Geelong’s AFLW finals ambitions are back on track after an emphatic 24-point victory over Fremantle at Kardinia Park on Saturday.
After back-to-back losses, the inaccurate Cats righted their ship with a 6.11 (47) to 3.5 (23) win.
But the victory could come at a cost with two key Cats sweating on the match review officer.
Darcy Moloney’s off-the-ball elbow to the chest/chin area of Fremantle’s Ebony Antonio in the first quarter will surely be looked at.
While Rachel Kearns’ heavy bump on Amy Mulholland late in the final quarter not only forced the Docker from the ground with what looked like a shoulder injury, but it appeared the collision made contact with her head as well.
MCDONALD, PRESPAKIS LEAD THE WAY
Amy McDonald was outstanding for the winners, racking up 30 disposals (16 contested) and eight clearances, and Georgie Prespakis was her usual industrious self, registering 25 touches (12), eight tackles and six clearances.
Geelong’s Aishling Moloney (12 disposals and five marks) could have had a day out, but the Irishwoman had to settle for four behinds, including two posters, while another of her shots on goal failed to score.
Geelong coach Daniel Lowther said the performance was a “good response” to their back-to-back losses in the previous two rounds.
“For us to have a better second half with our opportunities to score was the main thing and to kick 6.11 showed that we’ve got the capacity to still play good consistent footy post-half-time,” Lowther said.
“I thought having shots on goal and having the game in our front half for longer periods supported that.”
FREO LEFT ‘FRUSTRATED’
The Cats burst out of the blocks, but their first four scoring shots were all behinds, making it 10 consecutive minor scores going back to last week.
But the Dockers couldn’t make them pay with a scoreless opening term.
Fremantle coach Lisa Webb described the loss as “a tough one”.
“(We) didn’t start as well as we would’ve liked, I thought the girls worked into the game, but just that little bit of frustration,” she said.
CATS CLOSE IN ON FINALS
To finish in the top eight, the 4-3 Cats will probably have to win at least two of their last three games, and with finals contenders Collingwood and Richmond still to come, as well as cellar dwellers Hawthorn, Geelong will like their chances.
CATS 2.4, 3.7, 5.9, 6.11 (47)
FREO 0.0, 1.1, 2.2, 3.5 (23)
HAWKS UPSET SWANS
Kristy Stratton produced the game of her career as she lifted the Hawks to a 14-point win over Sydney.
The 28-year-old was inspirational in the third term, kicking a goal, setting up another and producing a remarkable tackle to run down Molloy.
It’s the first time in Stratton’s 18 AFLW games that she has kicked multiple goals, while her ability to compete in the Hawks’ forward line meant they were able to make the most of their inside-50 dominance.
“It wasn’t just me, it was the team around me,” Stratton said. “It allows me to play my role for the team and kick the goals as well which is good.
“After last week, that was only my second AFL goal. Now I’ve doubled it which is exciting.”
Stratton was one of a number of players who had a day out at Henson Park including Kaitlyn Ashmore who finished the game with 23 disposals, seven tackles and three clearances.
The Hawks might have been underdogs for the clash, but they leave Sydney with their first interstate victory in AFLW history.
“We had all the staff in the rooms to do the song with us too because those are the moments you have to celebrate, especially when you’re a new team in the competition,” Bec Goddard, the Hawks’ coach said.
“Travelling interstate, under those conditions … we’re really proud of the group.”
ALL-AUSTRALIAN HOPEFUL QUIET
In a highly-touted ruck match-up, it was Sydney teenager Ally Morphett dominated her battle with Lucy Wales early, but the Hawks’ youngster more than held her own as the visitors ran away with the game in the second half.
Morphett continued to work tirelessly across the ground and created a contest of any ball in her direction. However, it was a quieter day on the stat line for the 19-year-old who wasn’t able to get near her season average of 5.8 clearances.
It was a frustrating day for the Swans whose performance was typified by the fact Morphett couldn’t quite assert herself on the game.
SYDNEY FADE OUT COSTLY FOR RUN HOME
Sydney coach Scott Gowans praised his side’s ability to come home strong against Port Adelaide last weekend, but that same tenacity wasn’t there at Henson Park.
The loss is a huge hit to the Swans’ hopes of a maiden finals berth. They’ll likely need to win all three of their remaining matches, with only one of those at home.
Gowans said while it was a disappointing performance from his team, there was still a lot the young group could learn from the result.
“Nobody said the learning is going to be linear,” Gowans said. “It’s going to have its bumps.
“The analogy I used was that we are on a journey on a bus. And occasionally the bus hits traffic, and we hit traffic today.
“We’ll get a lot of learnings out of that and reset for next week.”
SHAKE AND BAKE FROM MOLLOY
Sporting a new pair of boots with Indigenous art painted by teammate Aliesha Newman, Chloe Molloy was at her electric best early for the Swans.
The Sydney co-captain hit the ball with speed and sold some candy on a brilliant solo run to set up Cynthia Hamilton for her side’s second goal of the day.
She then moved behind the ball in the second half to provide more stability to the Swans’ backline and found herself racking up the intercept possessions.
In a game where the fine margins were important, Molloy won more than her fair share but the Swans missed her on the ball in the crucial third term.
SWANS 2.0, 2.3, 2.5, 3.8 (26)
HAWKS 1.4, 1.7, 4.8, 5.10 (40)
SAINTS EYE OFF FINALS
St Kilda could play finals for the first time in their AFLW history after a 13-point win against the Giants.
Despite the milestone looking almost impossible just four weeks ago, the Saints have now strung together their longest winning streak ever – four in a row.
They have games against Fremantle, Brisbane and Carlton to come, likely needing to win two of them to secure a maiden finals berth.
Saturday’s win came on the back of a stellar outing from Tyanna Smith who continues to impress on her return from an ACL injury.
Smith had 17 touches, eight tackles, six clearances and a goal to be St Kilda’s best.
RICHARDS’ DELIGHT
St Kilda dominated proceedings in the first term with 14 inside 50s to the Giants’ three but failed to capitalise until late in the quarter.
Nick Dal Santo’s side led by just three points despite the lopsided territory advantage, but a sharp piece of work between Jaimee Lambert and Ashleigh Richards handed the home side a much-needed goal in the shadows of three-quarter time.
Lambert burst away from a stoppage at half forward, taking advantage from a ruck free kick, before finding Richards deep in the right forward pocket.
The 19-year-old only had goals on her mind, piercing the middle from the unlikeliest of angles to kick the goal of the game.
GOLD CLASS
Only Zarlie Goldsworthy stood between St Kilda and a blowout in the first half.
The 18-year-old, who shapes as one of the favourites for this season’s Rising Star award, was everywhere for the Giants before the main break.
Goldsworthy kicked two brilliant goals – the only two for GWS, including the first of the game as she proved too much for the St Kilda defence to deal with.
But as the Saints got on top of the Giants, Cam Bernasconi put his young star back to shore up his defence.
Goldsworthy was everywhere, collecting 11 touches – the equal most on the ground – to go with three tackles.
It was a performance that will have Giants fans dreaming of a possible league best and fairest for Goldsworthy one day.
GOAL OF THE YEAR?
While the Giants left Moorabbin empty-handed, Jessica Doyle likely didn’t thanks to one of the best goals in the history of AFLW.
Halfway through the third quarter Doyle kicked a goal that had to be seen to be believed.
Alyce Parker broke out of a stoppage from a forward 50 boundary throw-in and chipped it into the forward pocket where Doyle ran onto the ball.
Kicking on her left boot as she was falling across the boundary line surrounded by two Saints defenders, the ball came off her foot in a reverse torpedo motion, somehow sailing through despite the wind blowing towards the other end of the ground.
The 20-year-old’s face said it all as she got up, shocked it had gone through as the crowd was left speechless.
SAINTS 2.3 4.6 6.6 7.6 48
GIANTS 1.0 2.1 3.3 5.5 35
DOMINANT CROWS STILL UNBEATEN
Star Adelaide trio Ebony Marinoff, Anne Hatchard and Niamh Kelly shone brightly at Norwood Oval on Friday night as the unbeaten Crows rumbled to a 42-point win against the brave Bulldogs.
It was the top-of-the-ladder Crows against the last-placed, winless Bulldogs, and despite plucky resistance by the injury-ravaged visitors, Matthew Clarke’s classy side improved to a 7-0 record.
The Dogs’ tale of woe this season continued with Nathan Burke’s side losing three players to injury in the first half.
Marinoff, Kelly and Hatchard amassed over 80 possessions between them, while Caitlin Gould took her season’s goal tally to 13 with three majors, as the clinical Crows wore down their depleted opponents.
INJURY CURSE
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day by many and the injury-plagued Bulldogs suffered more misfortune, with three players knocked out of the game in the first half.
Youngster Keely Coyne went down clutching her left knee without contact three minutes into the clash, Kirstie McLeod was ruled out with a concussion after a first-quarter knock and Dominique Carruthers was crunched in a bone-jarring marking contest.
Coyne was able to test her strapped knee on the sidelines but will undergo scans after she was ruled out.
Carruthers showed great courage to go back with the flight, but came off second-best when Eloise Jones cannoned into her shoulder to mark strongly.
Carruthers’ head struck the turf firmly and she was later ruled out with a concussion.
The bad luck wasn’t restricted to the visitors, with Abbie Ballard inconsolable as she was helped from the ground shortly before halftime after a knee gave way as she contested a loose ball.
Ballard had kept prolific ball-winner Blackburn statless in the first quarter.
KELLY KICKS A CRACKER
Kelly’s pace was a feature of Adelaide’s play and that was never more evident than in the second quarter.
The Irish star took possession on the defensive side of the centre square and took off.
She gave a slick handpass to Hatchard, received it back as she blazed past, took a bounce as she stormed inside 50 and slotted a stunning goal-of-the-year contender on the run.
FLOODGATES OPEN
Kelly was in the thick of the action again in the third term as the Dogs’ brave resistance faltered.
Kelly had 11 possessions at halftime and she added another 11 to her tally in a blistering third quarter.
Marinoff led all comers with 26 touches and Hatchard 21 by three-quarter time after a three-goals-to-nil third term that blew the margin out to 34 points.
Eloise Jones, who slotted her 10th goal of the season in the first, showed off her impressive speed when she chased down her own kick inside 50 and set up Rachelle Martin to scuff home her first goal.
Kelly’s pace was again pivotal when she blazed inside 50, took a bounce and gave a slick handball off to Maddie Newman who coolly slotted her side’s seventh major.
CROWS 2.0 4.2 7.2 9.5 (59)
BULLDOGS 1.2 1.4 1.4 2.5 (17)
