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Carlton has kept its AFLW finals hopes alive with a 27-point win over a lacklustre St Kilda at Moorabbin.
Key points:
- The Blues are 10th ahead of the completion of round seven
- Breann Moody impressed with two goals for the Blues
- The Saints lost Simone Nalder after she failed a concussion test
The Blues put in their most complete performance of the season on Friday night to run out winners 6.8 (44) to 2.5 (17).
They moved to provisional 10th place on the ladder ahead of the completion of round seven.
In front of their home supporters, St Kilda went goalless until seven minutes remaining in the match when Jessica Matin converted a set shot.
Carlton responded from a disappointing defeat to GWS last week, coming out with an aggressive and attacking game style that overwhelmed the hapless Saints.
Even with the Blues' all-time leading AFLW goal-kicker Darcy Vescio playing off half-back, they had enough options in attack due to their relentless pressure.
Ruck Breann Moody set the match up with a dominant first-half performance, kicking two goals to go with impressive efforts across the ground.
Midfield stars Mimi Hill and Abbie McKay benefited from Moody's ruck class and the pair continued their brilliant seasons.
Carlton's Jess Dal Pos slotted a goal-of-the-year contender when she kicked a miracle snap late in the third quarter.
On a dirty night for the Saints, tall Simone Nalder failed a concussion test after suffering a big hit during the second quarter.
If the Blues miss out on a top-eight finish, Daniel Harford's team will be left to rue draws in consecutive weeks against lowly Port Adelaide and Fremantle.
Carlton will face Richmond next Friday night in a match that will prove crucial towards the finals prospects of both teams, while St Kilda will head to Ballarat to play the Western Bulldogs in round eight.
Richmond wins fifth-straight
Richmond's charge towards a maiden AFLW finals berth has continued as they held off a spirited West Coast outfit by 19 points at Lathlain Park in Perth.
The Tigers looked on course for a comfortable win when they opened up a 19-point lead at half-time after a dominant opening two quarters, but the Eagles hit back hard in the second half.
And thanks to a goal-of-the-year contender from their captain Emma Swanson, they got within six points late in the game.
But just as the Eagles looked like pinching a massive upset win, Richmond's Laura McClelland took a courageous mark as she went back with the flight of the ball with little regard for her own safety and took a chest grab before West Coast's Kate Bartlett cannoned into her running from the opposite direction.
It proved to be a match-winning play as it changed the momentum back in Richmond's favour, allowing Grace Egan to kick the last two goals and seal the victory.
The 6.7 (43) to 3.6 (24) result saw the Tigers extend their club record winning streak to five games and provisionally catapulted them into fifth on the ladder.
Egan also had 18 disposals and seven tackles to be the best player on the ground.
She enjoyed great support from Eileen Sheerin, who was outstanding with 21 disposals (12 contested) and a goal, while Mon Conti continued to push her case as the best player in the league with another 18 touches (12 contested), three clearances and a goal.
The win came at a cost for the Tigers, though, with Sophie Molan coming off second best in an ugly head clash with West Coast's Ella Smith in the first quarter and taking no further part in the game.
Meagan Kiely was also reported for a dangerous tackle on Emma Humphries.
The Tigers had won their previous three games by two, four and four points respectively, and as they looked headed for another thriller in the final term, Ferguson described it as an unwanted case of deja vu.
"You can look at that [glass] half full [or] half empty, right? Because the response form that moment [when West Coast got within six points] was just outstanding and I just thought we controlled the game completely from that moment," Ferguson said.
Charlotte Thomas was superb for the Eagles in defence with a game-high 23 disposals, while Swanson was also brilliant with 19 touches, 11 contested possessions and nine tackles.
West Coast dominated the clearances 23-15, but got comprehensively beaten on the outside as Richmond smashed them in the inside 50s (39-20) and also enjoyed a comfortable buffer in contested possessions (109-95).
"There's a few things that we can get better at to get more inside 50s," West Coast coach Michael Prior said.
Whatever happens this weekend, Richmond will remain at least a game inside the top eight with just three rounds to go.
And with match-ups against bottom-10 sides Carlton and GWS still in their run home, Richmond will like their chances of featuring in the finals.
AAP