# 2018 VFL Women's season

The 2018 VFL Women's season was the third season of the VFL Women's (VFLW). The season commenced on 5 May and concluded with the Grand Final on 23 September 2018. The competition was contested by thirteen clubs.

## Clubs

Significant overhaul and changes were made to composition of the competition ahead of the 2018 season. With the establishment of the national AFL Women's competition in 2017, the league sought to affiliate clubs more closely to existing AFL/AFLW clubs. Consequently five foundation clubs departed; leaving Darebin, Melbourne University and VU Western Spurs (who were taken over by and renamed the Western Bulldogs to align with the AFL club) as the remaining clubs. The departing clubs were replaced by the AFL-aligned Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and Southern Saints, the VFL-aligned Casey and Williamstown, and the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL)-aligned Northern Territory; Northern Territory aligned with Adelaide's AFLW team, giving Crows players an opportunity to play in the Victorian competition. The thirteen clubs were as follows:
* Darebin, Williamstown, Casey, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Essendon, Geelong Cats, Richmond
* Western Bulldogs, Northern Territory, Carlton, Melbourne University, Southern Saints

## Ladder

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Collingwood | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 607 | 328 | 185.1 | 50 | Finals series |
| 2 | Hawthorn (P) | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 596 | 332 | 179.5 | 48 | Finals series |
| 3 | Northern Territory | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 831 | 430 | 193.3 | 44 | Finals series |
| 4 | Geelong Cats | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 599 | 367 | 163.2 | 42 | Finals series |
| 5 | Darebin | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 527 | 481 | 109.6 | 32 | |
| 6 | Western Bulldogs | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 494 | 589 | 83.9 | 28 | |
| 7 | Carlton | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 562 | 536 | 104.9 | 24 | |
| 8 | Southern Saints | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 439 | 475 | 92.4 | 20 | |
| 9 | Melbourne University | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 455 | 585 | 77.8 | 20 | |
| 10 | Casey | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 414 | 594 | 69.7 | 20 | |
| 11 | Williamstown | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 473 | 676 | 70.0 | 16 | |
| 12 | Richmond | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 358 | 521 | 68.7 | 16 | |
| 13 | Essendon | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 292 | 733 | 39.8 | 4 | |

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| | First Semi Final | First Semi Final | First Semi Final | |
| Saturday 8 September (10:15 am) | Collingwood 3.3 (21) | def. by | Hawthorn 5.2 (32) | ETU Stadium |
| | Second Semi Final | Second Semi Final | Second Semi Final | |
| Sunday 9 September (11:45 am) | NT Thunder 6.6 (42) | def. by | Geelong Cats 7.9 (51) | ETU Stadium |

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | |
| Sunday 16 September (11:45 am) | Collingwood 4.4 (28) | def. by | Geelong Cats 5.12 (42) | ETU Stadium |

### Grand Final

| | 2018 VFLW Grand Final | 2018 VFLW Grand Final | 2018 VFLW Grand Final | | |
| Sunday 23 September (12:30 pm) | Hawthorn | def. | Geelong Cats | Marvel Stadium | |
| | 1.3 (9) 2.6 (18) 3.6 (24) 4.6 (30) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.1 (7) 1.1 (7) 1.5 (11) 2.7 (19) | Lisa Hardeman Medal: Chantella Perera (Hawthorn) Television broadcast: Seven Network | Lisa Hardeman Medal: Chantella Perera (Hawthorn) Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| S. Perkins, T. Luke, E. Mackie, E. Gilder 1 | S. Perkins, T. Luke, E. Mackie, E. Gilder 1 | Goals | M. Boyd, K. Darby 1 | M. Boyd, K. Darby 1 |
| C. Perera, P. McWilliams, M. Hutchins, R. Beeson, T. Luke, J. Van Dyk | C. Perera, P. McWilliams, M. Hutchins, R. Beeson, T. Luke, J. Van Dyk | Best | H. Burchell, N. Morrison, M. McMahon, M. Keryk, C. Blakeway, O. Purcell | H. Burchell, N. Morrison, M. McMahon, M. Keryk, C. Blakeway, O. Purcell |

## Awards

* Lambert-Pearce Medal (Best and Fairest): Jess Duffin (Williamstown) – 23 votes
* Rohenna Young Medal (Leading Goal kicker): Darcy Vescio (Carlton) – 26 goals
* Debbie Lee Medal (Rising Star): Jayde Van Dyk (Hawthorn)
* Coach of the Year: Penny Cula-Reid (Collingwood)
* Lisa Hardeman Medal (Best on ground VFL Women's Grand Final): Chantella Perera (Hawthorn)
2018 VFL Women's Team of the Year :
| B: | Jayde Van Dyk (Hawthorn) | Rebecca Goring (Geelong) | Kate Gillespie-Jones (Melbourne Uni) |
| HB: | Ashleigh Riddell (Melbourne Uni) | Meg McDonald (Darebin) | Bianca Jakobsson (Casey) |
| C: | Alison Drennan (Southern Saints) | Jess Duffin (Williamstown) | Rebecca Beeson (Hawthorn) |
| HF: | Sarah D'Arcy (Collingwood) | Jasmine Garner (Williamstown) | Jess Sedunary (NT Thunder) |
| F: | Hayley Bullas (Essendon) | Darcy Vescio (Carlton) | Mia-Rae Clifford (Geelong) |
| Foll: | Rhiannon Watt (Southern Saints) | Richelle Cranston (Geelong) | Ange Foley (NT Thunder) |
| Int: | Emma Swanson (NT Thunder) | Sophie Alexander (Collingwood) | Alice Edmonds (Richmond) |
| Int: | Libby Birch (Western Bulldogs) | Lauren Pearce (Darebin) | Emma Mackie (Hawthorn) |
| Coach: | Penny Cula-Reid (Collingwood) | Penny Cula-Reid (Collingwood) | Penny Cula-Reid (Collingwood) |