Gold Coast miss AFLW top four despite victory over GWS
The Suns finished 0.2 percentage points behind Carlton as retiring Giants Alicia Eva and Izzy Huntington played their final games.
Gold Coast defeated GWS at Henson Park but could not lift their percentage enough to claim fourth place and a finals double chance. The Suns finished fifth after winning 9.8 (62) to 7.11 (53), with Carlton holding fourth by 0.2 percentage points.
Charlie Rowbottom helped rescue Gold Coast after the Giants took an 11-point advantage into the last quarter. She kicked a late goal to regain the lead and finished with 33 disposals, 12 clearances and two goals.
The Suns had controlled the midfield early, with Rowbottom and Lucy Single each recording five first-half clearances. GWS then held Gold Coast scoreless during the third term while collecting 68 disposals to the visitors’ 46.
Carlton’s victory over Brisbane, 6.4 (40) to 5.5 (35), proved enough to retain fourth spot. Both the Blues and Suns ended the home-and-away season with nine wins.
The Giants marked the retirements of Alicia Eva and Izzy Huntington after the match. Eva played in the inaugural AFLW season for Collingwood and captained GWS for five years. Huntington’s six-year career included All-Australian selection and three separate ACL injuries.
In Melbourne, Essendon beat Collingwood 4.14 (38) to 4.7 (31), giving departing Bombers coach Natalie Wood a winning finish. Collingwood coach Sam Wright also ended his tenure, while Essendon’s Sophie Alexander was chaired off the ground.
