There was good news at the Cattery, where Geelong snagged a home elimination final with a thumping 40-point win over Hawthorn.
Former Kyabram junior Julia Crockett-Grills will provide finals experience after featuring in Geelong’s last run to a preliminary final and Benalla’s Becky Webster contributed strongly at the weekend with 24 disposals and a goal.
The Cats will host Mansfield export Bonnie Toogood and Essendon in an elimination final Saturday night after the red and black’s journey to Mackay, seeking an unlikely top-four berth, ended in defeat to the Suns.
Co-captain Toogood, 25, has been just that for Essendon this season, leading the league in marks with ease as a key forward.
Melbourne, featuring Euroa product and recent debutant Georgia Gall, missed out on securing the minor premiership, but comfortably landed the double chance after falling to Brisbane Lions Saturday night.
The former Melbourne Stars WBBL all-rounder debuted the week prior against the Dockers and is a solid chance to feature in the Demons’ journey towards a second straight flag against North Melbourne at IKON Park on Sunday.
Meanwhile, there was heartbreak for Benalla’s Keeley Skepper at the same venue after her Blues were soundly defeated Sunday by St Kilda to snuff out any remaining glimpse of a spot in the eight.
Carlton dropped its final four games of the season ― a tale all too familiar to fans of the navy blue after the men’s 2022 campaign ended the same way ― to finish up eight points and a large percentage gap behind the eighth-placed Swans.
It would be Skepper’s most prolific performance, though, amassing a career-high 24 touches in defeat.
Grace Egan, Richmond’s ex-Shepparton marquee, met a similar fate despite enjoying a career-best season in the yellow and black.
Her Tigers, who enjoyed a crushing 52-point victory over Collingwood, would fall short after wins to the Saints and Swans ended their faint finals aspirations.