Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Geelong have secured an AFLW qualifying final at “our house” with a 30-point win that also put a massive hole in Fremantle’s top-eight hopes.
There could be major injury ramifications out of Saturday’s physical clash at GMHBA Stadium, which the Cats won 9.10 (64) to 5.4 (34).
A heavy collision early in the last quarter put Geelong’s Rachel Kearns out of the game, while Fremantle player Noa McNaughton needed help from two trainers when she also went off in the final term with an ankle injury.
Geelong forward Chantal Mason suffered an ugly cut to her face in a marking contest. Fremantle’s Aoife Healy, Aisling McCarthy and Kiara Bowers, plus Cats player Aishling Moloney all needed injury treatment during the game.
Fremantle started the clash in eighth spot and dropped to 10th. They will host seventh-placed Sydney in the last game of round 12 next Sunday, with the finals starting the following weekend.
The Cats led by 48 points early in the final term, after coach Mick Stinear urged in their three-quarter time huddle to finish the job at “our house”.
It was their fourth home win in a 10-game streak overall that has shot them to second on the ladder. Their only blemish was the 73-point loss in round one to two-time defending premiers North Melbourne, who will most likely again finish the regular season on top of the ladder.
Dynamic midfield duo Georgie Prespakis and Nina Morrison starred for the Cats, while Dockers defender Emma O’Driscoll capped her excellent game with a stunning contested mark in the final quarter.
Also on Saturday, Brisbane had successive wins for the first time in their tough season, mauling home side St Kilda by 52 points.
The Lions’ 11.9 (75) to 3.5 (23) win ended a tough few days for the Saints under interim coach Matt Brewer. He dropped Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw and Maya Louvel-Finn for not meeting team standards.
Tyanna Smith’s second goal reduced the margin to 13 points at halftime and the Saints looked a chance. But they only managed two behinds in the second half as the Lions took control.
It brought St Kilda’s late-season rally to a shuddering halt. They scored their first win of the season in their final game under coach Nick Dal Santo and then pushed Fremantle last weekend as Brewer took over.
Lions vice-captain Natalie Grider finally broke her AFLW goal drought, putting Brisbane 25 points ahead in the third term. A week after Serene Watson kicked her first two goals in game No.76, Grider eclipsed that in her 96th game.
Ally Anderson and Orla O’Dwyer shone for the LIons, who will miss the finals for only the second time in the AFLW.
In her 100th game, Sophie Conway had sprayed 0.4 before she marked a Dakota Davidson pass with six seconds left.
Conway kicked truly and raised her arms to the sky in memory of her Mum Christine, who died of cancer a decade ago.
Smith and Georgia Patrikios were best for the Saints.
