PINT and St Mary's remain on track for a TIO Women's Premier League grand final showdown after contrasting wins in the last minor round games of the 2023/24 TIO NTFL season.
Minor premier PINT was made to work in a 29-point win over the fast rising Palmerston, who finished half a game out of the top five following a 6.7 (43) to 2.2 (14) loss.
The Queenants earned a week's rest after winning 15 of their 16 games and drawing the Round 15 clash with St Mary's.
St Mary's kicked 12 goals to nil after quarter time to beat the Darwin Buffettes by 86 points as they prepare for the in-form Nightcliff in next week's qualifying final.
Waratah and the Buffettes will repeat their Round 17 game in the elimination final when a rejuvenated Darwin outfit ran over the red and whites after quarter time.
Nightcliff's season under first year coach Andrew Rock continues to rise after an authorative win over Tahs in their third place qualifier at Nightcliff's home ground.
PINT can rest some sore bodies after the Magpies gave them an ideal workout in preparation for a finals campaign the club hopes will bring back-to-back WPL flags.
The usual suspects were dominant in their win at DXC Arena, including league best and fairest favourite Jasmyn Hewett, who continues to dominate the ruck position.
Reni Hicks's game out of the midfield was pure class and Ruby Benham's form running into the finals has reached the top level.
St Mary's have emerged as a serious threat to PINT in the premiership race and they proved it again on Saturday when they overran a strong Buffettes side.
The Saints only led by four points at the first change before an injection of fast moving football took the game away from the Double Blues.
Coach Ryan Smith said the physicality of the Buffettes side was a hurdle his players had to overcome before settling into a running pattern.
"Once the girls started using their run and carry and their skills they started to get more flow into their game with some outstanding players contributing to the win,'' he said.
"I thought Nikita Long had the game of her life, focusing on doing all the little things right and she did that to be our best player by far.''
Paula Pavic in the ruck and Monet Hunter were other good players for the Saints who will look to get past the preliminary final stage after their third-place finish last season.
Nightcliff had Mickayla Ward in goalkicking form following her four-goal haul in the Tigers' 7.7 (49) to 4.0 (24) win over beachside rivals Waratah in Saturday's twilight game.
Gypsy Schirmer, Maighan Fogas, Sophie Hatzismalis and Niah "Baconator" Bacon were other Nightcliff players to find some extra spring in their step in preparation for next week's final against the in-form Saints.
Rock has his team playing attacking football with a big emphasis on accountability for their opponents, crucial factors in the added pressure of finals footy.
"We were very pleased with our game and the brand of footy we played that we've been working hard at training to get right,'' Rock said.
"Best on grounds was sticky hands Wardy, who is clearly in the best form of her career, which is great coming into the finals.''
The Tiwi Bombers ended their second WPL season with a resounding 115-point win over an inexperienced Wanderers at Tracy Village Oval.
Laelia Dunn's four goals made her a big weapon in the Bombers' 19.14 (128) to 2.1 (13) win after an even first quarter when the Tiwis kicked four goals to two.
The Bombers kicked 15 goals without a reply in the remaining three quarters to fly into seventh place on the ladder in coach Will Baird's first season in charge.
"It was a bit touch and go in the first quarter, but we changed a few things up and went back to our original starting positions that definitely worked,'' Baird said.
"Laelia was very good down back for three quarters before going forward in the last and kicking those goals to be our best player.
"Cristaline Lorenzo played on-ball for the majority of the match and found a lot of the footy as did Maria Rioli who was her usual self in a half forward, midfield role.''
