West Coast Eagles Secure Historic AFLW Finals Spot
Daisy Pearce's West Coast Eagles have qualified for the AFLW finals for the first time after the Sydney Swans suffered a surprising three-point defeat to Essendon at Coffs Harbour.
Shock Loss Ends Sydney Swans' Finals Hopes
The Swans only needed a win against an injury-hit Essendon side to guarantee their place in the finals. Despite being strong favorites, they lost narrowly in a tight contest that ended 2.2 (14) to 1.5 (11) in favor of Essendon.
Essendon, struggling with eight consecutive losses before this match, took an early lead of 14-2 in the final quarter. Sophie Alexander then scored a goal, increasing their advantage.
With four minutes left, Zippy Fish scored Sydney’s first goal, narrowing the margin to three points and creating a tense finale. The Swans continued pushing for a winning goal, but Essendon held on.
Other AFLW Match Results
- The Power defeated the Giants decisively, 11.15 (81) to 3.6 (24).
- The Demons beat the Cats 9.5 (59) to 6.9 (45), ending Geelong’s hopes for a win before three veterans retired.
- The bottom-placed Suns upset the Tigers with a 5.9 (39) to 3.7 (25) victory.
"The Bombers led 14-2 early in the final quarter when Sophie Alexander tumbled through a goal. The Swans cut the margin back to three points with four minutes remaining when Zippy Fish registered their first goal of the match, setting up a grandstand finish."
Impact on West Coast Eagles
West Coast’s finals qualification was secured due to Essendon’s unexpected win, despite the Eagles’ own loss to Carlton on Friday night. This marks a milestone achievement for the team under Daisy Pearce’s leadership.
Author's summary: West Coast Eagles have made their first AFLW finals after an unexpected Essendon victory over the Sydney Swans denied the latter a spot. Essendon’s grit topped a tight final-quarter battle.