Ruby Svarc has dazzled with a career-best haul as the Brisbane Lions hit top gear to trounce Carlton and set up a third-straight AFLW grand-final clash with North Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Svarc, who had just 17 goals in her previous 55 games, slotted four to power a third-quarter blitz in Saturday night’s 10.7 (67) to 5.2 (32) victory in front of 6,511 fans in Brisbane.<\/p>\n
The hosts kicked five goals in 11 minutes to break the contest open after half-time, with Dakota Davidson adding a highlight reel effort from the pocket in a thrilling six-goal third term.<\/p>\n
“They were awesome \u2026 haven’t had many six-goal quarters in our history and it was on the back of the dam wall bursting \u2026 it was a matter of time,” Lions coach Craig Starcevich said.<\/p>\n
He said you could have “named your odds” of Svarc kicking four goals in a preliminary final when she arrived at the club as a rough, athletic diamond.<\/p>\n
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“No [I didn’t expect it] is the short answer, although that’s a bit harsh on Ruby because she’s one of the hardest workers,” he said.<\/p>\n
“She’s slowly, slowly got better and better \u2026 that was amazing.”<\/p>\n
Brisbane’s ninth-straight win, after a week of spicy back-and-forth banter between the sides, reversed the result of their round-three meeting.<\/p>\n
It will be the two-time premiers’ fourth-straight grand final appearance and seventh in 10 seasons.<\/p>\n
And it ensured the Lions and Kangaroos, on a 26-game unbeaten run, will meet again in a third-straight decider next Saturday after the defending champions survived a scare to beat Melbourne by 10 points.<\/p>\n
“They’ve got their amazing run and we’re also on a bit of a run,” Starcevich said.<\/p>\n
“I’m looking forward to it because the type of footy we’ve been playing can challenge anyone.”<\/p>\n
The Lions hammered away in the first quarter but were sloppy and had little to show for their 12 inside-50 entries in a goalless term.<\/p>\n
The hosts remained frantic in the second term and it was Svarc, who had never kicked more than two goals in a game, who settled to take the spoils.<\/p>\n
First she scooped up a loose ball, raced clear of the contest and, after giving and receiving a handball, kicked a goal on the run.<\/p>\n