Bombers, Tigers draw to complicate AFLW finals scenario

Midfielders Georgia Nanscawen and Maddie Prespakis starred for Essendon, while Tigers star Eileesh Sheerin gave an outstanding performance.

In her 50th game, Essendon’s Daria Bannister won a free kick with less than four minutes left, but sprayed her shot at goal for a behind.

Then Richmond captain Katie Brennan scrambled a point with less than two minutes left to tie the scores.

Richmond’s Ellie McKenzie kicked the only goal of the last term.

Conditions were typical of the Top End – hot and humid, with extra measures such as mist fans and cool rooms in place for the players.

Brennan had been in doubt after she suffered an ankle injury last week in the loss to Melbourne.

But the Tigers captain was outstanding on Saturday, kicking her team’s two first-quarter goals and dishing off another at the start of the second.

Richmond led by 13 points in the second quarter, with the Bombers falling down in attack and the Tigers excellent on turnover.

Georgia Gee and Toogood then combined superbly twice late in the half, with Toogood kicking one goal and Wales another to tie the scores.

It was a big comeback from the Bombers, who led the clearances 17-8 and the inside-50s 23-13 at the main break.

Essendon threatened to kick clear with two goals in the third term and opened up an 11-point lead.

Tigers star Mon Conti took an excellent contested mark and goaled from an acute angle to keep her team within six points at the last change, setting up a frenetic final quarter.

Six of the best from top Cat helps sink West Coast

Star Irish forward Aishling Moloney is on track to win this year’s AFLW goalkicking award after bagging a career-high six majors in Geelong’s 33-point win over West Coast in Perth.

Moloney was unstoppable throughout Saturday’s match, kicking a club-record 6.0 to go with her 18 disposals and seven marks in the 9.2 (56) to 3.5 (23) win.

The result kept Geelong’s slim finals hopes alive, but West Coast’s fourth loss on the trot means their hopes of reaching the top eight are now officially over.

Moloney has a league-leading 21 goals for the season, and has the chance to add to that tally when Geelong complete their home-and-away campaign against Adelaide next week.

Brisbane’s Taylor Smith is Moloney’s closest rival with 16 goals, and has the chance to close the gap ahead of the final round when the Lions host Sydney on Sunday.

Geelong led West Coast by 14 points at three-quarter-time, and kicked three goals to nil in the final term against the breeze to cruise to victory, with Moloney kicking two of them.

“It was a massive day on the office,” Moloney told Fox Sports after the win.

“I’m delighted to get the win. We dug it out in the end.

Fremantle’s convincing victory over GWS

Irish sharpshooters Ash McCarthy and Orlagh Lally have starred as Fremantle shored up their AFLW finals prospects and remained unbeaten away from home this season with a 20-point win over GWS.

McCarthy goaled inside the first minute and the Dockers never trailed as they charged to a 7.13 (55) to 4.1 (25) victory at Sydney’s Henson Park.

Five of Freo’s seven goals were kicked by McCarthy (three) and Lally (two), all of them well executed, though their teammates were more wasteful.

The result gave the Dockers a 6-0 away record for the campaign, a stark contrast to their 1-3 log at home, where they can clinch a finals position next week with a win over the Western Bulldogs.

GWS, playing their final home fixture of the season, suffered a seventh straight loss and stretched their winless streak to nine. McCarthy also topped her team’s disposal count with 22 and totted up a game-high 456 metres.

AAP

Garner a ‘generational’ AFLW talent for unbeaten Kangas

North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker has labelled Jasmine Garner a generational player, saying her selflessness and hot form are helping drive the team forward.

The unbeaten Kangaroos are just one win away from securing the minor premiership after beating Adelaide by eight points in a hard-fought contest at Norwood Oval on Friday night.

Garner starred in the 6.5 (41) to 4.9 (33) win, tallying 27 disposals, five clearances, eight tackles, 529m gained and two goals.

It marked the seventh consecutive game Garner has scored a goal – a difficult feat in AFLW ranks.

The 30-year-old is on track to earn a seventh consecutive All-Australian jumper this season, and she’s also a four-time best-and-fairest winner at North Melbourne.

Garner’s hot form has put North Melbourne, with nine wins and a draw from 10 games, in the box seat to win their maiden AFLW premiership.

“She’s a generational player,” Crocker said.

“I’ll look back in a number of years’ time and say I was extremely lucky to coach probably one of the best players – if not the best player – to come into the competition at its infancy.

“The beautiful thing about Jas is she’s so humble. She’s so driven, she just keeps working hard.

“She just wants to keep getting better. It’s not so much for herself, but it’s to try to take this team forward.

“That’s what we all love about her. She’s a great person and as we all know, a terrific player.”

Crocker was proud of the way his team held off Adelaide’s fightback.

North Melbourne’s 20-point lead was whittled down to eight points after the Crows kicked two quick goals to start the final term, but the Roos held firm from that point with some stout defence.

“I think there’s been a lot of growth in our group this season,” Crocker said.

“We were here (in Adelaide) in the second last game of last season, and I distinctly remember in this pocket not being organised enough, and Adelaide kicked a goal to win by (three) points.

“I think the players have grown so much, knowing what to do in what situations, whether we’re behind and need to score quickly or whether we’re in front and just need to lock the game down.

“I thought the way our team fought out that last quarter, defending stoutly, I thought they did a really good job.”

North Melbourne are guaranteed a top-two berth, and they will lock up top spot and the minor premiership if they beat lowly Gold Coast next week in the final round.

AAP