AFLW Finals, Week 1 - 2024 AFLW season

[Teen Wolf]

Broadcast details TBC.

Friday, 8 November

1st Qualifying Final
North Melb. (1st, 10-0-1) v Adelaide (4th, 8-3)
7.15pm AEDT, Ikon Park
7mate - VIC, SA, WA, NSW, QLD


Saturday, 9 November

1st Elimination Final
Fremantle (5th, 8-3) v Essendon (8th, 6-4-1)
7pm AEDT, Fremantle Oval
7mate - VIC, WA, SA, NSW, QLD


Sunday, 10 November

2nd Qualifying Final
Hawthorn (2nd, 10-1) v Brisbane (3rd, 9-2)
1.05pm AEDT, Ikon Park
Seven - VIC, SA, WA; 7mate - QLD, NSW

2nd Elimination Final
Port Adelaide (6th, 7-4) v Richmond (7th, 6-4-1)
3.05pm AEDT, Alberton Oval
Seven - VIC, SA, WA; 7mate - NSW, QLD


18 has become 8, and though the 18 teams didn't all play each other, three of these first week matchups are repeats from earlier in the season. Not that much earlier in the case of North and Adelaide, who faced off just two weeks ago (close NM win). Port and Richmond played a mid-week game back in Round 5 (comfortable Tigers win). Freo and Essendon met in Round 1 (convincing Dockers win).

By coincidence, the home and away teams in those three matchups have swapped around for their finals appointment. The Kangaroos and Crows are the only ones with a head-to-head finals history, with the former winning last year's prelim (also at Ikon Park) by 1 point.

As mentioned in a previous thread, Fremantle are set to play their first home final in front of a crowd. Meanwhile Hawthorn and Port Adelaide are set to play their first finals full stop, meaning all four of the 2022 entrants have qualified for finals before two of the 2020 entrants (St Kilda and West Coast).

Somewhat mimicking a thread of commentary during the men's finals, it is noticeable that each of the first four finals this year pit a Victorian team up against a non-Victorian team, which hasn't happened in AFLW before.

Weather is forecast to be mild and clear for the relevant cities on the relevant days. Recent crowd figures suggest Port Adelaide will get the biggest turn out (potentially a sell out), but whether Fremantle and Hawthorn get a significant bump in interest from supporters is a bit of an unknown.

 

[Air_Chester]

Round 1 loss to Fremantle still burns. Essendon were well on top and kept them scoreless into the second quarter - then Bonnie Toogood and Amber Clarke collided. Everything about the team structure went out the window and they played the last 2.5 quarters with two of their most important players down while Freo piled on 10 goals.

Firmly believe without the collision that Essendon could’ve won, but everything forward of centre just fell apart.

I’d have been confident of a win in this final if you’d asked me 10 days ago, but not so much now. Bonnie out again is a blow, but even more of an issue is Steph Wales out of the ruck with her ACL. Not a situation you want to be in coming up against Mim Strom who had 30 disposals, 30 hit outs and 400 metres gained on the weekend.

Head says Freo by 10 points, but from an Essendon point of view I’ll still go in very hopeful they can pull it off.

 

[Munga]

How many weeks for Davidson's sling tackle? A few there.
How many weeks for Davidson's swinging elbow to the head? Even more weeks there.