St Kilda have pulled off one of the biggest upset wins of the AFLW season, conquering Brisbane by 21 points to keep their finals hopes alive.
Reeling from their first loss in four rounds, the Saints bounced back with an 8.7 (55) to 5.4 (34) win in blustery conditions at RSEA Park on Saturday.
Pending other results in the round, the Saints (5-4) could rise from 12th on the ladder and finish in eighth to make their first finals appearance.
St Kilda will need to win their last match of the season against fellow finals hopefuls Carlton next weekend but there is still a chance of missing the top eight should other results not go their way.
One-time Brisbane premiership player Jesse Wardlaw (two goals) was electric in her first meeting with her old side and wasted no time to get on the scoreboard, drawing first blood to give St Kilda a hot start.
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Jamiee Lambert (20 disposals, four clearances) and Georgia Patrikios (one goal, 18 disposals) went to work in the midfield, while Nat Exon, Ashleigh Richards, Tyanna Smith, Deanna Jolliffe and Ashleigh Richards were among the Saints’ goalkickers.
With Brisbane unable to master the wind, Taylor Smith kicked the only goal in the first half despite attempts from Irish ace Orla O’Dwyer and AFLW debutant Bella K. Smith.
Trailing by 21 points at third-quarter time, the Lions were effectively ruled out of the contest when two successive 50-metre penalties against Ellie Hampson for a dangerous tackle gifted Smith a shot at goal.
Smith kicked truly despite the wind against her to seal the win for the Saints, backed up by another magnificent goal by Wardlaw just three minutes later.
Melbourne handle gutsy Dockers
Defending AFLW premiers Melbourne have fought through difficult conditions and its own inaccuracy to beat Fremantle by 33 points to all but extinguish the Dockers’ finals hopes.
Fremantle went with Melbourne early in typically horrendous wind at Casey Fields and led by a point at quarter-time.
But with the wind at their backs, the Demons, led by gun midfielder Paxy Paxman, peppered Fremantle’s defence in the second quarter and got on top, prevailing 8.13 (61) to 4.4 (28).
Melbourne (32 points) consolidated top spot on the ladder while 13th-placed Fremantle, in the logjam of teams sitting on 16 points, remain outside the top eight on percentage with a round to go in the home-and-away season.
The Dockers will realistically need to win their final-round match against Sydney, while relying on other results going their way, to sneak into the top eight.
Paxman (27 disposals, one goal) was typically prolific and well-supported by Eliza West (21 disposals, six clearances), Lily Mithen and Eliza McNamara, while Kate Hore and Eden Zanker kicked two goals apiece.
Hayley Miller, Dana East (11 clearances), Ange Stannett and Kiara Bowers were busy for the Dockers while Megan Kaufmann kicked three goals.
Melbourne took control of the match when Zanker marched into an open goal early in the second term.
Paxman and Eliza West snapped two more in quick succession to put the Demons well and truly on top.
Melbourne got out to a 24-point lead but should have led by more, with inaccuracy around goal proving costly.
Fremantle hit back against the run of play late in the second term, with Kauffman coolly finishing into the wind to cut the deficit to 18 at half-time.
Hore and Fremantle’s Serena Gibbs traded third-quarter goals to keep the game alive at the final change.
Blaithin Mackin hammered home a long-range major with seven minutes on the clock to ice the win, while Hore and Zanker each goaled in the dying minutes to blow the margin out.
Bombers secure maiden finals berth
Essendon have eased past rivals Carlton by 32 points to seal their maiden AFLW finals berth with a round to spare.
The Bombers dominated from the outset and kept the Blues scoreless for the opening half, with a 30-point half-time lead setting up their 8.8 (56) to 3.6 (24) triumph at Windy Hill.
It was the perfect response to last week’s shocking loss to cellar-dwellers West Coast.
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In their second AFLW season, Essendon now sit on 24 points, comfortably inside the top eight and within touching distance of the top four, while Carlton’s finals hopes are all but over.
Carlton (16 points) sit outside the top eight by four points plus percentage.
“We sure as hell got the job done today. To do it at Windy Hill in front of our fans is really exciting,” Bombers star and former Blue Madison Prespakis told Fox Footy.
“We were a bit disappointing last week so we really wanted to make a mark this week and I think we did that.
“For us, to make finals, it’s a tick of the box. But to make finals is one thing, but to win finals is the second thing and that’s what we want to do.
“We want to win finals and I’m really bullish around this group and I love playing for them.”
Prespakis (27 disposals, seven clearances, 17 contested possessions) set the tone with a midfield masterclass, well-supported by Georgia Nanscawen (17 disposals, five clearances, nine tackles).
Captain Bonnie Toogood (two goals, 20 disposals, eight marks) was superb, while Sophie Alexander (three goals) celebrated her 50th game in style.
For the Blues, Abbie McKay (25 disposals, five clearances, eight tackles, 19 contested possessions) worked tirelessly, while Harriet Cordner was monstered by Toogood early but kicked two final-quarter goals.
The Bombers flew out of the blocks to get the game firmly on their terms.
Toogood banged home her 50th AFLW goal to open the scoring, with Alexander snapping Essendon’s second.
AAP
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