Geelong kept its ever-so-faint AFLW finals hopes alive and killed off the Western Bulldogs’ dreams in the process with an 11-point win at a waterlogged Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
The Cats led by 15 points at three-quarter time of Sunday’s match but were left clinging to a five-point lead when Bulldogs midfielder Jessica Fitzgerald nailed a set shot with just under two minutes remaining.
A late soccered goal from Geelong forward Aishling Moloney – which hit the goal umpire’s leg but was later deemed to be on track to be going through – sealed the 6.1 (37) to 3.8 (26) win.
The result means Geelong (5-6) is still a slight chance to make finals, but will need to beat Melbourne in the final round next Saturday by a healthy margin and rely on a flurry of other results to go its way in order to sneak in.
The season is now effectively over for the Bulldogs (4-7), who won the inside 50m count 13-4 in the final quarter but could only manage 1.4.
A massive pre-match downpour meant giant puddles greeted players when they stepped out onto the ground, with the ball stopping on a dime at times given the sheer amount of water on the field.
“At ground level, it was like we were running in a swimming pool,” Geelong star Amy McDonald told the Seven Network.
“It was tough, obviously not great. We couldn’t be overly clean, so probably not the best spectacle. But sometimes you’ve just got to win dirty.”
Cats midfielder Georgie Prespakis thrived in the wet with 26 disposals, six clearances and 413m gained, while Nina Morrison racked up 15 tackles and 15 disposals.
Fitzgerald was among the Bulldogs’ best with five clearances, 14 disposals and a goal.
Geelong made a mockery of the conditions early by slamming through three goals in the first four minutes, with the Bulldogs barely touching the ball during that opening blitz.
Kate Surman entered the match with 0.6 to her name for the season, but the Cats forward finally got a breakthrough goal when she skidded one through for the only major of the second quarter.
The lead shot out to 21 points midway through the third term when two Bulldogs defenders went to ground and Chantal Mason was able to pick up the ball and kick truly.
Emma McDonald’s clutch 40m set shot shortly before the final change kept the Bulldogs within striking range, and they almost snatched victory in a frantic final term.
