Harris inspires Melbourne to epic comeback win against Brisbane

Melbourne star Tayla Harris has produced one of the best performances of her career to drag the Demons from 23 points down and help them defeat the Brisbane Lions by three points in an AFLW thriller at Metricon Stadium on Monday night.

The Lions had the chance to pinch the game after the final siren when Greta Bodey was awarded a free kick 40 metres out from goal.

Melbourne’s Tayla Harris was a star for her team in their nail-biting win over the Lions.Credit:Getty Images

But as she did the last time these two sides met in Round 9 last year, Bodey failed in her attempt to be the matchwinner. Her set shot fell short, consigning her side to a nail-biting loss.

Brisbane came out breathing fire, booting the first three goals to shoot out to a 23-point lead late in the second quarter and preventing Melbourne from scoring until just before half-time.

But Harris stamped her authority on the contest, convincingly winning her match-up with Brisbane’s Shannon Campbell and finishing with a whopping seven contested marks (five more than Brisbane’s entire total of two), 13 disposals (10 contested) and two crucial goals to lead her side to a stirring win.

The 5.5 (35) to 4.8 (32) result snapped the Lions’ five-game winning streak and saw the Demons maintain their place in the top four, all but guaranteeing them a finals berth.

Alyssa Bannan kick-started Melbourne’s revival with a goal either side of half-time and Karen Paxman was huge with 23 disposals.

Orla O’Dwyer (18 touches and one goal) and Bodey (15 and one) were two of Brisbane’s best players while Emily Bates finished with 21 disposals.

Brisbane’s Greta Bodey had a chance to win the game for her side, but attempt at goal fell short.Credit:Getty Images

Despite Brisbane’s overall superiority in tackles (66-38) and inside 50s (39-26), they lacked a strong focal point in attack like Melbourne had with Harris.

After being dominated in the first half, Melbourne finally got their first score in the shadows of half-time when Bannan kicked a lovely goal on the run.

The visitors carried that momentum into the third term, doubling the Lions for clearances 6-3 and contested possessions 34-18 to cut the deficit to one point at the final change as Harris and Bannan imposed themselves on the game in attack.

Harris put the Dees in front early in the final stanza when she kicked her second goal, and it proved to be the match winner as Melbourne’s defence stood tall to deny Brisbane’s late forward advances.

HEATH PINGS ANDERSON

With the Lions trailing by four points seven minutes into the final quarter, Brisbane’s Ally Anderson tried to find a way through the traffic 40 metres out from goal, but she was stopped in her tracks brilliantly by Shelley Heath who pinged her for holding the ball, saving a potential goalscoring chance in the process.

BANNAN GETS DEMONS GOING

Melbourne’s first goal came courtesy of Bannan who took a strong contested mark near the top of the 50-metre arc, played on, went for a run, zoomed clear of the congestion with her blistering pace and booted a classy goal from 25 metres out to trim the deficit to 17 points. And a couple of minutes into the third quarter, she produced almost a carbon copy, as she took another strong pack mark and converted the set shot from close range.

HODDER’S HOUDINI ACT

Inside the opening minute of the second quarter, Courtney Hodder produced some magic deep in attack. The Brisbane goalsneak sensed Melbourne defenders Heath and Libby Birch were hot on her hammer chasing the loose ball, so instead of grabbing it, she executed a very clever tap on to teammate Sophie Conway who kicked the easy goal from close range to put the Lions up by 15 points.

BRISBANE LIONS 1.3 3.5 4.5 4.8 (32)
MELBOURNE 0.0 1.0 4.4 5.5 (35)
GOALS – Brisbane Lions: O’Dwyer, Conway, Bodey, Farquharson. Melbourne: Bannan 2, Harris 2, West.
BEST – Brisbane Lions: O’Dwyer, Bodey, Bates, Hickie, Dawes, C.Svarc. Melbourne: Harris, Paxman, Bannan, West, Hanks, D.Pearce.
VENUE – Metricon Stadium

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