Melbourne avenge Geelong's 186-point belting in 2011 with ridiculous statistic

Kieran Francis

Melbourne avenge Geelong's 186-point belting in 2011 with ridiculous statistic image

Melbourne exacted revenge on Geelong's humiliating 186-point thrashing of them in 2011, with an extraordinary statistical parallel in their 83-point win in the preliminary final over the Cats on Friday night.

The Demons were beaten by 31 goals in the home-and-away match at Kardinia Park 10 years ago, with the Cats scoring 108 points from stoppage - which stands a record amount from that score source since statistics were recorded in that category in 1999.

However, Simon Goodwin's Melbourne turned the tables on their tormentors at Optus Stadium as they eventually secured a place in September 25's grand final.

The Demons recorded an incredible 101 points from stoppages from their total of 125 in Perth - which is the fourth-most ever recorded in a match and only seven points shy of the all-time record they were embarrassingly a part of.

Former St Kilda assistant coach Aaron Hamill spoke of the significance of Melbourne's work around the stoppages, with the Demons already one of the best teams in the competition at scoring from turnovers.

"You look at the score source," Hamill told Sporting News. "Melbourne have been exceptionally good over the year scoring off turnover but no one saw them scoring 101 points from stoppage which is significant.

"They’re a very good clearance team anyway and we know how they set their defence up really well. For them to add that score source to their arsenal and they were dominant out of centre bounce.

"I think in every area they clearly dominated - the statistics clearly tell that story. But the score source from stoppages would have pleased [Simon] Goodwin and Co. no doubt."

Melbourne will now meet the Western Bulldogs in the grand final at Optus Stadium on September, in a repeat of the 1954 grand final which featured club legends from both teams, including Ron Barassi and E.J. Whitten.

The Demons have won 12 premierships, with the last coming in 1964, while the Bulldogs broke a flag drought in 2016 after coming up short for the previous 62 years dating back to that famous Melbourne clash in 1954.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.