MADDY Prespakis wants Essendon's elimination final to be the start of a sustained period of success for the AFLW newcomers.
In just their second season, the expansion club have defied expectations to make the top eight and set up a finals clash with Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday.
Prespakis played in a losing Grand Final with her former club Carlton in 2019, but that year the conference system was in place and only four teams made the post-season.
"A lot different a few years ago (with Carlton), but it's really exciting to be in my first final series and be one of the top-eight teams," Prespakis said on Thursday.
"I want to bring success to Essendon. I want to be part of the success we bring to Essendon.
"We always say that (to make) finals is one thing but to win finals is the next, so I'm really bullish about the group that we have."
Prespakis, one of the AFLW's premier midfielders, will lock horns with younger sister Georgie - arguably the Cats' best player - in Sunday's showdown.
Maddy got the upper hand when the Bombers defeated Geelong earlier in the season during a tight tussle in Warrnambool.
But Georgie's Cats will have the home ground advantage this time around, although family loyalties will remain carefully balanced.
"Mum might have an Essendon scarf and Geelong T-shirt on; pretty much everyone in the family will do that," Maddy said.
"Earlier in the year, when Geelong were winning, my brother had his Geelong guernsey on and when we were winning, he had his Essendon guernsey on.
"A bit of a mix and match but they're pretty excited. They're more nervous than we are but they're also more excited as well."
Sisterhood will be temporarily cast aside once the siren goes, with Maddy insisting she and Georgie "don't say anything to each other" on the field.
"At the end of the day, it's footy. If I have to tackle her, I'll tackle her," she said.
The Bombers' women are striving to become the club's first team to win a final in more than 7,000 days, with Essendon's AFL side not having tasted post-season success since September 2004.
Geelong is eyeing a first post-season win in its AFLW history, after falling just short against North Melbourne in an elimination final last year.
