Saturday, April 10

Adelaide v Melbourne at Adelaide Oval, 1.40pm ACST

Recent form

• Adelaide finished its season full of running, thumping a young and tired Western Bulldogs by 56 points and knocking off Collingwood in a 14-point win. The victory meant the Crows took the Pies' spot in first place, finishing as minor premiers, earning last weekend off and hosting rights for Saturday's prelim and potentially a Grand Final.
• Melbourne comes into this match as the form side of the four remaining teams, having defeated Adelaide, Fremantle and Brisbane in its final three regular games, and then comfortably accounting for the Dockers again in last week's qualifying final. The Crows win did come at stronghold Casey Fields, however, rather than in South Australia.

WATCH IT LIVE Crows v Demons

Key players

• Where do you start with Adelaide? The midfield is well-run by ball-winners Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard, with superstar Erin Phillips often taking part in centre bounces before causing havoc up forward. Sarah Allan anchors the backline and will most likely take Tegan Cunningham, while the versatile Chelsea Randall is the ultimate wildcard.
• Melbourne's developing midfield core – led by veteran Karen Paxman and featuring Tyla Hanks, Lily Mithen and Maddi Gay – has been taking on all in its path. The 183cm-Eden Zanker has caused havoc since being moved to the middle, and has allowed best-and-fairest Shelley Scott to have more of an impact up forward. Ruck Lauren Pearce can bust a game open with her tap and clearance work.

Injury concerns

• Adelaide had the opportunity to rest any niggles in their week off, with Ebony Marinoff saying she was able to recover from a corky. Nikki Gore is the only serious injury, having fractured her ankle last month.
• Once again, all eyes will be on Melbourne's Daisy Pearce as she desperately tries to prove her fitness after damaging her MCL two weeks ago. Hamstrung pair Krstel Petrevski and Sinead Goldrick as well as the luckless Shae Sloane (ACL) are out for the season.

Last time they met

• Round seven, 2021. Melbourne stunned a hapless Adelaide, winning by 28 points at Casey Fields. The Dees brought the pressure, holding the normally voracious Crows to just five scoring shots and two goals in total. Small forward Kate Hore kicked three, beating the Crows off her own boot, while Danielle Ponter was a late withdrawal with a groin injury.

Tip

• Oddly enough, Melbourne is yet to play Adelaide in the city of churches in five seasons, with the Crows previously hosting in Darwin. Adelaide is a hardened finals side, and while the Dees' risky list turnover last year has paid off in spades, this prelim might be a bridge too far. Adelaide by 11 points.

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now

ADELAIDE has booked its place in the 2021 AFLW Grand Final with an impressive 18-point victory over Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Ebony Marinoff (35 disposals and 13 tackles) and Anne Hatchard (27 disposals and one goal) starred for the Crows in the 5.3 (33) to 1.9 (15) win, which sets up an Adelaide Oval Grand Final against either Brisbane or Collingwood.  

CROWS v DEMONS Full match coverage and stats

But it seems the Crows will have to enter the decider without captain Chelsea Randall, who copped a heavy knock in the first quarter and was ruled out of the rest of the match with concussion. 

It was a frenetic start to the game with good pressure from both sides early making it difficult for either team to score.

Despite leading the inside-50 count 11 to five at quarter-time, Melbourne was unable to penetrate Adelaide’s strong defensive setup and went into the first break goalless.

Adelaide’s strong midfield took control in the second term, with Marinoff (20 disposals) and Hatchard (18) both racking up mountains of possession in the first half.

Meanwhile, up forward Erin Phillips proved difficult to contain, with the superstar kicking the only two goals to half-time.        

The Crows started to overwhelm the Demons in the second half, with a lively Rachelle Martin helping drive repeated inside 50s, which led to impressive third-term goals to Hatchard and Chloe Scheer.    

Melbourne finally kicked their first goal in the final term through Kate Hore, but by then it was far too late.

Injury carnage early
The ferociousness of the contest became apparent early on, with Demon Eliza McNamara and Crows skipper Chelsea Randall involved in a big collision in the first quarter. It left both players unable to finish out the game and will potentially have huge ramifications for next week’s Grand Final. Given the league’s minimum 12-day return to play protocol for concussion, it looks as if Randall will be forced to miss the decider and a chance to win a third AFLW premiership.

The first blow
With Adelaide and Melbourne struggling to hit the scoreboard in the first term, both sides were desperate for a goal to settle the nerves. Enter Erin Phillips. The veteran won a free kick inside 50 and duly converted to give the Crows the early advantage. With a wasteful Melbourne finishing the game with 1.9, Phillips’ two first half goals were pivotal to Adelaide’s victory.

It was over when…
While they led by 21 points at three quarter time, the Crows would have been wary of a last term fightback from the Demons. But Eloise Jones put the game beyond reach with a classy goal in the opening minutes of the final term. The youngster crumbed the ball in the forward pocket, tapped it forward and soccered it through from a tight angle for an impressive goal that crushed any remaining hope for the Demons. 

What’s next?
The Crows are heading to the Grand Final and have secured hosting rights, meaning they will play the winner of Brisbane and Collingwood at Adelaide Oval next Saturday. For the Demons, their season is now over.

ADELAIDE        1.0    2.1    4.2    5.3 (33)
MELBOURNE   0.2    0.3    0.5    1.9 (15)

GOALS
Adelaide: Phillips 2, Scheer, Hatchard, Jones
Melbourne: Hore

BEST 
Adelaide: Hatchard, Marinoff, Phillips, Martin, Thompson
Melbourne: Paxman, Hanks, Hore, Gay, Scott

INJURIES  
Adelaide: Randall (concussion)
Melbourne: McNamara (concussion)

Crowd: TBC at Adelaide Oval

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now