The Melbourne Demons pulled off a 28-point turnaround to defeat the Geelong Cats 8.8 (56) to 8.4 (52) in a tense AFLW qualifying final at Ikon Park on Saturday, earning a spot in the preliminary final.
The Cats controlled the first half, leading by 22 points at the break. But the Demons fought back in the third quarter, with goals from Tyla Hanks and Kate Hore. A second goal from Alyssa Bannan cut the deficit to one point with less than eight minutes left. Paxy Paxman then kicked truly to put the Demons in front.
Geelong's Chloe Scheer had a chance to win, stepping up for a set shot from 20 metres with 18 seconds left, but her kick missed, earning only one point and leaving the Cats four points short. "The outcome of the game is not on her; that's on us as a coaching team and a playing group to be more consistent," Cats coach Mick Stinear said. "We shouldn't have put ourselves in that position." He said his team lost their way in the third quarter.
The match was the first meeting between the teams in more than a year, with Stinear coaching against his former Demons side. It was also moved from Geelong's home stadium to Ikon Park due to a venue booking clash, and a lightning delay briefly interrupted play.
Melbourne coach Tom Wilson praised veteran Paxman and star Tayla Harris for their contributions. "There's much excitement, (that was) just such a team performance, and for some of those girls to get their first finals win, that's pretty good one to experience," Demon Tahlia Gillard said.
Both teams finished with minimal injuries, with Cats star Nina Morrison and Demon Saraid Taylor returning after being briefly sidelined.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Demons' dramatic comeback secures a spot in the preliminary final, keeping their championship hopes alive.
- The high-stakes match highlights the growing competitiveness and fan engagement of the AFLW.
- A dramatic win boosts the league's profile and provides a morale boost for the team.
Background
The Demons and Cats had not faced each other since round 12 of the 2025 season. Geelong coach Mick Stinear spent 10 years as Melbourne's coach before moving to the Cats. The match was originally scheduled at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium but was moved to Ikon Park due to a booking clash with the AUSX Supercross Championship. A 15-minute lightning delay hit Ikon Park in the second half.
Key Perspectives
- Mick Stinear (Geelong coach): Conceded Melbourne was the better team and said the loss was not due to Chloe Scheer's missed shot but the team's inconsistency. He said he didn't feel they had "earned it" with their second-half performance.
- Tahlia Gillard (Melbourne player): Expressed excitement about the team performance, noting it was a "pretty good one to experience" and that some teammates got their first finals win.
What to Watch
- The second qualifying final between North Melbourne and Carlton is scheduled for Saturday.
- North Melbourne is seeking a historic three-peat.
- The Demons will face the winner of that match in the preliminary final.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMelbourne came back from 28 points down to reach the AFLW preliminary final.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Cats coughed up a 28-point margin to a surging Melbourne ... It was a fourth-quarter masterclass from the Demons to snatch the lead and win 8.8 (56) to 8.4 (52), booking a preliminary final berth.”
- SupportedThe final score was Melbourne 8.8 (56), Geelong 8.4 (52).Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “win 8.8 (56) to 8.4 (52)”
- SupportedThe match was a qualifying final at Ikon Park on Saturday, and Melbourne's win earned a place in the preliminary final.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Saturday’s qualifying final ... at Ikon Park ... booking a preliminary final berth.”
- Partly supportedChloe Scheer took a set shot from 20 metres with 18 seconds left.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “With 18 seconds left on the clock at Ikon Park, Geelong star Chloe Scheer took a deep breath and lined up for a set shot, directly in front and about 20 metres from goal.”
- SupportedScheer’s kick missed, scoring one point and leaving Geelong four points short.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “but it sailed wide for a point. ... the Demons, who won the nail-biting game by four points”
- SupportedMick Stinear said, “The outcome of the game is not on her; that's on us as a coaching team and a playing group to be more consistent,” and, “We shouldn't have put ourselves in that position.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The outcome of the game is not on her; that’s on us as a coaching team and a playing group to be more consistent,” he said post-match. “We shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position.””
- SupportedStinear said his team lost its way in the third quarter.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Stinear praised Geelong’s pressure in the first half, but said the team lost their way in the third quarter”
- SupportedThe match was the teams’ first meeting in more than a year, and Stinear was coaching against his former Melbourne side.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “the Cats and Demons hadn’t faced each other in more than a year ... Saturday’s highly anticipated match-up saw Cats coach Mick Stinear face his old Demons”
- SupportedThe match was moved from Geelong’s home stadium to Ikon Park because of a venue-booking clash.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Geelong should have been playing in front of a home crowd at GMHBA Stadium but had to settle for Ikon Park after a venue-booking clash”
- Partly supportedTahlia Gillard said, “There's much excitement, (that was) just such a team performance, and for some of those girls to get their first finals win, that's pretty good one to experience.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““There’s [so] much excitement, [that was] just such a team performance, and for some of those girls to get their first finals win, that’s pretty good one to experience,” she said.”
- Partly supportedNina Morrison and Saraid Taylor returned to play after being briefly sidelined.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Nina Morrison briefly coming to the bench ... but later returning to play. Demon Saraid Taylor ... also left the field ... but also returned to play.”