Dees 57-year Premiership Drought Over

Melbourne Second Half Blitz Puts Down The Dogs

A 57-year long drought has been broken. For the first time since 1964, the Melbourne Demons are the premiers. Winning an AFL premiership for the first time and bringing home the club's 13th in history as the Demons brought home the 2021 flag by 74 points.

It was a second-half blitz that brought the Demons the premiership. After trailing by 19-points in the third quarter, they would storm back into the contest to then run away with it emphatically after kicking 16 of the last 17 goals.

Right from the start, Melbourne was on fire. After Christian Petracca banged home the opening goal, Melbourne kicked four of the first five first-quarter goals to get out to a 21-point quarter-time lead.

The second quarter sparked a strong Bulldogs revival. From their slow start, the Dogs would kick a stunning six goals to one, to turn around a 21-point quarter-time deficit to an eight-point halftime lead.

When Jason Johannisen and Marcus Bontempelli kicked the opening two goals of the second half, it looked like the Demons were on their knees, as the Dogs opened up a 19-point lead at the 12-minute mark of the third quarter.

Bang, bang, bang. Out of nowhere, the Demons sprung to life.

Bayley Fritsch kicked two goals in succession to draw Melbourne within single digits, it was obvious the tide of momentum had swung. Ben Brown took a strong mark and drew Melbourne within a point. Angus Brayshaw would give the Demons back the lead.

From there, it was a late third quarter avalanche, as Melbourne piled on the next three goals of the quarter within quick succession to get out to a 24-point three-quarter time lead and be well and truly in the driver's seat.

Within the first minute of the last quarter, Brown kicked his third goal to get Melbourne out to a five-goal lead. As Fritch marked, went back, and kicked his fifth for the night, the margin was out to 36-points as Melbourne fans and began to celebrate, as they knew the margin was too big to peg back now. On top of this three more goals straight to really start to blow the margin out, as Adam Treloar finally broke the Dogs goal drought.

Luke Jackson would get in on the goal act, while Fritsch would become the first player to kick six goals in a Grand Final since Darren Jarman back in 1997. As the ball would end in Tom McDonald’s hands and as the final siren sounded, he calmly went back and slotted the goal to bring the margin out to a whopping 74-points.

The final siren was only the start of wild celebrations, as players stormed onto the Optus Stadium turf, along with coaching staff. Melbourne fans all around the country and in the stadium were in wild celebrations. After a long time of suffering, the wait was finally over.

Christian Petracca was sensational, taking home the Norm Smith medal, with 39 disposals; the most ever touches in a Grand Final.

It was a remarkable Grand Final day from the Demons, they showed the same resilience they have shown all year and it has resulted in the best possible reward, for the best side all year. Well done to Simon Goodwin and the Melbourne Football Club, on delivering their 13th Premiership.

MELBOURNE 4.5, 5.9, 12.11, 21.14 (140)

W. BULLDOGS 1.2, 7.5, 9.5, 10.6 (66)