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Chelsea Randall has made a successful return from injury as Adelaide secured the AFLW minor premiership with a 39-point win over lowly St Kilda.
Star pair Ebony Marinoff and Erin Phillips shone as the Crows kicked clear after quarter-time on Sunday to post a 7.11 (53) to 2.2 (14) victory at RSEA Park.
The result gave Adelaide a 9-1 record for the season, with a superior percentage lifting them above Melbourne at the top of the ladder.
Aiming for a third women’s premiership, Adelaide will begin the finals series as flag favourites as they attempt to atone for last year’s near miss, when they were beaten by Brisbane in the grand final.
Sunday’s win was a comfortable tune-up, with Marinoff (25 disposals), Phillips (19) and Anne Hatchard (23) finding plenty of the ball against the lowly Saints.
Ashleigh Woodland booted two majors as the game’s only multiple goal-kicker.
Crows captain Randall had been sidelined by a right hamstring injury since round four and got through her comeback match in a positive sign ahead of the finals, finishing with 10 disposals.
It was a timely return for Randall, who missed last year’s grand final because of concussion.
“It was awesome, I’ve really missed footy,” Randall told the Seven Network.
“It’s just unreal, it’s great to play footy with these girls and they’re a special bunch.
“I was just really trying to get my body right for my team.
“The docs and medical staff are fantastic and I’m just really chuffed that we were able to come away with the win today.”
The only concern for Adelaide was a bruised elbow suffered by experienced forward Justine Mules in a marking contest late in the match.
“It’s a bit stiff and sore but the doctors are confident that she’ll be OK,” Crows coach Matthew Clarke said.
St Kilda led by three points at quarter-time but failed to score into a strong wind during the second and fourth quarters.
It left the Saints second-last on the ladder with a 2-8 record from their first season under Nick Dal Santo.
“Overall, our big picture is pleasing,” former Saints AFL midfielder Dal Santo said.
“But when you come up against the best like we did today, we’re still acutely aware of where we are right now and where we want to get to.
“There are moments that are pleasing but we need to get better.”
Meanwhile, Brisbane have been given an early taste of what to expect in the AFLW finals before showing their class in a 32-point win over the Western Bulldogs.
As coach Craig Starcevich celebrated his 50th game in charge, the Lions shook off a stern first-half challenge to post a 10.6 (66) to 5.4 (34) victory in Ballarat on Sunday.
Star midfielder Emily Bates had 18 disposals and 11 tackles, with Alexandra Anderson (15 and five) also influential in the result.
Orla O’Dwyer and Greta Bodey kicked two goals apiece for the winners.
Brisbane will enter the finals in strong form as they seek to become the first team to win back-to-back premierships in the women’s competition.
While there was little riding on Sunday’s contest in terms of the ladder, the Bulldogs were knocked out of finals contention 24 hours earlier, it was played at a high intensity for the most part.
“It took them a while to get back in competitive mode and it was really pleasing that they did because they’re the type of habits that you need for the weeks coming,” Starcevich said.
“But it’s completely understandable in the first five or six minutes (they were half-asleep).
“Once they got their heads around that, they were fine.”
Brisbane kicked five goals to four in a hard-fought first half and led by just six points at the main break.
The floodgates opened for a period of the third term as the Lions piled on three quick majors to break the game open.
The Bulldogs lost Kirsty Lamb to a shoulder injury for most of the third quarter but she returned to play out the match.
Captain Ellie Blackburn (25 disposals) was busy as always and Richelle Cranston kicked two goals.
It ended a tough campaign for the Bulldogs, who had four wins and a draw from 10 matches in a third-straight season that was heavily affected by COVID-19.
Twice the Dogs played three matches in eight days as they were forced to play catch-up with the fixture.
“The tougher the season got, the better we got,” coach Nathan Burke said.
“I want them to not dismiss this year, I want them to remember this year and use that as belief for next year.”
© AAP
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