Lions fight past Hawks into AFLW prelim final

Brisbane will relish a week off and a home preliminary final after a six-point qualifying final win over Hawthorn put their AFLW premiership defence well and truly on track.

But the Lions will nervously await the match review officer's assessment of Belle Dawes' front-on contact on Hawk Ainslie Kemp.

Brisbane will host the winners of next week's semi-final between Adelaide and Fremantle for a place in a sixth grand final after fighting back from an 11-point second-quarter deficit to win 6.2 (38) to 4.8 (32) in front of 5015 fans at Ikon Park. Among those watching was Chris Fagan, coach of Brisbane's men's premiership side.

"Really pleased with our resolve and application after half-time," coach Craig Starcevich said.

"There was no panic, there was a real desire to flip things around and fix it up - and they got to work, which is good.

"We've been on the road for three of the last four weeks, so it just felt like Brisbane to Melbourne flights were getting a little bit tedious there for a little while.

"It (the travel) potentially can knock you around a little bit.

"But to have the week off and have a home prelim is gold at this time of the year."

Daniel Webster's Hawks next have a home semi-final against Port Adelaide, who beat Richmond by 24 points in Sunday afternoon's elimination final.

"We'll be better for the run, and if we learn from it the right way we should be hard to beat from here on in," he said.

Early in the second term, Dawes ran at Kemp, then attempted to pull out of a tackle but crashed straight into her.

Ainslie Kemp left the field following this incident involving Belle Dawes.#AFLWFinals | #AFLWHawksLions pic.twitter.com/9cNDdeplUB? AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 10, 2024

Kemp required treatment, but jogged to the bench before passing her concussion assessment.

Starcevich said he didn't get a good look at the incident, while Webster backed Dawes.

"It was hard to see with the camera angle, but it didn't look like much in it," he said.

"Belle Dawes is a fair player and so I just thought she was going for the footy. She left the ground, but it just didn't look like much to me."

Cathy Svarc (two goals) and Ally Anderson (17 disposals, 13 contested possessions) grew into the game, while defenders Bre Koenen, Nat Grider and Jennifer Dunne were excellent.

Hawthorn skipper and ex-Lion Emily Bates (22 disposals) led from the front, with help from Eliza West (19 touches), Jas Fleming (17 disposals) and Mattea Breed.

Fleming limped off late, but Webster said it was cramp.

A wasteful Hawthorn snatched a four-point lead at quarter-time, and led by 11 at the main break.

But Brisbane responded in the third term, hitting the front through back-to-back goals to Svarc, then Taylor Smith.

Dakota Davidson extended the lead to 12 points early in the final term and Brisbane withstood a late fightback.

Players scuffled on the final siren, while some Brisbane fans were heard yelling at former Lion Bates.

"I'm not sure what was said, but generally when there's a reaction like what our girls had, that generally means something might have been there, but I don't know," Webster said.

"Batesy's fine."

Starcevich said the fiery scenes were "not the way you want to finish a game", but stressed he hadn't seen much of it.