ADELAIDE coach Matthew Clarke has hailed the impact of Chelsea Randall's return from a lengthy concussion break after the Crows ended St Kilda's season with an emphatic elimination final win at Norwood Oval on Sunday.

Randall played her first game since round five and her inclusion was a major boost for the Crows, who will face Melbourne in a sudden-death semi-final at Ikon Park on Saturday.

CROWS v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats

The former skipper finished with nine disposals playing across half-back and was able to spend a lot of the final term resting up on the bench.  

"It was great to have Chelsea back and she got through the game really well," Clarke said.

“She impacted the game off half-back and she was really important in not only just getting hands on the ball, but with her leadership, and her ability to set us up, which was kind of handy back there.

"All along, she's been connected and involved with the group, but we just had to be really patient, she's been really patient, and the medical team has done a great job. 

"So, in the end it was just going to take as long as it was going to take, and it turned out to be seven weeks.

"The game was done late, so we were able to take a few off and she'd done enough. She's had seven weeks out, so it was more just the physical load, rather than anything else."

Brooke Boileau was hampered by a corked calf suffered in the first quarter, but Clarke is confident she will be fit to face the Demons.

Playing in their first ever AFLW final, the Saints were largely outplayed by the Crows, who kept the visitors goalless in the first half and the final term.

Coach Nick Dal Santo couldn't fault the effort of his side that has faced regular injury setbacks to make it to the finals, but urged his charges to learn from the experience as they look to return to finals next season.

"We're a young team, we're growing, we're getting some experience, but what I've learned in the last 25 years is nothing's given to you," Dal Santo said.

"You need to earn absolutely everything. 

"There'll be 10 other teams, 11 other teams, in the competition trying to get better …  I don't think (this finals appearance) guarantees anything for next year. 

"We've got to go back to work and find other ways to get better to be able to get the opportunity to get back to games like this and hopefully do better.

"But I'm really proud of the group, I'm proud of our whole program, and our whole football club that have been ultra supportive.

"There were a lot of people who didn't think we'd get anywhere near where we are today …  but we've done what we thought we were capable of, and now we need to find ways to get better. 

"We've got a handful of injured girls in the grandstand asking for an opportunity to be in this position next year, but we'll get to work. 

"So, pride is probably the one piece that I'm feeling right now.

"We're clearly disappointed with today's result, but I don't think that should take away from the journey to even get us here because there's been a lot of challenges throughout the course of the year that not only did we face, but we overcame a handful of them."