For a moment, Melbourne looked as if they might once again lament the one that got away.
But some Jeff Garlett magic has helped the Demons hold on to a 14.16 (100) to 10.14 (74) AFL win over a gutsy Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night.
A week after letting victory against Geelong slip through their grasp with Max Gawn’s late miss, Melbourne again looked shaky when the Lions hit back from a 42-point third-term deficit to lock up the scores in the fourth.
Former Adelaide star Charlie Cameron (16 touches, three goals) was electric as Brisbane kicked the first four goals of the final term to level it 65-all with 20 minutes left.
However, Garlett (four goals, 17 disposals) proved the difference as the Demons held their nerve in front of a 17,141-strong crowd.
Jesse Hogan was also a presence for Melbourne with a game-high five goals, 22 touches and nine marks in the Demons’ first Gabba game in five years.
Besides Cameron, Brisbane’s Allen Christensen (three goals, 16 touches) was also instrumental in their comeback in his 100th AFL game after nearly two years sitting on the sidelines due to shoulder issues.
Melbourne led 0.3 (3) to 5.4 (34) at the first break after the Demons kicked five unanswered goals, including a double to Hogan.
Garlett provided the second term spark for the visitors, snapping truly and having a hand in two other goals as Melbourne cruised to a 37-point halftime buffer after the Demons topped contested possessions 88-72.
Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch came off with a suspected rib injury early in the third term after an awkward tackle by Darcy Gardiner but later returned.
The lead blew out to 42 points after Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones nailed his second major but it only sparked a fight back.
Christensen and Cameron combined to help Brisbane grab four more contested possessions and three more inside 50s to win the term and cut the deficit to 24 points by the final break.
Next week Brisbane (0-2 record) face a tough trip to Port Adelaide while Melbourne (1-1) next play North Melbourne at the MCG.
