Hawthorn has survived a late scare from a plucky Collingwood outfit to prevail by nine points and keep its AFLW top-four hopes alive.
Goalless until the final quarter at Victoria Park, the Magpies slammed through three quick goals to reduce the deficit on the scoreboard to three points.
But the Hawks 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 was flying high after stripping Sydney of its undefeated status last week, but it now has a 2-4 win-loss record through six matches.
Hawthorn bounced back after a 21-point loss to Adelaide last round to snare its fifth win of the season.
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 match since recovering from an ACL injury she suffered in 2023 while at the Gold Coast Suns.
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.
Aine McDonagh led the Hawks attack with two goals, while midfielder Eliza West and defender Tilly Lucas-Rodd saw plenty of the ball.
The Magpies’ Ash Centra’s rise continued with a goal and 23 disposals, while teammate and captain Ruby Schleicher kicked her side’s opening goal.
McDonagh was initially denied first blood when the goal umpire ruled the Hawthorn forward’s check-side kick as a behind, but it was subsequently overturned and recorded as a major score.
A goal 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 could not 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.
Cats edge Power
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 loss to Geelong at Alberton Oval.
The Power were clinging to a one-point lead with less than eight minutes remaining 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.
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 the Power’s late chance at forcing a draw — a flying shot on goal from Justine Mules-Robinson with under 90 seconds remaining — being touched on the line.
The 6.9 (45) to 6.4 (40) win was Geelong’s third victory on the trot, evening its season ledger to 3-3.
The Cats got home against the Power for their third win of the season. (Getty Images: Mark Brake)
The Power, 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 injured 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.
The Power battled hard against the Cats, with Indy Tahua kicking two last-quarter goals to give her side a chance to nab victory.
Matilda Scholz (19 disposals, 22 hit-outs, one goal) was influential in the ruck.
For Geelong, star midfielder Georgie Prespakis (24 disposals, six clearances) and Bowen (25 disposals, nine tackles, one goal) were the leading ball winners.
AAP