Conti on another level as Tigers win thriller on historic nightMonique Conti has delivered a monster performance as Richmond came from behind to end Hawthorn’s finals chances and keep its own alive in the first AFLW game in Cairns.
Max Hatzoglou
HeraldSun
21 October 2023A three-goal final quarter has crushed Richmond’s three-game losing streak and kept its finals hopes alive following a thrilling 11-point win over Hawthorn in Cairns.
The Tigers looked gone for all money when Hawks forward Brodie Hipwell put through a thrilling end-to-end goal to extend her side’s lead to eight points with five minutes left in the third.
But the Tigers found a way back through Courtney Jones, round seven rising star nominee Emelia Yassir and Caitlin Greiser in her first game back from injury.
The trio all kicked goals to power the Tigers to their fourth win of the season, keeping hopes of a second consecutive finals appearance alive with a 6.5 (41) to 4.6 (30) win.
In the first AFLW game ever in Cairns, the Tigers only best-and-fairest winner in their four-season history, Monique Conti, was enormous with 35 touches, nine marks, seven clearances and seven tackles.
The 23-year-old now leads the competition for clearances, following the top-notch win where she also became the first Tiger to pick up 1000 disposals.
Meanwhile, the loss for the Hawks in humid conditions in Queensland ends their chances of making finals in 2023.
Milestone pair shine earlyBoth AFLW 50-gamers got off to flying starts in Cairns registering goals in the opening quarter of the Indigenous Round encounter.
Tigers midfielder-forward Katie Brennan was the first to fire with back-to-back majors in the opening quarter after the Hawks scored the first of the game.
Following a classy snap-goal, the 31-year-old kicked a 40m long bomb on a difficult angle to put the Tigers seven points in front.
Then Hawks forward Greta Bodey took a strong mark inside 50 before making a tough set-shot to cut the margin to a point before quarter-time.
The pair both share a relation to Queensland with Brennan having grown up in the state where she also represented Brisbane in AFLW and Bodey who played her first game of footy for Cairns Saints.
Hawks miss chanceThe Hawks would have been disappointed with a one-point lead at halftime after dominating the second quarter.
The first 10 minutes of the second term saw the Hawks gain the first seven inside 50s and almost 100 per cent of the ball in their front half, but they just managed two behinds.
Irish-born Hawks footballer Ellen Gilroy was even kicking the ball to herself Gaelic football style.
Then the Tigers found a way back in the contest with the next three inside 50s as tensions flared after Laura McClelland received a free kick for a push in the back.
The forward was ultimately sent to the goal line after a 50m penalty eventuated from the push and shove when Sarah Hosking was bumped to the ground.
The Hawks got some reward with a goal late, via a Hipwell long kick to open the field, giving Tahlia Fellows a simple run in goal and Hawthorn the advantage at the main break.
ScoreboardHawthorn 2.0 3.2 4.5 4.6 (30)
Richmond 2.1 3.1 3.2 6.5 (41)
HATZOGLOU’S BEST – Hawks: Bates, Fleming, Ashmore, Lucas-Rodd, Richardson. Tigers: Conti, Egan, Dempsey, Brennan, Hosking, Yassir.
GOALS – Hawks: McDonagh, Hipwell, Fellows, Bodey. Tigers: Brennan 2, Yassir, Greiser, Jones, McClelland.
INJURIES – Hawks: Nil. Tigers: Nil.
UMPIRES – Coyne, Pearson, Talbot.
VENUE – Cazalys Stadium Cairns
https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/aflw-2023-all-the-news-and-results-from-round-8/news-story/c5b1391bf5918809c02d9c8cb9aab7a3
