Melbourne has pulled off a remarkable last-second victory over Gold Coast to keep its spluttering season afloat.
With 50 seconds remaining the SUNS looked to have pinched the victory when Nick Holman kicked a goal – but the Demons had other ideas.
Trailing by six points and staring down the barrel of a sixth loss for the season, six-gamer Marty Hore chose the perfect time to kick his first career goal – from 50m – and level the scores.
Then with just 18 seconds remaining from the centre bounce, Melbourne pumped the ball forward.
Tom McDonald dropped a contested mark but somehow soccered the ball off the ground from the top of the square into the goalpost for a behind.
The siren sounded and Melbourne won 8.13 (61) to 9.6 (60).
In some ways the Demons got out of jail, but their second straight win takes them to a 3-5 record and their season is still alive.
McDonald was one of the heroes, kicking three goals in the low-scoring game, while Clayton Oliver (38 disposals) and Nathan Jones (28) were midfield monsters.
Gold Coast will be devastated, losing its fourth straight game in the worst circumstances possible.
Holman thought he had won the game with a brilliant passage of play he started at half-back.
The workaholic midfielder handled the ball three times in the chain of possessions and calmly kicked on the run to an empty goalsquare from 50m.
But it wasn't enough.
Co-captain David Swallow (35 touches) was enormous, while Darcy Macpherson (27 and eight tackles) was also tireless.
Melbourne won the game without defender Michael Hibberd for the second half after a collision with Swallow left him with a suspected fractured collarbone.
If you like free-flowing footy, this wasn't the match for you, but if you're into four quarters of 'throw-em-down-drag-em-out' action, it was.
Both teams were relentless all day, and although the finishing skills inside 50 were often sub-par, the pressure and intensity was not.
The two lowest-scoring teams in the competition played to their reputation, but don't think this was a boring contest.
Melbourne had 66 inside 50s to 42 and won the contested possession count by 15 and clearances by 14.
GOLD COAST 2.1 3.3 5.6 9.6 (60)
MELBOURNE 3.2 3.5 5.9 8.13 (61)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Ainsworth 2, Holman 2, Wright, Lemmens, MacPherson, Powell, Corbett
Melbourne: T.McDonald 3, Melksham, Harmes, Hunt, Petracca, Hore
BEST
Gold Coast: Swallow, Macpherson, Holman, Ainsworth, Hanley, Witts
Melbourne: Oliver, Jones, Melksham, Harmes, Salem, McDonald
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Lemmens (ankle)
Melbourne: Hibberd (collarbone)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Haussen, O'Gorman, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 9765 at Metricon Stadium
