Swans Eliza Vale (left) and Chloe Molloy (right) are jubilant after helping their team to its maiden AFLW finals appearance on Sunday. Photo: AFL MEDIA
GOLD COAST 6.3 (39) def ESSENDON 3.7 (25)
With their big win under lights at Mackay – and even without injured young superstar Charlie Rowbottom, who underwent season-ending ankle surgery – the Suns cemented fifth spot on the ladder and a home elimination final next week against Sydney. If this match is anything to go by, Gold Coast’s Lucy Single is quickly rising to stardom. Not only did Single match teammate Claudia Whitfort’s match-high 25 touches, but she also led all comers with 473 metres gained, laid six tackles and won six clearances. But most importantly, she neutralised Bombers star Madison Prespakis, limiting her to only a handful of second-half touches. The Suns’ forward pressure was stifling, and their connectivity was crisp, with Alison Drennan (23 touches) contributing three inside 50s and three score involvements, while Gold Coast’s “Killer D’s” – Darcie Davies, Daisy D’Arcy and Jac Dupuy – dented the scoreboard, combining for four of their six goals. Down back, dependable defender Lauren Ahrens helped keep Essendon goalless after half-time, amassing seven intercept possessions. The Bombers finished seventh on the ladder, setting them up for an elimination final date with the Cats in Geelong.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.3 (9) def by NORTH MELBOURNE 7.13 (55)
One-way traffic, as forecast, came to fruition, as the Kangaroos were at their miserly best, dominating possession, holding the Bulldogs to a single-digit score, and officially condemning them to the wooden spoon. The smashing locked North Melbourne into third place, setting up a qualifying final against the Demons. North superstars Jasmine Garner (31 possessions, eight clearances and two goals) and Ash Riddell (36, seven and 678 metres gained) brought their own Sherrins, which was far too much for Ellie Blackburn (30) and the injury-depleted Bulldogs to handle.
PORT ADELAIDE 13.10 (88) def GWS 4.6 (30)
The Power made AFLW legend Erin Phillips’ farewell match sweetly memorable, chairing the captain off the ground in style after kicking their highest-ever score. Phillips, who won three premierships with Adelaide, left her signature on the match late in the final term. After beating two defenders with a sensational, diving, over-the-shoulder mark, she converted the set shot, sending her loving teammates to topple her over in a mob of joy. In fact, elation was in abundance at Alberton Oval, with Port Adelaide’s tall timber Ash Saint, Gemma Houghton and Matilda Scholz electrifying the partisan crowd. Saint booted a career-high five goals, while Houghton and Scholz kicked three each. Port Adelaide’s leading ball winner Abbey Dowrick had a super finish to her season, gathering 24 possessions, winning 11 clearances and gaining 785 metres, while Phillips, ever the consummate team player, had eight score involvements.
GEELONG 9.6 (60) def HAWTHORN 3.2 (20)
With their finals fate hanging in the balance, the Cats swiftly and convincingly made a certainty of victory, sixth spot and a home elimination final against Essendon. Georgie Prespakis (35 touches, eight clearances and six inside 50s), and Nina Morrison (34, seven, four and a goal) again boosted their cred as one of the comp’s deadliest midfield duos. Each player had six score involvements, with their teammate Chloe Scheer benefitting the most, booting three majors to finish the home-and-away season with 18, good enough to tie her with Adelaide’s Caitlin Gould for third-best in the comp. Amy McDonald contributed 23 disposals and eight clearances for Geelong, while teammate Renee Garing laid 11 tackles. In the losing effort, Hawthorn’s Emily Bates impressively finished the home-and-away season with 27 possessions, nine tackles and six clearances.
WEST COAST 6.9 (45) def by ADELAIDE 11.5 (71)
Going into this match, the Crows were guaranteed a top-two spot and a home qualifying final, allowing them to rest star trio Anne Hatchard, Chelsea Randall and Stevie-Lee Thompson. Against the struggling Eagles, the Crows’ outs were of no consequence. And after belting West Coast by 36 points, Adelaide was done a favour by Brisbane which upset Melbourne to not only hand the Crows the minor premiership, but also home ground advantage if they make it to the grand final. West Coast matched it with Adelaide in the opening term, after which scores were level. Then Adelaide unloaded heavy artillery, shelling the scoreboard with six majors from as many players to open a 23-point advantage. Gould kicked two goals, Ebony Marinoff put in another productive day with 24 touches, seven clearances, five inside 50s and six score involvements, while Montana McKinnon dominated the ruck, amassing 35 hitouts and six score involvements. Adelaide next host Brisbane in the first qualifying final.
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BRISBANE 8.5 (53) def MELBOURNE 4.4 (28)
The hyper-focused Lions secured fourth spot, a double chance and got some revenge for last season’s grand final loss to the Demons in this highly physical encounter. Goals from Dakota Davidson (two) and Ellie Hampson sparked Brisbane to an early 13-point lead, but Tayla Harris, back from injury, imposed herself by taking a mark-of-the-year contender, then minutes later converted a set shot to pull Melbourne within two points. Late in the second term, Demons forward Kate Hore snapped her 20th goal of the season – tying teammate Eden Zanker for most in the comp – to snatch a brief lead before Davidson drilled a set shot after out-marking three Melbourne defenders. The second half was all Brisbane, as Bree Koenen (22 touches), Jade Ellenger (22 and four clearances), Cathy Svarc (six clearances) and Sophia Conway (two goals) took centre stage, running and gunning the Dees into the ground and keeping them goalless. Despite hosting a qualifying final next week against North Melbourne, Melbourne has a renewed injury concern with Paxy Paxman withdrawing during the warm-up because of a hamstring concern.
CARLTON 3.8 (26) def by ST KILDA 7.4 (46)
The Saints’ 20-point victory over the Blues would, hours later, prove bittersweet. While St Kilda capped its home-and-away season by winning six of its last seven matches, after starting 0-3, ultimately it fell short of making finals for the first time, and finished ninth behind Sydney by 4.6 per cent. Georgia Patrikios (25 touches, four tackles and four clearances), Nat Exon (two goals) and Nicola Xenos (two goals) led the charge for St Kilda over Carlton, along with Jaimee Lambert, who laid 10 tackles to go with her 18 touches and four clearances. Carlton didn’t make it easy for the Saints, trailing them by only four points at half-time, but St Kilda pulled away in the third term, with Ella Friend, Xenos and Exon all kicking majors.
COLLINGWOOD 4.1 (25) def by RICHMOND 11.11 (77)
The Tigers perfectly played the spoiler role, kicking their highest-ever score in denying the Magpies a finals berth with a 52-point smashing at Victoria Park. The Magpies actually had a four-point half-time buffer, as Richmond’s inaccuracy in front of goal earned it little reward for maximum effort. The second half, though, was all Richmond. The Tigers let loose a tsunami of nine majors – including Caitlin Greiser’s miraculous snap as one of seven goals in the final term – that obliterated the proverbial dam wall. Conversely, Collingwood’s scoring well ran dry, with the Pies managing just a solitary behind in the second half. Richmond’s two brightest stars shone, with Mon Conti piling up 34 possessions, winning 11 clearances, laying eight tackles, gaining 615 metres and kicking a goal, and Katie Brennan booting four goals. The Magpies’ frustration at missing out on finals boiled over late in the final term when a tackle over the boundary line by ex-Tiger Sarah Sansonetti on Emelia Yassir sparked a spiteful melee involving several players from both teams.
FREMANTLE 2.6 (18) def by SYDNEY 5.10 (40)
Wetlands are swans’ natural habitats, but Sydney’s AFLW Swans have defied footy nature by coming from the clouds to grab the eighth and last finals spot, one year after suffering a winless maiden season in which they played more like struggling ducklings. It took until the final term, but the Swans got control of what had been a three-quarter arm wrestle, with veterans Brooke Lochland and Chloe Molloy kicking goals and young gun Montana Ham adding one of her own to seal the win. Laura Gardiner, in close contention for AFLW best-and-fairest honours, paced Sydney with 33 possessions, six clearances and five tackles, while Molloy booted two majors. The Swans, who have won five of their last six matches, have now booked an elimination final date next weekend against the Suns on the Gold Coast.
