Elimination Final, 2006
Melbourne vs St. Kilda
Friday 8 September
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 67,528
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 2.2 | 3.4 | 8.5 | 13.12.90 |
| St. Kilda | 5.4 | 6.6 | 9.8 | 10.12.72 |
Melbourne win by 18 points
Goalkickers: David Neitz 4, Brock McLean 2, Matthew Bate 1, Cameron Bruce 1, James McDonald 1, Brad Miller 1, Byron Pickett 1, Russell Robertson 1
Milestones:
Nil
The Demons lined up arm in arm for the national anthem, but as the ball bounced St. Kilda jumped out of the blocks better. Ben Holland matched up on the dangerous Fraser Gehrig, but the Saint spearhead had three goals in the first 16 minutes. Nathan Carroll moved onto him, and it was a Carroll tackle which twisted Gehrig's ankle and forced him out of the match.
St. Kilda were 27 points in front and Gehrig had marked well within his range, but he tried to run around Carroll on the mark when he could have had a set shot to put the Saints 32 in front - it was one of the turning points of the match. With the Saints suffering a rash of injuries not dissimilar to the one Demons had gone through a year earlier they ended up down to 18 fit men.
Jeff White was forced to ruck on his own for most of the game after Mark Jamar suffered a fractured right foot. Colin Sylvia began on Robert Harvey, but as Cameron Bruce was shifted onto him his influence was quelled - while Bruce's increased. Harvey battled injury, but his side managed to weather the first storm to kick three straight goals in the third quarter to set up what might have been a match winning lead. Only two late goals by the Demons gave them any hope of victory.
Fifteen points down thirteen minutes into the last term the Demons surged to kick the last five goals of the game to win. Two of the goals came through Brock McLean, undoubtedly best on ground, including the sealer after being clotheslined by Max Hudghton. White and Bruce were also prominent.
Matthew Whelan suffered an A/C joint injury which ruled him out of the semi final against Fremantle. Jared Rivers was fined $900 for wrestling.
Just like they had with Stan Alves in 1998, Melbourne's victory in a final over the Saints caused them to change coach - Grant Thomas fired just days later.
Video
Lists
Tribunal