Melbourne get comeback AFLW win over Pies

Feb 11, 2017 - 12:37 PM Collingwood has let four competition points slip through their fingers and may face tribunal trouble after blowing a lead to go down to Melbourne by 19 points in the AFL Women's competition at Princes Park.

The Demons looked gone at halftime as they trailed by 19 points with just a solitary goal to their name.

But a six-goal blitz in the second half from the Demons, including a spectacular pair from Cat Phillips, helped them keep Collingwood scoreless in the second half and execute an extraordinary 38-point turnaround to run out 7.2 (44) to 4.1 (25) winners.

And the Magpies have other problems too, with Sophie Casey being reported in the final quarter for knocking out Melbourne's Meg Downie with some head-high contact, requiring her to be stretchered off the ground.

Melbourne were best-served by Daisy Pearce who collected 16 disposals and laid seven tackles while Karen Paxman, Elise O'Dea, Lily Mithen and Phillips were also valuable.

For Collingwood, Emma Grant was their best with 10 dispsoals, six tackles and a goal.

She was ably assisted by Alicia Eva, Amelia Barden and Sarah D'Arcy.

Collingwood grabbed an early 12-point lead courtesy of goals to Caitlyn Edwards and Moana Hope who dribbled through a snap shot from 35 metres out after turning Mia-Rae Clifford inside out.

Jess Anderson halted the Pies' momentum temporarily as she booted a lovely goal on the run, but Collingwood hit back with goals from Grant, who benefited from a 50m penalty, and international cricketer Jess Cameron before halftime.

However, the Demons burst into life in the third quarter and grabbed the lead for the first time on the back of four consecutive goals.

Shelley Scott and Sarah Jolly put the icing on the cake in the final term for the Demons.

Collingwood has let four competition points slip and may face tribunal trouble after blowing a lead to go down to Melbourne by 19 points in the AFL Women's competition at Princes Park.

The Demons looked gone at halftime as they trailed by 19 points with just a solitary goal to their name.

But a six-goal blitz in the second half, including a spectacular pair from Cat Phillips, helped them keep Collingwood scoreless after the break and execute an extraordinary 38-point turnaround to run out 7.2 (44) to 4.1 (25) winners.

And the Magpies have other problems too, with Sophie Casey being reported in the final quarter for knocking out Melbourne's Meg Downie with some head-high contact, requiring her to be stretchered off the ground.

Melbourne's nest was Daisy Pearce who collected 16 disposals and laid seven tackles while Karen Paxman, Elise O'Dea, Lily Mithen and Phillips were also valuable.

For Collingwood, Emma Grant was their best with 10 disposals, six tackles and a goal.

Collingwood coach Wayne Siekman described the second half as 'unacceptable' and said his players failed to adapt to Melbourne's more free-flowing game style.

"Obviously they outworked us," he said.

"They came out and executed perfectly and we couldn't adapt to that.

"That was quite disappointing from our group. Obviously again we didn't play the full 70 minutes as per (the) Carlton (game last week)."

Siekman's Melbourne counterpart Mick Stinear said it was pleasing to see the Demons take the game on in the second half.

"When the chips were down at halftime they had nothing to lose so they went for it," Stinear said.

"That's when started to click and they started to believe in each other and it was really rewarding just to see them play our style and enjoy.

"It was good to be able to kick six (goals) in a half and get on a roll just because the games are so short and so fast-paced, momentum is huge and the reward for effort that a goal brings it has a significant impact on the team."

Source: AAP