Qualifying Final, 2000
Melbourne vs Carlton
Sunday 13 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 75,570
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.4 | 6.4 | 8.5 | 15.6.96 |
| Carlton | 4.4 | 8.8 | 10.14 | 12.15.87 |
Melbourne win by 9 points
Goalkickers: Brad Green 4, Cameron Bruce 2, Stephen Powell 2, David Schwarz 2, Andrew Leoncelli 1, Anthony McDonald 1, David Neitz 1, Peter Walsh 1, Adem Yze 1
Best and Fairest
32 - Anthony Ingerson
30 - Brad Green
26 - Andrew Leoncelli
20.5 - Cameron Bruce
19.5 - Adem Yze
Milestones:
Nil
Melbourne's performance was much better than during their 98 point loss in Round 13, but they still looked dead and buried early in the last quarter. Despite losing two of their last three games Carlton started favourites and built a lead that stretched beyond five goals late in the third quarter before the Demons stormed home.
The day started badly for Melbourne, who conceded the first goal after what looked like a legal mark to Jeff White, then the second after Peter Walsh gave away a 50 metre penalty after confusion with the umpire.
In the second quarter David Schwarz ran into an open goal and held the ball up to the crowd before putting his side a goal up. It seemed to rebound on him when the Blues kicked six of the next seven goals. Carlton led by 31 points during the third term, and even late goals to James McDonald and Brad Green only cut the gap to 21 at the last change. It left Carlton in the box seat to earn the week's rest before a Preliminary Final, and go onto the opposite side of the finals draw to the fearsome Essendon.
Neale Daniher gave his troops a fearful spray at the last change, and they soon overran the more experience opposition. After being thrown forward in the second quarter when Jeff Farmer failed to fire, Green played the game of his young career. Farmer, Neitz, Woewodin and Schwarz were all down on their best but the comeback was driven by the team's younger players. By the four minute mark of the last quarter Green had three goals, and was pivotal in the final term comeback along with fellow rookie Cameron Bruce. After two from Green, a Bruce goal after seven minutes cut the gap to less than six points. Then the game was thrown into a nine minute stalemate until Adem Yze soccered a goal to give his side the lead. Green got his third, but just as it looked like Carlton had folded, they kicked two goals to retake the lead. Leoncelli and Bruce then replied, carrying the Demons over the line.
The cliffhanger win gave Melbourne a week off and a trip straight to the Preliminary Final. The importance of having avoided a loss in Round 22 and a match against Essendon was underlined when the Bombers demolished the Kangaroos by 125 points in the other Qualifying Final.
Neale Daniher said, "Carlton played better football for three quarters but were not able to put us away. We got a sniff in the last quarter and with a young team hungry to achieve something we went on a roll". He said even though it was a "sensational victory", "we didn't play really good ofoty"Daniher also said, "We needed to attack the game and our boys had enough petrol in the tank to do that".
Best were Adem Yze, Brad Green and Anthony McDonald.
Video
Media
Herald Sun - 14/08/2000
Age - 14/08/2000
SportsToday - 14/08/2000
Canberra Times - 14/08/2000, 20/08/2000
Links
Blueseum match report