Sydney have booked an AFLW semi-final date with Geelong after dismantling the Western Bulldogs wild, wet and windy conditions.
The Swans kicked four goals to none with a strong breeze in the first quarter and never let the Dogs back into the contest, eventually running out 7.4 (46) to 2.4 (16) winners at Henson Park on Sunday.
Tanya Kennedy laid a whopping 17 tackles to go with a goal and 16 disposals in a brilliant tagging role on Bulldogs superstar Isabelle Pritchard, who was kept to just 14 touches and had limited impact on return from a knee injury.
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Kennedy may have been Sydney’s best player if not for Chloe Molloy, who was instrumental at both ends of the ground, kicking an important third-quarter goal and gathering most of her 12 intercept possessions from the back half.
Molloy said it was an enormous moment for the club after a tumultuous few months.
“This club has been through so much adversity this year,” she told Channel 7 after the game.
“Sadly I just watched a whole bunch of our rehab girls walk across. We lost so many players throughout this and for to us get here.
“And to put on that display of footy, it was windy, it was wet, and just the way our girls know how to play their roles.
“We trust the system that works for us, and just feels like it’s a good repayment to the fans and members that have stuck with us through the whole program had. It’s grouse.
“You look at the girls’ faces and how much it means to them. I’m just super proud.”
Bulldogs midfielder Ellie Blackburn, returning after being rested in last week’s loss to the Cats, led the visitors with 29 touches and a goal.
Swans captain Lucy McEvoy needed just 20 seconds to score the opener with a long bomb from outside the 50-metre arc thanks to the strong breeze.
A rushed behind gave the Bulldogs their sole score of the first quarter, as the hosts made the most of conditions to fire off their four unanswered goals and build a 24-point lead.
It was the Bulldogs’ turn to use the breeze in the second quarter and Blackburn did just that by finally nailing the visitors’ first goal in the opening minute.
Sydney were held scoreless, but the Bulldogs could only manage one more point for the quarter, with Molloy helping limit the damage with five contested possessions and four intercepts as a defender.
Molloy’s stint in defence forced Bulldogs coach Tam Hyett to bring defender Vaomua Laloifi into the forward line, and the pair’s battle continued well into the second half.
Sunday’s final turned into a slog after torrential rain came in the third quarter, with the Swans doing just enough to maintain a 25-point lead en route to victory in front of 4,325 dedicated fans.
With AAP
