AFL 2021 LIVE updates Dees rise from the ashes to claim minor premiership after trailing Cats by 44 points
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This is how Gawn did it...
Melbourne star Clayton Oliver was enormous in the final quarter and he spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: That period when Geelong went eight goals unanswered, what was going through your mind?
Not much, really. Disbelief. They were terrific, those clearances. I actually, we did not talk about it too much and we just went back to basics and tried to work it out. We did.
Q: Did you expect at any point that Mark O’Connor may have come through and put the hard tag on you?
A: Not really. We talked about it for a bit. If it happens, we just share the load. It is all good.
Q: If you can take me back to you and Patrick Dangerfield, what was the discussion?
A: I asked him how his body was going. I was making sure his calf muscle was alright. I just told him to look after himself.
Q: Was he responding? You are having a casual chat? Max has been known to hook a few. Were you a bit nervous?
A: I think he deserved one. He missed one at the MCG a few years ago and I felt like we deserved one.
Ultimately, the Giants obliterated the Blues in contested possessions 146-117, while they also won the disposals 352-341, clearances 43-35, tackles 60-42, inside 50s 57-46, free kicks 20-14 and scoring shots 29-20.
Carlton 2.4, 6.6, 7.7, 11.9 (75)
GWS 1.3, 6.5, 9.10, 12.17 (89)
GOALS
Carlton: E.Curnow 4, Betts 2, Casboult 2, Durdin, McGovern, Fisher
GWS: Hogan 3, Ward 2, Lloyd, Hopper, Perryman, Greene, Sproule, O’Halloran, Himmelberg
DISPOSALS
Carlton: Walsh 29, Newman 27, E.Curnow 25
GWS: Kelly 29, Taranto 29, Ward 28
INTERCEPTS
Carlton: Newman 6, Weitering 6
GWS: Taylor 8, Cumming 7, Perryman 7, Ward 6
Patrick Cripps tackled by Josh Kelly.Credit:Getty Images
In the end, the Demons finished with more clearances 47-40, tackles 71-61, inside 50s 56-49, contested possessions 143-139, hitouts 49-39 and scoring shots 21-17.
Geelong 2.1, 10.2, 12.3, 12.5 (77)
Melbourne 2.3, 3.5, 6.7, 12.9 (81)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Cameron 2, Rohan 2, Dahlhaus, Selwood, Dangerfield, Close
Melbourne: Pickett 3, B.Brown 2, Oliver 2, Spargo 2, Viney, Fritsch, Gawn
DISPOSALS
Geelong: C.Guthrie 30, Selwood 28, Menegola 25
Melbourne: Oliver 37, Salem 27, Harmes 26, Petracca 26, Gawn 25
INTERCEPTS
Geelong: Henry 8, Menegola 6
Melbourne: Lever 12, Oliver 7, Bowey 6
Max Gawn is mobbed after kicking the match-winning goal after the siren.Credit:Getty Images
And while all the craziness in Geelong was going on, a legend at Marvel Stadium was farewelled...
It doesn’t get much more thrilling than this...
A teary Christian Petracca spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: You have never experienced anything like that.
Very emotional right now, to be honest. Fifty-seven years and the club has been building for a long time and that is for every Melbourne fan right there who has been embarrassed to wear the jumper and we have put the club back on the map and we have been striving for that for a long time and to be part of this is unbelievable, to be honest.
Q: It is an unbelievable win and you have kicked 6.0 (in the final quarter) against Geelong in Geelong who have won 90 per cent of games down here and put you on top of the ladder. What was said at three-quarter time? Just going back to surging the ball forward?
A: We felt like that at half-time and it was around the clearances that we got smashed and we had a reality check at half-time and we had missed a lot of tackles and they are an unbelievable team and have been for over 10 years now. For us, we just had to grind away and we knew the best footy is being aggressive and putting pressure on them and we felt like the scoreline took care of itself and we kept grinding and grinding and one goal after another. From there, some momentum. A bit of luck goes your way and Max Gawn, so proud of him, to kick that.
Q: So emotional. It has been an amazing journey for you and the club because it has been on
its knees and it was belted for years and suddenly you finish as minor premiers and you have seen the highs and the lows. Is that what is bringing tears to your eyes?
Yes, it is. Look at our coach. Six months ago, 12 months ago he was going to get sacked and everyone was saying that. To be probably the best coach and coached the best team at the moment, amazing. We know the job is not finished and we have the next part of the season coming and we want to harness the energy and this is an amazing feeling and something we have never felt before and we have to keep going and we have finals next week against a team in Brisbane who are in great form.
Q: It feels with the bye going before the finals you have huge momentum and this will give you belief and I reckon you will be happy there is no bye next week and you are straight back into it against Brisbane.
A: You are 100 per cent right and we have good momentum heading into the finals and we do not know where we are playing, it’s up in the air, and we just want to play anywhere, anytime, and we feel like we have the group to do it and we are on an exciting journey.
Q: In terms of tonight and when you went to Max, we were observing a team that looks as tight as any team we have ever seen.
I think the last 5-6 years, the talent has been there and people have been frustrated with how we have been frustrated with how we have been playing but it’s all about culture and that is what gets you into the top four and we have a great team, I guess. Look at Geelong. 15 years they have been based on culture and one man in, one man out, and that is the mindset we have had and people are playing their role and Tom Sparrow just came in and Jack Viney sacrifices the odd game to be a defensive player and there are so many guys I could name that have bought into this culture and, for me, being part of this for 6-7 years now, it is so special and I’m grateful to be part of a club like this.
Q: What about the backline which has been amazing all year? I think the best back line and history when you look at the scores conceded to go in and so you are building from defence up and I look at Jake Lever down there and I think we can get a look at him with no crowd and you can hear what he is doing and he just gives instructions the whole game and you must be happy with what he is doing.
A: He has been unbelievable and lots of other players in amazing form like Harrison Petty and him and May, they have not played together much and the connection they have built in the off-season and the pre-season and into the season is special and they are building guys along with them and we have got people like Jake Lever coming in, Trent Rivers, Christian Salem. It is a great group to be part of the defences holding us up.
Q: Winning like that is what it is all about, isn’t it?
It is and that is what you play footy for and he (Gawn) has got a bit of a hook kick and a few of the boys told him to aim for the right post and it will go on and I thought Jake Lever was going to take the set shot and he told him to go through his process and he said he could not take that far.
Q: I am glad you said that because a lot of players might have thought they could make the distance and do it but he did the right thing and a lot of players would have put that to the goal line and the game would have been done.
It was the flattest kick inside 50 I have seen in a long time but the bench was instructed to tell him there was 20 seconds left and it was funny because a lot of the Geelong boys were saying, “Not again,†Because he (Gawn) missed the last time but he’s been at the club for 11-12 years and it is fitting he is the one that puts us up for the minor premiership and we have not done that for 57 years.
Q: Well said. Any idea where you will play next week? Have you been told? Will you choose Adelaide Oval? Any knowledge?
A: No idea. As long as you can jam in a crowd, I reckon. Hopefully Mt Buller.
Q: Congratulations on your season and in helping to get the club to where they have got to. People are saying they will go to Perth and quarantine.
A: I think my brother and family might do the same thing and we will see.
This is what footy is all about...
Melbourne forward Ben Brown spoke to Channel Seven after the game...
Q: How do you sum this up?
Max Gawn, unbelievable. He tried to give me the chance to have a shot at goal earlier in the quarter and I missed it so good thing he did it and no better feeling.
Q: Talk to us about the leadership of Max Gawn and Simon Goodwin as well. It seems like this group is so close this season.
A: For sure. A close group. Important for the club. Leadership has been fantastic. The game shows how we can stick in the game and we are never out of it and we have to take that into the finals.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn spoke to Channel Seven after kicking the match-winning goal...
Q: Every boy’s dream to kick a goal after the siren to win the game. What a final term. What was going through your mind?
We knew we could get close. We were playing good footy but they were scoring goals and we really bounced back.
Q: Three-quarter time, what was the message? You are playing your brand but that was not connecting. Where was the shift?
On Friday night Port Adelaide are down by 5-6 goals and came back in the second half and we got some inspiration from that and we knew we could play our brand of footy and once we got going the confidence was there and look what happened.
Q: On the eve of the finals to have a win like this and know that you can come from anywhere, no matter how big the deficit, and take the win.
A: I don’t know. We are top four. We will take some forward momentum to the finals. That is what we have done. We are in pole position.
Q: The forward line were under the pump in the middle in the second and third terms and the likes of Ben Brown was doing well but Fritcsh could not get his hands on it. How did you see the final term and the way they lifted?
A: Ben Brown took contested marks. Tommy (McDonald) was good, ‘Kozzy’ (Kysaiah Pickett), they were all good.
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