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Christian Petracca's record-equalling performance and a 15-minute midfield blitz have seen Melbourne end a 57-year premiership drought with a 74-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs in the AFL grand final.

The Demons engineered a stunning turnaround during the third quarter to post an emphatic 21.14 (140) to 10.6 (66) victory in front of 61,118 spectators at a sold-out Optus Stadium in Perth.

Petracca was at the heart of it with a career-best 39 disposals - matching Brisbane gun Simon Black's record grand final mark - and two goals, claiming the Norm Smith Medal as best afield.

Petracca's midfield partner Clayton Oliver (33 disposals) was outstanding and dangerous forward Bayley Fritsch kicked six goals, with the trio and young ruckman Luke Jackson all influential as the Demons seized control of a see-sawing contest late in the third term.

They trailed by 19 points but piled on seven unanswered goals, including four direct from centre bounces, in a burst of dominance that buried the Bulldogs before the final change.

The rampant Demons went on to kick 16 of the last 17 goals and run away with the match.

"It feels like a dream," Petracca told the Seven Network.

"We set out in the off-season to get this club back to where we should belong ... we bloody did it."

It is Melbourne's first premiership since 1964 and 13th overall, drawing them level with Richmond and Hawthorn in equal-fourth position - three flags behind competition leaders Carlton and Essendon (16 each).

There was a sour note, with the majority of the Demons' legion of fans stuck in Melbourne's latest COVID-19 lockdown and unable to witness the momentous triumph in the flesh.

"It's been a long time coming," captain Max Gawn added.

"My heart goes out to everyone in the eastern states that are at home watching this, we did it for you."

Watching on television, those fans saw a cautious start from both sides before Petracca's booming goal from 50 metres gave Melbourne a spark.

Their pressure strangled the Bulldogs' ball movement and two goals to Fritsch helped fire the Demons into a 21-point lead by the first change.

Marcus Bontempelli, Caleb Daniel and Adam Treloar breathed much-needed life into the Bulldogs during the second quarter as they fought their way back into the contest.

Bontempelli and Treloar finished with three goals apiece, combining for 52 disposals, and Daniel's 37 touches included 26 in the first half alone.

But the Bulldogs couldn't do anything to stop the Dees' third-quarter surge.

Melbourne's Ben Brown complemented Fritsch in attack with three goals and fellow key forward Tom McDonald finished with two, completing the rout with a set shot after the siren.

Gawn and tough midfielder Jack Viney were valuable contributors in the engine room, while All Australian duo Jake Lever and Steven May stood tall in defence.

The long-awaited flag means Melbourne can finally lay claim to having buried the infamous curse of Norm Smith.

Master coach Smith guided the Demons to their last VFL premiership but was sacked in controversial circumstances the following year and the club took almost six decades to reach the pinnacle again.

© AAP 2021

Large crowds have been broken up at popular Sydney beaches as NSW reported 1007 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths, including three undiagnosed people who died at home.

Hundreds of Sydneysiders converged on beaches in Bondi and Manly on Friday night, with police called to reports of increasing crowd numbers.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said eastern suburbs and northern beaches officers as well as council rangers patrolled the area and dispersed the crowd.

Three fines for public health order breaches and a number of a move-on directions were handed out to revellers in Manly.

Online video showed little social distancing among the masses and large piles of rubbish left lying on the ground.

It comes as more than half of the cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday were in the hotspot areas of western and southwest Sydney.

Authorities are also concerned by rising case numbers in the Illawarra, south of Sydney, where 70 new cases were reported.

Ten men and one woman died, with nine of those unvaccinated and two having received one jab. Three died at home - a man in his 40s, a man in his 50s, and a woman in her 80s.

Their deaths take the toll from the current outbreak to 288.

"(It's) sad that we've seen a number of people that have died with COVID and died at home and been diagnosed after they've died," NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty said as he delivered a video briefing on Saturday morning.

"If you have the mildest of symptoms come forward for testing for COVID, and if your condition deteriorates call your doctor sooner rather than later, get medical help, and in an emergency call triple-zero."

Another of the deaths was a Blue Mountains man in his 70s, who was a resident of the Uniting Springwood residential aged care facility. He was not vaccinated.

The other deaths were two people in their 60s, two in their 70s, two in their 80s and one in their 90s.

Hospital and ICU numbers remain steady as the state approaches October, when hospitalisations are expected to peak.

There are 1187 patients in hospital in NSW, with 229 in intensive care and 118 on ventilators.

The state is just weeks away from reaching 70 per cent full vaccination of its eligible population, triggering the return of some freedoms for the vaccinated.

Currently, 84 per cent of NSW residents have had at least one vaccine dose, and more than 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.

But the government is yet to reveal what residents can expect when NSW hits the next target of 80 per cent.

The issue of when unvaccinated people will be allowed to attend restaurants, pubs and shops is undecided, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday describing it as a "challenging question".

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says he does not want a "two-tiered society" but Opposition Leader Chris Minns suggested the treasurer's comments could undermine public health messaging.

"It's really important the NSW government is singing from the same song sheet and continues to encourage people to get vaccinated," Mr Minns said.

© AAP 2021

NSW has reported 1007 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths, including three people who died at home before they were diagnosed.

More than half of the cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday were in the hotspot areas of western and southwest Sydney.

Authorities are also concerned by rising case numbers in the Illawarra, south of Sydney, where 70 new cases were reported.

Ten men and one woman died, with nine of those unvaccinated and two having received one jab.

Three died at home - a man in his 40s, a man in his 50s, and a woman in her 80s.

Their deaths take the toll from the current outbreak to 288.

"(It's) sad that we've seen a number of people that have died with COVID and died at home and been diagnosed after they've died," NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty said as he delivered a video briefing on Saturday morning.

"If you have the mildest of symptoms come forward for testing for COVID, and if your condition deteriorates call your doctor sooner rather than later, get medical help, and in an emergency call triple-zero."

Another of the deaths was a Blue Mountains man in his 70s, who was a resident of the Uniting Springwood residential aged care facility. He was not vaccinated.

The other deaths were two people in their 60s, two in their 70s, two in their 80s and one in their 90s.

Hospital and ICU numbers remain steady as the state approaches October, when hospitalisations are expected to peak.

There are 1187 patients in hospital in NSW, with 229 in intensive care and 118 on ventilators.

The state is just weeks away from reaching 70 per cent full vaccination of its eligible population, triggering the return of some freedoms for the vaccinated.

Currently, 84 per cent of NSW residents have had at least one vaccine dose, and more than 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.

But the government is yet to reveal what residents can expect when NSW hits the next target of 80 per cent.

The issue of when unvaccinated people will be allowed to attend restaurants, pubs and shops is undecided, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday describing it as a "challenging question".

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says he does not want a "two-tiered society".

"Once every single person in this state has had the opportunity be vaccinated with two doses then we should open up for everyone," he told Sydney radio station 2GB on Friday afternoon.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns suggested the treasurer's comments could undermine public health messaging.

"It's really important the NSW government is singing from the same song sheet and continues to encourage people to get vaccinated," Mr Minns said.

Meanwhile, alcohol is allowed temporarily at some Sydney public parks to "reward and thank" vaccinated picnickers.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said rules restricting alcohol at sites managed by Placemaking NSW will be put on hold until October 31.

"After an incredibly tough winter, people who have followed COVID rules and received both jabs deserve to enjoy a beer or wine responsibly," Mr Stokes said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

© AAP 2021