IT'S BEEN a season of redemption for grand finalists Adelaide and Carlton. 

The Crows were the competition pacesetters after winning the 2017 premiership, but struggled last year and finished fifth. 

WATCH IT LIVE Catch all the AFLW Grand Final action from 12.30pm ACDT on Sunday

The Blues were also expected to contend last year following a fourth-place finish in 2017. Big-name recruits Tayla Harris (from Brisbane) and Nicola Stevens (Collingwood) joined, but the team crashed badly to finish last. 

Both started 2019 with new coaches – Matthew Clarke (Adelaide) and Daniel Harford (Carlton). 

GRAND FINAL TEAMS Check them out

Harford has instilled a spirit of positivity and fun, but the team will have its work cut out at Adelaide Oval. 

The Crows are in a dominant vein of form that has not been seen before in the NAB AFLW competition. 

Incredibly well-drilled, Adelaide is benefiting from having kept the majority of its team together since the start of the AFLW competition. Moreover, most of the Crows played for the Northern Territory Thunder at VFLW level last winter. 

HOW EACH TEAM WINS The key tactics and stats that will decide the flag

The Crows' scoring power is extraordinary, with 17 of the 26 players to have taken the field this season kicking at least one goal.

Former Opals basketballer Jess Foley has slotted into the ruck role with ease after the pre-season loss of Rhiannon Metcalfe (left ACL reconstruction) and Jasmyn Hewett (right ankle) and is combining well with the powerhouse midfield of Erin Phillips, Ebony Marinoff and the vastly improved Anne Hatchard. 

The Crows are red-hot, having won their last seven games by an average of 40 points. The only loss for the was in round one, by one point to the Western Bulldogs, when they kicked a sloppy 1.11. 

By contrast, Carlton has hit its straps after a slow start. 

The Blues looked all at sea against North Melbourne in round one, before pushing Adelaide in round two.

In a highly entertaining, free-flowing match, Carlton got out to a 17-point lead in the third term before being overrun by the Crows. 

From there on, it was steady improvement for the Blues, who won five of their last six games to finish first in Conference B. 

KEY PLAYERS Which Crows and Blues will make the difference?

Skipper Brianna Davey is back to her best after missing most of 2018 following a right knee reconstruction and she has been joined in the midfield by young star Madison Prespakis. 

Rugby sevens recruits Chloe Dalton and Brooke Walker have added much-needed speed to the line-up and are particularly dangerous forward of centre.

Saying that, this season has been all about Adelaide and Sunday should be no exception – Crows by 29 points. 

THE AFLW GRAND FINAL BY THE NUMBERS

*All categories are averages per game

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Round 3, 2017: Adelaide 2.5 (17) def. Carlton 2.2 (14)

Round 5, 2018: Adelaide 8.7 (55) def. Carlton 2.8 (20)

Round 2, 2019: Adelaide 9.3 (57) def. Carlton 7.2 (44)

A SERIOUS knee injury to Adelaide superstar Erin Phillips has cast a shadow over the Crows' emphatic 45-point victory over Carlton in the AFLW Grand Final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Played in front of a record crowd for a women's game of Australian football of 53,034, the Crows lived up to their favourites' tag, demolishing the Blues, 10.3 (63) to 2.6 (18).

The attendance was the fifth-highest for a football match at Adelaide Oval.

After a one-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in round one, the Crows went on an eight-game winning streak under first-year coach Matthew Clarke to secure their second flag in three years.

Phillips was best on ground before tearing the ACL in her left knee in the third quarter, the crowd going silent while she was being treated before giving the 2017 AFLW best and fairest a rousing ovation as she left the ground.

She won the award for best afield despite missing all of the final term.

Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff dominated the midfield, Eloise Jones was lively in attack and Danielle Ponter kicked three goals.

The Crows also lost forward Chloe Scheer to a suspected ruptured ACL.

Blues captain Brianna Davey was the best for the visitors, who gave themselves too much to do after trailing by 40 points at half-time.

The moment
This was a monumental day for AFLW, and women's sport in general, in many ways. A crowd of 30,000 was expected, but the Adelaide public arrived in droves for an official attendance of 53,034. It was easily the largest crowd for a women's game of Australian football and the fifth-biggest crowd at Adelaide Oval for any football game. 

The first blow
The Blues got away to the perfect start within three minutes when young gun Madison Prespakis was awarded a 50m penalty and kicked the opening goal of the game from the goalsquare. It was a rare highlight for the Blues, with the Crows kicking the next nine goals of the game to have the match won by half-time.

Get online now and watch this …
Crows forward Chloe Scheer took an absolute hanger, climbing on the back of Blues defender Kerryn Harrington in the second quarter. But that high turned to concern a few minutes later when Scheer went down on her right knee and was helped from the ground. Scheer missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

Did you see that?
It was attacking footy at its best as Crows speedster Eloise Jones found herself in plenty of space along the wing. After a couple of bounces, Jones delivered a pinpoint kick to Danielle Ponter just beyond the reach of her Blues defender and for her third goal of the game. Jones was influential up forward with her courageous marking and ability to hit targets by foot.

Work in progress
The Blues have been one of the feel-good stories of this season. After winning just two games last year, and a disappointing round-one loss to North Melbourne, they turned their season around under new coach Daniel Harford, playing an exciting brand of football. Led by captain Brianna Davey and NAB AFLW Rising Star favourite Madison Prespakis, the Blues can hold their heads high and have a bright future.

ADELAIDE                   3.0        9.2       10.2     10.3 (63)
CARLTON                    1.3       2.4       2.5       2.6 (18)

GOALS

Adelaide: Ponter 3, Phillips 2, Hatchard, Considine, Martin, Thompson, Jones
Carlton: Prespakis, Davey

BEST
Adelaide: Hatchard, Phillips, Jones, Randall, Allan, Marinoff, J.Foley
Carlton: Davey, Stevens, Prespakis, S.Hosking, Downie

INJURIES

Adelaide: Scheer (knee), Phillips (knee)
Carlton: Harris (knee)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Toner, Heffernan, McGinness

Official crowd: 53,034 at Adelaide Oval