FREMANTLE stalwart Ebony Antonio made a stunning return on Saturday, headlining a massive penultimate round of the seventh AFLW season.
The Cats went down in a tight one to reigning premiers Adelaide, but lost no fans in the process, while the Western Bulldogs strengthened their hold on eighth spot.
Each week Gemma Bastiani will look at a key talking point in each game in this handy wrap up, just in case you missed it.
Finals are going to be fun
If Friday's Adelaide v Geelong game is anything to go by, this finals series is going to be a fun one. A tight tussle that went right down to the wire, the margin never exceeded eight points as the two sides traded blows. Danielle Ponter submitted her Goal of the Year contender to open the game, Kate Darby, Chloe Scheer and Shelley Scott showed off their contested marking prowess, and Caitlin Gould played the game of her life in the ruck and forward lines. While it was ultimately heartbreak for the Cats, it couldn't have been better finals preparation for either side.
Carlton is limping to the finish line
After some promising signs throughout the season, a build-up of injuries has the Blues limping to the end of the season, and even to the final siren in games. Starting strong against Gold Coast, they simply couldn't make it count on the scoreboard and the Suns took full advantage as the Blues petered out. It was a similar story last week against Richmond, and no matter how many positional changes the Blues make in-game, they just haven't been able to play until the final siren.
Collingwood's double chance is far from confirmed
The Pies have sat in the top four all season, but now at the business end they are teetering on the edge. A 32-point loss to North Melbourne on Saturday was the first blow, and now they must face a rampaging Brisbane to close out their home and away campaign. An inability to really punish teams when they have had them on the ropes is coming back to bite them, as their percentage of 147.6 is being dwarfed by other elite sides and come next week may just prove the difference between a double chance and an elimination final.
The wait was worth it
It's been a tough season for Fremantle to say the least. Injuries to plenty of key players has seen the Dockers dwelling down the bottom section of the ladder, but with Ebony Antonio's return on Saturday we were reminded of just how much the Dockers were missing. Early in her 50th game Antonio kicked her signature goal - a sidestep at the top of the 50m arc at a narrow angle - to get her side up and about. Antonio's impact was massive as the Dockers went on to register their second win of the season in style.
Swanson for All-Australian
West Coast captain Emma Swanson's season will surely have her right in the mix for her first All-Australian guernsey, after another stellar performance on Saturday afternoon. Racking up a game-high 543m gained from 28 disposals, eight clearances and four inside 50s, Swanson did everything in her power to will her side on against the Bulldogs. While it ultimately wasn't to be, Swanson's season deserves recognition at the end of the year.
Jesse Wardlaw and Ally Anderson are one hell of a duo
With Anderson in the middle and Wardlaw up forward the Lions look untouchable. Anderson's relentless work rate at the contest has been remarkable this season, and Saturday evening was no different. With 30 disposals, 10 clearances and 399m gained she led the side out of the middle, and often delivering forward to the season's leading goalkicker. In attack, Wardlaw competes well in the air, but then at ground level she has an athleticism and clean hands that few her height possess. With three more goals added, Wardlaw's tally now sits at 17 for the season.
JESSE WARDLAW What makes the comp's leading goalkicker tick
The Saints love an inexperienced opponent
On Sunday St Kilda snapped its six-game losing streak to gather its third win of the season. All three of the Saints' wins have come against expansion sides - Sydney and Hawthorn in the opening two rounds, and now Port Adelaide. Yes, the Saints have had injuries to deal with, but they simply haven't been able to match it with more experienced opponents. For them, the off-season will be able learning to play their game even when the opposition is working to take it away from them, a task that is easier said than done.
Grace Egan has made Monique Conti a better player
It's common knowledge that Monique Conti is a star and that her full-time dedication to AFLW this season has seen her improve, but the addition of Grace Egan to that midfield mix has been just as important. No longer does Conti have to be the one in and under at every stoppage, instead she can now rotate with Egan and become more damaging with the ground she gains and scoreboard impact. Together they won 42 disposals, 13 tackles and 710 metres gained against the Giants, going a long way to the Tigers' surge into the top four.
Melbourne's experience counts when it matters
In some of the toughest conditions for footy - the gale blowing at Casey Fields - Melbourne's experience came to the fore. Able to adapt to the intense conditions beautifully, the Demons knew that when they had the wind, they could use their kicking game to hit up their contingent of key forward, and when they didn't it was all about the run and carry, they could generate. This awareness made them look a cut above an emerging Essendon side and was largely led by Karen Paxman in what was close to a career-best game for the star.
