MELBOURNE was given a wake-up call of what to expect in the AFLW finals as they capped the end of the home-and-away season with a tense one-point win over Carlton.
The Demons struggled to get their overlap and free-flowing style operating at anywhere near previous rounds and in the end were lucky to sneak home 5.4 (34) to 5.3 (33) at Casey Fields in Cranbourne.
With the Blues trailing by just two points, experienced forward Darcy Vescio had a chance to snatch an upset victory with a free kick deep in the forward pocket with only 35 seconds left on the game clock.
But the kick from 25m on a tight angle drifted across the goal and the ball was bundled across the line for a behind.
Melbourne were never allowed to settle with Carlton’s relentless pressure on the ball carrier and at stoppages given them an impressive and superior tackle count.
But, like good teams generally do, the Demons found a way to hold onto a slender lead despite kicking only one goal in the defence-dominated second half.
Gun Melbourne forward Tayla Harris had a quiet night in her first game against former side and was kept goalless.
It was left to teenage forward Alyssa Bannan to come to the Demons’ rescue with three goals in the first half that ultimately proved enough.
The Blues, on a three-game winning streak, were left to ponder what might have been after the late-season rally left them just short of the top six and a finals berth.
Carlton unnerved Melbourne with their intensity and pressure around the contests from the opening bounce of the game.
The committed Blues answered coach Daniel Harford’s decree to make the normally free-running Demons earn every possession and it took the home side 11 minutes to finally scrounge a behind to open the scoring.
While Melbourne launched most of their attacks off a well-organised half-back line, the goals didn’t flow.
It was left to second-season forward Bannan to get the scoreboard ticking with three goals in the even first half.
The Blues didn’t score in the opening quarter but they absorbed enormous pressure from a lopsided inside 50 count and then grew in confidence with better reward from the midfield contests late in the first half.
Two goals from Nicola Stevens and others from Jess Good and Keeley Sherar enabled Carlton to stay in touch with the potent Demons.
Such was the threat of the Blues’ surge that Melbourne sent experienced forward Daisy Pearce to the backline as an extra to help out in a wildly fluctuating first half that left the combatants deadlocked and weary at the main break.
Pearce’s skills and poise, particularly in the frantic final minutes, helped save the game.
After contributing two goals in the first half, her work down back was pivotal. She even took the kick-out with only seconds remaining and found a teammate as the final siren blew.
(C) AAP 2022
