AFLW 2025: Adelaide seal finals berth as Fremantle’s miraculous run falls short

Fremantle coach Lisa Webb says there’s “full belief” this group can earn a maiden AFLW flag in future despite the “absolute disappointment” of their miraculous march to finals collapsing at the final hurdle.

The Dockers were left anguished as Adelaide proved their bogey team yet again, ending their campaign for the second time in as many seasons with a 12-point loss at Norwood Oval.

However, the story last year was a 37-point semifinal thrashing, and Webb said while the loss hurt, she believed her side had proven they are at the level to compete with the league’s best.

“We had a really strong plan we wanted to execute against a really good team, who I think this time last year we were a fair way off,” she said post-match.

“We’ve certainly improved and put ourselves in a position to win the game, and absolute disappointment comes from that.

“I can’t fault the girl’s effort and intensity to want to win the contest. They’re a really terrific group to coach.

“We’ve had a changing team and their buy-in has been really good, but obviously we came here to win and we fell short of that.”

The Dockers needed multiple results to fall their way across the weekend just to be alive in the season’s final game.

But alive they were, and so tight was their battle with the three-time premiers, their place in the finals changed with every goal.

At one point, tied scores booted fellow WA club West Coast from the top eight, but their place was confirmed by Adelaide’s 4.5 (29) to 2.5 (17) triumph.

The low-scoring contest saw the tackle count through the roof and stars producing magical moments of individual brilliance.

Hayley Miller was a force up forward, while Mim Strom and Gabrielle Newton toiled hard around the ground to always keep Fremantle in the contest.

But it came down to one mark in the end, Anne Hatchard sealing the Crows’ finals berth with a match-winning clunk and goal in her 100th game.

“We’re on the right track,” Webb said.

“I’ve probably never had more belief in this group; they’re tireless in their want to get better, they’re fearless, and they’re as disappointed as I am, of course, and we’re determined to get better together.

“We’ll be right back up there next year.”

The Crows grabbed the opener against the flow, but a 50-metre penalty at the other end finally saw the Dockers by-pass Adelaide’s immovable half-backs, former skipper Hayley Miller banging the ball home from the square.

Kiara Bowers continued her tagging duties of recent weeks, sticking to Ebony Marinoff like glue, with Adelaide losing anytime their star on-baller has collected less than 30 disposals this season.

Fremantle’s 14 extra inside 50s equated to just a one-point advantage at the first break, and it hurt all the more as the Crows grabbed the lead with a goal minutes into the second term.

The Dockers’ attempts to go forward went from deliberate lowering of the eyes to kicks in hope as the home team asserted their influence over the contest.

Fortunately, Adelaide’s attempts to penetrate the forward 50 were just as lacking in direction.

Mim Strom was a towering presence in defence, showing off her work rate to repeatedly get to the last line as her sister, Indi, joined her.

After two goals against the Tigers last week, rookie Georgie Brisbane went all but unsighted at Norwood Oval, but Miller proved a marking target in her absence.

Aisling McCarthy racked up the touches in midfield after a career-best 32 last week, and Fremantle finally started to hit the mark going forward.

But they couldn’t capitalise, Miller and McCarthy missing set shots.

The Irishwoman was less wasteful on the run, handing the lead back to the visitors with Fremantle’s first goal since the first quarter with eight minutes left in the third.

All of the Dockers’ hard work came undone just before the last break as Grace Kelly pounced for her second major.

Caitlin Gould could have landed a giant blow from the next clearance, but her set shot thudded into the post.

No one could grab the upper hand as the minutes ticked down to single figures, despite Fremantle having six inside 50s to none.

And it came back to bite the Dockers badly as 100-gamer Hatchard took a huge clunk at the other end and converted a simple set shot to kick the lead out to a game-high 11 points.

Newton lifted while Strom found herself pushing forward as the Dockers’ desperation rose, but it wasn’t enough.

SCOREBOARD

ADELAIDE 1.1, 2.2, 3.4, 4.5 (29)

FREMANTLE 1.2, 1.2, 2.5, 2.5 (17)

Goals – ADELAIDE: G Kelly 2 C Gould A Hatchard. FREMANTLE: H Miller A McCarthy.

Best – ADELAIDE: E Marinoff S Allan S Goodwin G Kelly. FREMANTLE: G Newton H Miller M Strom A McCarthy.

Injuries – ADELAIDE: Nil. FREMANTLE: Nil.

Crowd: TBC at Norwood Oval.