The Western Bulldogs are the first team into the AFLW grand final after they scored a stunning two-point win over Melbourne on Saturday night.
The Demons clung to a four-point lead as the clock ticked down at a blustery Whitten Oval, but Brooke Lochland snapped a brilliant goal with just over a minute left to secure a tense 5.3 (33) to 4.7 (31) win in front of 7593 fans.
The result ended Melbourne’s campaign, with the Dogs to play either Brisbane or Adelaide in the premiership decider.
Emma Kearney was outstanding for the Bulldogs with 20 possessions and a goal, while Jenna Bruton and Monique Conti were also important.
Karen Paxman was the Demons’ most influential player with 23 touches and a goal, with Daisy Pearce also playing well.
The Melbourne skipper elected to kick with a strong wind in the first quarter, but the Demons didn’t do enough with it.
The Dogs went inside 50 just twice and couldn’t muster a shot on goal for the term, but their desperate defence saw them take over use of the breeze trailing by just seven points.
The home side gained the ascendancy in the second with three quick goals, but Melbourne managed a priceless goal into the wind through Paxman.
The Dogs led by seven points at halftime, but in a mirror image of the first quarter, they couldn’t score into the wind after the restart.
Similarly, the Demons booted just one goal to lead by five points at three-quarter time.
Conti gave the Dogs the lead two minutes into the final term, but a goal to Melbourne through Kate Hore set up the stunning climax, capped when Lochland swooped on a loose ball and snapped truly.
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