Daisy Pearce’s West Coast Eagles have reached the AFLW finals for the first time after the Sydney Swans went down in a shock three-point loss to Essendon at Coffs Harbour.
The Swans simply needed to beat Essendon in Saturday’s match to seal a finals berth and they started as the hottest of favourites against an injury-devastated Bombers side that had lost eight matches on the trot.
West Coast, who lost to Carlton on Friday night, needed Essendon to win to snare a historic finals berth.
The Bombers led 14-2 early in the final quarter when Sophie Alexander tumbled through a goal.
The Swans cut the margin back to three points with four minutes remaining when Zippy Fish registered their first goal of the match, setting up a grandstand finish.
Sydney continued to pepper in search of the goal it needed to secure a finals spot, but the Bombers were able to hold firm to record the 2.2 (14) to 1.5 (11) win.
The result also kept Fremantle’s finals hopes alive, with the winner of Sunday’s Fremantle-Adelaide match at Norwood Oval to sneak into the post-season.
Sydney finished its season with a 6-6 win-loss record.
Essendon won the inside 50 count 17-4 in the opening quarter, but their only return was two behinds to forward Amelie Gladman.
The Bombers edged eight points ahead in the second term when Bonnie Toogood snapped a goal from the pocket.
Sydney looked set for a scoreless first half until a rushed behind was recorded just 19 seconds before the main break.
There was only one point scored in the third quarter, and Essendon started the last term with a goal inside 30 seconds as belief continued to grow.
It proved to be enough of a buffer to secure victory, leaving Swans players devastated at the final siren.
Demons secure second with win over Cats
Melbourne have secured second spot on the AFLW table and ruined the farewell for a trio of Geelong veterans with a 14-point win over the Cats at GMBHA Stadium.
Geelong entered Saturday night’s match desperate to send off retiring stalwarts Kate Darby, Meghan McDonald and Shelley Scott with a win.
Instead, a four-goal haul to Eden Zanker — including two in a flash during Melbourne’s third-quarter surge — led the Demons to the 9.5 (59) to 6.9 (45) win.
The result guarantees Melbourne (9-3) second spot and two home finals, with their opponents for week one to be either Hawthorn or Brisbane.
But the Demons could be without star forward Kate Hore for the start of the finals after she copped a late knock to the head, with a concussion test to determine her fate.
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Geelong finished their season with a 5-7 record.
Melbourne midfielder Tyla Hanks was crucial in Melbourne’s five-goal third-quarter blitz and finished with 27 disposals, six clearances, one goal and 519m gained.
Zanker kicked 4.0 from 13 disposals, to go with five marks.
“It’s definitely good to lock in some home finals. We haven’t been great on the road this season,” Zanker said.
“Last week against the Lions (in a nine-point loss) we got a bit of a wake-up call, in terms of that finals intensity.
“To reflect on that and bring our best today for 80 minutes was really good. It will hold us in good stead.”
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Georgie Prespakis (32 disposals, 10 tackles, eight clearances and 596m gained) and Mikayla Bowen (30 disposals, two goals) led the way for Geelong.
In emotional scenes, Darby, McDonald and Scott were chaired off through a guard of honour after the final siren.
Scott wasn’t able to play at all this season because of injury.
The first half was an even affair, with Melbourne kicking three goals to two to take a four-point edge into the long break.
Geelong snatched back the lead early in the third through Mikayla Bowen’s snap, but the Dees were back in front when Zanker took the ball out of the ruck and kicked the ball over her own shoulder for a memorable goal.
Zanker kicked her third goal a short time later when she out-muscled her opponent to take a strong mark in the goal square.
The 25-year-old was forced from the field a short time later with a bloodied nose, but it didn’t dampen Melbourne’s charge.
Hore ensured career goal number 99 was one to remember when she used the outside of her right boot to dribble through a ripper.
A goal to Tayla Harris after the three-quarter-time siren extended Melbourne’s lead to 23 points, and they were able to close out the game in the final term.
Houghton achieves AFLW milestone
Port Adelaide spearhead Gemma Houghton became the first player to reach 100 AFLW career goals, kicking truly after the siren in the Power’s 57-point demolition of GWS.
With the result secure at the final change at Sydney’s Henson Park, Power teammates were desperately trying to get the ball to Houghton throughout the last quarter of the 11.15 (81) to 3.6 (24) win.
Power teammates leap on Gemma Houghton (obscured) as they celebrate her milestone goal. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Matt King)
The 31-year-old missed multiple chances earlier in the term, before captain Justine Mules-Robinson spotted her about 30 metres out just before full-time.
Houghton made no mistake after the siren to kick her fourth goal of the match, before being mobbed by excited Power teammates.
She beat Melbourne captain Kate Hore (98) and North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner (97) to the 100-goal milestone.
Starting her career at Fremantle in the inaugural AFLW season in 2017, Houghton moved to the Power ahead of their entry into the competition in 2022.
“I’m still a bit speechless,” Houghton said.
“I was getting a little bit frustrated with myself, [I] missed a few.”
Trailing by 12 points at quarter-time, the Power made up for their slow start by piling on 6.2 to 0.1 in the second term to lead by 25 points at the main break.
The Power’s electrifying performance would have been bittersweet, as they missed the top eight after making a superb run to the preliminary final last year.
Suns rise to end challenging season
Wooden-spooners Gold Coast finished off a difficult campaign by recording a thrilling 14-point win against Richmond at Princes Park.
Trailing by five points at three-quarter time, the Suns hit the lead late in the final term, courtesy of a superb goal on the run from co-captain Niamh McLaughlin.
Gold Coast’s Havana Harris (right) attempts to get a disposal away against Richmond. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: James Wiltshire)
Richmond had two golden opportunities to reclaim the lead through Emelia Yassir and debutant Shelby Knoll, but they both missed.
The Suns were able to score another two quick goals from Darcie Davies and Havana Harris, ensuring they won 5.9 (39) to 3.7 (25).
Gold Coast finishes the season with a 2-10 record, the same return as Richmond and GWS.
But the Suns’s percentage meant they finished 18th and last on the ladder.
Charlie Rowbottom (32 disposals), Lucy Single (29) and McLaughlin (23) were outstanding for the Suns.
Yassir was the only multiple goal-kicker on the ground with two.
Mon Conti had one of her quieter matches for the Tigers, gathering 20 possessions and failing to win a clearance.
