A review of Round 14 in the 2023 rebel VFLW season.
After such a remarkable home and away rebel VFLW season it seemed almost inevitable that the final Saturday would go to script, with the five higher ranked teams all winning as seventh and eighth took their expected spots in the finals.
But just as predictable was one last twist in the tail on the final Sunday, with Port Melbourne conceding the minor premiership after losing to a Casey Demons outfit that had only pride to play for with its finals hopes dashed the week prior.
It means Collingwood took top spot and will play the Borough in the qualifying final at Victoria Park on Sunday, with Port holding second by just 0.2 per cent from Williamstown.
The Seagulls will make their finals debut against fellow debutant Carlton in an elimination final at DSV Stadium, also on Sunday, with powerful pair Box Hill Hawks and Essendon to renew hostilities in a fight for survival at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday.
Here’s a look at how Round 14 unfolded.
WILLIAMSTOWN vs GEELONG CATS
WILLIAMSTOWN 2.1, 4.1, 6.3, 8.3 (51)
GEELONG CATS 1.0, 1.5, 1.6, 5.7 (37)
WILLIAMSTOWN will play finals for the first time in its history after completing a comfortable 14-point win over Geelong at DSV Stadium on Saturday to secure third spot on the ladder.
The Seagulls will enter the business end of the season as the form team with five wins in a row and nine out of the past 11, beating the Cats for the first time in comprehensive fashion.
They dominated the first three quarters, conceding only one goal as they built a 27-point lead by the final change and despite Geelong rallying with four goals in the last quarter, their late-season fadeout of four losses and a draw in its last five matches to fall out of the finals from the top two was complete.
Jasmine Kawa was again the star for Williamstown, picking up 16 disposals, 29 hitouts and 12 clearances, while Emily Eaves (17 disposals, six clearances, five tackles) and Maddie Edwards (14 disposals, nine tackles, one goal) were also critical in the victory.
Sarah Cameron booted three goals including a ripper strike from long range to claim the Rohenna Young Medal for the VFLW leading goal kicker with 18 majors from her 14 games, beating Collingwood’s Monique DeMatteo by two.
Geelong had the two most prolific players on the ground with Charlotte Simpson (24 disposals, 11 clearances, 10 tackles, one goal) and Abby Favell (24 disposals, six clearances, eight tackles) in sparkling form, but apart from Olivia Cicolini (three final-quarter goals) they didn’t have enough support.
ESSENDON vs WESTERN BULLDOGS
ESSENDON 1.0, 3.0, 3.3, 6.5 (41)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.1, 2.1, 4.2, 4.4 (28)
THE only potential drama of Saturday came at Windy Hill where reigning premier Essendon took three quarters to shake off a gutsy Western Bulldogs by 13 points.
In the first state league game at the ground this season, the Bulldogs took it right up to a Bomber team that had to win to save its premiership defence
The visitors grabbed the lead at quarter-time through a wonderful boundary line conversion from captain Mary Sandral and stuck within five points at the main break.
Territorian debutant Molly Althouse and Eleanor Bishop landed majors within two minutes of each other in the third quarter as the Bulldogs grabbed a five-point lead at the final change to put the upset right on the cards, but the Bombers were able to steady with the only three goals of the last term to escape with their title dreams intact.
El Chaston was a driving force for Essendon with 22 disposals and six inside-50s in partnership with Sophie Molan (25 disposals), Grace Dicker (17 disposals, seven tackles) and Reese Sutton (16 disposals, nine tackles, five entries) kept the pressure on the ball carrier.
Megan Ryan (15 disposals, 13 hitouts, five entries, two goals) was outstanding as back-up ruck, Olivia Manfre and Mia-Rae Clifford bobbed up to kick two crucial majors each and Jaimie-Lee Morrow (21 hitouts, six tackles) broke even with the prolific tap winner Jorja Borg (21 hitouts, five tackles) in the ruck.
The Bulldogs were again led by regular stars Sarah Skinner (22 disposals, five clearances, nine tackles) and Dom Carbone (19 disposals, five clearances, five entries), with strong support coming from Ashleigh Snow (19 disposals, six rebounds) in defence and Emmy Nekrep (18 disposals) around the ground, while skipper Sandral bagged two majors.
CARLTON vs DAREBIN FALCONS
CARLTON 4.3, 7.3, 9.6, 12.9 (81)
DAREBIN FALCONS 0.0, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2 (14)
CARLTON did what it needed to do to wrap up a maiden finals berth, with captain Christina Bernardi on fire as it crushed Darebin by a record 67 points at Park on Saturday.
The Blues only needed to win, but they were ruthless in booting four unanswered goals in the first term and never looking back to break their previous best winning margin against the battling but gallant Falcons by more than 10 goals.
Bernardi was at the forefront with one of the great VFLW games, winning 24 disposals, taking eight marks, delivering five inside-50s and booting 5.2, while Maddie Di Cosmo (30 disposals, six marks, seven clearances, one goal) and Millie Klingbeil (23 disposals, six clearances) also dominated.
Angelica Gogos (18 disposals, six clearances, six tackles) again played a starring role for Darebin, which will be hoping for a bit more luck on the recruiting front in the off-season after a winless season. Alyssa Mifsud (15 disposals, six clearances) and Emma Mackay (15 disposals, five tackles, one goal) also tried hard.
BOX HILL HAWKS vs SOUTHERN SAINTS
BOX HILL HAWKS 1.0, 1.0, 2.3, 3.3 (21)
SOUTHERN SAINTS 0.1, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 (4)
BOX HILL Hawks completed Southern Saints’ late-season spiral out of the finals, holding the visitors goalless in a 17-point win in wet conditions at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday.
The Saints sat a game clear on the top of the ladder after Round 11, but three consecutive losses dumped them to seventh and ended their hopes of going one better than last year’s Grand Final loss to Essendon.
In a physical contest where no quarter was asked or given with both teams playing for their season, the Saints spent large swathes of time in attack without being able to score.
In fact neither team troubled the scoreboard operators from the time debutant Molly Simpson kicked a terrific 40m set shot for the Hawks in the 13th minute of the first quarter until Winnie Laing missed a running shot for the Saints seven minutes into the third.
Box Hill’s defence continued to hold firm and when Abbey Holmes roved the pack for a terrific goal a minute before three quarter-time, her team had a significant advantage and Jade Wise sealed the deal midway through the last.
The Saints enjoyed a 27-19 inside-50 advantage and had the ball locked in for long periods, but Matilda Van Berkel (18 disposals), Nadia von Bertouch and Ellie McLinden simply refused to concede, while Jordan Mifsud (18 disposals, five clearances, 11 tackles), Grace McRae (17 disposals, seven tackles), Bella Gray (18 disposals) and Akayla Peterson (17 disposals) did well through the middle.
Grace Matser had 33 hitouts and five tackles in a great ruck battle with Alex Hynes (24 hitouts, 14 tackles), while Holmes only had 12 disposals and a goal, but her experience and influence was crucial in the big moments.
Gabriella De Angelis (17 disposals, nine tackles) worked hard but had to move well up the ground to get any clear possessions for the Saints. Jemima Wrigley (15 disposals, 12 tackles), Laing (16 disposals, seven tackles) and Tessa Boyd (16 disposals) performed well and Georgia Foran (15 disposals) and Madi Capsalis (12 disposals, five clearances, seven entries) worked overtime without reward after they lost Jemma Webster to an ankle injury in the first half.
NORTH MELBOURNE vs COLLINGWOOD
NORTH MELBOURNE 0.0, 0.3, 3.4, 3.5 (23)
COLLINGWOOD 1.1, 2.4, 4.5, 8.8 (56)
COLLINGWOOD only needed to avoid an eight-goal loss to take its spot in the finals, but it went the other way, outlasting North Melbourne by 33 points at Arden Steet Oval to take the minor premiership for the second time in four seasons.
The Magpies had control of the game for most of the day, booting the only two goals of the first half to ensure there would be no Kangaroo miracle and holding off a third-quarter rally from the home team to boot the last four goals of the game and lift their percentage above the defeated Port Melbourne.
DeMatteo could not have done much more in her attempt to win the Rohenna Young Medal, finishing with four goals along with 17 touches, while Jess Bates enjoyed another top outing, picking up 20 disposals, 10 clearances, five tackles and five inside-50s.
Elizabeth Jackson (16 disposals, seven clearances, seven entries), Nicole Hales (15 disposals, five rebounds), Evangelia Nikolitsis (15 disposals), Nyakoat Dojiok (12 disposals, six marks, two goals) and Sarah King (27 hitouts) were other important contributors for Collingwood.
North Melbourne threw everything at them, having four of the top five ball winners on the ground, headed by Annabel Scott (22 disposals, six clearances, five tackles), captain Jess Jones (17 disposals, 29 hitouts, five tackles), Ciara Fitzgerald (19 disposals, seven rebounds) and Jess Mourney (23 disposals), while Audrey Rhodes kicked two goals from 12 touches and laid eight tackles.
CASEY DEMONS vs PORT MELBOURNE
CASEY DEMONS 0.0, 2.2, 2.4, 5.6 (36)
PORT MELBOURNE 2.0, 2.0, 4.2, 4.2 (26)
CASEY Demons finished a disappointing season on a winning note, costing Port Melbourne top spot on the ladder with an impressive 10-point victory in a match relocated to Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday.
It looked like business as usual for the Borough when late inclusion Brit Mueck kicked two goals in four minutes – the only scores of the opening quarter, but the Demons hit back in similar style through Ciara Burke and Siobhan Sheerin to lead at the main break.
Port repeated the dose in its second turn with the wind – Mueck kicking her third in a terrific breakout performance and Fed Frew setting up a 10-point lead turning for home, but the Borough couldn’t hold the Demons out after Burke kicked her second a minute into the last, with two more goals sealing the upset win.
Port lost despite taking 41 more marks than Casey and laying a whopping 109 tackles to 64, with the Demons dominant in the midfield with 61 hitouts to 20 and 37 clearances to 20.
Leah Swain was the catalyst for that, winning 45 hitouts and adding 15 disposals and five clearances to set up her midfield to be the five top ball winners, led by a marvellous best-on-ground effort from Shannon Danckert (29 disposals, 12 clearances, seven tackles).
Marla Neal (18 disposals, five clearances, 11 tackles), Burke (18 disposals, six entries, two goals), Belinda Woolcock (18 disposals, one goal) and Shree Fairchild (17 disposals, eight tackles) were also prominent for Casey, while Amber Kinnane had 10 tackles.
The Borough battled brilliantly without the ball through Kaitlyn O’Keefe (13 disposals, six marks, 16 tackles), Courteney Bromage (12 disposals, 15 tackles), Beth Wilson (14 tackles, 13 hitouts) and Charley Ryan (12 disposals, nine tackles), with Liv Barton and Lauren Caruso also performing well and Mueck tacking her chances with her three goals coming from five kicks.
WEEK ONE FINALS FIXTURE
Saturday, July 8: Second Elimination Final: Box Hill Hawks (4th) vs Essendon (5th) 11:00am, Box Hill City Oval. Sunday, July 9: Qualifying Final: Collingwood (1st) vs Port Melbourne (2nd) – 11:00am, Victoria Park); First Elimination Final: Williamstown (3rd) vs Carlton (6th) – 4:30pm, DSV Stadium.
Click here to view full fixture and ladder.
Broadcast and streaming: All matches in the 2023 rebel VFLW Finals Series will be live streamed free via the AFL website (AFL.com.au) and AFL Live Official App.
Live scoring and stats: Live scoring and stats will be available via both the AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Download the VFL App from the Apple or Google Play stores.
