Crow ace gets nod to play

ADELAIDE midfielder Anne Hatchard has been cleared of concussion and will play in an AFLW preliminary final.

Hatchard copped a head knock last week but has been named to take on Geelong in tomorrow’s knockout final at Adelaide Oval. Carlton hosts Fremantle today in the first preliminary final.

The Crows were sweating on results of concussion protocol testing on the player, who has become an increasingly important cog for the flag favourites.

Hatchard played every game as the Crows topped the Conference A ladder.

Adelaide lost its opening game but has since won six in a row to carry premiership favouritism. But coach Mathew Clarke has ordered his team to forget its winning streak.

“We’re very mindful that it’s 0-0 at the start of this game,” Clarke said. “We’re confident that if we play our best footy, we’ll give ourselves every chance. But it’s a game of footy, so anyone can win it.”

League newcomer Geelong scraped into the finals with three wins and four losses in Conference B. And despite Adelaide thumping the Cats in Round 3 by 29 points, the coach remained wary.

“I I like the way they (Geelong long) structure up their team,” he s said. “I like the style of footy they try to play. I imagine it’s goin going to be a really good contest test. Last time we won and won we well, but it was 10 goals to six, so that’s not a margin that you can draw any great comfort out of.”

The Dockers, who also t take favouritism into their fi final against Carlton, have decl clared forward Sabreena Duffy a certain starter. Duffy hurt an a ankle last weekend but will fr front against the Blues, coach T Trent Cooper said.

“We were very concerned l last week with the way she went down, and the ankle had a lot of bruising,” Cooper said.

“But she’s a really tough kid . . . she trained last night so she will definitely be playing.”