AFL Round 20 Melbourne v GWS: Giants hold off late Demons charge to win at the MCG

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin left his hospital to bed to coach on Saturday night – and his side, led by Clayton Oliver, played with the same fight. But it wasn’t quite enough as the Giants held on.

It’s clear Melbourne badly wants to be there in September. Simon Goodwin left his hospital bed to coach in this one. The Demons threw the kitchen sink at GWS in a furious first-quarter assault.

But a shattering two-point defeat means their season remains on the ropes, while the Giants have all but booked their own finals tickets in a gritty clash in front of the smallest MCG crowd this season.

It looked like GWS had ripped the game away with four quick goals to open the final term, but Melbourne refused to go away and found itself within a kick when Alex Neal-Bullen squeezed home a helicopter snap with 68 seconds to play.

Tom Green won a critical centre clearance at the next bounce to lock the ball in the Giants’ forward half, but the Demons almost escaped twice if not for a contentious “not-15” decision and a desperate tackle on Caleb Windsor by James Peatling.

Jesse Hogan marks in front of Demon Steven May. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The Giants were listless early and went to the first break trailing by 28 points.

For almost three full quarters, their forward half was completely static and long kicks on Jesse Hogan’s head played perfectly into the hands of Jake Lever and Steven May.

But Hogan came to life on the stroke of three-quarter time and delivered a 20-minute cameo which may have ended Melbourne’s season.

The Dees likely need to win three of their final four games to qualify; Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast and Collingwood lie in their wait.

HOGAN LBW B THOMAS, 0

GWS forwards Harvey Thomas and Jesse Hogan combined for the clanger of the year when they managed to butcher a certain goal in the second quarter.

Taking advantage from a free kick 40m out from goal, Thomas streamed in towards goal and shaped to kick, but Hogan was facing him on the goal line demanding a handball.

As Thomas closed in, Hogan drifted across the line into his path, still calling for the ball, before the 18-year-old inexplicably launched a scrubber kick at knee-height.

It cannoned into Hogan’s leg and ricocheted away without registering a score. Fortunately for the former Demon he was playing a more forgiving sport than cricket, and he brought up his half-century five minutes later – the first 50-goal season of his career.

"And they've somehow butchered it!"

Harvey Thomas and Jesse Hogan couldn't do this again if they tried 😂#AFLDeesGiantspic.twitter.com/iQP9c1x7JM

— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 27, 2024

Toby Bedford tackles Jack Viney. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

GOODWIN’S ORDEAL

To add insult to injury for Simon Goodwin, it will be back to hospital on Sunday as he continues treatment for the nasty infection which had put him there for the previous three nights.

The Melbourne coach appeared no different to his normal self on the bench and the Demons expect he will be back for training later in the week once he is allowed to take antibiotics orally instead of via an IV drip.

“Just fighting a little bit of an infection … I’m on the mend and ready to go,” Goodwin told Channel 7 in an interview before the bounce.

Clayton Oliver hit back on Saturday night. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

CLARRY TALK IS NONSENSE

Clayton Oliver has done enough this season to suggest this turbulent part of his career could quickly fade into distant memory.

He was arguably Melbourne’s best on Saturday night, and his effort to work both ways could not be questioned despite missing the bulk of pre-season.

There’s no way the Demons would part with their four-time best and fairest now – at 27, he could deliver four or five more seasons of his best football while bridging the gap between the older Gawn and Viney and the Dees’ emerging on-ballers.

Kade Chandler celebrates a goal as Melbourne made a late charge. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

Scoreboard

DEMONS 5.5, 6.7, 8.9, 12.11 (83)

GIANTS 1.2, 6.4, 9.6, 13.7 (85)

BOURKE’S BEST Demons: Oliver, Lever, Rivers, Viney, McVee, Fritsch. Giants: Green, Callaghan, Daniels, Whitfield, Hogan, Taylor.

GOALS Demons: Fritsch 2, Chandler 2, Petty, Langdon, Melksham, Gawn, Viney, van Rooyen, Pickett, Neal-Bullen. Giants: Hogan 4, Greene 3, Daniels 2, Green, Bedford, McMullin, Ward.

UMPIRES Bailes, Foot, Gavine, Power

INJURIES Demons: nil. Giants: nil.

CROWD 16,246 at the MCG

BOURKE’S VOTES

3. Tom Green (GWS)

2. Finn Callaghan (GWS)

1. Brent Daniels (GWS)

Originally published as AFL Round 20 Melbourne v GWS: Giants hold off late Demons charge to win at the MCG