MINOR premiers PINT has sent a statement to the remaining two teams in the NTFL Women’s Premier League after booking its place in the 2023/24 grand final. The Queen Ants were ultra impressive in a 33-point win over St Mary’s, booting six goals to two in the first half, and and winning all four quarters during the 10.5 (65) to 4.8 (32) victory.

Last times the two sides met it was a draw and many fully expected the semi-final to be a grand final preview coming into it, and PINT showed it was was hungry to defend its title from the get-go. Ex-Cat Carly Remmos kick-started the win, and all of a sudden the Queen Ants were three majors up thanks to Hillary Grubb and competition leading goalkicker Steph Lawrence.

St Mary’s managed to kick one through Nicky Anderson, but the Queen Ants still lead by 13 points. That increased to 23 points at half-time after the top side kicked the first three goals, before AFLW premiership player Danielle Ponter got off the chain with a late major.

The teams went goal-for-goal early in the third with Lawrence again stepping up to the plate, but Ponter continued to make things happen and set up Grace Senior for a vital major. It gave the Saints a sniff of hope, but the top-end talent and weight of numbers around the contest for the Queen Ants proved too much and PINT kicked another three goals to one to finish the day and come away comfortable victors.

Lawrence finished with three goals for the match, while Grubb and Remmos kicked two each for the winners. Grubb was named best-on by the coaches, with star ruck Jasmyn Hewett also influencing the contest, particularly in the second half. Zoe McWhinney – who went to Ponter when she moved into the middle – and the goalkickers Remmos and Lawrence completed the range of bests for the Queen Ants.

For St Mary’s skipper Emily Forshaw stood out, with clever forward Billie Byers and ex-Bomber Caitlin Sargent also trying hard in the loss. The Saints will have one more chance to reach the decider, taking on Nightcliff for the second time in three weeks next Saturday.

PINT 3.1 | 6.3 | 8.3 | 10.5 (65)
ST MARY’S 1.0 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.8 (32)

GOALS:
PINT: S. Lawrence 3, H. Grubb 2, C. Remmos 2, C. Morris, L. Hamilton, C. McDonald
St Mary’s: G. Senior 2, N. Anderson, B. Byers

BEST:
PINT: H. Grubb, J. Hewett, Z. McWhinney, C. Remmos, S. Lawrence
St Mary’s: E. Forshaw, B. Byers, C. Sargent, P. Pavic, J. Baird

Berry brilliance books Tigers prelim spot

A match-winning goal from over-ager Sophie Berry secured the win for Nightcliff over Waratah to ensure the Tigers had a second crack at St Mary’s this finals series. After needing to come from behind, Nightcliff clawed home in a straight-kick thriller. 4.7 (31) to 4.1 (25).

A slow start hurt the Tigers, going down by 13 points at quarter time without scoring as Kierra Zerafa and Cassandra Glover both added majors in the first term. It would be the Tigers who managed to get back on level pegging by half-time thanks to the work of Berry and the experienced Mickayla Ward (two goals) who put the higher ranked side on top at the main break.

It was a little bit of a stale mate in the third, but Hayley Finning broke the drought with the only major of the quarter to hand her side back the lead, albeit by three points. Ruby O’Dwyer was impressing for the ‘Tahs, while classy SANFLW forward Alysha Healy always looked dangerous.

In the end though, it was Berry’s goal sense that got the Tigers home, with Gypsy Schirmer, Jasmine Ware and Christy Landwehr joining Ward among the best players in defeat.

NIGHTCLIFF 0.0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.7 (31)
WARATAH 2.1 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 (25)

GOALS:
Nightcliff: S. Berry 2, M. Ward 2
Waratah: H. Finning, C. Glover, A. Healy, K. Zerafa

BEST:
Nightcliff: M. Ward, G. Schirmer, C. Landwehr, J. Ware, C. McWilliam
Waratah: R. O’Dwyer, K. Zerafa, J. Cranny, L. Tastula, J. Bouwer