Blog log from R16 of 2023: Melbourne vs Western Sydney

A Brown toe-poke sees Fritsch with a chance at goal in the pocket, but he sprays the chance wide in a rushed snap (Q1 1:54)
Pickett attempts a high snap from the flank but it falls short and is spilled over the line by Buckley (Q1 3:52)
Bedford concedes a free kick against Petracca, he takes his time getting ready before sending a sidewinder towards goal. It sails through for a point (Q1 6:17)
Haynes intercepts and pumps it inside 50. Grundy rises over the top but can’t get a fist on it as the ball drops to Callum Brown out the back. Snap and goal! (Q1 10:15)
Pickett provides a moment of cleanness across half forward to tumble a kick towards Melksham 30m out. The sub converts in the wet! (Q1 19:50)
Hunter looks for a goal in the pocket but hits the post (Q1 24:28)
A slick Ben Brown pickup gives Petracca a chance from 35 out on the run, but he sprays it wide for another behind (Q1 26:17)
Harmes coughs up a silly 50m penalty which allows Toby Greene to waltz on down to 20m out. Greene snaps it through! (Q2 3:24)
Petracca gathers just inside the 50m arc and blasts it towards goal, but adds another behind to his tally (Q2 4:44)
A rushed Haynes kick grubbers along the ground in defence which sees Bowey collect and help himself to a rare goal from 40m out! (Q2 7:24)
Bowey putting in the work at the other end of he ground now, as he rushes through a loose ball amidst congestion (Q2 9:29)
Petracca slots behind number four from the pocket. (Q2 17:25)
Hunter marks on the flank, but he also pushes the kick wide for a point (Q2 18:29)
Melksham hits the behind post in the opposite pocket from a set shot (Q2 20:25)
Greene blasts it forward and Callum Brown tries to invent some soccer magic on the goal line, but to no avail as it’s rushed over (Q2 22:28)
Lloyd smashes a ball to the top of the square, where Petty is able to get a big fist onto it. It only goes as far as Greene though and he snaps through his second goal! (Q2 25:29)
Greene bursts forward inside 50 as the clock winds down to half time, he gets the kick away with seconds remaining but he drifts it wide for a point to level the scores at the half (Half Time)
Perryman catches Pickett high and the latter lines up from 40m out as a result. The ball bends back late for a behind (Q3 1:58)
Coniglio and Bedford combine at CHF to enable the run of Callaghan with a kick from 45m out, but he drags it across to the right for a point (Q3 5:18)
Hunter desperately tackles O’Halloran in the square as he was about to kick for goal, but catches him high as a result. O’Halloran converts from point blank range! (Q3 7:02)
A slick chain of handballs inside 50 sees Josh Kelly curl a beauty through the big sticks as GWS edge away! (Q3 9:19)
Cumming marks 50m out in front of goal and kicks straight as an arrow to add another GWS goal in this second half! (Q3 12:37)
Grundy grabs the ball from a forward stoppage and kicks a much needed goal from close range! (Q3 15:33)
The smalls combine as Chandler, Neal-Bullen and Pickett combine for a set shot chance 25m out for Pickett. He kicks truly and the margin is cut back to 6! (Q3 16:40)
Pickett tries to dribble through a goal from the pocket after a throw in, but Taylor is there to usher it over (Q3 21:56)
An insufficient intent free kick sees Melbourne thrust inside 50 again, with Brown attempting a soccer kick along the deck. No dice (Q3 23:52)
Brayshaw pops up a neat kick to Langdon in the pocket as he marks on his chest. He makes the kick look easy as he slots it! (Q4 4:29)
Riccardi marks by himself in the pocket, but his set shot gets lost in the fog as he misses (Q4 8:06)
Riccardi kicks smoothly inside 50 to Greene but his kick is a mongrel sidewinder that helicopters out on the full (Q4 10:44)
Viney tries to cash in on his terrific game with a goal, but can only manage a behind (Q4 17:28)
Sparrow picks up the ball from congestion and tries to snap through a checkside goal, but bends it back too fair for a point. 3 point lead. (Q4 22:08)
Josh Kelly marks on the wing and spots a vacant goal square so he loads up on his trusty left boot and unleashes a monster punt from about 70m out that goes through! Wow! (Q4 24:32)
Neal-Bullen gathers after a series of pressure acts from both sides, he goes for goal on the outside of his boot but can only manage a point. (Q4 25:32)
2 point lead for the Giants now with just under 2 minutes left (Q4 25:51)
May is cleaned up by Greene on the far wing and gets the free kick with 80 seconds left (Q4 26:32)
It goes inside 50 now for Melbourne and Smith pushes the ball into the behind post for a throw in with 1 minute left (Q4 26:49)
One last attack for the Dees now, seconds tumbling (Q4 27:48)
3 seconds left with a ball up on the wing. The Giants are gonna get it done in Alice Springs! (3 Qtr Time)
What a game and what a finish! Melbourne wasteful in front of goal and it costed them in the end as GWS bag some crucial points (Final Siren)