The Adelaide Crows remain in AFLW finals contention after a narrow win in their must-win clash with Fremantle.
The Crows hung on during a tight last quarter on Friday to triumph over the Dockers 6.4 (40) to 5.6 (36) in a home game at Darwin’s TIO Stadium.
Adelaide led for most of the first quarter and all of the second, before momentum swung in the third and the Dockers clawed back the margin to just one point by the three-quarter time break.
Star forward Erin Phillips played a major role in her side’s win after only playing half of last week’s game due to “quad awareness”.
Last season’s league best and fairest kicked two goals in the first quarter and a third in the last to seal Adelaide’s win, while defender Sarah Allan fended off a number of late Fremantle attacks.
Angela Foley, acting as captain for the night in front of her home crowd, proved crucial in swinging the momentum of the game after a quiet third quarter for the Crows.
But the sixth-placed Dockers proved stiff competition throughout the match, with Dana Hooker finishing on 20 disposals and kicking a goal late in the fourth to keep her side in contention.
The Crows move into second position on the ladder following their win, and will travel to Melbourne to take on Collingwood in the last round of the season next week, while Fremantle are at home to Carlton.