Gold Coast has claimed its ninth win of the season with a thrilling nine-point victory over Greater Western Sydney, at Henson Park on Sunday, to record a league-record ladder jump from 18th to 5th.
The Suns needed a strong enough win to climb into fourth, but their 9.8 (62) to 7.11 (53) victory left them outside the top four by just 0.2 per cent.
Gold Coast led by as much as 20 points in the second quarter before the Giants surged back into the contest with five unanswered goals in the third term, taking an 11-point lead into the final change.
But the Suns responded in the fourth, with Sunny Lappin and Anne Hatchard kicking the opening two goals of the term to put the visitors back in front.
Charlie Rowbottom starred with a game-high 33 disposals and 12 clearances to go with two goals, while Alyce Parker led the Giants with 25 disposals, nine clearances and seven tackles.
It was also an emotional afternoon for the Giants, who farewelled retiring pair Alicia Eva and Isabel Huntington. Both hit the scoreboard in their final AFLW game, with Eva kicking two goals and Huntington one.
Gold Coast's win came at a cost, with Rhianna Ingram ruled out after a head injury assessment, while Meara Girvan also left the field late for an assessment.
Havana Harris helped create the opening goal with a strong lead before Rowbottom kicked the Suns' second from a forward-50 stoppage.
The Giants had the better of the territory early, winning the first-quarter inside-50 count 13-5, but could not capitalise. Huntington helped create Georgia Garnett's opening goal before Eva's late shot grazed the post, leaving Gold Coast two points ahead at quarter-time.
Hatchard opened the second term with a long-range goal before Alannah Welsh added another, while Eva gave the Giants a lift after slick build-up play from Kiera Yerbury and Huntington.
Mia Salisbury then kicked her first AFLW goal before Lucy Single finished on the run as the Suns built a 19-point half-time lead.
The Giants finally made their territorial dominance count in the third term. Huntington snapped a superb goal in her final game before Garnett added two more and Brodee Mowbray converted as GWS turned the 19-point deficit into an 11-point three-quarter-time lead.
Gold Coast hit back immediately in the final term, with Lappin converting after the opening clearance before Hatchard's second put the Suns back in front. The Suns held on from there, securing the win but falling narrowly short of the top four.
Heavyweight midfield clash
This clash saw two of the competition's leading clearance midfielders go head-to-head, with Charlie Rowbottom and Alyce Parker both ranked inside the league’s top five for clearances this season. Rowbottom won the battle 12-9 and kicked two goals, including a crucial fourth-quarter major.
Giants pay tribute to retiring duo
There was added emotion at Henson Park as the Giants farewelled retiring pair Alicia Eva and Isabel Huntington. Eva, an inaugural AFLW player and GWS's longest-serving AFLW captain, joined the club from Collingwood ahead of the 2018 season, while former No.1 draft pick Huntington overcame three ACL injuries during her career with the Western Bulldogs and Giants. Both marked their final game with goals, with Eva kicking two and Huntington one.
Up next
While the clash marked the end of GWS’s 2026 NAB AFLW season, Gold Coast will feature in the finals. The Suns will finish in either fifth or sixth, depending on the result of the Fremantle v Sydney match later in the afternoon.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.4 2.7 7.10 7.11 (53)
GOLD COAST 2.0 6.2 6.5 9.8 (62)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Garnett 3, Eva 2, Huntington, Mowbray
Gold Coast: Hatchard 2, Rowbottom 2, Harris, Welsh, Salisbury, Single, Lappin
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Garnett, Beeson, Parker, Doyle, Huntington, Lucas-Rodd
Gold Coast: Rowbottom, Single, Hatchard, Harris, McLaughlin, Davies
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Gold Coast: Ingram (concussion), Girvan (concussion),
LATE CHANGES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil
Crowd: 1632 at Henson Park
