
30:47
Another clearance goal for the Demons, this time from a centre bounce where Melbourne leads clearances 10-5. Alex Neal-Bullen is the only player on the ground with multiple goals and multiple score assists.
32:46
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Darcy Fort)
33:02
Brisbane has again kicked a goal in the final minute of the quarter, with the goal to Darcy Fort following a forward 50 tackle. The Lions did not apply such a tackle in the first half but have had three this term.
34:16
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
34:18
Brisbane won hard ball gets 14-4 in the third quarter after Melbourne won this count 19-11 in the first half. The Demons are the No.1 ranked team in this measure by some distance.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:33
The Demons conceded 11 goals from turnovers last week against the Swans, which is the second-most they have conceded since the beginning of last season. Tonight the Lions lead 40-15 in points scored from turnovers with the Demons again struggling in this area.
03:07
Brisbane has now kicked eight of the last ten goals in the game following the last goal to Dan McStay. The Lions have kicked 4.0 from shots at goal in the 15-30 metre range while the Demons have scored 3.2 from such shots.
04:19
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
04:49
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
05:17
Brisbane has again started the quarter strongly with the first four inside 50 entries, an 8-4 edge in ground balls, and the first three scores of the quarter.
06:14
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
06:28
The excellent goal from Angus Brayshaw was launched by a defensive half intercept. Melbourne has now scored 21 points from such intercepts and is still yet to score from a forward half intercept.
09:36
SCORE
BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
12:39
Melbourne leads the tackle count 18-5 this quarter, with part of this due to Brisbane winning ground balls 18-11 and partly due to the Demons recording their highest pressure rating of the game.
14:29
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
14:58
The Lions average 16 points per game from defensive 50 chains and have now scored 19 such points tonight since halftime following the last goal to Zac Bailey.
18:13
Brisbane has never won a game in Victoria when trailing at halftime by more than 20 points. The Lions trailed at the main break tonight by 22 points.
18:40
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
21:57
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
22:19
Three goals from four kicks for Charlie Cameron tonight and Brisbane has now scored 8.2 from set shots. The Lions have lost 14 of their last 15 games at the MCG. Their last win at the MCG was in Round 21, 2014.
24:45
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
25:04
Brisbane now has 11 of the last 14 goals, and despite conceding the clearances to Melbourne (49-35), both teams have now kicked five goals from this source.
26:06
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
27:28
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
27:59
Since half-time Jarrod Berry has been used in a central midfield role primarily opposed to Clayton Oliver. During this time Berry has recorded 21 disposals and five clearances, while Oliver has had just nine disposals and three clearances.
29:19
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Ed Langdon)
29:34
As has been the trend tonight the goals have flowed late in the quarter. There have been 13 goals kicked in time-on tonight and only 11 in the first 20 minutes of quarters.
31:56
SCORE
GOAL - Lions (Daniel McStay)
32:09
Another late goal for the Lions who have now kicked five goals tonight after the 28-minute mark of quarters.
33:40
A terrific win for the Lions who recorded a season-high pressure rating of 201, had their first win at the MCG since Round 21, 2014, and recorded their biggest comeback win in a final. The move of Jarrod Berry into the centre square after half-time proved crucial.