A review of Week Two of the 2023 rebel VFLW Finals Series.
The two higher-ranked teams got the job done in the rebel VFLW semi finals, but it wasn’t that simple as their visitors went within a whisker of pulling off the upsets.
SECOND SEMI FINAL – COLLINGWOOD vs ESSENDON
COLLINGWOOD 0.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.4 (22)
ESSENDON 1.3, 1.3, 2.4, 2.6 (18)
CAITLIN Sargent gained a perfect revenge over her former team when she kicked a late goal to lift Collingwood into its third Grand Final in four seasons with a tough four-point win over Essendon in the second semi final at Victoria Park on Saturday.
Sargent was on Essendon’s inaugural AFLW list in Season 7 but was delisted after three VFLW appearances at the start of the season to give the Bombers another pick in the AFLW supplementary draft earlier this year.
She bobbed up at Victoria Park in Round 9 and has since kicked seven goals in eight matches, none more important than the major in the ninth minute of the final quarter against the Bombers on Saturday to give her new team a lead it held for the rest of the game.
The Bombers desperately tried to grab the result back but were twice thwarted in the last minute by brilliant run-down tackles from Tannah Hurst – the last being her team’s 101st for the game – as the Magpies held firm.
The reigning premiers earlier kicked the first nine points of the game (1.3) to prove they were up to the challenge, but they didn’t score again until early in the third term as Collingwood settled down with two second-quarter majors.
Mia-Rae Clifford’s second goal squared the scores at three quarter-time and Maddi Wilson kicked a behind to give Essendon the lead before Sargent and then Hurst saved the day for the home team.
Hurst’s match-saving tackles capped what was easily her best match of the season, picking up 20 disposals, six more than her previous best, while Jess Bates was down on her usual dominant output but still contributed with 19 touches, seven clearances and 13 tackles.
Matilda Zander (16 disposals, six tackles), Nyakoat Dojiok (15 disposals, one goal) and skipper Caitlin Bunker (18 tackles) were also terrific for Collingwood.
El Chaston led the way for Essendon with a game-high 21 possessions, six tackles and five inside-50s.
Grace Dicker (19 disposals, six clearances, nine tackles) and Megan Ryan (17 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles, 10 hitouts) also impressed, while ruck Jaimee-Lee Morrow was outstanding with 15 disposals, six clearances, seven tackles and 30 hitouts up against the double challenge of Rene Caris (28 hitouts) and Sarah King (21 hitouts).
BEST
Collingwood: T. Hurst, M. Zander, N. Dojiok, R. Christgoergl, K. Lee, G. Ricardo
Essendon: M. Ryan, S. Molan, J. Morrow, T. Davidge, G. Dicker, E. Chaston
GOALS
Collingwood: N. Dojiok, E. Nikolitsis, C. Sargent
Essendon: M. Clifford 2
FIRST SEMI FINAL – PORT MELBOURNE vs CARLTON
PORT MELBOURNE 0.0, 1.1, 3.4, 5.7 (37)
CARLTON 1.3, 1.5, 3.5, 5.6 (36)
PORT MELBOURNE broke through for its maiden finals victory and kept its premiership dreams alive with a gripping one-point win over Carlton in the first semi final at ETU Stadium on Sunday.
It was a promising start for Carlton with captain Christina Bernardi booting a goal in the opening minute.
The Borough started slowly, going scoreless in the first quarter for the second final in a row. In fact, Port Melbourne did not hit scoreboard until Georgia Alomes kicked a goal a minute before half time.
But the Blues hadn’t hurt the home team on the scoreboard, sitting on just 1.5 at that stage, and it set the scene for a thrilling second half as the game opened up.
Alomes put Port in front just 90 seconds after the main break and the teams traded blows for the rest of the day, going goal for goal and creating five lead changes.
Carlton led by a point at the last change but Port edged in front with a couple of behinds.
Goals to Bella Stutt and Laura Wright were both answered within two minutes by Millie Klingbeil to set up the desperate finish, with the Borough able to hold the Blues at bay for long enough.
The Blues were +45 in disposals, +12 in marks and +7 in clearances and will be left to rue not building a bigger lead with their first half dominance sparked by another dominant effort from Maddie Di Cosmo (28 disposals, six clearances, five entries).
Di Cosmo had 10 more disposals than the next most prolific player in Klingbeil (18, seven clearances, five tackles, two goals).
Bernardi (17 disposals, six clearances, seven tackles, 1.3), Izzy Khoury (17 disposals, six tackles) and Ashlee Thorneycroft (14 disposals, eight tackles) were also prominent and Chloe Bain had 21 hitouts against Kate Dudley (27) and Beth Wilson (22), but was more dangerous around the ground with 10 touches and six tackles.
But Port Melbourne stuck at its task and got the result with Jessie Williams (16 disposals, five clearances, 10 tackles, five entries) and Eliza Morrison (15 disposals) strong around the ball.
Stutt (10 disposals, six tackles, one goal) heaped the pressure on in attack with Alomes (two goals) and Laura Wright (eight tackles, one goal) and Olivia Barton (13 disposals, six rebounds) standing out in defence.
BEST
Port Melbourne: B. Stutt, J. Williams, L. Wright, G. Alomes, B. Wilson, E. Morrison. Carlton: M. Di Cosmo, A. Klingbeil, C. Bernardi, C. Bain, E. Wood, G. Lawson-Tavan
GOALS
Port Melbourne: G. Alomes 2, C. Bromage, B. Stutt, L. Wright
Carlton: A. Klingbeil 2, C. Bernardi, E. Hurley, E. Wood
WEEK THREE FINALS FIXTURE
Sunday, July 23: Preliminary Final: Essendon (5th) vs Port Melbourne (2nd) – 2:00pm, ETU Stadium.
Click here to view full fixture and ladder.
Broadcast and streaming: All matches in the 2023 rebel VFLW Finals Series will be live streamed free via the AFL website (AFL.com.au) and AFL Live Official App.
Live scoring and stats: Live scoring and stats will be available via both the AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Download the VFL App from the Apple or Google Play stores.
