Geelong kept its slim AFLW finals hopes alive with a 10-point upset of Brisbane, ending the reigning premiers’ seven-match winning streak in the process.
Nina Morrison and Georgie Prespakis starred as the Cats kicked the opening three goals in an early blitz before holding firm for a 7.5 (47) to 5.7 (37) win at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday.
It was the first home victory of the season for Dan Lowther’s side but came at a cost when Gabbi Featherston suffered a hamstring injury.
Geelong sits six points out of the top eight with two rounds left and travels interstate to play fellow finals hopefuls West Coast in week nine.
Morrison (24 disposals) and Prespakis (20 touches, 10 tackles, 10 clearances) shone against Brisbane, with Anna-Rose Kennedy (18 touches) and Julia Crockett-Grills (20) also influential.
Aisling Moloney and Shelley Scott kicked two goals each.
Irish forward Moloney took her season tally to 15, just one behind Brisbane’s league-leading Taylor Smith, who was held goalless by Kennedy.
“We’re a slim chance now of finals, but for us winning that today meant our pride was on the line as a football club,” Moloney told Seven.
“It just means so much to this group because the last few weeks have been tough, but we’ve stuck together and finally got the win.”
Lowther led Geelong to a preliminary final last season and now has an eye on another top-eight finish.
“We need a few things to go right, clearly, above us with other teams winning and losing,” he said.
“But let’s just see where it goes.”
The result was a huge blow to Brisbane’s top-two chances as key forward Dakota Davidson was sidelined with concussion.
Davidson, who has a history of such issues, kicked the Lions’ first goal but was hurt when she hit her head on the turf in a second-quarter marking contest and played no further part in the match.
She will miss the crucial clash with Sydney in week nine.
“She’s just frustrated that these things happen to her,” Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich said.
“It’s her second or third concussion in about two years so it’s something that we’ve got to be careful with.
“She doesn’t like letting the team down … even if it’s beyond her control.”
Goals to Moloney, Scott and Jacqueline Parry in the opening nine minutes gave Geelong the early upper hand in a hot start.
Davidson was forced off early in the second term as Mikayla Bowen produced a bizarre, yet skilful, goal that lifted the Cats.
Bowen marked and pushed back the wrong way before realising her mistake and turning forward to nail a long-range shot on the run.
It helped Geelong to a 5.1 to 3.4 lead at the main break.
Moloney’s second increased the margin to 23 points early in the final term before Brisbane launched one final challenge.
Two goals in a minute through Orla O’Dwyer and Evie Long gave the visitors a sniff with three-and-a-half minutes left, but the Cats held on.
Star midfielder Ally Anderson (21 disposals) and Charlotte Mullins (18) were Brisbane’s major ball-winners, while O’Dwyer finished with two goals.
Starcevich felt his “passive” side succumbed to Geelong’s pressure and simply didn’t play well enough.
“We didn’t get into the game quick enough,” he said.
“Geelong played like a desperate team wanting to keep their season alive.
“We played like a team that was happy just to tread water a bit and play footy without actually asserting ourselves at any point.
“The good thing, maybe, at the end there was that we found something to at least challenge but a lot of the damage was done very early.”
