AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division – Week 1 Finals Preview
Written by Michael Shillito
With each passing week the action is heating up. And we’ve made it to August; the finish line is in sight.
For our Women, ten teams has become five. We’re into the finals, and minor premiers East Coast will take a well-earned rest. A Sunday double-header at Henson Park will determine the Eagles’ opponent for the clash to be first to the Grand Final, while our first finalist will be eliminated.
WOMENS PREMIER DIVISION
QUALIFYING FINAL
Manly-Warringah Wolves v Sydney University
Henson Park, Sunday 12:30pm
The business end of the season is upon us, and we have a double-header for the first week of finals. Our Qualifying Final sees the Wolves take on the Students. If you can’t get to Henson Park, you can still catch all the action live on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page.
Manly go into this game with winning form on the board, after completing a 14-point win over the Magpies at Weldon Oval last week. It was a win built around prolific ball-winning by Roxy Beuzeville and Kahli Gilchrist; and carries some impressive winning momentum into the playoffs. In 2020, the last time a finals series was played, the Wolves hit their best form of the season during the finals to go all the way; and that’s what they’ll be looking to replicate this time round.
Sydney Uni returned to form just in time for the finals, snapping a two-game losing streak by claiming the scalp of the ladder-leading East Coast by 16 points at Sydney Uni No 1 last week. Bella Gray and Maryanne Harley were prolific ball-winners all day for the Students. They’ll be bringing winning momentum into the finals, and this is a challenge they’re ready to embrace.
The Students have had the edge in the previous meetings between the two clubs this season. In round seven at Weldon Oval, the Students took it out in a thriller by four points. The return clash at Sydney Uni No 1 in round 13 saw an eight-point result to the Students. You can expect another close result here, and both sides will be throwing everything at it. For the winner, a match against East Coast for a Grand Final spot awaits. For the loser, it’s sudden death next week.
ELIMINATION FINAL
North Shore Bombers v Inner West Magpies
Henson Park, Sunday 2:30pm
The second game of the double-header is sudden death; and when the final siren sounds, one of these teams’ season will be over. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Bombers or the Magpies, and you can catch all the action live on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page.
North Shore had to wait for the last round of the season to book their place in the finals. But at Trumper Park last week they did it in style, pulling away from UTS in the second half to record a 24-point win. Keep an eye out for Lucy Krimmer and Olivia Edwards, who have continued to improve their game with every passing week. The Bombers are on a high and this is a challenge they’re ready to take on.
Inner West Magpies’ finals preparations hit a slight snag last week at Weldon Oval when they went down to Manly by 14 points. Georgina McDonnell and Laura Marshall battled tirelessly, but the Magpies were unable to seal the deal and get the points. It mattered not, as they were always looking safe for the finals. But the result gave them some work to do on the training track this week.
The two sides have split their meetings this year. In round five at Gore Hill, the Magpies were 56 points too good for the Bombers. But the Bombers turned the tables at Picken Oval in round 13 to record a 15-point win. These two sides also met in the Elimination Final in 2020, the last time we had a finals series. On that occasion the Bombers had twice as many scoring shots but the Magpies got over the line by six points. The stakes are high, both teams are ready to play; and with no tomorrow, there’ll be plenty of desperation and dogged defence on display. This one should go down to the wire.
