Melbourne have verifiable belief that anything is possible in their AFLW preliminary final after pipping GWS by three points at Giants Stadium, where Lily Mithen's match-winning goal came with just 25 seconds remaining.
The goal umpire hardly moved as Mithen marked in the pocket and calmly converted her set shot, completing a remarkable final-quarter comeback on Saturday afternoon in the topsy-turvy semi. The COVID-19 lockout ensured that screams of 'SAVE THE GAME' from the Demons' bench were heard around the ground.
Melbourne, who kicked three goals straight in the fourth term and will next face Fremantle or Gold Coast, triumphed 4.5 (29) to 3.8 (26). 'Whatever next week's scenario throws up, the girls have another experience they can draw on,' Demons coach Mick Stinear said.
The first goal of Mithen's career came in the second quarter and put Melbourne in front, only for GWS to rally and build a 15-point lead early in the final term. Demons Shelley Scott and Sarah Perkins kicked goals in the fourth quarter to build belief, but it was Mithen's clutch effort which triggered chaotic then jubilant scenes.
'Throughout the season, we've been able to score pretty quickly, so we had belief we could do it ... Lily Mithen picked a good time to kick the first two goals of her career,' Stinear said. 'I knew there was 45 seconds left. So it was either A: it doesn't make the distance or it's a point and try to get real aggressive and lock it in. Or defend with our lives - option B and thankfully it paid off.'
Saturday was meant to mark the first time a club had hosted an AFLW-AFL double header for premiership points. The coronavirus pandemic meant the stakes were even higher in the curtain-raising knockout AFLW contest played behind closed doors. Irishwoman Cora Staunton and Jess Dal Pos, both members of GWS's leadership group, stood up with goals in what looked to be a decisive third quarter, but it wasn't to be for the Giants in their maiden AFLW final.
