SWFL women’s: Bunbury one win away from grand final after smashing Busselton by 70 points in qualifying final

Bunbury are just one win away from another South West Football League women’s grand final after a 70-point qualifying final win over Busselton at Kelly Park on Friday night. The two teams came into a rematch of the 2023 season decider after finishing the regular season separated only by percentage in second and third spot on the ladder but the reigning premiers provided evidence of a sizeable gap between the pair in an 11.6 (72) to 0.2 (2) victory. In a serious show of strength, the Bulldogs recorded both the biggest score and margin of victory in SWFL women’s finals history, passing the first test in their quest for a record-setting fourth premiership with flying colours. Every player performed well for the winners but their stars were particularly brilliant again — dynamic forwards Daisy Rigby and Poppy Stockwell slotted four goals apiece, while Kloe Bassett and Ebony Bilcich were were unstoppable through the middle. Bunbury will now head for a semifinal clash with Harvey Bulls brimming with confidence, having won the most recent clash between the pair by 91 points and safe in the knowledge their season will continue regardless of the result. Meanwhile, the Magpies’ double chance has evaporated, leaving them to face an in-form South Bunbury as their next challenge in the first of three clashes they will need to win to claim their second women’s premiership. Neither team’s season would end if they lost on the night but the physicality of the contest was still intense early, with both sides laying some huge early tackles. Busselton were holding their own around the ball but the Bulldogs looked dangerous when the game transitioned into space, with their only goal of the first term — coming from Rigby finishing off an end-to-end move — proving the perfect example of their threat. But the Magpies did enough to suggest they were up for the fight, with their endeavour typified by a brilliant pair of efforts from star Katie-Jayne Grieve where she twice pinned Bassett in vice-like tackles. The Bulldogs broke the game open in a second-term blitz when they came up with three goals and held the Magpies to just a solitary point, boosting their advantage at the main break out to 27 points. Busselton won the first clearance of the second term to suggest they had not given up but their heads began to drop as another three goals for the Bulldogs saw the gap at the final interval balloon out beyond seven goals. With the game all but decided, Rigby and Stockwell franked their great nights with brilliant majors in a four-goal to none final term where the Bulldogs rammed home their advantage.