ROUND 9 of the latest AFLW season bounced down on Friday night, featuring a pair of fixtures with finals ramifications in the penultimate home-and-away weekend. Kicking off proceedings, Adelaide took out a thriller against fellow finals-bound fancy Geelong, while Gold Coast kept its top eight hopes alive while dashing that of Carlton.

By: Elly Kirlis

In a game played at a finals-like intensity, the Adelaide Crows held on to keep their top four hopes alive, picking up a two-point victory over Geelong. The Cats gave it a brave fight, being composed and controlling the game, before the Crows lifted their load around the contested in the final few minutes to win, 4.6 (30) to 4.4 (28).

TALKING POINTS

Credit Cats for their fight

Geelong has shown why it deserves to make finals this season, even more so after matching it with the league’s most successful side. The Cats were able to control the game from the second quarter, leading the disposal and marks categories at half time. They had chances in front of goal and treasured possession of the footy, but could not quite convert it to four crucial points. Although, they should certainly be proud of the game plan they applied, especially in applying pressure which challenged the Crows.

Geelong stars shine

Whilst it was battle, the Cats enacted a good game plan in being able to shut down the easy run and transition that the Crows like to execute. The likes of Amy McDonald and Nina Morrison were superb, as per usual. One person who contributed one-percenters on the defensive end was Claudia Gunjaca, disrupting the Crows’ forwards and playing a key intercept game well.

Key players stand up in Randall’s absence

Whilst the likes of Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff were their usual selves, many other Crows stepped up and played their roles. Danielle Ponter produced some big moments in the forward half, Rachelle Martin provided more spark than ever in the midfield, whilst Madison Newman, Stevie-Lee Thompson, and the likes of Chelsea Biddell, Abbie Ballard and Caitlin Gould lifted when the game was on the line. As Chelsea Randall remains out, sharing the load for the Crows will be key going into the finals series.

By: Michael Alvaro

Gold Coast remains in the finals race after a runaway 27-point win over Carlton on Friday night. The Suns trailed after a low-scoring first half on the greasy Metricon Stadium deck, but took little time to click into gear thereafter to dash Carlton’s top eight hopes, winning 6.6 (42) to 2.3 (15).

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Cometh the hour, cometh the Kalinda

Though the damage was far from done, Gold Coast required an immediate spark in the second half having been beaten for much of the first, and conceding the scoreboard ascendancy. Enter Kalinda Howarth, who snapped and goaled under 30 seconds into the third term to immediately draw her side level. Her evasiveness and clean hands at ground level suited the conditions ideally, as she made a menace of herself with involvements in goals to Kaylee Kimber and Tahlia Meyer.

There’s a first time for everything

With win number five in Season 7, Gold Coast draws level on points with both North Melbourne (seventh) and the Western Bulldogs (eighth). Both of the Victorian sides have a game in hand, but the Suns’ handy percentage boost sees them remain the sole side outside the current top eight with a realistic chance of sneaking in. A clash with GWS awaits.

Remember me?

Cast your mind back just a season earlier, and you will recall Courtney Jones snagging scores in the navy blue as Carlton’s leading goalkicker. She is now a Sun of the Gold Coast sky, and served a reminder of her quality to her former side on Friday night. The lively forward finished as the only multiple goalkicker afield, snaring her first to put Gold Coast in front before booting the last score of the game in what was the cherry on top of her side’s win.

Schaap, crackle, and goal

It took until over 10 minutes into term two for the game’s deadlock to be broken, with Carlton registering the opening goal. Coming into the side for her first game of Season 7, it was diminutive forward Poppy Schaap who produced the goods, sinking a fluent set shot to consolidate her side’s deserved half time lead. It was the 19-year-old’s first major in the top flight, snagged in just her second senior outing. Unfortunately for the Blues, it was really all they had to show for a strong opening half, with their scoring woes proving worrisome and eventually, costly.