By Hannah Kennelly
A fiery post-match altercation overshadowed the Brisbane Lions’ six-point win over Hawthorn in Sunday’s qualifying final at Ikon Park.
Tempers flared after the final siren with Hawthorn’s Tilly Lucas-Rodd in the middle of the push-and-shove, as Lions pair Dakota Davidson and Charlotte Mullins separated them from the pack.
Vision appeared to show an exchange of words between Hawks and Lions players, including Lucas-Rodd and Nat Grider.
Hawks coach Daniel Webster was asked about the incident after the match, including whether comments had been directed at Hawthorn captain Emily Bates, a former Lion.
“I’m not sure what was said, but generally, when there’s a reaction like what our girls had, that generally means something might have been there,” Webster said.
He confirmed Bates was “fine”.
AFLW semi-finals fixture
First semi-final: Adelaide v Fremantle, Norwood Oval, Saturday, November 16 (3.35pm AEDT)
Second semi-final: Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, Ikon Park, Saturday, November 16 (7.30pm AEDT)
Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich said he “didn’t see much of [the incident]” but conceded “it’s not the way you want to finish a game”.
Fresh off their million-dollar McClelland Trophy win, the Hawks delivered a game of fast footy leaving the reigning premiers panting in the first half.
But two consecutive goals from Cathy Svarc in the third term helped the Lions claw back the lead and eventually triumph 6.2 (38) to 4.8 (32).
Key Lions forward Davidson was first on the scoreboard, sprinting through a gap and booting a major within the first few minutes.
The two-time premiership player was the target of an ugly crowd abuse incident last week, which is currently being investigated by the AFL integrity unit.
A high clash with Belle Dawes in the second term sent Hawks defender Ainslie Kemp to the bench under concussion protocols.
The defender returned to the ground in the third quarter after passing a head injury assessment, but Dawes may face scrutiny from the match review officer.
The Lions have secured a home preliminary final as they continue their campaign for back-to-back premierships.
Starcevich was happy with the win and said his side was looking forward to a week off.
“We’ve been on the road for three of the last four weeks, so Brisbane to Melbourne flights were getting a little bit tedious there for a while,” he said.
“I think, it could potentially knock you around a little bit, but anyway, have a week off and a home prelim is gold at this time of year.”
Brisbane fans rushed on the field after the final siren including men’s premiership coach Chris Fagan.
“We actually had ‘Fages’ in the room with our girls after the Sydney game at home a couple of weeks ago,” Starcevich said.
“It’s just a chance for our players to get him to recollect everything that happened on that last day in September because our players are huge fans of the boys team and vice versa.”
Tigers bow out as Brennan injures hamstring
In-form Port Adelaide have extended their winning streak to seven games after launching their maiden AFLW finals campaign with a clinical 24-point victory over Richmond in the elimination final.
The Power amassed their highest score of the season in their 11.6 (72) to 7.6 (48) triumph in front of a bumper crowd of 5172 at Alberton on Sunday, punching their ticket to a semi-final date with Hawthorn next weekend.
Ellie McKenzie leaves the field in tears after Richmond’s finals exit.Credit: Getty Images
Matilda Scholz and Abbey Dowrick celebrated their returns from injury by starring in the centre square, while Ash Saint (three goals), Julia Teakle (two) and Gemma Houghton (two) kept Port’s scoreboard moving.
“It’s amazing,” Power coach Lauren Arnell said. “I’m so proud of our group.
“I have no doubt that’s the best footy we’ve played and the strongest four quarters of footy we’ve played.”
Richmond limped towards the line, literally, slumping to their season-ending fourth successive defeat and finishing with superstar captain Katie Brennan spending most of the final quarter bench-bound after injuring her right hamstring.
The Power’s direct approach and tall attack stretched Richmond’s defence from the outset.
Port triumphed in front of more than 5000 fans.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Houghton got Port on the board early before back-to-back goals to Saint and Teakle – returning after a knee injury – inside the last 90 seconds of the opening quarter gave the hosts a 14-point cushion at the first change.
Richmond were favoured by the prevailing southerly in the second term and, led by Brennan and Eilish Sheerin, looked dangerous in space.
The Tigers sliced the margin back to seven points before Ella Boag threaded a superb major for Port on the half-time siren.
Richmond burst out of the blocks to start the third quarter, racking up the first seven inside-50s and pinching their first lead when Caitlin Greiser kicked her second and third in the opening six minutes.
But the revival was brief.
Port flipped the script with the last 10 inside-50s of the quarter, started by Caitlin Wendland’s superb left-foot snap from the Power’s first third-quarter entry.
Olivia Levicki slotted a free kick before Saint, with 16 seconds left before three-quarter-time, dribbled through her second to extend Port’s buffer to 19 points.
Emelia Yassir nailed a wonderful fourth-quarter goal from a tight angle to give the Tigers a pulse, but their faint hopes ended with Brennan’s injury, several others succumbing to cramps, and Saint kicking her third.
“Right now it sucks – we’re really disappointed and it hurts a lot,” Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson said.
“This is the time to act like winners, stay together and identify how good we are when really challenged.
“This is as challenging as it gets.
“We didn’t get here to bow out like this, but we’ll be back.”
AAP
Bombers out of AFLW race after falling to Dockers
Star midfielder Madison Prespakis has suffered injury heartbreak as Essendon’s finals hoodoo continued in a 10-point AFLW elimination final loss to Fremantle.
The Bombers entered Saturday’s match in front of 4934 fans at Fremantle Oval under huge pressure to win the club’s first final – in both the men’s and women’s competition – since 2004.
Fremantle’s Orlagh Lally celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty Images
The absence of skipper Bonnie Toogood (ankle) and ruck Steph Wales (knee) meant their challenge was a tough one, and it became even harder when Prespakis injured her hip while taking a regulation mark early in the second quarter.
Prespakis struggled to walk as she made her way off the field. She returned later in the term, but lasted just 15 seconds before limping off again.
Despite the loss of Prespakis, Essendon entered the final change with a four-point advantage.
Orlagh Lally kicked a goal on the run to give Fremantle back the lead early in the final term, and Gabby O’Sullivan nailed the sealer with less than four minutes remaining when she sliced through two opponents and finished the job from 50 metres.
Essendon’s Alexandra Morcom gets a kick away.Credit: Getty Images
The 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26) win thrusts Fremantle into a knockout semi-final against the Crows in Adelaide next week, while Essendon’s season is done.
Premiership favourites North Melbourne remain unbeaten in 2024 after advancing to their third straight AFLW preliminary final with a seven-point victory over Adelaide in their qualifying final on Friday night.
Ash Riddell (centre) put in a star turn for the Kangaroos against Adelaide.Credit: AFL Photos
The Kangaroos found themselves firmly under the pump in the second quarter at Ikon Park before willing their way back into control to prevail 5.8 (38) to 5.1 (31).
Gun on-ball trio Ash Riddell (34 disposals, 10 clearances), Jasmine Garner (29, 10) and Mia King (24, nine) masterminded North’s charge, aided by small forward Bella Eddey’s two second-quarter goals.
“What a cracking game,” Eddey said. “Adelaide are a great outfit – we know that – and they really challenged us in that second quarter.
“We worked so hard for this. I’m really proud of the way we fought back. Super.”
Ebony Marinoff racked up 30 touches and 13 tackles for Adelaide, while Chelsea Randall and Caitlin Gould slotted two goals apiece.
Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall can’t evade North’s Amy Smith.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The match was barely a minute old when the Kangaroos were up and away, with Tahlia Randall marking strongly and kicking a goal.
Gould set up Adelaide’s initial reply, with a tough tackle on Jasmine Ferguson leading to Danielle Ponter’s successful snap, before converting herself from the goal square.
North pinched the lead back right on quarter-time after Crows defender Zoe Prowse was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind.
The second term was all Adelaide, as North could barely muster a clean possession all quarter as the visitors dominated inside-50s 11-1.
But somehow, the Kangaroos kept Adelaide scoreless until the last 30 seconds of the half, when Randall’s inspirational chase down tackle on Erika O’Shea set up Gould’s second major.
The Roos would answer the challenge superbly in the third, making the Crows pay for their second-quarter inefficiency.
Randall’s bullocking, tackle-shrugging beauty was Adelaide’s sole shining light in the quarter as the hosts flipped the script spectacularly, controlling the outside through a kick-mark method, racking up 15-2 inside-50s, 13-6 clearances and leading by 10 points at the last break.
North fashioned just four behinds in the fourth, but it provided them enough breathing space, with Randall’s six-pointer in the closing minutes a consolation reward.
AAP
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