GEELONG is a step closer to securing the club’s first premiership in women’s football after overcoming Essendon in the VFL preliminary final by 28 points at Windy Hill.
Scores were level at half-time at 2.2 (14) apiece. However, the Cats kicked two goals in both the third and last quarters, while at the same time keeping the Bombers goalless, to claim a 6.9 (45) to 2.5 (17) victory.
“It was only two goals apiece in the first half and (it was) quite contested,” coach Andrew Bruce told Bay 93.9’s The Sideline View.
“We probably weren’t moving the footy as well as we would have liked to.
“We changed a couple of things up at half-time, and we were able to get our style of play going, which was great.”
Geelong will now face unbeaten minor premier Collingwood in the grand final at Port Melbourne next Sunday afternoon.
“We’ve definitely turned our minds to Collingwood,” Bruce said.
“We’ve got ourselves into a grand final, and we want to win it.
“They hold zero fear for us. We know that we should have beaten them last time we played them, and we that know our best will get that done.
“We’re really confident going in.”
Georgia Clarke kicked three goals for Geelong but failed to see out the game due to back soreness.
However, Bruce expects her to take on the Magpies.
Geelong Falcons graduate Renee Tierney contributed two goals, while AFLW draftee Annabel Johnson kicked the other major.
Johnson, pre-draft AFLW signings Claudia Gunjaca and Olivia Fuller, and AFLW listed duo Becky Webster and Renee Garing were all important contributors for the Cats.
Georgie Prespakis, who joined Geelong with the second pick in Tuesday’s AFLW draft, kicked a goal and was named the Bombers’ best.
Twitter: @tom_king79
Geelong 1.2, 2.2, 4.4, 6.9 (45)
Essendon 1.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.5 (17)
Goals; Geelong: G. Clarke 3, R. Tierney 2, A. Johnson
Essendon: G. Prespakis, A. Barba
Best; Geelong: R. Webster, C. Gunjaca, A. Johnson, R. Garing, O. Fuller, G. Clarke
Essendon: G. Prespakis, G. Nanscawen, T. Gillard, A. Barba, T. Crook, E. Ashley-Cooper
