AFL says viral Gaelic solo was illegal
UPDATED: The AFL confirmed to AAP that Cats forward Rachel Kearns’s viral double solo against the Western Bulldogs on Friday was illegal.
A solo is a Gaelic football skill which involves a player kicking the ball to themselves while running, and essentially replaces a bounce.
But the spokesperson said that solos don’t count as a bounce in the AFL and the Bulldogs should have been paid a free kick as Kearns’s blistering run exceeded the 15m threshold.
Gold Coast have also been slapped with a $10,000 suspended sanction.
Dekota Baron left their round 11 clash after copping a head knock, and the forward returned to the field although she hadn’t been given the green light from the AFL Review Centre (ARC) to come back.
A spokesperson for the Suns said the communication from the ARC was not immediately seen, and once they received the information, Baron was taken off.
AAP
Hawks lock in finals spot as season ends on sour note for Eagles
Hawthorn dominated the Eagles at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Saturday to win by 55 points and lock in a top-eight spot for the third straight season.
The Hawks’ 14.10 (94) to 6.3 (39) win means finals hopes are over for Fremantle and Adelaide before they play on Sunday and locks in all but positions for the finals contenders.
It was a record win for Hawthorn – their highest ever AFLW score and two five-goal quarters where the Eagles went goalless.
But it wasn’t just the scoreboard where there was bad news for the hosts.
A scary Saints fan
St Kilda have had a frightful AFLW season, but this fan took things to another level with this Halloween costume at RSEA Park during today’s season-ending game against Port Adelaide.
Full marks for the effort though – it’s as scary as you could find!
McKay takes Blues to win but key player injured ahead of finals
Carlton will be sweating on the fitness of star midfielder Claudia Whitfort, who was taken off in their 6.4 (40) to 5.5 (35) win against Brisbane Lions at Brighton Homes Arena on Saturday.
Sophie McKay’s goal with two minutes to play took the Blues to the win and they now face a nervous wait to see if they will be jumped by one of the sides behind them and lose the double-chance in the finals.
Whitfort was ruled out in the first half with a hamstring issue in what could potentially be a hammering for the Blues’ premiership hopes as she’s played a huge role in their finals push.
It soured their comeback victory, where Carlton (9-3) started slowly but scored five of the final six goals to move into fourth position on the ladder.
Roy Ward with AAP
Roos seal another AFLW minor premiership
Jasmine Garner has spearheaded North Melbourne to a third consecutive AFLW minor premiership in a rousing 68-point victory over Richmond.
Knowing a win would make the Kangaroos the first team to top the ladder three straight times, the captain sparkled in her team’s 15.11 (101) to 5.3 (33) thumping at Windy Hill on Saturday.
Her 28 disposals and one goal contribution firmed her position for the league’s best and fairest award, the star midfielder playing an integral role in helping North finish their campaign 11-1.
The Roos will certainly be the team to beat in the finals series as they’ve won their games by an average of 43.2 points and thrashed the second-placed Geelong by 73 points earlier in the year.
Tears, smiles as Power end season
Port Adelaide players were on a rollercoaster of emotions after their win over St Kilda on Saturday as they missed the finals but happily cheered off two retiring veterans at RSEA Park in Moorabbin.
The Power didn’t celebrate the result too wildly, as they needed a huge victory to put themselves in finals contention.
Although they are equal on points with the eighth-placed Hawthorn (24), they have a significantly lower percentage, meaning 2022 All Australian Kirsty Lamb and captain Justine Mules-Robinson won’t get to end their glittering careers with a finals appearance.
Some Power players were left in tears post game as they realised their finals hopes were dashed but some of the smiles returned when the two Power veterans were carried off the ground.
AFL says viral Gaelic solo was illegal
UPDATED: The AFL confirmed to AAP that Cats forward Rachel Kearns’s viral double solo against the Western Bulldogs on Friday was illegal.
A solo is a Gaelic football skill which involves a player kicking the ball to themselves while running, and essentially replaces a bounce.
But the spokesperson said that solos don’t count as a bounce in the AFL and the Bulldogs should have been paid a free kick as Kearns’s blistering run exceeded the 15m threshold.
Gold Coast have also been slapped with a $10,000 suspended sanction.
The AFLW ladder before this round
Ruthless Cats crush Bulldogs in finals statement
Geelong star Jacqueline Parry has kicked five goals on return from injury to help the Cats ruthlessly cut down the Western Bulldogs by 68 points and lock in a top-two AFLW finish.
The Cats were simply a class above the Bulldogs on Friday night, piling on seven straight goals across the first half en route to a 13.10 (88) to 3.2 (20) triumph at GMHBA Stadium.
Geelong (11-1) can finish no lower than second on the ladder, with defending premiers North Melbourne – who boast the better percentage – to take on lowly Richmond on Saturday.
Rejuvenated by flag-winning coach Mick Stinear’s arrival at the end of last year, the Cats will end their two-year absence from finals in red-hot form after extending their winning streak to 11 games.
Stars of the league call time
Former No.1 draft pick Isabel Huntington has retired from the AFLW at just 27.
The GWS star, All-Australian and former AFLW Rising Star told teammates during the week that the Giants’ game this weekend – the 61st of her career – would be her last.
Drafted by the Western Bulldogs with the top selection in 2017, her career has been defined by resilience through her luckless run with injury – including three ACL tears.
Huntington was elected to the AFLPA board in 2022, where she has been a key figure, including playing a role in the negotiations of the historic 2023-2027 AFLW collective bargaining agreement.
Through her playing and rehabilitation, Huntington has also graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science in Human Structure and Function.
The round 12 fixture
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
