AFLW Finals 2023: North Melbourne smashes Melbourne, Geelong holds off Essendon
The Kangaroos have flipped the AFLW finals series on its head, smashing the Dees, who will now take on the Cats after Geelong cruised to victory over the Bombers.
AFLW
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
North Melbourne have thrown a massive spanner in the works of the AFLW finals series after smashing premiership favourites Melbourne by a whopping 41 points at Ikon Park on Sunday in the second qualifying final.
The Kangaroos started the game like a house on fire and overcame early inaccuracy to kick the first five goals, while holding Melbourne goalless in the first three quarters. North also restricted the Demons to their second-lowest score in their history, after they were the No.1-ranked attack during the home-and-away season, and handed Melbourne their second-biggest ever defeat.
The Kangaroos boast the competition’s best defence, and were so utterly dominant from start to finish that their relentless pressure and ferocity prevented the Demons from having a look-in at any stage during the match, despite them leading the inside 50s (35-33). The Kangaroos convincingly out-tackled Melbourne 100-79.
DEES HAVE TO DO IT THE HARD WAY
The Demons were widely tipped to become the first team to win back-to-back flags this year, and while they might still achieve that, they’ll have to do it the hard way after losing to the Kangaroos 7.8 (50) to 1.3 (9) and moving into Brisbane’s side of the draw.
North Melbourne will now host either Adelaide or Sydney in a fortnight’s time in the second preliminary final while the Demons are headed for a cut-throat semi-final against Geelong next weekend. If they win that, Melbourne will then have to negotiate a preliminary final against the Lions in Brisbane the following week.
NORTH SHAKE HOODOO
Importantly for North, after only winning two of 16 matches against the AFLW “big three” of Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane prior to the weekend, they have bucked that trend at the most important time of the year by registering just their second win over the Demons from eight attempts.
Long seen as a side that is better than majority of the competition, but not good enough to challenge the very best teams, having won 37 from 42 games combined against the other 14 sides, the Kangaroos are now well-placed to make it through to their first grand final.
GARNER LEADS THE WAY
North’s newly-minted AFLCA player of the year Jasmine Garner made light work of the Shelley Heath tag, recording 25 disposals (13 contested) and 12 tackles, while Tahlia Randall was immense in attack with three goals.
Veteran Emma Kearney was also one of the Kangaroos’ best with 22 possessions and eight tackles, Ash Riddell registered 23 touches (11 contested) and six clearances, and Isabella Eddey played a crucial role as well with two majors from her 12 disposals.
Scoreboard
DEMONS 0.1, 0.1, 0.2, 1.3 (9)
KANGAS 1.4, 2.4, 5.6, 7.8 (50)
LERNER’S BESTDemons: Purcell, Hanks, Hore, Gillard, Pearce. Kangaroos: Garner, Randall, Kearney, Riddell, Eddey, Ferguson, Gatt.
GOALS Demons: Bannan. Kangaroos: Randall 3, Eddey 2, O’Loughlin, E.King.
INJURIES Demons: Nil. Kangaroos: Shierlaw (teeth/cut lip).
UMPIRES Adams, Laycock, Mitchell
VENUE Ikon Park
‘Motionless’: Concerning scene in Cats’ crushing finals win
- Ed Bourke
Geelong will travel to Ikon Park next week with a full head of steam after flexing its muscles early before cruising to an 18-point win over Essendon.
The Cats raced out of the blocks in front of a packed Brownlow Stand at GHMBA Stadium with three quick goals, but the key orchestrator of the onslaught, Chloe Scheer, is in doubt for the rest of the season after she came from the field with a shoulder injury at the 10-minute mark of the first term.
Scheer had combined beautifully with Aishling Moloney and Jackie Parry in the Cats’ forward line, but the key forward duo was able to continue on their merry way without her as Essendon was hardly given an opportunity to score.
The Bombers cut the margin to 30 points late in the second term after a brilliant goal to Madi Preskapis, but her sister Georgie immediately answered back for the Cats as they took an unassailable 38-point lead into the final term.
MOLONEY MAGIC SPURS CATS
Irishwoman Aishling Moloney averaged 10 disposals and a goal per game in an excellent first home and away season for Geelong – she had those figures in the first quarter alone in a sensational performance which rattled Essendon’s backline.
Tall with strong hands, but also quick and good below her knees, Moloney tormented the Bombers defenders with six marks inside 50 as she kicked two goals and was involved in eight scores.
After hitting the scoreboard with a set shot goal in the first term, she cleverly soccered a ball into the path of Parry running towards goal for the Cats’ second.
Geelong’s semi-final opponents will be planning frantically for Moloney, who is set to become one of the game’s biggest stars and might already be considered one after this finals series.
GUN TEEN’S NASTY KNOCK
Promising Bombers forward Amber Clarke looked in serious trouble after she landed heavily on her back following a marking contest, laying motionless on her side before being stretchered off by trainers.
But the 18-year-old was cleared to play in the second half and immediately returned to the field in a lift for her teammates after they were certainly affected by the concerning scenes midway through the second term.
Essendon will be relieved Clarke did no serious damage – although eliminated, the Bombers are already facing a start to next season without fellow forward Daria Bannister after she tore her ACL against Richmond last month.
Scoreboard
CATS 3.4, 7.7, 7.9, 7.9 (51)
BOMBERS 0.1, 2.1, 2.1, 5.3 (33)
BOURKE’S BEST Cats: A Moloney, Prespakis, Webster, A McDonald, Morrison, Parry. Bombers: Prespakis, Toogood, Nanscawen, Alexander, Scott, Wales.
GOALS Cats: A Moloney 2, Parry, Scheer, Crockett-Grills, A McDonald, Prespakis. Bombers: Prespakis 2, Alexander, Toogood, Gamble
INJURIES Cats: Scheer (shoulder). Bombers: Clarke (neck).
UMPIRES Nippress, Pearson, Whetton
CROWD 6,493 at GMHBA Stadium
CROWS TO MEET SWANS IN SUDDEN-DEATH FINAL
- Jason Phelan
A superb four-goal haul from Adelaide star Eloise Jones wasn’t enough to stop Brisbane booking a home preliminary final and a well-earned weekend off with a stunning two-point win at Norwood Oval on Saturday.
The Lions trailed the resurgent Crows by 11 points in the third quarter, but Dakota Davidson and Orla O’Dwyer each added their second goals as the visitors booted the last three majors of an enthralling contest to advance.
The qualifying final result means Adelaide will host a sudden-death semi-final against Sydney next weekend.
“We had the double chance, but we won’t have that next week, so we’ll have to make sure that we’re ‘on’,” Crows coach Matthew Clarke said.
“That we manage the disappointment of today really well, so that we can be really clear and focused on what we’ve got to do from here on in.
“Ultimately, the equation in finals if you finish in the top four is you’ve got to win three games (to win a premiership).
“It would have been nice to tick one off, but we didn’t so we need to get that first one next week.
“(The players will) bounce, my read is that they’ll bounce, but it doesn’t mean next week is a shoe in.
“We’ve got to wait and see who we’re playing and they’ll have to come here to our home ground.
“We just need to prepare really well and hopefully execute just a little bit better.”
The pulsating contest was all tied up at three-quarter time, quick thinking by Ally Anderson helping her land the telling blow eight minutes into a frantic final term when she poked home a goal from close range.
The Crows trailed by four points with four minutes remaining, a flying shot from Danielle Ponter went wide to make it three points with two minutes left.
Yvonne Bonner was paid a free kick on the 50m arc inside the last minute, but she chewed up precious seconds before sending a long shot toward goal that was rushed behind, with the Lions maintaining possession from the kick-in to win a stunner.
“We showed a fair bit of ticker to keep coming back and not give up … that’s been a strong trait of our group for many a year now,” Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich said after the win.
“I’m just pleased that they found a way to win the game twice, really, I couldn’t be more proud.
“And they’re proud of each other for hanging in there and keeping on fighting.
“They were all over us in the early part of the third quarter, it was looking like it was going to be a three or four-goal loss, but they found a way to hang in there and counter-attack.”
Orla O'Dwyer with some magic from the fence ✨
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) November 11, 2023
📺 Watch #AFLWCrowsLions LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/IWoO9Rf5N2
📠BLOG https://t.co/CQhuKJ1qCs
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/Mi3TyXafxxpic.twitter.com/MoxmeU6NrA
Oh my, O’Dwyer!
O’Dwyer missed an early set shot from directly in front, but atoned for the skill error in stunning fashion soon after.
Hemmed in on the boundary line and under pressure from defenders, O’Dwyer let fly from 30m out on the run on her left and landed a breathtaking goal to help the visitors to a nine-point quarter-time lead.
The Lions were the only team to defeat Adelaide in the home-and-away season, prevailing in a three-point thriller at Springfield, and had beaten the Crows seven times from their 10 previous AFLW clashes.
Craig Starcevich’s side troubled Adelaide again early, robbing the home side of time and space in the first quarter with superior tackling pressure, Brisbane leading a lopsided inside 50 count 12-3 at the first break.
Electric Eloise
Jones booted Adelaide’s only goal of the first quarter and added another two in the second as the home side hit back.
The star forward set sail running inside 50 for a superb long-range goal and won a holding the ball free kick from the goal square that she duly converted.
Her fourth, early in the third, was the pick of the bunch, Jones outmanoeuvring Natalie Grider to snap a stunner over her shoulder.
Niamh Kelly put the Crows in front for the first time as time ran out in the second quarter.
Typically poised under pressure, Kelly baulked a defender and slammed the ball on her boot in traffic, with the half-time siren still sounding as it split the middle.
Scoreboard
CROWS 1.0 4.0 5.3 5.7 (37)
LIONS 2.3 3.3 5.3 6.3 (39)
PHELAN’S BEST CROWS: Jones, Marinoff, Hatchard, Randall, Biddell, S Allan.
LIONS: O’Dwyer, Dawes, C Svarc, Anderson, Conway, Hodder.
GOALS CROWS: Jones 4, Kelly. LIONS: O’Dwyer 2, Davidson 2, Smith, Anderson.
INJURIES CROWS: Nil. LIONS: Koenen (ankle), Davidson (shoulder).
NORWOOD OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Jones (Adel)
2 O’Dwyer (Bris)
1 Marinoff (Adel)
Swans send warning, book date with Crows
- Callum Dick
Sydney has sounded a warning to its AFLW finals rivals with an impressive 17-point win over the Suns on the Gold Coast to set up a mouthwatering semi-final date with Adelaide next weekend.
Scott Gowans’ side posted its second-highest halftime score of the season en-route to a 9.4 (58) to 6.5 (41) victory at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday night.
Midfield magician Laura Gardiner shrugged off a Lucy Single tag to amass 30 disposals and six clearances as skipper Chloe Molloy saluted inside 50 with three goals from 15 touches in a massive night from the Swans’ superstars.
Defender Lucy McEvoy tripled her season goal tally with two surprise snags in the first half as the Swans gapped a shell-shocked Suns for their first finals victory in the AFLW.
Sydney surrendered the opening goal of the game inside a minute when Tara Bohanna kicked true from directly in front. But once the Swans’ outside running game kicked into gear, the Suns simply had no answer.
It was an emphatic display of finals footy from the visitors, who finished with a staggering 105 tackles – smashing their season average of 65 – as Sofia Hurley (16), Tanya Kennedy (10) and Montana Ham (10) all hit double digits.
Bohanna starred with a finals record equalling four goals - three in the first-half - while Alison Drennan led the way for the Suns with 22 touches, but there was no matching the Swans who now have minor premiers Adelaide in their sights.
Can’t catch Chloe
When Sydney needed a spark early it was Molloy who put her hand up.
In a brilliant 10-minute burst in the first term the Swans’ superstar had eight disposals, two shots at goal, four score involvements and more than 100 metres gained.
Her bodywork to outmuscle Suns ruck Lauren Bella and then poise to find McEvoy in space in the pocket underlined her incredible class.
Gold Coast had no answer for the Swans’ skipper.
Her imperious form had the hosts’ back six second-guessing at every opportunity.
Playing one-out inside 50, Molloy forced Elise Barwick into a holding free kick and the Swans star duly delivered from 25m out to restore the 20-point advantage midway through the second term.
Even better than her goal was the celebration – a “two four six eight” retort to a Suns fan in the crowd who had rhymed the phrase with “you can’t kick straight” prior to Molloy’s shot.
One-woman show
It was Bohanna or bust for the Suns inside 50 on Saturday night.
The skipper was simply brilliant both in the air on the ground.
Incredibly she opened the scoring in each of the first three quarters and even kicked the first two of the second term to drag the Suns back to within eight points.
Her four goals – equalling the AFLW finals record – was also her equal-best output for the season.
On a tough night out for the Suns, their skipper can hold her head high.
Gardiner’s greatness
Sydney’s storied run from winless in season seven to semi-final starter needs an entire chapter just for Gardiner.
The Swans’ acquisition of the ex-Cat looks better with each passing week – and her performance on Saturday night was one of her best.
Matched against Suns stopper Lucy Single, who has clamped many of the competition’s best ball-winners this season, Gardiner broke the shackles.
She was once again the top disposal getter on the ground and looms as a major headache for the Crows’ coaching staff ahead of the semi-final next weekend.
Scoreboard
SWANS 4.2 7.2 9.3 9.4 (58)
SUNS 1.0 3.0 5.3 6.5 (41)
BEST: SWANS - Gardiner, Molloy, McEvoy, Hurley, Kennedy. SUNS - Bohanna, Saad, Whitfort, Single, Drennan
GOALS: SWANS - Molloy 3, McEvoy 2, Whelan, Privitelli, Newman, Hamilton 1. SUNS - Bohanna 4, Dupuy, Girvan 1
INJURIES: SWANS – Privitelli (foot/ankle) SUNS – NIL
VENUE: Heritage Bank Stadium
Lightning stops play, top sides flex muscle on crazy day of AFLW
North Melbourne, Richmond and Brisbane Lions showed the gulf in class between the AFLW’s best and the rest on a drama-packed day which included a match delayed by lightning.
Best in the AFLW? Marinoff heroics lift Crows to gritty win
Ebony Marinoff again staked her claim as the premier player in AFL Women’s with a best afield performance to lift Adelaide over St Kilda in a match where goals were at a premium.