THE completion of the penultimate round of the season sees five teams statistically in contention to qualify for the grand final. The Crows have a shot at going back-to-back after a four-point win over Fremantle on Friday night. On Saturday, the Pies put a major dent in Brisbane’s campaign, while the Giants’ win over the Bulldogs opened up their chances of sneaking into the grand final. At Ikon Park, the Dees punished the Blues to set up a huge clash against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night. 

Adelaide vs Fremantle

The heat was turned up on Friday night’s clash in Darwin and not just in the contest, as 32-degree temperatures saw the implementation of the heat policy. The sweltering conditions were not enough to deter Adelaide’s fight, with a three-goal opening term setting up an incredible fightback into grand-final contention. Adelaide’s back-line looked rock-solid and reigning AFLW MVP, Erin Phillips looked good up forward despite her lingering injury, booting three goals. The Dockers dominated in the numbers game, leading the stats in disposals (205-162), kicks (131-125) and handballs (74-36), but were shut down on their attack by the Adelaide defenders. Fremantle captain, Kara Donnellan had another commendable performance (16 disposals) and Dana Hooker was arguably best on ground, with 20 disposals and two goals.

Brisbane vs Collingwood

Collingwood set up its huge upset win over Brisbane with a four-goal opening term. Despite it being statistically impossible for the Pies to make the grand final, the rising stars dominated in their victory over the Lions. The wet conditions were not enough to deter forwards, Christina Bernardi (16 disposals, seven marks and three goals) and Moana Hope (three goals), who were able to capitalise on the clean ball movement of their midfielders, finishing with a 62 per cent conversion rate compared to Brisbane’s 36 per cent. It was a high-possession game (215-201) with 16 players recording double-figure disposals. The Pies dominated on the rebound from defensive 50 (26-12) with credit going to their defenders, including young gun, Chloe Molloy (16 touches), who was strong off half-back. She was complemented by East Fremantle product, Caitlyn Edwards (12 touches and 10 tackles) who was also a solid presence in defence. 

Greater Western Sydney vs Western Bulldogs

GWS put on a stunning 18-point upset against the top-of-the-table Bulldogs, which keeps its slim finals chances alive. The Western Bulldogs looked strong out of the gates with three of the first four goals of the match, but the Giants were able to fight their way back into the contest. This was thanks to a dominant forward display in the second quarter, entering the forward 50 13 times, compared to the Bulldogs’ mere two entries. The disposal count was high (211-200) in an exhibition of the on-ballers, with 21 players racking up double-figure disposals. GWS’ Courtney Gum put on a best-on-ground performance with a game-high 23 possessions, 10 clearances and a goal. Gum and fellow midfielder, Alicia Eva (18 disposals) were able to capitalise off Erin McKinnon’s commendable ruck performance (34 hit-outs), which troubled the Bulldogs midfield. Despite this, superstar duo, Emma Kearney (22 disposals, eight tackles) and Ellie Blackburn (18 disposals) had valiant performances, and were the standouts for the away side on the night.

Carlton vs Melbourne

Melbourne opened up the game with a record-breaking six goal first term. The Demons piled on 39 points to Carlton’s one point, putting themselves in pole position to secure a grand final position. The Dees dominated across the ground, leading in almost every stat category, including a superior 222 disposals to Carlton’s 157, with 12 players getting double-figure possessions. Their forward-line looked elite with Elise O’Dea and Tegan Cunningham kicking three goals apiece, along with two from Kate Hore. Along with her three goals, O’dea added 19 disposals along with seven tackles, and without a doubt, was the best player on the ground. Despite the huge win, the Demons also suffered a tremendous loss, with marquee player Melissa Hickey going down with a season-ending knee injury. Melbourne will now battle it out against the Bulldogs in a top-of-the-table clash for a spot in the grand final.