State of Play hosts Joe Pignataro and Gemma Bastiani preview the big topics ahead of this weekend's VFL and VFLW action.
VFL final round: games of importance
With a full suite of 11 matches in the final round Smithy’s VFL season, six will have a bearing on the finishing positions of the ladder. Coburg is on the brink of playing in its first final since 2008, but it must beat Southport to make it a certainty. Williamstown currently sits outside the top ten and if it wants to extend Justin Plapp’s coaching tenure by at least another week, it needs to beat Frankston at DSV Stadium, The Dolphins, in turn, need to win to avoid playing in the Wildcard weekend and secure a top six, or potentially top four, finish. Essendon’s incredible run of wins needs to continue when it hosts Sydney at Windy Hill, with the top-ten on the line for the Dons, and top four there for the taking for the Swans. The GWS Giants steadied its leaking ship against the Gold Coast Suns last weekend, but now Tasmania comes to town to tackle the orange tsunami on the verge of a history-making finals campaign in its first season. And put simply, Carlton has to win over the reigning premier on Sunday if it wants to feature in the finals. Following last week’s loss at the hands of St Kilda, the Blues will also need to rely on other results going their way.
VFLW’s mini finals before the finals
As if there’s not enough drama in the Smithy’s VFL final round, the VFLW’s third last round of the home and away season is just as epic. All top-six teams play against each other in must-win matches ahead of September. Williamstown has been knocking on the door of Collingwood and North Melbourne Werribee as the newcomer at the pointy end of the ladder. This weekend, the Seagulls feature in a top-two battle for the No.1 spot, with the Seagulls hosting the Kangaroos at DSV Stadium. The third placed Magpies face an in-form Port Melbourne, who has won five in a row and sits fifth on the table. Carlton’s also on a heater, having won its past five matches, and a win this weekend against the sixth-placed Western Bulldogs would cement its spot in the top four. If the Blues were to prevail, it would leave the Bulldogs vulnerable should seventh-placed Geelong knock off the eighth-placed Tasmania and keep its slim finals hopes alive.
Zielinski holds the key to a Williamstown victory
When Mia Zielinski signed with Williamstown, the club described her as a “developing key forward”. Just 12 games in blue and gold later, this Seagull has announced herself. With 26 goals for the season, at an average of 2.2 per game, Zielinski is three matches away from claiming the Rohenna Young Medal as the VFLW’s leading goalkicker. Zielinski will be at one end of the ground on Saturday, while at the other, last year's winner Nyakoat Dojiok will be looking for a handful of goals herself in a match that promises to be a preview into what we’ll see this September. Zielinski started her VFLW career at the Box Hill Hawks, having made a name for herself against the Roos on preliminary final day 12 months ago, standing up to the pressure. She’ll need to harness that energy again this Saturday.
Tom Hird raises the bat
After two seasons with Essendon, Tom Hird has been forging his path at Port Melbourne since the start of 2023. The son of AFL great James Hird was voted in by his Borough teammates to be the captain this season and has led the side with distinction. For the first time since 2019 the Borough has reached double-digit wins. With a finals spot on the line against Collingwood this weekend, Brendan McCartney’s men should need no further motivation. But if they do, the need look no further than their skipper, who this week reaches his 100th VFL game. Hird reaches the ton in career best form following a four-goal against Richmond in a best on ground display in Round 20. Borough fans will be hoping that form continue against the Magpies when they flock to ETU Stadium on Saturday.
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