Melbourne are one step away from a breakthrough AFLW flag after hanging on for a gritty 17-point win over North Melbourne.
Lily Mithen and Tyla Hanks starred because the Demons weathered a third-quarter storm in a 5.3 (33) to 2.4 (16) victory in Saturday’s preliminary final at Ikon Park.
Mick Stinear’s aspect will meet Brisbane within the grand final at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday week.
After shedding the decider away to Adelaide final season, the Demons will once more journey interstate in pursuit of silverware.
Mithen (16 disposals, one objective) was in every single place in Melbourne’s eighth consecutive win, with Hanks (20 disposals, 12 tackles) and veteran Karen Paxman (19 disposals, seven tackles) additionally influential in a good contest.
Neither aspect led by greater than two objectives till Demons captain Daisy Pearce introduced the gang to its ft with an excellent piece of play to kick the sealer within the dying phases.
Star ahead Tayla Harris battled on regardless of hurting her left shoulder throughout a third-quarter ruck contest and will probably be an in depth watch in grand final week.
Ash Riddell (17 disposals), Jasmine Garner (25) and captain Emma Kearney (17) had been among the many finest for North Melbourne.
Riddell grew to become the quickest participant in AFLW historical past to register 1000 profession disposals, reaching the mark in simply 43 video games.
But the report was of little comfort because the Kangaroos had been left ruing a wasteful third quarter.
They dominated territory for the time period – having fun with an 18-2 benefit in ahead entries – and saved Melbourne scoreless.
But they didn’t money in, registering simply two behinds of their very own to trim the margin to a few factors on the final change.
Melbourne acquired the essential first objective of the final quarter by Kate Hore, who had been quiet to that time.
Demons skipper Daisy Pearce then put the match to mattress with an excellent snap round her physique with lower than three minutes on the clock.
© AAP
