COLLINGWOOD and Geelong will head into the VFLW finals series with a double chance, with the sides meeting for the second week in a row after the Cats were able to hold onto second despite losing to the Magpies in round 14.
Collingwood’s 19-point win cements it as favourite for the premiership after going through the regular season undefeated. Despite the loss Geelong will still head into finals expecting to do damage after some excellent form over the course of the season.
Even though they were out of the finals race, Hawthorn had everything to play for in the final round, the Hawks giving premiership player Meg Hutchins the send-off she deserved by toppling Port Melbourne by eight points. The result kept the Borough out of the top two, handing Geelong the double chance.
Q3: HAWKS 40 - 37 PORT
— Hawthorn VFLW (@HawthornFCW) June 27, 2021
It’s a nail-biting finish - but there’s so much to play for today. Only 20 minutes left for the season girls - let’s bring it home!#Always pic.twitter.com/f0b5JsMYZE
The Western Bulldogs had the hardest run home of any team in the competition but stood up in the final round to defeat the fourth-placed Casey Demons by 12 points. The victory put plenty of pressure on the Southern Saints who then had to defeat North Melbourne if they wanted to claim sixth.
In the end it was just percentage that split the Saints and Bulldogs, with the Saints’ 38-point victory over the Roos enabling them to grab the last finals spot.
Finals bound. #vflw #southernsaints pic.twitter.com/tgTCtwCZsx
— Sandringham FC (@sandyzebs) June 27, 2021
Port Melbourne finished the season in third and will come up against the Southern Saints in the second elimination final.
Essendon’s win over Darebin cemented the Bombers’ position in fifth, claiming their first-ever appearance in VFLW finals. The Dons will take on the Demons - who finished just ahead in fourth - in an elimination final.
Carlton was able to finish its season strongly with a 27-point win over Williamstown, but the Blues’ round 13 loss dashed their finals hopes. North Melbourne’s loss to the Southern Saints put them completely out of the finals race this season.
The Western Bulldogs will feel especially disappointed with how their season came to an end, with everything coming down to the final game. The Dogs’ failure to take part in the end-of-season action will definitely serve as motivation for 2022.
Hawthorn, Williamstown and Darebin’s finals chances slipped away in earlier rounds, yet all three clubs still had plenty of highlights throughout the 2021 season.
2021 Finals Â
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