KUWARNA has booked an AFL Women’s top four berth after it held off a fast-finishing Geelong last night at GMHBA Stadium. Geelong pushed hard in the final few minutes to keep its season alive, but the Crows held firm to come away victorious.

After a tough second quarter for his side, Crows’ coach Matthew Clarke said that his message at half-time was not a positive one.

“I thought the first quarter was pretty decent. Obviously we were inaccurate, which has been a bit of an issue. But certainly the second quarter, Geelong transitioned the ball really cleanly and were efficient, and I felt our pressure just came off a little bit at that stage,” Clarke said.

“So half-time was a bit grumpy, but I was really pleased and proud of the group, the way they responded. “I thought obviously the third quarter and then we got ahead in the last and then had to hang on a bit. “But I thought it was probably three quarters which were actually pretty decent footy, and clearly Geelong are in some pretty good shape after a slow start. “So to come away with a win and obviously to secure the top four, actually really pleased.

“But half-time, maybe not quite as pleased as I am now.”

Kuwarna was inaccurate again last night, which has been a bit of an ongoing issue for Clarke and his troops this season, but luckily for the Crows it did not bring them undone this time.

Now all season we’ve been a bit inaccurate and yes, we’ve been addressing it,” Clarke said.

“We’ve been working pretty hard at it, but thus far we haven’t really turned the corner. So we just have to maintain that and keep going and hopefully in a big game, which next week and from here on are, hopefully we can get that right and it’ll obviously make life a bit easier for us.”

One thing that did please Clarke was Zoe Prowse’s efforts in her tough matchup on Geelong star Ashling Moloney.

“I thought it was an outstanding game, and I thought Chelsea Biddell also with her intercept marking, both of those players got us out of jail a lot of times”, Clarke said.

“But the matchup between Zoe and Moloney, who’s had an exceptional season and even tonight looked dangerous, but Zoe was able to just negate her really well.”

Everything did not all go to plan for the visitors last night, after Danielle Ponter went down with an ankle injury.

Clarke confirmed that Ponter had rolled the outside of her ankle which was “not ideal” but the medical team was optimistic about playing next week. The coach reiterated Ponter’s importance to the side, and he is certainly hoping she will be able to play next week.

“She’s got a great history, particularly in big games, of standing up and giving us moments,” Clarke said.

“So we certainly hope that she’s right. If not, then we’ll just have to get it done another way. But we’d certainly give her every chance to make sure she’s available.”