Star midfielder Madison Prespakis has suffered injury heartbreak as Essendon's finals hoodoo continued in a 10-point AFLW elimination final loss to Fremantle.
The Bombers entered Saturday's match in front of 4934 fans at Fremantle Oval under huge pressure to win the club's first final since 2004.
The absence of skipper Bonnie Toogood (ankle) and ruck Steph Wales (ACL) meant their challenge was a tough one, and it became even harder when Prespakis injured her hip while taking a regulation mark early in the second quarter.
Maddy Prespakis has come from the ground following this incident.#AFLWFreoDons pic.twitter.com/yu86kq0zzv
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 9, 2024
Prespakis struggled to walk as she made her way off the field.
She bravely returned later in the term, but lasted just 15 seconds before limping off for good.
Despite the loss of Prespakis, Essendon refused to give up and entered the final change with a shock four-point advantage.
Orlagh Lally kicked a goal on the run to give Fremantle back the lead early in the final term, and Gabby O'Sullivan nailed the sealer with less than four minutes remaining when she sliced through two opponents and finished the job from 50m.
Gabby O'Sullivan goes BANG 🙌#AFLWFreoDons pic.twitter.com/3nk7FDOVAS
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 9, 2024
The 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26) win thrusts Fremantle into a knockout semi-final against the Crows in Adelaide next week, while Essendon's season is done.
"I'm so proud. They never stop amazing me," Fremantle coach Lisa Webb said.
"They're an incredible bunch. I know I say it all the time, but once again, they just continue to show up. I just love this group.
"I was really composed with my messaging to the playing group at three-quarter time.
"I thought it was really important that we just made better decisions with ball in hand.
"I thought especially early on, we were just a bit panicky and a bit chaotic at times."
Fremantle ruck Mim Strom feasted with an AFLW-record 56 hitouts to go with 11 clearances, 26 possessions, 441m gained and a goal in a dominant display.
Essendon's makeshift ruck pair of Matilda Dyke (17 hitouts) and Sophie Alexander (four hitouts) were powerless to stop Strom.
Georgia Nanscawen (20 possessions, seven clearances) did her best to lift Essendon, but the absence of Prespakis proved too hard to overcome.
"She's in a fair bit of pain," Essendon coach Natalie Wood said of Prespakis.
"She's a real competitor. We tried to get her moving, but trying to get any range of motion through a flexion, any power, just meant she couldn't really run. It's a big part of her game."
Fremantle suffered a late blow when star defender Ash Brazill was ruled out with the ankle injury she suffered several weeks ago.
It was all about efficiency in the first quarter for Essendon.
The inside-50 count read 7-2 in favour of Fremantle after nine minutes, but Essendon's two entries resulted in goals to Amber Clarke and Emily Gough.
The Prespakis injury proved to be somewhat of a turning point.
Hayley Miller intercepted a wayward Essendon kick a minute later to kick Fremantle's first major.
And when Strom monstered Alexander in the ruck to kick Fremantle's second in the dying moments of the first half, the Dockers had a three-point lead.
Strom had 30 hitouts and 14 disposals to her name at half-time, and things looked glum for the Bombers when Airlie Runnalls ran into an open goal early in the third quarter to extend the margin to 10 points.
But Essendon refused to give in, and against all odds took a four-point lead into three-quarter-time on the back of goals to Brooke Walker and Daria Bannister before Fremantle charged home in the final term.
Star Dockers midfielder Gabby Newton finished with 20 tackles to go with her 21 disposals.
