Port Adelaide defender Amelie Borg was left in disbelief after being penalised for rushing a behind at a crucial late stage of her team’s five-point AFLW loss to Geelong at Alberton Oval.
The Power were clinging to a one-point lead with less than eight minutes remaining in Saturday’s match when Borg — scrambling on hands and knees while trying to collect the bouncing ball in the goal square — was adjudicated to have deliberately rushed the behind.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Controversial decision swings AFLW result
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Borg and her teammates were left stunned by the controversial decision, with Geelong speedster Mikayla Bowen kicking the goal from point-blank range to give the Cats a five-point lead.
It proved the last goal of the match, with Port’s late chance at forcing a draw — a flying shot on goal from Justine Mules-Robinson with less than 90 seconds remaining — being touched on the line.
Channel 7 commentator Kate McCarthy called the decision one of the worst she had ever seen.
“Never even took possession and wasn’t even a professional fumble…” McCarthy added in another tweet.
The 6.9 (45) to 6.4 (40) win was Geelong’s third victory on the trot, evening their season ledger to 3-3.
Port, who upset Melbourne last week, are now 2-4 and face a huge battle to make the finals.
In further heartbreak for the Power, the future of former captain Janelle Cuthbertson is in doubt after scans confirmed she had torn the ACL in her left knee for a second time.
The 35-year-old tore her ACL in round two last year, and she was on the brink of making her long-awaited return before suffering a repeat tear at training on Thursday night.
Cuthbertson is out of contract at the end of the season, and whether she will have the chance to play again at AFLW level hangs in the balance.
“It’s heartbreaking news for Janelle and the whole football club,” Port’s head of AFLW Shane Grimm said.
Port battled hard in Saturday’s match, with Indy Tahua kicking two last-quarter goals to give her side a chance to nab victory, while Matilda Scholz (19 disposals, 22 hitouts, one goal) was huge in the ruck.
For Geelong, star midfielder Georgie Prespakis (24 disposals, six clearances, 568m gained) and Bowen (25 disposals, nine tackles, one goal) were the leading ball winners.
“It’s certainly nice to get a few (wins) on the board, particularly away against Port,” Prespakis told Fox Footy.
Prespakis ran riot in the first quarter with eight disposals, three clearances and 247m gained as Geelong went into the first break up 10-0.
Port made the most of the wind in a rainy second quarter, winning the clearances 9-3 on the way to kicking four goals to two to take a one-point lead into half time.
Power debutant Lauren Young, who endured two ACL tears on the way to realising her AFLW dream, showcased her potential with two important marks late in the second quarter.
Geelong’s Emma Kilpatrick suffered a concussion soon before half-time after sitting under a hospital handball and being crunched in a tackle by Port’s Ebony O’Dea.
Nina Morrison kicked the only goal of the third quarter when she ripped the ball from her opponent’s hand before kicking truly from 30m, giving Geelong a five-point edge at the final change.
Geelong’s Julia Crockett-Grills suffered a hamstring injury early in a final quarter featuring four lead changes, with the free kick against Borg proving the critical moment.
Hawks hold on against Pies
Hawthorn have survived a late scare from a plucky Collingwood outfit to prevail by nine points and keep their AFLW top-four hopes alive.
Goalless until the final quarter at Victoria Park, the Magpies slammed through three quick goals to reduce the deficit to three points.
But Hawthorn had the final say with a Jess Vukic goal steadying the visitors for a 5.9 (39) to 3.12 (30) win on Saturday.
Collingwood were flying high after stripping Sydney of their undefeated status last week, but now languish after suffering their fourth loss from six rounds.
Hawthorn bounced back after a 21-point loss to Adelaide last round to snare their fifth win.
A serious knee injury to Kalinda Howarth only added to Collingwood’s woes.
The gun forward was in agony and clutched her right knee immediately after being tackled by Hawthorn’s Laura Stone in the first quarter.
Howarth was playing in her sixth game since recovering from an ACL injury she suffered in 2023 while playing for Gold Coast.
Magpies coach Sam Wright could only confirm Howarth was substituted out at quarter-time, with the club to await scans.
Hawthorn will also sweat on the fitness of forward Bridie Hipwell, who had to be stretchered off in the third quarter with a lower left-leg injury.
Hipwell had appeared to clash legs with Ash Centra as her Magpies opponent tried to pass the ball off.
Aine McDonagh led the Hawks attack with two goals, while midfielder Eliza West and defender Tilly Lucas-Rodd saw plenty of the ball.
Last year’s No.1 draft pick Centra’s (23 touches, one goal) rise continued, while captain Ruby Schleicher kicked Collingwood’s first goal.
McDonagh was initially denied first blood when the goal umpire ruled the Hawthorn forward’s checkside kick as a behind, but score assist overturned the point as a goal.
A major from Greta Bodey built the Hawks’ lead to 14 points, while the hosts could only manage two points at quarter-time.
Collingwood burst from the blocks after the break to take five forward entries to none.
But the Magpies couldn’t find scoreboard reward before McDonagh kicked the only major of the second term after burning off defender Lauren Butler towards an open goal.
After a goalless third quarter from both sides, Keely Coyne hit the scoreboard for Hawthorn before Schleicher broke through and sparked a Collingwood challenge.
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