Blackburn stars as Dogs near AFLW finals

THE Western Bulldogs are on the verge of ending their AFLW finals drought after captain Ellie Blackburn led from the front in a hard-fought fifteen-point win over St Kilda.

Blackburn (24 disposals, six tackles) and in-form ruck Alice Edmonds (38 hit-outs, nine tackles) were outstanding as the Bulldogs overcame inaccuracy in front of goal to post a 4.11 (35) to 3.2 (20) victory in Ballarat on Sunday.

The result snapped the Dogs’ three-game losing streak as they bounced back from an embarrassing 64-point hiding from Melbourne.

It put Nathan Burke’s side a win and percentage clear of ninth-placed Gold Coast, with two home-and-away rounds left.

“The good thing is it’s in our hands,” Burke said.

“If we win two games, we get to play the week after. It’s as simple as that. If we drop some we shouldn’t, then it makes it tough.

“We’ve been in this position the last couple of years, and this is probably the game that we’ve dropped that’s put us behind the eight-ball and chasing to get in, so to win it today is really pleasing.”

One of two clubs who paved the way for the national women’s competition, along with Melbourne, the Bulldogs have only once played finals.

That was in 2018, under Burke’s predecessor Paul Groves, when they won the premiership through a one-off season decider, rather than a finals series.

Sunday’s result ended St Kilda’s slim finals hopes and there could be further pain in the fallout, with Nicola Xenos’ sling tackle on Kirsty Lamb certain to be reviewed.