ESSENDON 4.3 (27)
CASEY DEMONS 2.9 (21)
ESSENDON will go into the rebel VFLW finals undefeated after outlasting a profligate Casey Demons by six points in their final-round clash at Windy Hill on Saturday.
The lead changed seven times in a seesawing match, with the Demons going down despite having 27 more disposals, 16 more clearances, 16 more inside-50s and 11 scoring shots to seven, with Renee Tierney proving the matchwinner in kicking both the Bombers’ second-half majors to regain the lead.
Casey’s stars also dominated the individual stats sheet, with last year’s Debbie Lee medallist Eliza West dominant with 32 disposals, 10 clearances, six inside-50s and nine tackles, captain Sammie Johnson having 28, six clearances, nine inside-50s and six tackles, Steph Wales 16, four marks, 26 hitouts and six tackles and Megan Fitzsimon two goals and seven tackles.
Alana Barba led the way for Essendon with 17 touches, five clearance, five inside-50s and eight tackles, while Georgia Nanscawen was held to just 14 touches but matched it with 14 tackles, Amelia Radford had 14 and nine tackles, Danielle Marshall 13, four marks, nine rebounds and six tackles and Simone Nalder had 41 hitouts.
HAWTHORN 5.7 (37)
WILLIAMSTOWN 3.5 (23)
HAWTHORN secured its spot in the qualifying final after outlasting a committed Williamstown by 14 points at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday.
The Seagulls held off the Hawks for 2½ quarters but the cream eventually rose to the top, with the home team kicking the last three goals to edge ahead.
Jordan Mifsud was good for Hawthorn with 20 touches and seven clearances, with support coming from Ainslie Kemp (18, six tackles), Jess Trend (17, five marks, six tackles), Emma Humphries (19) and Kristy Stratton (two goals).
Williamstown star Ruby Tripodi (24, eight clearances, five rebounds, five tackles) would be hard to beat for best-on-ground honours, however, while Ella Baxter (16, five clearances, five inside-50s) and Ellie Cleland (15, seven tackles) also did well.
PORT MELBOURNE 3.6 (24)
DAREBIN 3.4 (22)
PORT Melbourne landed its third win of the year and consigned Darebin to a seven-match losing streak to finish off when it held on by two points in a low-scoring thriller at ETU Stadium on Saturday.
The Borough led from wire to wire, but only by single figures until Olivia Barton put them out by 13 points at the last change, and they looked safe until Mikayla Meyer and Nicole Callinan hit the target to set up a nerve-wracking last two minutes.
Port Melbourne best-and-fairest winner Claire Dyett finished the season in style with a 28-disposal, seven-mark, six-rebound masterclass, while Kaitlyn O’Keefe (21, seven clearances six inside-50s, one goal) wasn’t far behind and Lisa Davie (17, five marks), Nately Borg (17) and Akayla Peterson (17) also shone.
Callinan was again the Falcons’ best with 24 touches, six clearances, six inside-50s and a goal, with Naomi Celebre (18, seven clearances) completing a fine season, Lulu Beatty (15, seven marks) and Gena Lawson-Tavan (15, 14 hitouts) also doing well in an unfamiliar role.
SOUTHERN SAINTS 6.11 (47)
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.3 (21)
SOUTHERN Saints finetuned themselves for the finals and ended North Melbourne’s hopes of a miracle with a convincing 26-point win at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday.
The door had been opened for the Kangaroos with Collingwood’s loss on Saturday, but needing a 69-point win was always going to be too much, especially after the Saints dominated the first quarter with 1.6 to 0.0, and the result was never in doubt.
Grace Buchan (21 disposals, eight marks, five inside-50s), Rebecca Neaves (19, seven marks), Hannah Stuart (19, six tackles) and Amelia Peck (two goals) were strong for the Saints.
Annabel Scott led all comers with a strong 26-disposal, five-mark, seven-clearance showing for North Melbourne, with Reni Hicks (18, seven tackles), Ciara Fitzgerald (15, seven rebounds, six tackles), Elizabeth McGrath (14, 29 hitouts, six clearances) and Sarah Skinner (two goals) also standing tall.
COLLINGWOOD 4.2 (26)
GEELONG 6.9 (45)
GEELONG secured itself a home elimination final against the Saints by answering a late Collingwood challenge to win by 19 points at the AIA Centre on Saturday.
The Cats looked like cruising home when they held the Magpies scoreless in the first half and led by 23 points early in the third term, but the home team banged on four unanswered goals – including two to Nyakoat Dojiok either side of the last break – to take the lead less than two minutes into the final term.
But Breanna Pratt wrestled back the advantage five minutes later and the Cats kicked two more majors in the run home to seal the deal.
Paige Sheppard was terrific for Geelong with 26 disposals, five marks, five clearances and seven inside-50s, with Isabella Hill (18, five clearances, five tackles), Emily Ramsay (15, five inside-50s, seven tackles, one goal) and Rene Caris (16, one goal) also performing well, while Carly Remmos stuck a stunning 17 tackles.
Nicole Hales dominated the Collingwood backline, picking up 25 touches, four marks and 11 rebounds, Matilda Zander continued her terrific year with 23, seven marks, five clearances, six rebounds and a goal and Marla Neal (17, five clearances, seven tackles, one goal), Charlotte Taylor (18, five tackles) and Hannah Bowey (15, six marks, seven tackles) also did well.
CARLTON 13.7 (85)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.2 (2)
STEPHANIE Lawrence produced a stunning six-goal haul as Carlton signed off from its season in the best way possible with a record-breaking 83-point thumping of Western Bulldogs at Ikon Park on Saturday.
The Blues kicked their biggest home score, conceded their lowest score at home and had their biggest win as they crushed a disappointing Bulldogs’ team that had been showing marked improvement in the second half of the year but finished 0-14 with a percentage of 16.15.
Lawrence had kicked just 4.5 for the season in 12 games and 18 goals in 26 VFLW matches, but enjoyed a day most people can only dream of as she kicked three goals in the first quarter on her way to gathering 20 disposals and booting 6.2 before three quarter-time.
Millie Klingbeil (23, eight clearances, two goals), Madi Di Cosmo (21, five marks), Lily Goss (20, nine tackles) and Serena Gibbs (13, five marks, five clearances, three goals) also starred, while Nadia Moore had 23 hitouts in the absence of prolific tap ruck Jorja Borg.
Lucy Schneider played a lone hand for the Bulldogs with 26 touches and five marks and Mikayla Barnes had six clearances and eight tackles, but they ended up being held goalless for the fourth time this season.
rebel VFLW LADDER AFTER ROUND 14
THIS WEEK
June 4-5: Pre-finals bye
NEXT WEEK: Saturday, June 11: Qualifying Final: 1.Essendon v 2.Hawthorn (Windy Hill, 11.05am). 2nd Elimination Final: 4.Geelong v 5.Southern Saints (Deakin University, 1.05pm). Sunday, June 12: 1st Elimination Final: 3.Casey Demons v 6.Collingwood (Casey Fields, 11.35am).
THEN: June 18-19: 1st Semi Final: QF Loser v Lowest EF Winner. 2nd Semi Final: QF Winner v Highest EF Winner.
Twitter: @BRhodesVFL
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