Match

Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions

Commentary / 13 Jul 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Melbourne has won 41 quarters this season, the most of any team in the competition.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:24
Christian Petracca spent 67% of game time forward last week and has started forward again tonight. Brandon Starcevich has the job on Petracca.
02:13
Alex Neal-Bullen has been a great source of goals and pressure for the Demons this season. He kicks his 12th goal of the season.
03:54
Melbourne is on top early in this contest. They lead clearances (3-0) and inside 50's (4-1). After a career-high four goals last week, Petracca is looking dangerous inside 50 once again.
06:55
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
08:20
Melbourne had a goal kicking accuracy of 63% against St Kilda last week. They have kicked (4.0) from just seven inside 50 entries so far tonight.
08:48
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Ben Brown)
10:29
Melbourne leads contested possessions (18-8) and clearances (6-1). Despite their stoppage dominance, they also have a higher pressure rating of 190 to Brisbane's 160.
12:38
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
12:53
Melbourne has had 29 more disposals than Brisbane. There are still 10 Brisbane players yet to register a disposal, with only four Melbourne players without a touch.
14:09
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
15:15
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
15:26
Zac Bailey breaks the run of four consecutive Melbourne goals with his 21st goal of the season. The Lions have stemmed the flow with five of the last six inside 50's of the game.
19:31
Jake Melksham has had a clumsy start to the game. Melksham has missed two gettable set shots and dropped a simple mark inside 50.
20:37
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
20:56
Brisbane only concede 42 points per game from turnovers on average (ranked 4th), but have already conceded 19 points from this source in the opening term.
22:18
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
22:54
Ben Brown has been prominent early in this match. Brown has assisted two goals and kicked one himself from his four disposals.
24:29
Despite inside 50's being locked at 10 apiece, Melbourne has scored seven times (5.2) to Brisbane's three (1.2).
24:54
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)
26:41
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
29:56
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
30:11
Melbourne has been more efficient in front of goal, kicking (4.1) from set shots to Brisbane's (2.2) from set shots.
32:24
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
32:28
Melbourne dominated the early stages of the game due to their contested work. The Demons lead contested possessions by 10 and clearances by four. The Lions worked their way back into the contest with repeat inside 50's (seven of the last nine).

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:56
Demons Interchange - Harrison Petty off due to an injury.
02:14
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
02:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Bowey)
02:49
In the absence of Brodie Grundy, Max Gawn is on top in the ruck battle against Oscar McInerney, contributing to Melbourne's clearances dominance (14-8). Gawn leads hit-outs (13-9) and hit-outs to advantage (5-1).
04:12
Melbourne is making the Lions pay on turnover. The Demons have kicked four goals from forward half intercepts.
07:11
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Oscar McInerney)
08:04
Oscar McInerney pushed hard forward on Max Gawn and was rewarded for his hard running. Brisbane's ball movement is improving, kicking two goals from chains starting in their defensive half.
09:26
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Will Ashcroft)
09:49
Brisbane's transition ball movement has lifted, utilising the switch and precise ball movement. They've kicked two goals this quarter from chains starting in their defensive 50.
12:49
Brisbane's kicking efficiency was 57% in the opening quarter but they have lifted that to 77% in the second.
14:52
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
15:37
Brisbane leads uncontested marks (25-9) in the second quarter, kicking short and hitting targets. They're also playing on 52% of the time after a mark this term.
18:35
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jaspa Fletcher)
19:00
Brisbane has now kicked three consecutive goals, all coming from turnover.
20:10
Brisbane's defence is holding up well this quarter. They lead intercept marks (6-0) in the second term, with Brandon Starcevich taking three of those intercepts.
22:22
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jack Gunston)
22:30
Brisbane hit the lead for the first time in this game.
23:00
Melbourne is over-possessing the ball this quarter, with 33 kicks and 46 handballs. Compare this to the Lions who have been far more direct with 53 kicks and 19 handballs.
25:28
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
25:40
After kicking at 26% accuracy in front of goal in the opening 16 rounds, Christian Petracca has kicked (7.1) in the past two weeks.
27:01
Max Gawn averages 10.7 disposals against the Lions across his career, his fewest against any opponent. Tonight he's had 14 disposals, six hit-outs to advantage, and five clearances approaching half-time.
29:27
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Lincoln McCarthy)
29:50
Will Ashcroft is involved in everything positive for the Lions. Ashcroft has three goal assists, a goal, and six score involvements from his 10 disposals.
30:37
Max Gawn is the highest-ranked player on the field at half-time. Gawn has had 14 disposals, seven hit-outs to advantage, five tackles and five clearances.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:16
Lachie Neale only had six disposals at 17% efficiency in the opening half but has won the opening two clearances of the third quarter.
03:44
Taj Woewodin, son of former Brownlow Medallist Shane, kicks his first career goal with a running shot from the boundary.
06:30
Lachie Neale has lifted and is now dominating around the stoppages. Of the six stoppages so far this quarter, Neale has won four clearances.
08:22
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
10:20
Brisbane average the least tackles per game of any side in the competition (54). The Demons lead tackles (32-23) so far tonight.
11:31
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Joe Daniher)
12:10
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
12:59
Since Round 14, the Lions have taken 18.5 marks inside 50 per game, ranked number one during this time. They lead marks inside 50 (14-7) so far tonight.
14:14
Things are looking ominous for the Demons. Brisbane has kicked eight of the last 10 goals of this match. The ball is living in Brisbane's forward half (80% of this quarter) and they lead inside 50's (11-3).
16:31
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jarryd Lyons)
17:21
Brisbane has lifted around the contest this quarter. Three of their four goals have been generated from stoppage situations and they lead clearances (6-3) for the term.
19:15
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jack Gunston)
19:21
Brisbane is cutting Melbourne apart. They lead inside 50's (14-3) this quarter and have had eight scoring shots (5.3) to Melbourne's one (1.0).
21:06
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
21:20
Demons Interchange - Harrison Petty and is possibly out for the game.
21:46
Melbourne break the Brisbane momentum with Kysaiah Pickett's 24th goal of the season. Both of Melbourne's third quarter goals have come from stoppages.
24:28
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Eric Hipwood)
24:41
Melbourne average the most intercept marks of any team in the competition (18.5). The Lions have restricted that part of Melbourne's game, keeping the Demons to just eight intercept marks, while taking 16 marks inside 50 of their own.
27:55
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
28:02
Max Gawn has flourished in the solo ruck role tonight. Gawn kicks a bomb from outside 50 to keep the Demons' hopes alive. Gawn has 20 disposals, seven clearances and six tackles approaching three-quarter time.
29:32
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
31:25
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
31:37
Melbourne is keeping their hopes alive with their efficiency. They have kicked (4.0) from seven inside 50's this term. All four of their goals have been generated from stoppage situations.
32:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
33:37
Melbourne has worked their way back into the game with their clearance work. They have won the last six clearances of the game. Christian Petracca has had four clearances this quarter.
34:55
It was a goal fest in the third quarter, with 11 goals kicked between the two sides. Brisbane dominated most of the quarter, spending 58% of the quarter in their forward half and leading inside 50's (17-10). Melbourne found a way back into the contest with four late goals from stoppage situations.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:30
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)
01:11
Melbourne concede an average of just 39.6 points per game from turnovers, ranked number one. Tonight Brisbane have dismantled them, scoring 60 points from turnovers.
03:33
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Joe Daniher)
03:45
Joe Daniher has had the better of Steven May tonight, and has been one of Brisbane's best. Daniher has played high up the ground, collecting a team-high 23 disposals, but also looking dangerous inside 50 with two goals, a goal assist and nine score involvements.
05:48
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
07:29
Lachie Hunter has had a game-high 25 disposals and 520 metres gained for the Demons.
09:12
Melbourne needed to be faultless with their goal-kicking to be a chance in this game but have kicked (0.3) from their shots at goal this quarter.
13:36
Brisbane has won the aerial battle in this game, leading contested marks (13-9) and intercept marks (17-13).
15:41
Melbourne leads inside 50's (8-6) in the final term but the Lions have been able to rebound from defence on all eight occasions.
16:26
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
17:11
Melbourne finally get rewarded for their final quarter territory dominance. Melbourne is playing on 35% of the time after a mark in the final term after playing on after a mark just 14% of the time in the opening three quarters.
17:44
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
19:17
While Melbourne are surging home late, they will still need four unanswered goals in the remaining six minutes to win this game.
20:57
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
22:25
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
22:39
Melbourne is on the comeback trail. They lead inside 50's (14-8) and clearances (8-4) in the final quarter.
25:19
Melbourne cut the margin to just five points with just over two minutes remaining, thanks to a clearance goal from Jack Viney. Melbourne has scored (3.5) to Brisbane's (1.1) in the final term.
26:51
Melbourne has had the last seven inside 50's of the game and Brisbane are hanging on desperately.
28:01
Remarkably, Melbourne have a chance to hit the lead for the first time since the 29 minute mark of the second quarter.
28:34
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
28:46
Melbourne has kicked four unanswered goal to lead by a single point with just 33 seconds remaining. Jake Melksham goals after a huge contested mark.
30:27
Melbourne has now won three matches by under 10 points this season.