In-form Port Adelaide have extended their winning streak to seven games after launching their maiden AFLW finals campaign with a clinical 24-point victory over Richmond in the elimination final.
The Power amassed their highest score of the season in their 11.6 (72) to 7.6 (48) triumph in front of a bumper crowd of 5172 at Alberton on Sunday, punching their ticket to a semi-final date with Hawthorn next weekend.
Matilda Scholz and Abbey Dowrick celebrated their returns from injury by starring in the centre square, while Ash Saint (three goals), Julia Teakle (two) and Gemma Houghton (two) kept Port’s scoreboard moving.
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“It’s amazing. I’m so proud of our group,” Power coach Lauren Arnell said.
“I have no doubt that’s the best footy we’ve played and the strongest four quarters of footy we’ve played.”
Richmond limped towards the line, literally, slumping to their season-ending fourth successive defeat and finishing with superstar captain Katie Brennan spending most of the final quarter bench-bound after injuring her right hamstring.
Brennan was described as being “really deflated” on the bench.
“There’s nobody more hungry, I don’t think, than Katie Brennan,” Abbey Holmes said in commentary on Channel 7.
“We know how 2018 played out for her (suspended from the Bulldogs’ grand final win) and the injuries she sustained that held her from being a premiership-winning player.
“So your heart breaks for her if it is something a little more serious.”
The Power’s direct approach and tall attack stretched Richmond’s defence from the outset.
Houghton got Port on the board early before back-to-back goals to Saint and Teakle — returning after a knee injury — inside the last 90 seconds of the opening quarter gave the hosts a 14-point cushion at the first change.
Richmond were favoured by the prevailing southerly in the second term and, led by Brennan and Eilish Sheerin, looked dangerous in space.
The Tigers sliced the margin back to seven points before Ella Boag threaded a superb major for Port on the half-time siren.
Richmond burst out of the blocks to start the third quarter, racking up the first seven inside-50s and pinching their first lead when Caitlin Greiser kicked her second and third in the opening six minutes.
But the Tigers’ revival was brief.
Port flipped the script with the last 10 inside-50s of the quarter, started by Caitlin Wendland’s superb left-foot snap from the Power’s first third-quarter entry.
Olivia Levicki slotted a free kick before Saint, with 16 seconds left before three-quarter-time, dribbled through her second to extend Port’s buffer to 19 points.
Emelia Yassir nailed a wonderful fourth-quarter goal from a tight angle to give the Tigers a pulse, but their faint hopes ended with Brennan’s injury, several others succumbing to cramps, and Saint kicking her third.
“Right now it sucks — we’re really disappointed and it hurts a lot,” Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson said.
“This is the time to act like winners, stay together and identify how good we are when really challenged.
“This is as challenging as it gets.
“We didn’t get here to bow out like this, but we’ll be back.”