MILESTONES and heavy finals ramifications are set to headline Round 9 of the 2022 AFL Women’s season, as the competition draw into its final home-and-away fortnight. Three players will make history by hitting the 50-game landmark, while the top six will face off in three enthralling fixtures with post-season honours still up for grabs. We preview all seven games.

St Kilda and Geelong will open Round 9’s proceedings, as the two sides lock horns at RSEA Park on Saturday afternoon. In a battle of two bottom-eight teams, neither can make finals but will be out to add respectability to their home-and-away tallies. The Saints opened their account only last week, while the Cats notched their second win of the season and sit two places higher on the ladder.

The Saints’ struggles around the ball will only be compounded by the loss of ruck rotation Rhi Watt to an ACL tear, but they may be able to better the Cats on the spread. Despite boasting some handy runners, Geelong has had trouble moving the ball forward with fluency. Defensive pressure like the type which saw Richmond come undone will be required once again from the Cats to create those scoring chances.

Both sides have been competitive in dramatic losses, with the Saints losing thrice by under a goal. Meanwhile, all six of the Cats’ losses have come by under two goals, so they can certainly hang with the opposition. Having both broken through last time out, these sides will look at this game as an opportunity to seize even more premiership points and finish the season on a positive note.

In another bottom eight battle, Greater Western Sydney (GWS) hosts Richmond at GIANTS Stadium on Saturday evening. The home side has notched three wins this season and will have to win two more, along with everything else going its way, to snatch a top six spot. Richmond’s finals chances have been dashed, but the Tigers can leapfrog their opponents on the ladder with a third win in this clash.

The Tigers’ bench has turned into somewhat of an injury ward over the last two weeks, with a raft of injuries ravaging their already weakened squad. In three of their last four games, the visitors have kicked two goals or less despite showcasing some of the most exciting forward passages the competition has seen this year. With mainstays like Katie Brennan, Monique Conti and Ellie McKenzie, Richmond still has plenty of class to call upon.

One key player who will be missing is Harriet Cordner, whose presence in defence would usually help quell the likes of Giants spearhead Cora Staunton. The Irish veteran has 11 goals to her name in 2022 and everyone knows that when Staunton is on song, so are the Giants – she’s their big, big sound from the attacking end of the ground.

Things heat up on Saturday night as Fremantle hopes to create a baptism of fire in welcoming Melbourne to Optus Stadium. In a clash which will go a long way to shaping the top two, Melbourne currently holds second place with Fremantle looking in from third. A win here means the Dockers can leapfrog their opponents via superior percentage, with only one regular season round left to play.

Both sides come into the clash with solid runs against top opposition behind them. The Dees got up against North Melbourne at their Casey Fields fortress last time out, while Fremantle fell short against the ladder leading Adelaide Crows in Round 8. Such is the closeness of the top four to five teams, those results may well mean nothing once the first ball is thrown up.

With so much strength to be seen around the contest, whichever side can win at the source and control possession will put themselves in prime position to win. The Dockers can run a slingshot style should they be beaten around the ball, but if Melbourne is effective enough in possession and can keep a cool head under Fremantle’s tackling pressure, the visitors will be difficult to beat.

The Western Bulldogs’ slim hopes of making finals are on the line when they travel to take on the West Coast Eagles, rounding out Saturday night’s Optus Stadium double-header. The Dogs need a perfect record and for Collingwood to lose its two remaining games to snatch sixth spot, while West Coast will be playing to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon.

Despite positive results – like a win over Adelaide – the Bulldogs dented their finals hopes with a draw to Gold Coast and allowed Collingwood to kick its highest-ever score last week. Nonetheless, the more even spread of contributors outside of captain Ellie Blackburn will be pleasing to Nathan Burke and his young pups, who have no choice but to put the foot down in the last two rounds.

While their opponents were disappointing in a big game last week, the Eagles were also crushed in Round 8 by a rampant Brisbane Lions outfit. Conceding the competition’s greatest-ever score and losing margin in one outing, West Coast can take solace in the only way being up from there. Pride is what the home side will play for, and they could end up throwing a spanner in the works of the Bulldogs’ higher hopes.

The second of three top six clashes sees the Brisbane Lions take on North Melbourne on neutral ground. Previously slated to be played in Maroochydore, the game has been moved to Whitten Oval on Sunday afternoon due to the ongoing weather conditions in Queensland. Currently level on six wins apiece, both sides still harbour hopes of a top two berth and must win here to stand any chance of making it happen.

Things won’t be easy for the Lions, whose players have experienced disruptions throughout the week and face another arduous away trip after last week’s raid of Perth. That Round 8 result was a massive positive though, as the Lions broke records in their 74-point win. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos were dealt a frustrating blow at the hands of Melbourne, but that different level of competition will put them in good stead for this next test.

On top of the obvious finals ramifications, Sunday is also a significant day for the league in the way of milestones. Inaugural Lions Ally Anderson and Emily Bates will become the first players to reach 50 AFL Women’s games, a matter of hours before a third player does so. We have seen how challenges and such history galvanise teams before, but earning the crucial points will not be easy for either side here.

In the final top six match-up for the round, both Adelaide and Collingwood will be out to secure spots at either end of the finals ladder. The Crows can put one hand on the minor premiership and secure its top two spot with a win, while Collingwood is playing to lock in sixth place – not wanting to leave it to the final home-and-away round.

Adelaide ball magnet Ebony Marinoff is set to join Brisbane’s Anderson and Bates on 50 AFL Women’s games, only recently removed from becoming the first player to reach 1000 disposals at the level. With Collingwood missing Britt Bonnici to an ACL tear, the Crows can look to have an even bigger say in the midfield battle to compliment their dominant outside run and ball movement.

A heavy ball winning load will be lugged on the shoulders of Jaimee Lambert, who starred last week and will have to be the her side’s main source of inspiration from midfield. The Pies notched their highest-ever score in Round 8, but can take nothing for granted at Adelaide’s Norwood Oval fortress. With the ability to bat deeper and lean on their home ground advantage, the Crows could make a statement here against solid opposition.

Carlton has the job of closing out the round for a second week running, as it hosts Gold Coast at Princes Park on Sunday evening. Both sides have mathematical chances of making the top six, but will need to be perfect from here and rely heavily on other results. The Blues are arguably in better form having won two-straight games, while the Suns handed St Kilda its first win of the season last week.

The aerial battle in Gold Coast’s attacking half is set to be of interest. Key Suns forward Sarah Perkins and Tara Bohanna have formed quite the partnership in 2022, but depending on team selection, should be matched well by the likes of Mua Laloifi, Paige Trudgeon and Blues skipper Kerryn Harrington as a third-up. Add the in-form Gab Pound and Nat Plane to the defensive mix, and Carlton has been sturdy down there of late.

Twin talls are set to do battle in the ruck, too. Gold Coast’s Lauren Bella leads the league for hitouts, but will have her work cut out against the dominant around-the-ground force that is Breann Moody. Under them the Blues have a midfield mix which can be either contest or speed heavy depending on personnel, but the Suns will want to provide their dangerous forward with fast and furious supply.