Adelaide has protected its place at the top of the AFLW ladder and confirmed itself as the team to beat with a thrilling nine-point win on the road against fellow contender Fremantle on Saturday. 
 
Midfielders Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff produced dominant performances at Fremantle Oval to secure the important win, lifting in the final term as the Crows prevailed 3.7 (25) to 2.4 (16). 
 
The battle came with high stakes as both teams chase a top-two finish, and the win all but guarantees the Crows will secure one of those prized spots at the end of the season. 
 
In a low-scoring but high-quality contest, the visitors controlled the final term and held Fremantle goalless, adding two themselves after Fremantle had entered the final change with momentum.  

Danielle Ponter converted her set shot to take back the lead for the Crows before Ash Woodland dropped the ball in a tackle in front of goal but converted off the ground after play continued. 
 
The Fremantle defence, which was stoic throughout, could only sustain so much pressure and was under siege in the final term as the Crows went inside 50 14 times to two. 
 
The final tally of 43 to 17 proved the visitors were the better team, with their fitness and strength late in the game telling. 
 
The teams could hardly be separated in the first half, however, with Fremantle taking a one-point lead into half-time. 
 
The respective backlines were neutralising the contest, led by Freo Docker Laura Pugh at one end and Crow Sarah Allen at the other. 
 
The result was Fremantle's equal-lowest-scoring quarter of the season in the first term, and the Crows second-lowest-scoring quarter in the second term. 
 
The lack of scoring, somehow, took nothing away from the contest, which was fierce and played at an elite standard, as both teams weathered the pressure to use the ball well in general play.

The Crows ratcheted up the pressure in the third term, dominating territory and going inside 50 10 times to just two. They were wasteful, however, kicking 0.5 and spraying other chances out on the full.  
 
With 90 seconds left, Fremantle enjoyed its best passage for the quarter, moving forward patiently and methodically before Kara Antonio's long kick inside 50 – the team's first forward entry for the quarter – was crumbed by Mikayla Morrison. 
 
Morrison handballed into space for Hayley Miller to run forward and kick the only goal for the quarter, lifting Fremantle and giving them a two-point advantage at the last change.   

FREMANTLE        0.1   1.3   2.3   2.4 (16) 
ADELAIDE             1.0   1.2   1.7   3.7 (25)
 
GOALS 
Fremantle: Runnells, Miller 
Adelaide: Ponter 2, Woodland 
 
BEST
Fremantle: Pugh, Cain, E Antonio, Verrier, Runnells
Adelaide: Hatchard, Ponter, Marinoff, S Allen, Biddell, Charlton, E Jones 
 
INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Adelaide: Nil  
 
Reports: Nil 
 
Crowd: 2,419 at Fremantle Oval