THE final round of the AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division home-and-away season arrives on Saturday, with the five finalists locked in and only the top-four order left to decide. Manly Warringah has already secured the minor premiership and North Shore is set to retain second spot, leaving Sydney University and UNSW-ES to battle directly for third place and the right to host the other in a qualifying final.

AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division

ROUND 18 FIXTURE:

East Coast Eagles vs. St George Dragons | Saturday August 22, 12:00pm @ Bruce Purser Reserve
Sydney University vs. UNSW-ES Bulldogs | Saturday August 22, 1:00pm @ Sydney Uni No. 1 Oval
Manly Warringah Wolves vs. Parramatta Goannas | Saturday August 22, 3:00pm @ Weldon Oval
North Shore Bombers vs. Pennant Hills Demons | Saturday August 22, 4:20pm @ Gore Hill Oval

Bye: UTS Bats

The match of the round is a straight shootout for third place at Sydney Uni, where the Students host UNSW-ES. The two sides are evenly matched at this stage of the season, and the contest shapes as an outstanding example of the intensity and tactical discipline required in finals football. Game-day arm-wrestles, contested wins and the ability to execute under pressure will all be decisive.

The Bulldogs come in buoyed by a 67-point defeat of Parramatta, with Ashleigh Barlow and Sera Kaukiono again driving the side’s transition and scoring power. Sydney University responded strongly from its heavy loss to North Shore in Round 15, and will look to the midfield class of Amanda Farrugia, Evie Bowie and Frances Walsh to control territory. It is extremely difficult to separate the two sides, but the Students’ home ground may be enough to get them over the line. Sydney University by a point.

There is plenty of pride on the line at Bruce Purser Reserve, where sixth-placed St George takes on East Coast Eagles. The Eagles’ back-to-back-to-back premiership pedigree means finishing below a competition newcomer would be a bitter result, while the Dragons will be equally determined to hold their position. Renee Tomkins will again be a key central and defensive presence for East Coast, while Jordan Davis has been important in St George’s ability to move the ball from contest to attack.

Expect plenty of defensive pressure on the ball carrier, with the side that can create the cleaner and more frequent linkages to its forward line likely to prevail. It is a fitting clash to decide sixth place and could come down to the final moments. A potential draw.

Manly Warringah hosts Parramatta at Weldon Oval with the minor premiership already secure. The Wolves will have nothing left to gain on the ladder, making team selection and how much game time they give their key players intriguing as they fine-tune for a week off and the finals series. Isabella Rudolph followed her 12-goal haul in Round 16 with nine against St George last week, while Hannah Woolf remains a dominant presence around the stoppages.

For Parramatta, the 2026 campaign has still represented important progress, despite the disappointment of missing out on inclusion in the new Sydney Football League next season. The Goannas will be out to show the football they are capable of in a lower-pressure final hit-out, with Montana Doubell and Brea Trevitt among the players who have grown throughout the year. Manly should win, though the focus will be on a clean, constructive performance from both sides.

The final home-and-away match sees North Shore Bombers host Pennant Hills at Gore Hill Oval. Unfortunately, the contest is a significant mismatch on paper. North Shore is in outstanding form and its percentage advantage over UNSW-ES means the Bombers are all but assured of second place, even before considering how difficult it is to imagine the winless Demons troubling them. Heidi de Saxe and Sophie Kavanagh will be among those looking to build form before finals, while Pennant Hills will again keep fighting to produce competitive passages of play. The only real variable is whether North Shore rests players. Bombers by a triple-digit margin.

With the final seedings set to be confirmed, Round 18 offers a final chance to build confidence and sharpen systems before the finals. The biggest realistic prize remains third place, but every side will want to enter the post-season – or conclude its campaign – on a positive note.