The Hawthorn VFLW team has made history, becoming the 2018 VFLW premiers after defeating the Geelong Cats by 13-points at Etihad Stadium.
It was a four-quarter effort against a strong Geelong side, as the Hawks held their lead at every break.
The Hawks were first to get on the board, with Vice Captain Tamara Luke kicking the opening goal.
Amid a fiery contest, Maddie Boyd received a free before kicking the Cats’ first goal to tighten the contest heading into the first break.
The Hawks continued their strong defensive pressure in the second term, keeping the Cats goalless for the quarter.
Emma Mackie was able to capitalise, taking a strong mark before playing on to boot the Hawks’ second.
Sarah Perkins’ Grand Final experience came to the fore in the third quarter, as she snapped a beautiful goal through traffic to extend her side’s lead.
On her way to being recognised for a ‘best on ground’ performance, Chantella Perera marshalled the back six and kept the opposition goalless for the second straight quarter.
The intensity elevated in the final term, as Kate Darby broke the Cats’ goal drought to narrow the margin to just seven points.
It was shaping to be another classic Hawks v Cats battle that would go down to the wire, with the Cats seemingly doing all the fourth quarter attacking.
But against the flow, Emily Gilder, on return after missing the first final, took a big grab inside 50 and converted her opportunity, sealing the score 4.6(30) 2.5(17)
The final siren sounded, evoking tears of joy and screams of jubilation from an emotional Hawthorn VFLW side.
The clash will go down in history as the first ever women’s football premiership won by the Hawthorn Football Club.
Hawthorn: 1.3 2.6 3.6 4.6(30)
Geelong: 1.1 1.1 1.5 2.5 (17)
BEST
Hawthorn: Perera, McWilliams, Hutchins, Beeson, Luke, Van Dyk
GOALS
Hawthorn: Luke, Mackie, Perkins, Gilder
Geelong: Boyd, Darby
