Bombers out of AFLW race after failing to break finals hoodoo ...
Updated November 9, 2024 — 9.39pm
Star midfielder Madison Prespakis has suffered injury heartbreak as Essendon’s finals hoodoo continued in a 10-point AFLW elimination final loss to Fremantle.
The Bombers entered Saturday’s match in front of 4934 fans at Fremantle Oval under huge pressure to win the club’s first final – in both the men’s and women’s competition – since 2004.
Fremantle’s Orlagh Lally celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty Images
The absence of skipper Bonnie Toogood (ankle) and ruck Steph Wales (knee) meant their challenge was a tough one, and it became even harder when Prespakis injured her hip while taking a regulation mark early in the second quarter.
Prespakis struggled to walk as she made her way off the field. She returned later in the term, but lasted just 15 seconds before limping off again.
Despite the loss of Prespakis, Essendon entered the final change with a four-point advantage.
Orlagh Lally kicked a goal on the run to give Fremantle back the lead early in the final term, and Gabby O’Sullivan nailed the sealer with less than four minutes remaining when she sliced through two opponents and finished the job from 50 metres.
Essendon’s Alexandra Morcom gets a kick away.Credit: Getty Images
The 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26) win thrusts Fremantle into a knockout semi-final against the Crows in Adelaide next week, while Essendon’s season is done.
Premiership favourites North Melbourne remain unbeaten in 2024 after advancing to their third straight AFLW preliminary final with a seven-point victory over Adelaide in their qualifying final on Friday night.
The Kangaroos found themselves firmly under the pump in the second quarter at Ikon Park before willing their way back into control to prevail 5.8 (38) to 5.1 (31).
Gun on-ball trio Ash Riddell (34 disposals, 10 clearances), Jasmine Garner (29, 10) and Mia King (24, nine) masterminded North’s charge, aided by small forward Bella Eddey’s two second-quarter goals.
Ash Riddell (centre) put in a star turn for the Kangaroos against Adelaide.Credit: AFL Photos
“What a cracking game,” Eddey said. “Adelaide are a great outfit – we know that – and they really challenged us in that second quarter.
“We worked so hard for this. I’m really proud of the way we fought back. Super.”
Ebony Marinoff racked up 30 touches and 13 tackles for Adelaide, while Chelsea Randall and Caitlin Gould slotted two goals apiece.
Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall can’t evade North’s Amy Smith.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The match was barely a minute old when the Kangaroos were up and away, with Tahlia Randall marking strongly and kicking a goal.
Gould set up Adelaide’s initial reply, with a tough tackle on Jasmine Ferguson leading to Danielle Ponter’s successful snap, before converting herself from the goal square.
North pinched the lead back right on quarter-time after Crows defender Zoe Prowse was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind.
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The second term was all Adelaide, as North could barely muster a clean possession all quarter as the visitors dominated inside-50s 11-1.
But somehow, the Kangaroos kept Adelaide scoreless until the last 30 seconds of the half, when Randall’s inspirational chase down tackle on Erika O’Shea set up Gould’s second major.
The Roos would answer the challenge superbly in the third, making the Crows pay for their second-quarter inefficiency.
Randall’s bullocking, tackle-shrugging beauty was Adelaide’s sole shining light in the quarter as the hosts flipped the script spectacularly, controlling the outside through a kick-mark method, racking up 15-2 inside-50s, 13-6 clearances and leading by 10 points at the last break.
North fashioned just four behinds in the fourth, but it provided them enough breathing space, with Randall’s six-pointer in the closing minutes a consolation reward.
AAP
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