THIS is it. One last chance to make the coveted 2024 VFL Women’s Grand Final.

Whoever wins today moves on to next weekend’s grand final, while the loser’s season is all done and dusted.

QUALIFYING FINAL

Williamstown vs Western Bulldogs
12:30pm
ETU Stadium

RECENT FORM

This year’s finals series has not really gone to plan for either of these sides. They met just two weeks ago in the qualifying final after finishing the home and away season in the top two, but instead of finding themselves with a week off and already in the grand final they have both suffered a win and a loss on their way to suiting up for today’s preliminary final.

HEAD TO HEAD

Today’s clash is the 10th one between the two sides in their history, and the third one between them this season alone.

That head to head ledger is very much in the Seagulls’ favour, as they lead the overall ledger six to three, and those six have all been the last ix times the sides have met.

LAST TIME THEY MET

The last time these sides met was a mere fortnight ago in the qualifying final.

That day, the first half was very even, before the Seagulls kicked away in the second half to take the win.

The other time they met this season was back in Round 5, which saw the Seagulls pick up a 21-point win.

The Bulldogs were actually the ones who led at both quarter time and half-time that day, but after they went scoreless in the third term the script of the game changed and the Seagulls kicked away to pick up the win.

CHANGES FROM LAST WEEK’S SIDES

Williamstown:

In: Phoebe Chosholm and Akina Manoah
Out: Stella Bridgewater and Maddie Edwards

Western Bulldogs:

NO CHANGES

KEY PLAYERS

If the 2024 finals series has taught us anything, it is that despite both these sides having obvious stronger components of their teams, those components are still beatable.

Last week proved that Williamstown’s midfield of Emily Eaves, Ashlee Thorneycroft and Megan Williamson can be beaten and it does make a difference, while back in the Qualifying Final the Bulldogs’ tall targets of Mia-Rae Clifford, Imogen Milford and Jaimi Tabb did not produce full four quarter performances.