MELBOURNE and Brisbane will face off in an historic preliminary final held at the MCG as they vie off for a coveted place in the Grand Final. The Demons are coming off an extended break due to the delayed finals series, while the Lions are full steam ahead after beating Collingwood by 50 points on Sunday to qualify.

Last time they met

When these two sides faced off in round seven, the game proved to be eerily similar to their 2021 battle, ending with a Greta Bodey kicking after the siren falling agonisingly short. Karen Paxman won a game-high 23 disposals, with Brisbane midfielder Emily Bates hot on her heels with 22.

The Lions took control early in the game and on the quick deck of Metricon Stadium, they moved the ball cleanly into attack. Helping to swing the momentum back Melbourne's way was captain Daisy Pearce who moved into defence and really got the game on her side's terms. Forward recruit Tayla Harris stole the show with a record-equalling seven contested marks as the Lions had no answers for her height and strength without Kate Lutkins.

AFLW PRELIMS Get your FREE tickets here

Game plans

Melbourne wants to control the ball out of the back half, spot up an option in the corridor and then use run from behind and quick hands to get the ball forward. Lily Mithen, Casey Sherriff and Alyssa Bannan out on the wing provide plenty of attacking run, while on the ball Tyla Hanks, Maddi Gay and Eliza West offer a good balance of clearance work and defensive pressure.

Brisbane thrives on adapting to the game situation at hand. They can handle a contested, chaotic game just as well as controlled outside ball, and will no doubt bring the pressure on Saturday. In attack they are averaging a huge 5.4 individual goal kickers this year, while the Demons are goaling through an average of 4.1 players per game.

PRELIM PREVIEW What to expect when Crows and Dockers clash

Head to head

Melbourne and Brisbane have faced off in five matches in AFLW history, with the former claiming victory in four of those games. Brisbane's one win over the Demons came in their very first AFLW match back in round one, 2017. Their last two matchups have been decided by a combined margin of five points, and both came down to a dramatic kick after the siren.

These two sides have never met in a final. Melbourne has a 66.7 per cent win rate across its three finals appearances, while reigning premier Brisbane has won 50 per cent of its six finals - its last three.

LOCKED IN AFLW Grand Final final start time confirmed, clean air ensured

Players to watch

Shelley Heath

Heath will surely reprise her role against dangerous small forward Courtney Hodder after holding Hodder to just one goal across their two most recent meetings - and even then, it had to be goal of the year to break past Heath. The Demon has racked up countless head-to-head wins this season and will be key to Melbourne's fortunes on Saturday.

Sophie Conway

The winger's outside run and relentless work rate proved to be very damaging against the Pies on Sunday. In round seven against the Demons, Conway was uncharacteristically quiet, winning nine disposals and registering just 193 metres gained. If Conway can get the ball in her hands outside the contest, that spells trouble for Melbourne.

Dream matchups

Eliza West v Emily Bates

Bates' career-best season will be front of mind for the Demons midfield after the Lion won another game-high six clearances in their qualifying final win. Rookie Eliza West has become Melbourne's most relentless defensive midfielder this year, averaging 4.3 tackles per game and has the potential to lower Bates' impact at the contest.

Lauren Pearce v Tahlia Hickie

Arguably two of the best rucks in the league this season, giving their teammates first use and then expertly impacting around the ground. Pearce is averaging 14.2 hitouts, 13.4 disposals and 4.7 clearances this season, while Hickie is averaging 21 hitouts, 8.8 disposals and 2.5 clearances. Whichever ruck can combine better with her midfield group will have a big say in the result of this game.

Season so far

Melbourne

The Demons have lost just once this year, in round four against minor premiers Adelaide. They have looked best when winning the contest and then putting speed on the ball into attack, but have been found wanting when challenged with pressure by sides who expertly close down space.

Fremantle

The Lions have battled well to emerge from early COVID disruptions to get their season well and truly back on track. The Lions have lost only two games against Adelaide and Melbourne in opposing circumstances - battling against relentless pressure and significant injuries against the Crows, and just falling away after a condensed fixture against the Demons. Brisbane has notably broken its club high score of 65 coming into this season four times this year.

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now

MELBOURNE will play off for a grand new flag for the first time, defeating reigning premier Brisbane by four points in a preliminary final at the MCG.

Alyssa Bannan was the star of the show, booting three goals in a match-winning turn, with her pace and height too much for the Lions to counter in the 5.3 (33) to 4.5 (29) result.

Brisbane defender Shannon Campbell kicked a rare goal with six minutes remaining to cut the margin to 10 points in the fourth, with Greta Bodey following up with 36 seconds remaining.

Then at the worst possible moment, the Lions conceded a 5-6-5 free kick, handing the ball back to Melbourne at the centre bounce. While Brisbane eventually got the ball into its forward 50, the Demons' pressure ensured it would earn the win.

DEMONS v LIONS Full match coverage and stats

The constantly drizzly conditions in the first quarter favoured Brisbane's high-pressure game, but as the weather dried up, Melbourne's sharp kicking skills and neat hands around the stoppage came to the fore.

Melbourne kicked three stunning goals in the third term to earn the match-winning break:  Bannan (streaming away from Bre Koenen), Lauren Pearce (snatched out of the ruck) and Eliza McNamara (a sharp, low tumbler) leading to a nine-point lead.

Veteran Karen Paxman was extraordinary in game No.50, comprehensively shutting down Brisbane star winger Orla O'Dwyer, while Eliza McNamara and Sophie Conway were locked in an intriguing battle on the opposite side of the ground.

After Tayla Harris' star turn against the shorter Campbell the last time they met, Phoebe Monahan took responsibility for the spearhead and shut her out of the game, albeit in conditions not overly suited to talls.

Dakota Davidson could come under MRO scrutiny for an unusual wrestling-style lifting tackle on Lily Mithen, while Lulu Pullar left the ground with trainers after a low smother by Shelley Scott.

Young Dees rise to the occasion
In a promising sign of things to come, Melbourne's win was built not just on the backs of experienced campaigners Daisy Pearce and Paxman, but through 19-year-olds Bannan and McNamara, 21-year-old small defender Shelley Heath (who blanketed Courtney Hodder) and 21-year-old Liv Purcell (10 disposals, seven tackles and four clearances).

Never-say-die Lions nearly pinch the win
These two sides have played in some incredibly tight matches in recent years, with Bodey having had two after-the-siren shots in the past two games. After a period of midfield dominance by the Dees, the Lions flipped the switch in the last 10 minutes, peppering their inside 50, but were just ran out of time.

A moment for the ages
Saturday marked the first official AFLW game at the MCG, with a handful of exhibition women's games having been played before the introduction of the competition. The rain and the opening round of community footy may have kept away a few fans, but the players and coaches relished the opportunity to play on the biggest stage – Kate Hore joking to teammates she had the most experience on the back of her two Auskick matches at the ground.

Say what?
"It's not how we planned to play out the last two minutes, but that's what good teams do, they push hard right to the final siren. Thankfully, we were able to find a way in the end. The group thoroughly deserve the win, they played their hearts out and that was a brutal game of footy." – Melbourne coach Mick Stinear

"Today, we had our normal really high pressure game, but the oppo also were not far behind us. We normally don't get that, if we can really put the foot down as far as pressure goes, we can drop off the opposition, but today they matched it. There were key little moments that … ended up being the difference." – Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich

Up next
Melbourne is into its first AFLW Grand Final, and will take on the winner of Adelaide v Fremantle. If Adelaide win, the match will be played there, while if Fremantle win, the Dees will once again host at the 'G. It's season over for Brisbane.

MELBOURNE     0.0     1.2     4.2    5.3  (33)
BRISBANE         0.1     1.2     2.3    4.5  (29)

GOALS
Melbourne: Bannan 3, L. Pearce, McNamara
Brisbane: Smith, Davidson, Campbell, Bodey

BEST 
Melbourne: Paxman, Bannan, McNamara, L. Pearce, Mithen
Brisbane: Bates, Dawes, C. Svarc, Grider, Hickie

INJURIES 
Melbourne: Nil
Brisbane: Pullar (lower leg)

Reports: Nil 

Crowd: 6,436 at the MCG

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now