Port Adelaide has sent Erin Phillips into retirement in style with a 58-point win against GWS heralding the end of the AFLW great’s career.
An emotional Phillips was chaired from Alberton Oval after the Power’s 13.10 (88) to 4.6 (30) victory on Saturday.
The 38-year-old retires as the league’s most decorated player, with dual AFLW best-and-fairest and triple premiership player among her honours.
Phillips produced a couple of trademark moments and Ashleigh Saint booted five goals as the Power blew away the Giants for their second win of the season.
After Phillips led her team through a ceremonial banner, the Power booted five goals to none in a decisive opening-term tribute.
Gemma Houghton slotted two — a superb long-range snap followed by an accurate set shot — as the Power led 5.2 to 0.2 at quarter-time.
The second stanza was the Saint show. The full-forward booted three goals, including two in 90 seconds, as the Power streeted to a 47-point half-time advantage, 8.3 to 0.4.
Saint soon added her fourth goal early in the third term, before the Giants briefly rallied.
The visitors kicked three majors, two from Zarlie Goldsworthy and another from Isabel Huntington, to gain some traction.
But the Power’s star attacker Saint scored her fifth goal as the home side created a commanding eight-goal break at the final change.
The Power’s parochial crowd then cheered Phillips’s every move in the last quarter, roaring in delight when she converted a set shot for her final goal.
Phillips, also an Olympics basketball silver medallist, Commonwealth Games gold medallist and winner of two WNBA titles, gathered 16 disposals in her farewell.
Kangaroos dispense of Bulldogs
North Melbourne secured a coveted double-chance in the finals with a 46-point belting of wooden-spooner Western Bulldogs.
The finals-bound Kangaroos held the Bulldogs scoreless in the first half of their 7.13 (55) to 1.3 (9) victory at the Whitten Oval on Saturday.
Decorated duo Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell played starring roles as the Kangaroos took third spot on the ladder.
The Bulldogs finish their season last with just one win from 10 matches.
Five-time All Australian Garner collected 31 disposals and kicked two goals in a dominant display.
And Riddell was the architect of a first-half blitz, her 18 disposals to the main break logging 407 metres gained, almost double the next-best on the ground.
The Kangaroos’ club champion finished with 36 disposals and Emma Kearney (20 disposals) and Amy Smith (14, five tackles) were also influential.
Kangaroos star Garner was a constant roaming threat and joined Emma King, Kate Shierlaw, Ellie Gavalas, Tahlia Randall and Erika O’Shea as goal kickers.
The Bulldogs’ sole goal came from Britney Gutknecht’s opportunist left-foot snap early in the last quarter.
Despite the efforts of Ellie Blackburn (30 disposals), Elisabeth Georgostathis (23), Jess Fitzgerald (17) and Gabrielle Newton (18), the Bulldogs slipped to a ninth loss from 10 matches.
In stark contrast, the Kangaroos bounced back from two losses and enter the finals brimming with confidence.
Cats take down Hawks
A Georgie Prespakis masterclass propelled Geelong to a second consecutive finals appearance with a 40-point defeat of Hawthorn.
Having lost three of their past five matches, the Cats avoided slipping out of the top eight with a 9.6 (60) to 3.2 (20) victory in their maiden clash against the Hawks at Kardinia Park.
Geelong could place as high as fifth depending on other results across the round, while Hawthorn finishes its second season in 14th place.
Prespakis racked up a match-high 35 disposals, eight clearances and 18 contested possessions.
Geelong’s forward power was also on show, with the hosts boasting seven goal kickers in Darcy Moloney, Aishling Moloney, Chloe Scheer (two majors), Rebecca Webster, Jacqueline Parry, Kate Surman and Nina Morrison.
Emliy Bates (27 disposals, 18 contested possessions) was everywhere across the park for the Hawks, fighting valiantly to give a proper send-off to retirees Akec Makur Chuot, Catherine Brown and Tamara Luke.
AAP
Source: AFL NEWS ABC
