Bathurst Giants lock in an AFL Central West senior women's grand final rematch with Dubbo Demons

Practically nothing could split the rivals over the opening half's play at George Park 2 before the Giants gradually pulled clear over the last two quarters to win 4-11-35 to 1-4-10.

Olivia Johnston kicked all four of the Giants' goals in the win.

Johnston said the Bushrangers pushed her side to its limit.

"It was so good to get the win. Bushies came out firing, and we knew they would," she said.

"We did miss quite a few goals, but that's okay because we've got the week now to work on our goal kicking, so it was great to get the win. We're so excited for next week.

"I think with my goals I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Elise [Gullifer] hit a bit of a curling kick and it just happened to hit me, so I got a few from set shots where players were able to hit me well.

"The girls have done such a good job with hitting me on a lead. I can't get any of the goals without them."

Each side kicked just a solitary goal across a scrappy but intense first half of footy, with Johnston's first goal of the day nullified by Bushrangers' Angela Evans in the second quarter.

That left the game right up for grabs in a 10 to nine half-time scoreline, narrowly in favour of the Giants.

Giants started to generate more chances in the third quarter and despite not being able to put all of them away Johnston kicked two more goals to put her side on the brink of grand final qualification.

For good measure she was able to put one more away.

"In that first half we were definitely nervous, and Bushies were strong in that first and second quarter, and we struggled to match it with them," Johnston said.

"We pulled it together for the second half, thank goodness. I think everyone on the sideline was a bit nervous for us but we got there in the end."

Giants were forced into the preliminary final match after going down to the Demons in the last meeting between the sides in the regular season.

The two Bathurst clubs got a great tune up for the game by facing other in the last round of the regular season, where the Giants got home comfortably for 44 points.

As expected, their preliminary final contest was a much closer battle.

Saturday's win gives the Giants an opportunity to win their fourth straight title, and it marks the sixth straight season that the team has qualified for the grand final.

"That's so good for our club," Johnston said, regarding that streak.

"We had all juniors in the grand finals on Sunday so it shows that the coaches that we've got across all grades are doing a great job, with all our teams getting through.

"Hopefully all the hard work pays off next week."

For the Bushrangers it's another season of coming up just short of a grand final appearance, but a year that showcased a lot of potential.

It's a game that coach Pat Fisher hopes can inspire the team's returning players ahead of next season's campaign.

"There was just one point in it at half-time but Giants had a five minute patch in the third quarter where they kicked a couple of goals and we just couldn't bring it back," he said.

"It was a really good game of football. Our back line held out really well early and we got the first couple of shots away ... and if we capitalised on those it could have been a different story.

"I'm really proud of the girls. There wasn't a lot in it. I said after the game that I hope a lot of the girls will be back next year. Obviously we lose a few moving away and uni finishing but you never know who you'll get in as well.

"We're pretty close to the other teams and I think we can give it a really good shot next season."

BATHURST GIANTS 4-11-35 (Olivia Johnston 4) defeated BATHURST BUSHRANGERS 1-4-10 (Angela Evans)