COLLINGWOOD is the first team through to the 2023 VFL Women’s Grand Final after it downed Essendon by four points in a nail-biting semi-final yesterday. It was tight all game with momentum switching between the teams on several occasions, but ultimately it was the Magpies who emerged victorious by four points, 3.4 (22) to 2.6 (18).

Collingwood was quick to get the ball inside their forward 50, earning their first inside 50 inside the first 30 seconds of the game. However they could not get any score on the board and Essendon almost made them pay with a goal up the other end but could not convert.

Jaimee-Lee Morrow was proving to be a true asset defensively for Essendon and a real headache for Collingwood early, taking a number of crucial marks. One thing that was plaguing both sides early was turnovers, with both sides recording a high number of turnovers early in the match.

For much of the front half of the first quarter the play was between the 50m arcs, so the question was where that first goal of the game was going to come. It eventually came 12 minutes in, and it was an Essendon goal off the boot of Mia-Rae Clifford.

After Collingwood dominated possession and territory early the Bombers really began to take control of the game, and Clifford’s goal cemented that. Collingwood kept pushing late but only managed one behind, but thanks to Clifford’s goal Essendon scored the only goal of the term and took an eight point lead into the first change.

Collingwood was again quick to get the ball out of the centre and finally got their first goal of the game thanks to Nyakoat Dojiok. With Dojiok’s goal, the margin was back down to a mere two points. Despite the quickness of Dojiok’s goal scoring then dried up again as the ball and play bounced between the 50m arc barriers.

Collingwood did eventually get a second goal thanks to Evangelia Nikolitsis, and for the first time in the game the lead was theirs. Nikolitsis’ goal saw Collingwood take a one-goal lead into the main break, and the script had certainly flipped in that term.

The Bombers were the ones to get the quick start to the quarter in the third term, but were unable to convert. They continued to pepper the goal but could not get passed the strong Collingwood defence, until stood up and managed to slot another goal through to level up proceedings.

Clifford’s goal proved to be the sole goal for the quarter as both defences continued to hold up well, and so things were all square at the final change and all to play for in the last quarter. Essendon enjoyed most of the forward 50 time early in the last quarter, but thanks to a strong Collingwood defence could not make the most of it with many opportunities to score.

Crucially they did get a behind which then piled the pressure on the Pies to respond and score. Respond they did, when Caitlin Sargent kicked a goal eight minutes in to retake the lead.

Sophie Molan almost retook the lead for the Bombers with six minutes to go but her shot fell short, and the ball continue to ping pong back and forth between the forward 50s, so it truly came down to the final passages of play as to who was ultimately going to emerge victorious.

Ultimately it was the Magpies, thanks in large part to the tackling exploits of Tannah Hurst.