MUCH of the week leading up to the Grand Final has had everyone focused on whether Daisy Peace will play on at Melbourne, and if Erin Phillips might have just played her last game in an Adelaide guernsey.
Post-game, Melbourne head coach Mick Stinear joked that he hopes everyone is giving Pearce a nudge to play on.
"I'd like everyone to encourage her to keep going," Stinear said.
"She's such a talented footballer, we know that, and she's an amazing person. But she's still influencing games just like she was six seasons ago.
"We don't want to lose any talent to women's footy and she's such an important part of our club and our team."
"I'd like to think she'll keep going."
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Despite the disappointing result for his side, Stinear was able to find positives from Melbourne's most successful AFLW season to date.
"I think what we've been able to build this year was belief in each other and our game style and our program," he said.
"Not having a premiership cup to show for it obviously hurts, but I think belief is something you can't hand to someone, you've got to go and earn it yourself, and I think that's something that's become quite powerful amongst our group."
"They've earned that, and I guess the exciting part about the quick turnaround is we haven't got long to wait to get another opportunity."
Meanwhile Adelaide head coach Matthew Clarke gave nothing away in regards to Erin Phillips' future.
"I've got no idea," Clarke said of Phillips' next move.
"But we're really proud of her.
"In those early couple of years, Erin and Chelsea [Randall] they drove the culture and standards, and taught how to be professional and how to be good, so when we talk about the Adelaide legacy, in large part it's her legacy and Chelsea's as well.
"We'll see what happens over the next couple of days.
"I imagine in the near future there'll be announcements around when the season's going to be and when the sign and trade periods and so forth are going to be.
"Once we get that information to hand, then we'll probably have to get our skates on and start speaking to all of our players."
On the looming inclusion of Port Adelaide to what for six years has been a one team town, Clarke was enthusiastic.
"I'm looking forward to expansion. We want to keep our group together, clearly... But I've said a few times, over the last however many years I've been doing it, each year there's probably been three or four, or sometimes five young South Australian players who we've had to say, 'we don't have a spot for you on our list'.
"Some have gone interstate, but for some that just doesn't work, so from here on forward that will be less of a problem. A lot more young players will be able to get an opportunity to play, so for me that's great.
"I'm also looking forward to having a cross-town rival."
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