2021 AFL Premiers!
The first half was anyone’s game. Melbourne started off strongly and so did Christian Petracca, which would prove to be a small sample of what was to come. Petracca was the first on the scoreboard with a thumping kick from 50 before Bayley Fritsch opened his own personal flood gates with the second and last of the quarter. Despite Melbourne showing dominance in the first quarter, some missed opportunities meant the Bulldogs were not as far off as they could have been with the Dees heading into the quarter break with a 21-point lead, despite having 9 shots at goal.
With the second quarter underway, Adam Treloar decided to turn the tide of the match with two almost identically right foot snaps for goal within the first 5 minutes of the term. This was the start of a 6-goal quarter for the Dogs. The Bont booted two of these goals in the quarter, recorded two forward entries and nine disposals. Melbourne supporters were shaking in their boots at the half-time break after the Bulldogs dominated the second quarter and had taken an 8-point lead into the half-time break.
Heading into the third quarter, the suspense was relentless. The game was tight and both teams had shown signs of brilliance, however, Melbourne supporters can find some comfort in the fact that they barrack for the best third-quarter team in the league. Despite this, the quarter started well for the Bulldogs, very well. Johannisen and Bontempelli continued the second quarter form with 2 goals in response to a Fritsch point, extending the lead to what would turn out to be the biggest of the game for the Bulldogs. From this point on, the Dees showed pure class and dominance. Bayley Fritsch kicked his third goal of the game at the 16th-minute mark and his fourth at the 17th. The Dees went on to kick 5 more goals in the term including an exquisite display of centre bounce supremacy with a 3-goal stretch in just 3 minutes.
The fourth quarter was merely an extension of the second half of the third. The Demons kicked 5 more unanswered goals. The game was all but over for the Bulldogs, but Melbourne fans wanted more, they’ve waited a long time for this moment, and they were now bathing in it. After Treloar temporarily stopped the bleeding with his third goal, Salem, Jackson, Fritsch and McDonald finished off the game with 4 more goals and ended a premiership-winning draught in style. The final score, 140 to 66. And the Norm Smith Medallist, well it was no competition, Christian Petracca equalled the most disposals ever gotten in a grand final with 39 and booted 2 goals in moments that mattered. Outstanding performance from the Melbourne Demons and a well-deserved, historical victory, breaking the 57-year drought.
Commemorate the 2021 AFL Premiers, with Sherrin’s official Premiers range. Featuring all the key stats from the game, including the Premiership team, date, final score, crowd attendance, Norm Smith Medallist, best on ground players and goal scorers, this keepsake is a must-have for any Dees fans, and can be treasured and passed down through generations for many years to come. Check out the full range here.