Star midfielder Madison Prespakis has suffered injury heartbreak as Essendon's finals hoodoo continued in a 10-point AFLW elimination final loss to Fremantle.
The Bombers entered Saturday's match in front of 4934 fans at Fremantle Oval under huge pressure to win the club's first final since 2004.
The absence of skipper Bonnie Toogood (ankle) and ruck Steph Wales (ACL) meant their challenge was a tough one, and it became even harder when Prespakis injured her hip while taking a regulation mark early in the second quarter.
Maddy Prespakis has come from the ground following this incident.— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) #AFLWFreoDons pic.twitter.com/yu86kq0zzvNovember 9, 2024
Prespakis struggled to walk as she made her way off the field.
She bravely returned later in the term, but lasted just 15 seconds before limping off for good.
Despite the loss of Prespakis, Essendon refused to give up and entered the final change with a shock four-point advantage.
Orlagh Lally kicked a goal on the run to give Fremantle back the lead early in the final term, and Gabby O'Sullivan nailed the sealer with less than four minutes remaining when she sliced through two opponents and finished the job from 50m.
Gabby O'Sullivan goes BANG 🙌— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) #AFLWFreoDons pic.twitter.com/3nk7FDOVASNovember 9, 2024
The 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26) win thrusts Fremantle into a knockout semi-final against the Crows in Adelaide next week, while Essendon's season is done.
Fremantle ruck Mim Strom feasted with 56 hitouts, 11 clearances, 26 possessions, 441m gained and a goal in a dominant display.
Essendon's makeshift ruck pair of Matilda Dyke (17 hitouts) and Sophie Alexander (four hitouts) were powerless to stop Strom.
Georgia Nanscawen (20 possessions, seven clearances) did her best to lift Essendon, but the absence of Prespakis proved too hard to overcome.
Fremantle suffered a late blow when star defender Ash Brazill was ruled out with the ankle injury she suffered several weeks ago.Â
It was all about efficiency in the first quarter for Essendon.
The inside-50 count read 7-2 in favour of Fremantle after nine minutes, but Essendon's two entries resulted in goals to Amber Clarke and Emily Gough.
The Prespakis injury proved to be the turning point.
Hayley Miller intercepted a wayward Essendon kick a minute later to kick Fremantle's first major.
Essendon's Daria Bannister kicked a third-quarter goal in the elimination final against Fremantle. (James Worsfold/AAP PHOTOS)
And when Strom monstered Alexander in the ruck to kick Fremantle's second in the dying moments of the first half, the Dockers had a three-point lead.
Strom had 30 hitouts and 14 disposals to her name at half-time, and things looked glum for the Bombers when Airlie Runnalls ran into an open goal early in the third quarter to extend the margin to 10 points.
But Essendon refused to give in, and against all odds took a four-point lead into three-quarter-time on the back of goals to Brooke Walker and Daria Bannister.
Fremantle's Amy Mulholland was forced off early in the final term after she landed on her neck and back while taking a courageous mark.
The Dockers, spurred on by their home fans, kicked the only two goals of the final quarter with the aid of the breeze to snatch the win.