Phillips stars as Crows win AFL Women's GF

World championship-winning basketballer Erin Phillips has starred in Adelaide's inaugural AFL Women's grand final win over Brisbane.

Adelaide Crows Captain Chelsea Randall and co-Captain Erin Phillips

Erin Phillips delivered a best-on-ground display to lead the Crows to the AFL Women's premiership. (AAP)

As good as Olympic gold? Erin Phillips is yet to sample that glory but guiding Adelaide to the AFL Women's inaugural premiership is not far off, she reckons.

Phillips - the basketball star who has lit up the first season of the AFL Women's competition - was the Crows' on-field inspiration as they defeated Brisbane by six points in Saturday's decider.

The 31-year-old had a game-high 28 disposals, made seven tackles and scored two crucial third-quarter goals as the Crows held off a fast-finishing Brisbane to claim a 4.11 (35) to 4.5 (29) win in front of 15,610 fans at Metricon Stadium.

For someone who has won an Olympic Games silver medal, a basketball world championship and two WNBA titles, Saturday's success on a footy field was something she still held so dear after a lifetime obsessed with football.

"It's definitely really special, right up there," she said.

"Just the love and support from the community, from South Australia, Northern Territory and the football club - it's just amazing. I've never been a part of something so big."

Saturday's win also means Phillips joins her father Greg as a premiership winner - something she never felt sure would happen.

Although she admits the eight-time SANFL winner with Port Adelaide still holds bragging rights.

"He hasn't reminded me yet but I'm sure he will say 'seven to go'," Phillips said.

The Crows' win over the previously undefeated Lions should really have been more comfortable.

They opened the scoring before the Lions had even touched the ball and Brisbane young gun Tayla Harris didn't even have a touch of the footy in the first half, such was the dominance Crows co-captain Chelsea Randall held in that one-on-one battle.

But the Lions were gutsy, never going away in their effort to finish the season without a loss.

That effort was never better epitomised than by Kate Lutkins' desperate run and dive to tackle Adelaide's Rachael Killian when the Crow was headed for goal midway through the second term.

When Lions' ruck Sabrina Frederick-Traub kicked a goal in the third term, the margin was down to a single score and the Lions were ready to pounce.

"We were in the biggest fight of our lives with Brisbane," Crows coach Bec Goddard said.

"They're an amazing opponent and we knew that was going to happen.

"Their defence was unbelievable. For our defenders to be able to stand up on the counter attack, win the ball and force it back down was incredible."

Almost inevitably, when the chips were down, it was Phillips who delivered.

Her second third-quarter goal restored a two-goal margin going into the final change and ensured the Crows could hold on for their historic victory.

Lions coach Craig Starcevich praised his team's gutsy effort but admitted they were second-best all day.

"We were under the pump, pretty much the whole day," Starcevich said.

"There were little passages there that we looked dangerous, probably bits of the last quarter there we started to look like we could score and the opposition were trying to defend their lead, but in all honesty it would have been an absolute steal if we had have levelled up."


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Source: AAP



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