Ebony Marinoff, Anne Hatchard, Sarah Allan and Stevie-Lee Thompson first AFLW players to feature in 15 finals
Stevie-Lee Thompson, Sarah Allan, Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff know finals better than any other AFLW players — and on Saturday, they’ll set a record that proves that fact.
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They have created plenty of history together and Adelaide premiership stars Ebony Marinoff, Anne Hatchard, Sarah Allan and Stevie-Lee Thompson will rack up another milestone at Norwood Oval on Saturday.
The quartet will become the first AFLW players to play in 15 finals when they and the Crows take on Fremantle in the do-or-die semi-final.
Given how dominant the Crows have been since the formation of the AFLW in 2017 it perhaps shouldn’t be too surprising they are the first group to reach the milestone.
“It has been nice, that’s why you play so to be in the most it is pretty cool,” Marinoff said.
“I mean maybe we should have a little less cause we have lost some of our first finals but we will take it.
“We did that the other day (reflected), we started rattling off some of the finals we have been in.
“You probably don’t start reflecting until you have something like this come up.”
Hatchard said the milestone had given her pause to consider how far the competition has come.
“From when we had our first season to now, just the amount of females and younger girls playing footy is amazing,” she said.
“And the growth of the league as well, we went through the phases of conferences and the different finals schemes and to get where we are now is just amazing and I just can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Thompson agreed the AFLW has come a long way during her career.
“Since 2017 the league has changed dramatically, the speed has gotten faster, the girls are getting faster and the young girls are coming in and smashing us older ones but we are coming back,” she said.
“I think anyone who has been a part of it since 2017 is looking back and reflecting on how much it has grown.”
Allan said she hoped the league’s growth was only getting started.
“Every year we have built up more games, now we have a four-game final series whereas in the first year it was the top two sides so every year it has been an improvement and hopefully we are contributing to a future where the girls can play full time,” she said.
“We have made so many strides in the competition but we are pushing for improvements each year.”
Thompson said the Crows were buoyed by how they played against the yardstick of the competition after pushing North Melbourne in last weekend’s qualifying final.
“The energy is high, we have a few young players who love to build up the energy and a few of us oldies jump on,” she said.
“It is sad we lost but we have an opportunity to make amends, we are definitely capable of it.”
Originally published as Ebony Marinoff, Anne Hatchard, Sarah Allan and Stevie-Lee Thompson first AFLW players to feature in 15 finals
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