Molloy masterclass shatters Suns as stunning Swans win first ever ...

A Chloe Molloy masterclass has lifted Sydney to their first-ever AFLW finals win as the Swans ended Gold Coast’s season with a 17-point victory.

Molloy was everywhere in her side’s 9.4 (58) to 6.5 (41) win, as she racked up 15 disposals, eight score involvements, five marks, three tackles and three goals at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday night.

And the win means the Swans have booked themselves a semi final against Adelaide next weekend.

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But they’ve got a big injury concern with star forward Rebecca Privitelli playing no further part after injuring her left ankle in a marking contest in the opening term.

But even without Privitelli as a target in attack, co-captain Lucy McEvoy stepped up to deliver two opening quarter goals.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a club that didn’t win a match in their debut season last year.

But after a series of off-field change ups, and the recruitment of Molloy, the Swans are looming as a real danger side of this AFLW finals.

For the Suns, it was a tough way to bow out in front of home fans but they were never in the contest from around the five-minute mark of the opening term.

QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT

Swans coach Scott Gowans said the pressure was off his side, as they had “nothing to lose” heading to the Gold Coast.

“Everything from here is a bonus for us,” he said pre-game.

But it took just a minute for Sydney to cough up the first goal of the match, with Suns skipper Tara Bohanna converting from 35m.

It was “one-way traffic” for the Gold Coast as the Swans couldn’t win the footy in their front half.

But once Sydney slowed the game down, the match turned completely on their terms.

Rebecca Privitelli had Sydney’s first before Swans skipper Chloe Molloy was given too much space at a forward stoppage and made the Suns pay.

“Wow! She needed more body on her... just read it beautifully off the tap,” commentator Abbey Holmes said.

“Clean take... that is Chloe Molloy at her best.”

The Swans’ night quickly soured when Privitelli stayed down clutching at her left ankle from a marking contest.

The star forward had to be helped from the ground before being ruled out in a big blow.

But in her absence, co-captain Lucy McEvoy shifted forward and made an immediate impact with two goals.

When Molloy took a clever mark inside 50, she found McEvoy who opened up a 13-point buffer.

And the defender made no mistake for her second in the absence of Privitelli, and suddenly Gold Coast were under siege.

A red-hot Molloy had the chance to add her second in “bad signs” for the Suns, but just pushed her set shot wide.

By the first change, the Swans were up 26-6.

It was deja vu for Bohanna to start the second term as the skipper struck inside the first minute once again for the Suns.

And she struck again moments later to spark the Gold Coast crowd.

But just as the Suns seemed to have momentum, Aliesha Newman settled for Sydney to push the margin back out to 14 points.

And Molloy delivered once again for the Swans to eliminate all of the Suns’ good work in the second term - and had the perfect reply for a heckler.

When Aimee Whelan snapped truly, the Suns once again had big problems as the Swans were out to a game-high lead.

“The Swans have just taken away Gold Coast’s weapon - their contested ball,” Holmes said.

By the main break, the Swans had the upper hand leading 44-18.

Once again it was Bohanna who opened scoring in the term as she nailed her fourth goal.

But who else for Sydney with the answer than Molloy - this time nailing her third goal after a beautiful chip pass from McEvoy.

“What a game she is putting together! Such a brilliant leader for this club,” Holmes said.

Jacqueline Dupuy gave the Suns some hope late in the term as she became the first player other than Bohanna to kick a goal for Gold Coast.

At the final change, the Swans held a 24-point lead.

The last quarter was just a formality as neither side could find an avenue to goal.

It took a kicking in danger free kick to help the Suns break the deadlock with less than two minutes to play, but it was too little too late.

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