Perennial contenders collide to open Round 5 but after much different starts to the season, as Brisbane tries to keep its season on track against Melbourne.
The Demons (4-1, 129.4%) have been flying high since their season-opening loss to the Swans, winning consecutive games against the South Australian sides at Adelaide Oval over the past fortnight.
The Lions (1-3, 108.3%) finally got going last week by demolishing lowly North Melbourne, but with a very tricky fixture over the next five weeks, must keep winning to make amends for its slow start to the campaign.
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While Brisbane did make the top four after a 1-3 start in 2021, they have never before made the finals after being 1-4.
Lachie Neale is playing his 250th AFL game.
It is the Lions’ first game back at the MCG since the 2023 Grand Final. They have lost 15 of their last 16 games at the venue, but the lone win was over Melbourne in their 2022 semi-final.
The match gets underway at 7:30pm AEST from the MCG.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or using Hubbl from 6:30pm.
LIVE MATCH REPORT
There were no late changes for either side despite concerns of mounting niggles for Clayton Oliver, with Taj Woewodin (Melbourne) and James Tunstill (Brisbane) the subs.
After a stoppage fiesta in the first minute of the game, the Dees struck first with a beautiful passage of play from a stoppage, leading to a goal to Alex Neal-Bullen.
Brisbane then got the quick reply, with Eric Hipwood kicking truly from a set-shot directly in front.
There was a concerning sight five minutes into the game when star Melbourne defender Christian Salem limped off in the hands of trainers.
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