Magpies still aim for AFLW grand final

Melbourne's upset two-point win over Adelaide means four teams can still meet Brisbane in the AFLW grand final.

Collingwood have a glimmer of AFLW hope and finally have Hope in form.

Sunday's resounding 36-point win over the Giants at Olympic Park was their third-straight victory.

They kicked 7.13 (55) - the highest AFLW score - to 3.1 (19) and marquee Magpies forward Mo Hope kicked 2.4 in her best performance of the inaugural season.

With one round left, it leaves Collingwood with a mathematical chance to play top side Brisbane in the grand final.

The first women's season will not feature a finals series - only a grand final.

Collingwood coach Wayne Siekman said Melbourne's upset two-point win on Saturday over second-placed Adelaide had saved the AFL a "dead-rubber" final round.

Had the Crows won, they would have confirmed their grand-final spot.

But third-placed Melbourne, Carlton and fifth-placed Collingwood all will go into next weekend's matches as live chances.

The Lions are unbeaten, two games clear at the top of the ladder, and will host the grand final.

"If Adelaide had won last night, I would have said it's pretty boring, the last round - there's going to be nothing to play for," Siekman said.

"But now ... you still have potentially four teams who can make it.

"The AFL is lucky it's worked out that way."

Melbourne host Fremantle on Saturday at Casey Fields and that is the key game for the Magpies.

If the Dockers can upset Melbourne, then Collingwood go into their Sunday home game against Adelaide knowing they are a shot.

Adelaide dwarf Collingwood in percentage - 152 to 92.7 - but Siekman promises his players will not die wondering.

"If Freo do beat Melbourne, we're not here to run third - we might as well run fifth," he said.

"We'll just be going with that intent, to put the pressure on them, cause them to have turnovers and, hopefully, we hit them on the turnover."

The other key match will be Carlton's home fixture on Sunday against the Lions, while the Giants-Western Bulldogs clash on Saturday in Canberra will be a dead rubber.

The Dockers had their first win on Friday night, upsetting Carlton at home by 16 points.

Brisbane confirmed top spot on Saturday with a seven-point home win over the Bulldogs, who are on the bottom of the ladder by half a game.

Sunday was the first time Collingwood had played at their Olympic Park home ground, with two previous matches moved to Ikon Park as the AFL maximised publicity for the new league.

Siekman said his team clearly benefited from playing at home and had mixed feelings about the venue changes.

"Certainly, we want to play here ... there's no advantage to us as a football team (playing at Ikon Park)," he said.

"But the AFL is doing a great job and it's about publicity - it's about creating the interest.

"These girls in five years want to be full-time, so we'll do anything the AFL wants us to do."


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Source: AAP



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