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Melbourne have missed the AFLW minor premiership by just one point as they geared up for the finals with a 78-point demolition of West Coast.
Key points:
- Melbourne needed to kick 26 points in the final quarter to finish on top, but managed only 25
- Eagles defenders cut out a late Demons attack to ensure the Lions win the minor premiership
- The Demons will most likely play the Crows in their first final next week
The Demons kept their opposition scoreless in the first term for the fourth match in a row on the way to the 11.13 (79) to 0.1 (1) mauling on Saturday at their Casey Fields home, south-east of Melbourne.
For such a one-sided game, Melbourne became desperate in the last few minutes as they piled on the goals.
They needed to keep the Eagles scoreless and kick 26 points in the last term to snatch top spot from the Brisbane Lions.
Instead, they kicked 4.1 (25).
Demons captain Daisy Pearce centred a pass in the last minute, but the Eagles were able to cut it off and kick clear to deny Melbourne the score they needed.
But the win confirmed second spot for the Dees, with their qualifying final most likely against Adelaide.
The Crows are third and start hot favourites, also on Saturday afternoon, against St Kilda at Moorabbin.
West Coast are currently 16th, but will finish 17th if Port Adelaide beat Essendon on Sunday at home.
Melbourne defender Libby Birch was supreme, while Kate Hore and Eden Zanker kicked two goals apiece.
Tayla Harris's ruck work and long kicking were outstanding, particularly in the last quarter as she ensured the Melbourne attack had every opportunity to kick the score they needed to snatch top spot from Brisbane.
Melbourne are a foundation AFLW team and regularly touted as premiership chances, but they are yet to win the flag in six seasons.
Adelaide beat them in the grand final earlier this season.
It was a brutal end to the season for the Eagles, with Ella Roberts racking up 22 possessions and seven marks — game-high stats — in a rare highlight for them.
Cats run rampant, but Prespakis hurt
Geelong's club-record AFLW thrashing of bottom side Sydney could come at a massive cost, with young gun Georgie Prespakis hurt in the 75-point win.
A month after their AFL brothers mauled the Swans by 81 points in the grand final, the Geelong women were similarly merciless on Saturday at Kardinia Park in the 15.12 (102) to 4.3 (27) romp.
But Prespakis was in tears on the bench and in a moon boot after the game because of her right ankle injury, a week out from the finals.
Prespakis was hurt as she stormed out of the centre with the ball from the opening bounce of the last term.
As Prespakis kicked on the run inside 50m, Aliesha Newman caught her in a tackle and the gun Cats midfielder fell awkwardly.
Her right ankle rolled outwards and she immediately limped from the field for treatment.
The Cats rose to fourth spot with the thumping win, but Richmond or North Melbourne will take it from them after their game on Sunday.
Geelong broke their club record of 11.5, set earlier this season, and also had their biggest winning margin.
They went within five points of the AFLW all-time highest score, with Melbourne kicking 16.11 last season.
Prespakis was tracking for best afield honours before her injury, racking up 27 disposals.
Chloe Scheer kicked four goals, her personal best, while Amy McDonald had a game-high 34 possessions.
Kate Darby was outstanding in the ruck and as a key position player, kicking two goals.
The Swans went winless in their debut season and will finish last, but they have plenty of emerging young players and Cynthia Hamilton picked up 19 possessions.
Crows survive Saints scare
Adelaide have survived a scare from St Kilda to set up a likely qualifying final against Melbourne with a hard-earned 16-point AFLW victory.
The Crows were at risk of dropping to fourth place and facing a trip to league-leaders Brisbane next week when trailing in the third term, but took control late to secure the 4.5 (29) to 2.1 (13) triumph at Moorabbin Oval on Saturday.
An upset was on the cards until Danielle Ponter sparked the Crows (8-2) after the main break, firstly slotting a set shot from just inside the 50m arc when kicking against the wind.
The crafty forward followed up two minutes later when the Saints attempted to switch play deep in the Crows' attacking pocket, intercepting the ball in the air and running into an open goal.
The Saints stayed within touching distance until Ashleigh Woodland was taken high next to the behind post and snapped a stunning banana to make the margin nine points halfway through the final term.
Woodland bettered that in the dying stages when throwing the ball on the boot while being tackled and watching the snap sail through to ensure the result for the Crows.
Star on-baller Ebony Marinoff helped keep the Crows in the contest in the first half with 15 disposals, then had even more of an impact as the game slowly turned, finishing with 29 touches and nine clearances.
Anne Hatchard (21) and Niamh Kelly (14) were also influential in the Crows' comeback, while Chelsea Biddell (14 touches, six rebounds) added drive from their defence.
This was arguably the Saints' best display of the season as they not only matched but often outplayed their highly-fancied opponents.
The Saints (3-7) controlled the territory in the opening term when kicking with a stiff breeze, then cleverly put players behind the ball to take a 22-8 lead in inside 50s into half-time.
But the hosts could only turn their advantage in play into a five-point lead at the main change, with key forward Kate Shierlaw the only goalscorer in the match at that time.
Georgia Patrikios (17 disposals, one goal) added class to the Saints' determined efforts, with the outstanding Molly McDonald (20) and Hannah Priest (15) also finding plenty of the ball, but the Crows ultimately had more contributors.
Freo storm home to pip Hawks
Fremantle have sent off inaugural captain Kara Antonio in style with a dominant final term to snatch a thrilling five-point triumph over Hawthorn.
The Dockers had to overcome a flying start by the Hawks, before kicking four of the last five goals to secure a rousing 7.7 (49) to 7.2 (44) victory and end a difficult AFLW season seven with back-to-back wins.
Antonio only gathered eight disposals playing forward in her farewell match but helped spark the Dockers' comeback with a goal when they trailed by 17 points late in the third term.
The former Dockers skipper was playing her first match of the season after recovering from a serious hamstring injury and kicked another to finish with 2.2 at Fremantle Oval on Saturday night.
Kara and Ebony Antonio became the first married couple to play AFLW together after their wedding last October, and often looked to bring each other into the game throughout the clash with the Hawks.
Ebony only returned to the Dockers' line-up last week after overcoming a PCL injury and what was revealed to be a worrying heart issue, but was quickly back to her best with 21 disposals.
But it was Fremantle's gun on-baller Kiara Bowers who was arguably best afield, gathering 34 touches while also laying an incredible 22 tackles.
Aine Tighe was also integral to the Dockers' win as a forward target when the match was on the line, booting four goals.
The Dockers' (3-6-1) win denied Hawks veteran Jess Duffin her own fairytale finish, although the multi-sport champion lit up her farewell match early as the stand out forward threat.
Duffin took three marks inside-50 in the opening term but could not quite have the same impact on the scoreboard, with one goal, two behinds and a smothered shot.
The 33-year-old vice-captain was quiet after that until popping up to slot a goal with 23 seconds remaining to bring the margin back to five points and give the Hawks hope.
Hawthorn (3-7) were in front for much of the contest but were unable to slow the Dockers' late charge when the hosts had all the momentum and a stiff breeze behind them.
Tilly Lucas-Rodd (24 disposals) was among the best for the Hawks, while Kaitlyn Ashmore (16), Aileen Gilroy and Charlotte Baskaran (both 14, one goal) also battled hard in the Victorians' final match of an impressive debut AFLW season.
AAP