Alyssa Bannan celebrates a critical goal for Melbourne in the preliminary final against Brisbane. Photo: AFL MEDIA
For the fourth time in six years, Adelaide Crows has soared into the AFLW grand final — which the Crows will host for a third time — by defeating Fremantle in the preliminary final.
Meanwhile, at the MCG, it was a case of like brother, like sister. Melbourne’s AFLW side punched its ticket into a first AFLW Grand Final by unseating reigning premier Brisbane, emulating their sibling, which last year captured the AFL flag.
Next Saturday, it will be the competition’s top two teams on the ladder squaring off for the 2022 flag at Adelaide Oval.
MELBOURNE 5.3 (33) d BRISBANE 4.5 (29)
Finally, after missing potential match-winning post-siren set shots in the last two meetings between these sides, Brisbane’s Greta Bodey converted in the dying seconds — but it was too little, too late.
Bodey’s snap brought Brisbane to within four points, but in a ball-up deep in the Lions’ forward line, it was Melbourne’s Lauren Pearce, arguably Melbourne’s best player, who won that crucial hit-out, formally ending the Lions’ premiership defence.
While some players win matches off their own boot, Pearce (15 touches and 11 hit-outs) turned the match for good by winning a ball deep in attack and quickly putting it to boot for a goal. That gave Melbourne a lead it never relinquished.
Pearce amassed nine clearances, but none bigger than that. Her goal was the meat in a sandwich of sensational snaps by teenage speedster Alyssa Bannan — who kicked three on the day — and Eliza McNamara, who booted a miraculous dribbler, to go with 14 possessions and six tackles.
After a tight first half on a greasy deck at which scores were level at 1.2 (8) each, and team statistics were nearly even, the Lions gained the upper hand, through a Dakota Davidson checkside snap that registered a major score, but their lead was short-lived.
Just 60 seconds later, Bannan ran on to a Karen Paxman kick, outpacing Lions’ defender Bre Koenen, and kicking truly. Pearce kicked her goal less than a minute later, while Brisbane squandered several third term scoring chances from eight inside 50s.
Brisbane defender Shannon Campbell, then Bodey, brought the Lions to the brink of victory, but Melbourne held on for the win.
The Lions’ Emily Bates showed why she earned this year’s AFLW Coaches Association best-and-fairest, leading her side with 20 possessions and 14 tackles, while Campbell and Phoebe Monahan held Dees’ scoring threat Tayla Harris goalless and to just three possessions.
The star-crossed Bodey was also involved in two important, questionable umpiring non-decisions involving defender Sinead Goldrick, who appeared to clearly hold Bodey in the goal square while trying to pounce on a loose ball.
PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.
ADELAIDE 6.4 (40) d FREMANTLE 4.2 (26)
The same, huge, daunting question hung over Fremantle as hovered like a grey cloud over the heads of all other Adelaide opponents: send a player to Ebony Marinoff or Anne Hatchard?
At the end of this match — as it was for nine other Crows’ victories — it turned out not to matter, as once again that deadly duo racked up the possessions, tackles, and clearances that made the difference.
It was actually a Hatchard mongrel punt that teammate Erin Phillips gobbled up, then weaved through opposition traffic to snap the match’s first goal. Hatchard went on to collect 21 touches, and four clearances and tackles, while Marinoff accumulated 22 disposals and six clearances.
Through majors to Caitlin Gould, Stevie-Lee Thompson, and AFLW single-season goalkicking record holder Ash Woodland, Adelaide built a 19-point lead midway through the second quarter.
But just when the Crows looked to extend their 19-point lead, the Dockers fought back, first through Ebony Antonio (22 possessions and eight tackles) feeding the ball to Kara Antonio (13 touches), who snapped a major. Airlie Runnalls added a snap of her own, to close the gap to within seven points at half time.
But in the third term, Adelaide put the kibosh on Fremantle’s momentum, holding the Dockers scoreless, intercept marking several inside 50 kicks. When the Crows weren’t doing that, the Dockers weren’t helping their own cause by spilling marks inside their forward end.
Fremantle quickly struck first in the final term, through an Emily O’Driscoll goal, but ultimately succumbed, as a free kick against defender Janelle Cuthbertson allowed Woodland to slot a set shot.
While Fremantle captain Hayley Miller (25 touches, five clearances) and Kiara Bowers (24 possessions, nine tackles, and six clearances) were typically influential, and forward Mikayla Hyde kicked a goal, the Crows’ backline kept the Fremantle forwards silent, limiting Gemma Houghton, Roxy Roux, and Makaela Tuhakaraina to a combined 13 touches.
Predictably, Fremantle won the tackle count, but Adelaide doubled the number of tackles inside its forward 50, as pressure created scoring opportunities.
