It will go right down to the wire next weekend, with Williamstown's heart-stopping four-point win – its fifth straight win of the year – putting the Southern Saints at risk of missing out on a VFLW finals berth.
The Saints were a game clear on top of the ladder two weeks ago, but consecutive defeats mean they will almost certainly miss the finals if they can’t beat Box Hill Hawks on the road in Round 14.
In another game heavily affected by the wind, not a single point was scored to the Hampton end of the ground as the Seagulls took the upper hand with 2.4 in the opening quarter to build a lead that didn’t look like being caught until the dying stages.
They held the Saints to one goal in the second term and matched that in the third before the desperate home team rallied in the last, with a 13th-minute goal to Mel Bertuna setting up a nerve-wracking finish, but the Saints couldn’t find a winner.
Jasmine Kawa put in another massive effort since being switched into the ruck, with her 24 disposals being eight more than the next most prolific player on the ground. She also added seven marks, 26 hitouts, six clearances and seven tackles to be a clear best on ground.
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Megan Williamson (15 disposals, five clearances, seven tackles), Sharnie Whiting (14 disposals, six rebounds), Teagan Brett (two goals) and Sarah Thomas (10 tackles) were also prominent for the Seagulls.
Saint Alex Hynes was similarly huge in direct opposition to Kawa – how many players could lay 18 tackles in a game, let alone a ruck who also put up 28 hitouts?
Tessa Boyd (16 disposals, six tackles), Madi Capsalis (14 disposals, six clearances, five tackles) and Michelle Podnecky (14 disposals, six clearances) also played well for the home team.
SOUTHERN SAINTS 0.0 1.2 1.2 3.3 (21)
WILLIAMSTOWN 2.4 2.4 3.7 3.7 (35)
GOALS
Southern Saints: Laing, Kearns, Berturna
Williamstown: Brett 2, Cleland
BEST
Southern Saints: Hynes, Boyd, Kearns, Podnecky, Capsalis
Williamstown: Kawa, Williamson, Brett, Whiting, Thomas