South Adelaide have suffered a heartbreaking loss in their Semi-Final clash, with a late goal from Woodville-West Torrens securing a dramatic one-point win at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

The result sees the Eagles progress to the Hostplus SANFLW League Grand Final, while the Panthers will now face Sturt in the Preliminary Final to keep their premiership hopes alive.

South Adelaide started with real intent. Lucy Northcott tried to conjure something out of nothing in the forward pocket, but her pressured snap went out on the full. Despite the miss, Northcott forced a rushed kick from the free kick taker, resulting in a turnover.

Lily Baxter gathered cleanly and handed off to Doreena Hansen, whose running shot from 25 metres skewed off the boot for a behind.

The Eagles struggled to exit their defensive fifty, with South setting up strongly behind the ball, forcing them into slow and predictable movement.

Emma Charlton’s tackle on the half-forward flank led to another dangerous entry. The midfielder found Emily Brockhurst on the lead just 30 metres out, but her set shot drifted left, adding only a behind to South’s tally.

Around the contest, Caitlin Couch set the tone with relentless pressure, laying multiple tackles and shutting down opponents’ space, while Lauren Clifton showed poise navigating through traffic.

Despite a dominant start, South couldn’t convert their ascendancy into a major, leaving the door open for the Eagles to wrestle back momentum.

After three consecutive behinds, Woodville-West Torrens finally broke through with a goal at the 15-minute mark, despite South’s desperate efforts in defence.

Rossette Zerella then extended the margin on the quarter-time siren with a classy drop punt from the boundary, handing the minor premiers a 13-point lead at the first break.

Despite going goalless in the opening term, South remained well in the contest.

Marley Tape’s intercept on the defensive side of the centre circle launched a promising attack, resulting in Charlotte Dolan hitting the inside of the post via a running shot at goal.

It proved only a temporary let-off for the Eagles. From the resulting kick-in, South intercepted and found Charlton just inside the arc. Unsure of her range, she kicked to the top of the square where Northcott marked strongly and goaled from close range to cut the margin to six.

However, the Eagles responded against the run of play with their second goal of the quarter, re-establishing a two-goal buffer.

South’s relentless pressure was beginning to bear fruits. A desperate spoil from Esther Schirmer sparked an opportunity, with Mel Anderson gathering cleanly and finding Charlton, who kicked a brilliant goal on the run to reignite South’s charge.

With seconds remaining in the half, Charlton again drove South forward from the centre clearance. A resulting free kick to Shae Archbold just outside range saw her send a long ball to the square.

The long ball would result in a series of stoppages. Tamika May would make her presences known in the ruck, gathering and snapping quickly from the boundary, but her kick missed to the far side for a behind—the final score of the half.

The Eagles went into the main break with a slender five-point lead.

The third quarter began as a typical finals arm-wrestle, with both sides struggling to find clean entries or score.

Couch and Charlton led South’s defensive pressure, while Layla Vizgaudis began to assert herself around the contest.

Despite being under the pump early, South’s backline, led by Jaslynne Smith and Tiffany King, held firm.

After ten goalless minutes, Eagles ruck Leah Cutting earned a free kick directly in front 35 metres out, but her low set shot drifted wide.

Tabitha Prosser’s forward pressure was instrumental in forcing turnovers throughout the game, and her neat handball to a running Anderson set up a forward entry. Unfortunately, the kick lacked direction and was intercepted, cutting short a promising attack.

Moments later, the Eagles surged the ball forward in a quick transition, nearly capitalising—but a desperate, goal-saving tackle by Demi-Lee Braun denied them.

South immediately responded with a fast transition of their own. Hope Taylor gathered cleanly on the wing and delivered to Charlton in the forward pocket.

With nerves of steel, Charlton calmly slotted the set shot to level the scores—her second goal of the day and the final score of the quarter.

With a Grand Final berth on the line, the final term was always going to be tense.

The Eagles threatened early, with Klaudia O’Neill marking strongly despite close attention from Schirmer. Having kicked four goals in the final round against South, O’Neill couldn’t replicate the heroics, her shot missing to the near side.

With Soriah Moon absent from the ruck, May stepped up admirably against the experienced Cutting, competing well at stoppages and winning crucial hit-outs and clearances.

As time ticked away, pressure mounted. Space was scarce, and both backlines stood tall, refusing to yield an inch.

Olivia Evans’ behind gave the Eagles a one-point lead, but South responded immediately. Charlton linked with Baxter, who launched a long kick to Brockhurst. Marking under pressure, Brockhurst converted the set shot to give South a five-point lead with less than 10 minutes to play.

With one foot in the Grand Final, South defended grimly, throwing everything at the contest. But the minor premiers wouldn’t be denied.

In the dying moments, O’Neill took a contested mark and, under immense pressure, slotted a composed set shot from 40 metres out to snatch back the lead by a single point.

The Eagles expertly killed off the final minute, sealing their place in the Grand Final and dealing South Adelaide a cruel blow.

South Adelaide will now face Sturt in the Preliminary Final at Magain Stadium on Sunday, 20 July at 12:00pm, with the winner to challenge the Eagles in next week's decider at Stratarama Stadium.