KUWARNA has secured its place in the top four with a come-from-behind win over Geelong by four points at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
The Crows recovered from a slow first half, trailing by 14 points at half-time, to defeat the home side 4.8 (32) to 4.4 (28) in front of a vocal crowd of 2,233.
CATS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats
It was a game of two halves, with Geelong starting the game with flare and ferocity knowing its season was on the line.
A win for the Cats would have kept them in finals contention but a loss meant their season was over, and from the first bounce it was plain to see that Geelong didn't want this to be its last game for the season.
The home side played with purpose and pace in the opening half, using run and carry and handball receives off half-back to open the game up and get quick entries into their dangerous forwards.
Geelong's Zali Friswell (17 disposals, 10 handball receives) and Becky Webster (23 disposals, 556m gained) led the way, putting speed on the ball through the middle and catching Adelaide's defenders off-guard.
It wasn't long before the Cats were on the board, with Georgie Prespakis opening the scoring with one of her signature right foot bananas from the front and centre of a marking contest.
Up the other end, Kurwana's goal kicking woes continued from last week, scoring four behinds from its four shots on goal in the first quarter.
The Cats on the other hand continued to add to their goal tally with veteran Shelley Scott and small forward Kate Surman adding majors to start the second term.
Eight minutes into the second quarter, the Crows finally got their first when reliable tall Caitlin Gould converted from a set shot directly in front.
But momentum quickly shifted back to the Cats when 50-gamer Nina Morrison (25 disposals, 10 tackles) showed her dash through the middle of the ground and was pushed when she kicked, giving a down-field free kick to Jackie Parry. Parry's goal extended the Cats' lead to 14 points at the main break.
A different looking Kuwarna came out after the half-time, with the Crows applying greater pressure around the ball and converting from their opportunities in front of goal.
They kicked the only two goals of the third term through Gould and Anne Hatchard (22 disposals), giving them a one-point buffer heading into the final term.
The Crows looked home when Gould kicked her third to start the final term and extend the Crows' lead, but the Cats continued to charge with the help of the home crowd cheering on loudly from the sidelines.
While the Cats continued to push in the dying stages, they were unable to score a major with the Crows holding on to win by four points.
Classy Crows ball-winner Danielle Ponter was taken from the ground in the hands of trainers late in the game after her leg was tangled in a contest, but speaking post-game, Kuwarna coach Matthew Clarke confirmed the 24-year-old had rolled her ankle.
GEELONG 1.1 4.1 4.1 4.4 (28)
KUWARNA 0.4 1.5 3.8 4.8 (32)
GOALS
Geelong: Prespakis, Scott, Surman, Parry
Kuwarna: Gould 3, Hatchard
BEST
Geelong: Webster, Friswell, Prespakis, Morrison, Parry
Kuwarna: Marinoff, Prowse, Gould, Hatchard, J.Allan
INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Kuwarna: Ponter (foot)
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 2,233 at GMHBA Stadium
Moloney v Prowse
From the first bounce you could see that it was going to be a mouthwatering match-up between the in-form Aishling Moloney and Kuwarna's Zoe Prowse. Moloney entered tonight's game having kicked a career-high six goals against Waalitj Marawar the previous week, and sat on top of the competition's goal kicking tally heading into the final week on 21 goals. Prowse was up to the task, keeping the Irish woman goalless for the match, however Moloney still had some of her usual exciting moments with five inside 50s and three score involvements, but you'd say it was Prowse who won the battle this time.
Morrison's milestone
Nina Morrison’s journey to 50 games has had more obstacles than most. The former No.1 draft pick devastatingly ruptured her ACL twice in her first two seasons, meaning the young star only played seven games from 2019-2021. The classy mid with excellent decision making skills was never going to let her ACL injuries define her career, and her determination and dedication saw her return to the field in season seven. Since then the star has been able to play with more consistency, adding a further 43 games. Morrison is proof that hard work does pay off, and at only 23-years-of-age, you feel like there are plenty of games left for this Cats star.
Up next
Kuwarna's win tonight secures its spot in the top four heading into the finals series. For Geelong, it's season over. The Cats will be licking their wounds and rueing their slow start to season nine, particularly their losses to Narrm, Hawthorn and Fremantle at home and their goalless game against Carlton. Their win over reigning premier Brisbane and a draw with runners-up North Melbourne will keep the fire burning inside the Cats' players, knowing they can match it with the League's best. They'll be determined to show the AFLW world what they can do next season with a healthy list.
