The Western Bulldogs have produced a come-from-behind victory, beating St Kilda by a point in Ballarat to kill off the Saints’ AFLW finals hopes.
The Bulldogs trailed for most of the day, before pulling ahead to win 5.6 (36) to 5.5 (35).
St Kilda led by seven points at quarter time and eight points at the main break, but Deanna Berry lifted the home side with a brilliant snap from deep in the right forward pocket just before half-time to keep the Bulldogs in it.
The home side hit back with two goals to one in the third term to draw level at three-quarter time, before Jessica Fitzgerald’s goal two minutes into the final term put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time.
In a tight final quarter, St Kilda levelled things up with a major to Ashleigh Richards at the eight-minute mark. The Bulldogs edged ahead with a behind 90 seconds later, setting up a gripping final section of the game.
St Kilda had two opportunities to win the game late on, but Jesse Wardlaw sprayed a set shot across goal from 40m out from a free kick.
Then after a free was given against Elisabeth Georgostathis for insufficient intent in letting the ball go over the boundary, the Saints’ Tyanna Smith went for broke from a narrow angle in the right forward pocket, only to kick it out on the full.
The Bulldogs held on in the final seconds before the siren went to secure a win for the home side.
The Saints won the clearances and contested possessions, but committed nine more turnovers than the home side.
With one game left, St Kilda and the Bulldogs are a game and a half behind eighth-placed Essendon, so neither team can make the finals.
Blues pip the Pies at Victoria Park
At Victoria Park, Carlton held off their arch-rivals Collingwood by four points in another dramatic finish.
As befitting a team on the bottom of the ladder, Collingwood struggled in attack for most of the game, kicking just one goal in two and a half quarters.
Carlton led by five points after one quarter and nine points at half-time.
Keeley Sherar finished off the move of the match in the third term, when the Blues broke downfield and Sherar weaved through the Collingwood defence and kicked a great goal from 25m out to put her team up by 15.
the Magpies answered through Imogen Barnett but they still trailed by nine points at three-quarter time.
The final term started with some brutal contests leaving players lying on the ground. The Magpies needed the early goal and they got it through a snap from Mikala Cann to narrow the margin to three with 14 minutes left.
The momentum was with the home side and it hit the front with a brilliant snap from a narrow angle from Lauren Butler.
Collingwood was dominating territory in the final term, but the pressure levels rose from both sides as the minutes counted down.
The Blues got the goal they needed when they went inside 50, the ball was paddled out of the air to Dayna Finn, and the Mayowoman snapped truly as she was being tackled 30m out to give Carlton a three point lead. They hung on to win 5.2 (32) to 4.4 (28).
In the final game of the day, the Brisbane Lions all but guaranteed themselves a top four spot with a crushing 68-point win over the Sydney Swans at Springfield.
Bella Smith was the only goalscorer for Sydney, while Taylor Smith (three goals) and Isabel Dawes (two goals) led the way for the Lions in their 11.12 (78) to 1.4 (10) victory.