AFTER a huge round with five teams fighting for a position in the grand final, the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions secured their spot. In a tight tussle with highly contested matches throughout the round it all came down to the contest between Collingwood and Adelaide. With the Crows losing to a dominant Magpies outfit, the Lions clawed their way into back-to-back grand finals. Adelaide just fell marginally short of its premiership defence while the Blues finished on the bottom of the ladder after losing against the Dockers.  The Pies showed glimpses of their football prowess, impressing against the Crows and after a stellar season, the Demons missed out on making it to their first grand final.

GWS 3.6 (24) defeated by Brisbane 10. 4 (64)

With a spot in the grand final up for grabs, the Lions brought their A-game. The quick-starting Brisbane jumped the Giants, belting them by a whopping 40 points. In what was tipped to be a close encounter, the Lions piled on six goals to one in the opening term and kept their foot on the pedal until the final siren. GWS struggled to compete with the skill and class of Brisbane, only scoring three goals for the match.

Key moment:

In a must-win match for both teams, it was the Lions who showed great composure and footy smarts to control the game from the outset. Their superstars and leaders in Sabrina Frederick-Traub, the ever-reliable Kate Lutkins, Emily Bates and captain Emma Zielke were pivotal players in Brisbane’s impressive win. They used the footy efficiently, controlled the tempo of the game, hit targets and were damaging across the field. The class and experience of each of these players proved to be the difference between the two teams, as Brisbane maintained their structures and competed hard for the footy in each contest.

Impressers:

Star Brisbane forward, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, put on a masterclass in front of goal, bagging four majors and amassing 18 touches. The South Fremantle recruit was in devastating form, taking huge grabs and showing she is a force to be reckoned with. Fellow forward, Jess Wuetschner showed how deadly she can be in the forward 50, slotting three majors in Brisbane’s huge win over the Giants. Ally Anderson had a stellar game for the Lions, racking up 25 disposals and displaying her class and skill across the field. In a lacklustre game for the Giants, Alicia Eva stood up, gathering 18 possessions and applying the pressure, laying six tackles for the match. GWS forward, Cora Staunton also impressed, scoring a goal and getting plenty of the footy. The likes of Jessica Dal Pos and Amanda Farrugia were influential for the Giants, amassing plenty of touches between them and using the footy efficiently, but it was not enough to secure their first grand final appearance.

Fremantle 9.5 (59) defeated Carlton 6.12 (48)

In a fight for the wooden spoon the Blues were plagued by inaccuracy, while the Dockers came to play. Both teams fell away throughout the season after positive starts to the year, but Fremantle finished the season well securing an 11-point victory. The lead chopped and changed throughout the game with both Fremantle and Carlton amassing a similar amount of contested marks and turnovers. But it was the Dockers’ accuracy in the last quarter and efficiency with ball in hand that proved to be the difference between the two teams.

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Carlton’s inaccuracy in front of goal was costly, scoring 12 behinds compared to Fremantle’s five points. The Blues had six shots at goal in the last quarter to claim the lead and their first win since round two, but failed to capitalise. Both teams shared a similar number of inside 50 entries but the Blues struggled to make the most of their scoring opportunities. But the Dockers made the most of their shots at goal, bagging nine majors for the game and going at 82 per cent efficiency in front of goal. The Dockers scored from 18 of their 22 forward 50 entries as opposed to the Blues’ 22 shots from their 30 entries.

Impressers:

Darcy Vescio showed her X-factor quality with a skilful goal and her fancy footwork. Meanwhile teammate, Tayla Harris impressed with two majors and was the leading disposal-getter for the Blues. Harris threw her weight around taking big contested marks and hitting the packs hard. Seaford Tigerettes recruit, Sarah Hosking also starred with 15 touches and nine tackles, imposing herself in and around the contest. Katie Loynes also proved her worth for Carlton, bagging a goal and racking up 14 touches for the game. Reigning Fremantle best and fairest, Dana Hooker backed up her impressive form with another stellar game, amassing 25 possessions and a goal. Hooker was in a class of her own, showing her skill, accuracy and clean hands to help keep her team off the bottom of the ladder. Veteran 33 year-old Lisa Webb shone for Fremantle racking up plenty of touches, while Amy Lavell slotted two important goals to help clench the all-important victory.

Western Bulldogs 5.3 (33) defeated Melbourne 4.7 (31)

In a top-of-the-table clash, the Dogs and Dees had everything to play for with a spot in the grand final up for grabs. In a game filled with multiple lead changes and heart-stopping kicks, it was the Western Bulldogs who came away with a two-point win. The Demons put on an impressive display leading at different stages throughout the match, but fell agonisingly short in the final seconds of the match. The Dogs showed great fight and desperation, stamping their authority on the competition as contenders to win their inaugural grand final.

Key moment:

In trying conditions with the wind swirling, Melbourne piled on a goal and six points in the third term to gain the lead, but it was the Western Bulldogs ability to stand up under pressure that paid dividends. With a third quarter onslaught, the Demons looked to have control over the tempo and flow of the game, holding the Dogs scoreless in the term. The Dogs back-line was under all sorts of pressure with plenty of repeat entries and shots at goal, but last quarter efforts from Monique Conti, Katie Brennan and Hannah Scott helped to push the Dogs over the line.

Impressers:

Lauren Spark had a stellar game for the Western Bulldogs, shutting down Melbourne star forward Tegan Cunningham, who was held scoreless and failed to register a touch for the match. The Melbourne University recruit controlled the back-line, showing great composure and taking plenty of impressive goal-saving marks. Up the other end, Brooke Lochland’s heroics helped to seal the deal for the Dogs in the dying seconds of the game with a phenomenal goal. Superstar midfielder, Emma Kearney was in everything in the opening half and put on an absolute clinic, amassing 20 possessions and bagging a goal. Young gun, Jenna Bruton also shone for the Bulldogs with her explosive speed and ability to get in and under in the contest to win the footy. Melbourne star, Karen Paxman impressed with a goal and 22 disposals for the game, while captain Daisy Pearce played her role, gathering 17 possessions. Geelong Magpies player, Richelle Cranston starred for the Dees, imposing herself on the contest and showcasing her booming kick when she slotted an impressive goal.

Collingwood 8.5 (53) defeated Adelaide 4.8 (32) 

In a last quarter thriller, the Pies crushed any chances of the Crows defending their grand final title, piling on three goals to Adelaide’s zero. After finding form late in the season, the Magpies fought hard against the reigning premiers who were in ominous form. Collingwood claimed a 21-point victory over Adelaide who impressed early but could not keep up with the Collingwood forwards who showed great desperation for the footy. The Crows flexed their muscles in the opening half of the game but the Magpies came out hungry after the half-time break.

Key moment:

The Pies dominated in the ruck contest with Emma King showcasing her athleticism and footy smarts. Collingwood won the hit-outs 21 to 13, and dominated in and around the stoppages. The ability of the Pies players to win the hard contested footy proved to be the key between the two teams, as Collingwood went on to win its third game for the season. The Magpies showed class and skill with ball in hand, using the footy accurately and cleanly going at 64 per cent disposal efficiency thanks to their ability to get the ball straight out of the ruck.

Impressers:

Jasmine Garner starred for the Pies up forward bagging three goals. The talented St Kilda Shark recruit showed her footy class with ball in hand, going at 66 per cent efficiency. Superstar midfielder, Christina Bernardi once again dominated for the Pies, slotting two goals and racking up 12 touches for the game. Jaimee Lambert played a pivotal role in Collingwood’s win, gathering 19 disposals. Lambert was in everything, competing hard for the footy and laying bone-crunching tackles. For the Crows, cult hero Erin Phillips was up and about amassing 17 possessions and showing her excellent on-field leadership. Ebony Marinoff was never far from the footy, racking up the touches and imposing herself on the contest with her hard tackling. Adelaide University recruit, Ruth Wallace also impressed for the Crows, taking the most marks of the game and scoring an important goal to go with her 11 touches.