WOODVILLE-WEST Torrens will host week one of the SANFL Women’s finals after taking back top spot from South Adelaide on the weekend. In a funny quirk from the Round 14 fixtures, both week one finals were matches in the last stanza, though the Eagles will now take hosting rights for the chance to reach a maiden grand final.

The Eagles are in unchartered waters, having never made a finals series prior but looking like the best side in the competition for the first half of the year. They ran into an impressive Panthers outfit the first time, then went down to a hungry Sturt in Round 13. Needing a win to leapfrog South and ensure the Eagles – rather than the Panthers – hosted the major semi-final, Woodville-West Torrens duly delivered with a 7.3 (45) to 5.7 (37) triumph.

It was an entertaining contest between two heavyweights and the second of what form suggests will be the fourth contest between the pair. Three first half goals to Klaudia O’Neill from five in total to the Eagles had them comfortably in front by 16 points, only dented by a pair of Shae Archbold majors. The latter had to come off after hurting her strapped shoulder, but would fortunately return for South Adelaide as it attempted to charge home.

Holding the breeze in the third term, forward pressure from Tabitha Prosser allowed Doreena Hansen to swoop, before Tamika May cut the deficit to just three points with a major midway through the quarter. South continued to pepper the goals, but the Eagles defence held firm. When the deficit cut to just one point at the 14-minute mark after a Hope Taylor behind, South looked destined to take the lead.

Taylor was one of a number of South youngsters back in the team having an impact with Layla Vizgaudis and Emma Charlton racking up the ball and looking dangerous through the middle and up forward. However the Eagles defence such as Zahlia Niemann and Annie Falkenberg kept standing up and denying the Panthers.

Then up the other end, Klaudia O’Neill was kicking goals for fun, with her fourth at the 16-minute mark from long-range giving her team some breathing space. She was unstoppable in the air, clunking five contested marks and finishing with four goals, most of which were long-range set shots.

The Eagles had the breeze in the final term and when Rosette Zerella‘s shot just fell short but was marked by Isabella Benedictson on the line, everything seemed to be going the Eagles way. A 13-point margin looked comfortable enough, but the Panthers – through Lily Baxter and Emily Brockhurst – found a way to answer and cut it back to seven points.

However the deficit did end up being too great, with Woodville-West Torrens able to wipe time off the clock in the last five minutes after spending the best part of 10 minutes defending bravely. When the siren sounded, the Eagles had won and locked up top spot, ensuring the major semi-final was headed to Maughan Thiem Kia Oval rather than Noarlunga.

Eagles young guns Julia Faulkner (22 disposals, eight tackles, six clearances and four rebound 50s) and Lucy Moore (20 disposals, nine tackles, eight clearances and four inside 50s) worked well as a pair back on-ball, as did South Australia skipper Imogen Trengove who laid a team-high 12 tackles to go with 16 touches and four clearances.

O’Neill was the dominated goalscorer up one end, while Niemann (13 disposals, four marks and seven rebound 50s) and Falkenberg (12 disposals, three marks and six rebound 50s) were superb up the other. Leah Cutting (eight disposals, eight tackles, 28 hitouts and three clearances) had a great ruck battle with Soriah Moon (13 disposals, three marks, 43 hitouts, seven clearances and four inside 50s).

For South Adelaide, Charlton (19 disposals, eight tackles, nine clearances, five inside 50s and three rebound 50s) and Vizgaudis (21 disposals, two marks, five tackles, three clearances and five inside 50s) were both very lively, with Baxter dangerous off a wing. Melissa Anderson produced a game-high 13 tackles off 10 touches and five inside 50s, and Archbold has her side’s multiple goalkicker from minimal chances.

The sides face off again next Sunday, July 13 from 12pm at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval for a spot in the SANFLW Grand Final a fortnight later at Stratarama Stadium.

SOUTH ADELAIDE 1.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 5.7 (37)
WWT EAGLES 2.0 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 7.3 (45)

GOALS:
South Adelaide: S. Archbold 2, E. Brockhurst, D. Hansen, T. May
WWT Eagles: K. O’Neill 4, I. Benedictson, B. Walling, R. Zerella

RMC BEST:
South Adelaide E. Charlton, L. Vizgaudis, S. Moon, M. Anderson, L. Baxter
WWT Eagles: J. Faulkner, L. Moore, K. O’Neill, Z. Niemann, A. Falkenberg