Fremantle have won through to the AFLW semi-finals after a thrilling 10-point triumph over Essendon on Saturday evening.
In front of a record crowd of 4934 at Fremantle Oval, the Dockers kicked the only two goals in the final term to seal the 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26) win.
Gabby O’Sullivan was the hero with a brilliant goal from 50m in the closing stages.
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The Dockers now advance to a semi-final next week against the Crows in Adelaide.
But while there was jubilation for the home side, it was a devastating end to the season for the injury-hit Bombers.
After losing ruck Steph Wales and co-captain Bonnie Toogood to injury in the past two weeks, they copped another disastrous blow when superstar midfielder Maddy Prespakis pulled up in pain after an innocuous incident in the second term.
She limped off the field with what the club described as a corkie.
“This is the injury, super innocuous, grabbed straight at the hip flexor. That did not look,” Kate McCarthy said in commentary.
Prespakis struggled to walk as she made her way off the field.
She bravely returned later in the term, but lasted just 15 seconds before limping off for good.
“She’s really struggling,” commentator Jason Bennett added.
The midfielder returned to the bench at the start of the third quarter and tried to do some work on the bike before she was ruled out for good.
Despite the loss of their best player, the Bombers took an unlikely lead into the final quarter.
But the Dockers were too strong with Orlagh Lally putting the hosts in front before O’Sullivan sealed the win with her moment of magic.
Fremantle ruck Mim Strom feasted with a record 56 hitouts, 11 clearances, 26 possessions, 441m gained and a goal in a dominant display.
Essendon’s makeshift ruck pair of Matilda Dyke (17 hitouts) and Sophie Alexander (four hitouts) were powerless to stop Strom.
Georgia Nanscawen (20 possessions, seven clearances) did her best to lift Essendon, but the absence of Prespakis proved too hard to overcome.
Fremantle suffered a late blow when star defender Ash Brazill was ruled out with the ankle injury she suffered several weeks ago.
It was all about efficiency in the first quarter for Essendon.
The inside-50 count read 7-2 in favour of Fremantle after nine minutes, but Essendon’s two entries resulted in goals to Amber Clarke and Emily Gough.
The Prespakis injury proved to be the turning point.
Hayley Miller intercepted a wayward Essendon kick a minute later to kick Fremantle’s first major.
And when Strom monstered Alexander in the ruck to kick Fremantle’s second in the dying moments of the first half, the Dockers had a three-point lead.
Strom had 30 hitouts and 14 disposals to her name at half-time, and things looked glum for the Bombers when Airlie Runnalls ran into an open goal early in the third quarter to extend the margin to 10 points.
But Essendon refused to give in, and against all odds took a four-point lead into three-quarter-time on the back of goals to Brooke Walker and Daria Bannister.
Fremantle’s Amy Mulholland was forced off early in the final term after she landed on her neck and back while taking a courageous mark.
The Dockers, spurred on by their home fans, kicked the only two goals of the final quarter with the aid of the breeze to snatch the win.
– With AAP
