SWFLW 2023: Friday night lights at Kelly Park for opening week of SWFL women’s finals series

The opening week of SWFL finals matches will be held under lights on Friday night at Kelly Park, with four of the top five sides in action. Busselton have a bye this week, due to having won the minor premiership. They will play the winner of the qualifying final next week, with the victor advancing directly into the grand final on September 24. Justin Fris takes a look at how both matches could play out: Qualifying final: Harvey Bulls (2nd) v Bunbury (3rd), 6pm at Kelly Park Heading into the finals, Stephen Bilcich’s Bulldogs have won six games in a row, with their last defeat against the Bulls during women’s round on July 8.. Aside from gaining a fleet of homegrown WAFLW players, Bunbury’s younger players have found a real rhythm, and appear to relish Bilcich’s communication style with them. Up forward, the return of Daisy Rigby — who has kicked 35 goals from nine games this season — has added extra polish, while Nakia Jilley, Melinda Bobby and Indiana West have also been extremely dangerous in a variety of roles. Ruby Mahony, who finished second in the WAFLW’s Dhara Kerr Medal, is also likely to return on Friday after being unavailable during Sunday’s win over South Bunbury. It will be intriguing to see who lines up for the Bulls on Friday night, given they were missing several key players on Saturday against Carey Park. Emma Faulkner, who was leading the league goalkicking heading into the final home and away game, missed the Panthers clash because of a minor injury she incurred against Dunsborough Sharks. Skipper Rachel Wright and Trinity Brown also didn’t play. Several Bulldogs fans are likely to head to Hands Oval following the completion of this game, due to the club’s Year 10/12 girls qualifying final against South Bunbury. Previous meetings this season: Round 11 — Harvey Bulls 5.8 (38) d Bunbury 1.1 (7); Round 22 (Women’s round) Harvey Bulls 5.1 (31) d Bunbury 1.2 (8). Elimination final: Donnybrook (4th) v Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault (5th), 7.30pm at Kelly Park For the first time since 2019, Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault will play finals football in the women’s competition, following several tough seasons. While they have progressed tremendously as a unit on and off the field, the Lions will need to play the game of their lives to defeat Donnybrook, particularly if Bethany Bond and Lacey Holdsworth both line up for the Dons. Donnybrook coach Maxwell Jetta has a 6-1 finals coaching record heading into this game, with three of these victories in a grand final. Having said this, Friday night is his first ever in an elimination final. Previous meetings this season: Round 5 — Donnybrook 4.4 (28) d Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault 1.2 (8); Round 16 — Donnybrook 12.6 (78) d Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault 2.1 (13).