AFL 2023: Melbourne Demons secure McClelland Trophy and $1 million thanks to AFLW win

The Melbourne Football Club has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently, but thanks to their AFLW team, the whole club is now a million dollars richer.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 28: Demons flags are seen during the 2023 AFLW Round 09 match between The Melbourne Demons and The Fremantle Dockers at Casey Fields on October 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Melbourne might be under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons at the moment but they can thank their women’s team for lifting the club’s spirits with a $1 million pay day.

The Demons might have to sling St Kilda something after they produced the biggest upset of the AFLW season over Brisbane which ruled the Lions out of the running for McClelland Trophy cash bonanza.

It does take the air out of the tyres of the AFL’s plans for a blockbuter $1 million showdown in the final round between Melbourne and Brisbane in Springfield next week.

The Melbourne Demons’ AFLW win over Fremantle has all but secured them the million dollar McClelland Trophy. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The McClelland Trophy was relaunched this year to include the AFLW competition, with $1 million in prize money up for grabs to be shared between the club and all its players.

Four points are awarded for AFL wins and two for AFL draws, while eight points are granted for AFLW wins and four for AFLW draws, given the AFLW season runs for only 10 rounds.

The Demons will now enter the final round with their hands on the trophy with mathematically Collingwood the only other club potentially alive but they’re not realistically in the picture given they are currently one game (they play Sydney on Sunday) and a massive percentage difference behind.

It has been a horror season for St Kilda coach Nick Dal Santo but he inspired his 12th-placed team to topple the Lions by 21 points at Moorabbin.

As they did that, the Demons were taking care of their end of the bargain, defeating 13th ranked Fremantle by 33 points at Casey Fields.