AFLW superstar Chloe Molloy has once again lifted Sydney to victory, with the Swans defeating the Western Bulldogs by 29 points in an elimination final.
League-leading goalkicker Molloy pulled off a surprise cameo down back to help the Swans claim a 7.4 (46) to 2.5 (17) win at a wet and windy Henson Park on Sunday.
Sydney will next play Geelong in an away semi-final. The Bulldogs’ season is over.
Molloy’s leadership in a wet-weather scrap proved the difference for the Swans, with the former Swans co-skipper finishing with one goal, 12 intercepts, and 14 contested possessions.
Tanya Kennedy was just as crucial for the Swans, locking down Bulldogs co-captain and gun midfielder Isabelle Pritchard.
Pritchard, on return from a knee injury, was kept to just 14 disposals and three clearances as Kennedy laid 17 tackles.
Fellow Bulldogs midfielder Ellie Blackburn, also 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.
The Bulldogs could only manage one point with the breeze in the second, 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.
AAP
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