Melbourne have kept their top-four hopes alive with a stunning four-point victory over Fremantle.
The Demons kicked five goals to three in the final term to steal a 17.13 (113) to 17.7 (109) victory in what was quickly anointed as the game of the year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Harrison Petty rubs it in with interesting celebration
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Harrison Petty was instrumental in the last quarter, kicking two goals and taking three marks in a match-winning effort. He finished the game with three goals, but it should have been four after missing a straightforward set-shot in the closing stages.
Petty kicked his other goal in the second term and had a cheeky celebration to match.
After nailing his set shot, he ran away and rubbed his own bald head in a reference to the fiery incident with Dockers antagonist Pat Voss earlier in the year.
Voss taunted Petty in the Round 2 clash earlier this year, rubbing the Demon’s head multiple times and making a cry baby gesture in an reference to an incident earlier in Petty’s career.
Voss copped a fine for misconduct and his actions also prompted a rule change with umpires now penalising players for rubbing the opposition’s head.
Speaking after the match, Petty said it was a spur of the moment decision to celebrate in that way.
“That was all spontaneous. I thought a cheeky little dig wouldn’t hurt,” he said.
“I love Vossy, I love the way he goes about it, he’s a competitor and I feel like I’m a competitor too. It’s all fun and games in the end.”
During Petty’s heroics in the last quarter, North Melbourne premiership player David King likened the Demon’s performance to Wayne Carey.
Petty laughed off the comparison, and was typically just happy to play his role.
“It’s always pleasing, that’s my role to compete and take the marks when they come,” he said.
“Probably in the first three quarters (Brennan) Cox had the better of me so I was glad I was able to turn it around in the last quarter and hit the scoreboard and have an impact with my marking.”
The Dockers led for 70 minutes during their final game at the MCG before a possible grand final in September, but Melbourne captured all the momentum late as Fremantle suffered just their third defeat of the season.
Petty, Harry Sharp and the unheralded Bailey Laurie kicked three goals each to lead the scoring for the Demons.
The match was a thrilling battle of capitalising on centre square dominance, with Melbourne captain Max Gawn going up against Fremantle superstar Luke Jackson.
Both sides traded blows out of the middle all day, but the Demons kept going for longer.
Gawn, Kysaiah Pickett and Tom Sparrow all performed brilliantly for Melbourne, who will avoid dropping into the wildcard zone this weekend.
If the Demons can win their remaining games against Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs they will be assured of a week off before finals.
Despite the loss, Fremantle’s triple-threat forward line emphatically answered questions about whether they could do it on the MCG.
Jye Amiss (five), Patrick Voss (four) and Josh Treacy combined for 11 goals and looked threatening throughout.
Amiss and Treacy both ticked past 50 goals this season, making them the first Fremantle pair to achieve the feat together since Matthew Pavlich and Jeff Farmer in 2006.
Voss is putting together a fearsome record at the MCG, kicking 15 goals across only three career games at the venue.
The Dockers will still almost certainly claim the minor premiership, ahead of games to round out the home-and-away season against Adelaide and Carlton.
Captain Alex Pearce (managed) will likely return to face the Crows after being sorely missed in the Dockers’ defence.
— With AAP
