AFL round five Melbourne Demons vs Brisbane Lions live updates ...

Oh the Dees needed that.

An open start to the third quarter, with the ball pinging from one end to the other over the first two minutes.

Kade Chandler takes a mark inside 50 on the boundary line. He slots it. Great kick.

Christian Petracca was instrumental in the build-up play.

Melbourne need a big half from their star man.

The Dees will need to be flawless in the second half to win tonight.

But the Lions have given up leads this season.

They were on top of Carlton and Collingwood and let both games slip.

It feels like a massive half for the Lions in 2024.

Melbourne led hit-outs 34 to 19 in the first half.

But Brisbane is up 27-18 in clearances.

The Lions have eight more contested marks and 30 more uncontested marks.

Melbourne have just ONE mark inside 50. That stat is reflected on the scoreboard.

This has arguably been Brisbane's best half of footy since Opening Round against Carlton.

However, unlike that loss to the Blues, Brisbane will be striving to finish the job at the MCG.

Plenty more stoppages in the second quarter — which means more time for Gawn and McInerney to bond.

Melbourne finally troubles the scorer with a behind to Kade Chandler.

Blake Howes launches a shot from deep.

It's going. It's still going. Oh, it just hits the post.

At least the deficit is now 30 points.

Charlie Cameron has kicked his first of the night, after more great build-up play from Brisbane.

Anyone who is sitting behind the goal where Melbourne is kicking too, need binoculars. The ball just has not been anywhere near them.

Brisbane have kicked five straight with Cameron's goal, and Daniher hit the post a minute after from an unlikely angle.

The Lions are playing great footy.

They know Melbourne is an excellent defensive team, so the Lions' midfield is methodically drawing them out.

The Lions dink and doink into the forward 50. They nearly butcher it, but Hugh McCluggage is awarded a free for getting clipped over the head.

Not much in it, but it's a free and a fourth goal in a row for Brisbane.

The Lions thought they had a goal earlier, but somehow the footy didn't go between the sticks:

The Lions' pressure was brilliant in the first term.

And they have started the second quarter.

Another stoppage and the ball is forced into the forward 50 for the Lions.

The ball comes to Jaspa Fletcher who snaps on his right boot.

IT'S GOOD.

A half-chance which Fletcher took full advantage of.

There were 35 stoppages in that first quarter.

This does not include the seven center bounces.

I reckon Gawn and McInerney probably have had enough time to have a full conversation with each other.

Brisbane's key forwards, Hipwood and Daniher, have a pair of goals each.

Cam Rayner was superb with six clearances and two goal assists at the Lions lead at the first break.

Brisbane's marksmen have made the perfect start.

Daniher didn't like seeing his buddy Hipwood kicking two, if it meant he didn't have a double.

Rayner and 250-gamer Lachie Neale are imposing themselves around the ruck.

The pair combine after a stoppage, and Neale presents perfectly for Daniher.

Big kick from 50, and Danier nails it.

Brisbane, for the second time, has responded immediately to a Melbourne goal.

Was not the most aesthetically pleasing inside 50, just thrown onto the boot into a mass of players.

But Eric Hipwood is again there to snare the mark.

Set shot never looked like missing. Hipwood looks on it tonight for the Lions.

Bad news early for the Demons.

Christian Salem has hurt his hamstring and is out of the match.

Taj Woewodin is in.

Brisbane is again deep inside 50, but Melbourne can turn them away.

Melbourne finally get the ball out of a stoppage to advantage, Petracca again, of course.

It gets to the far wing where Caleb Windsor and Ed Langdon trade passes to each other before Bayley Fritsch takes the mark inside 50.

No mistake. He is a great kick. Second goal for Melbourne.

Since Melbourne kicked the first goal, the Lions have enjoyed the best of the game.

Daniher takes a mark inside 50 which he sprays wide.

But he will get another chance a minute later.

He marks about 53 metres from goal, but  Steven May knocks it out of his hands and concedes the 50-metre free.

Daniher will never miss from point-blank-range.

The ball is starting to get into open play.

The Lions get their first goal, similar to the Demons.

Another stoppage, this time McInerney gets the tap-down to Cam Rayner who kicks inside 50.

Hipwood crashes the pack and takes a strong mark.

He has a 45-metre kick right in front. And he splits the posts.

Oh it's a slow start.

Eight stoppages in the first 100 seconds of the match.

Oscar McInerney and Max Gawn have grappled more than a judo bout. 

But Gawn palms down the throw-in to Christian Petracca, great hand pass out to Alex Neal-Bullen who runs inside 50, boots with the outside of the foot and scores.

Great goal.

Milestones for two men.

A victory would mean the world to both football clubs.

Brisbane won the coin toss and are kicking to the right of your screen.

The Demons and Lions produced one of the best matches of 2023 last time they faced.

Round 18 at the MCG, both sides had sizable leads throughout the match, where momentum swayed.

Melbourne clawed back a 20-point deficit in the final quarter to win by 1-point.

Jake Melksham kicked the winning goal in the dying seconds to claim the victory for the Demons.