Ally Morphett (centre) and the jubilant Swans celebrate the club’s first-ever AFLW win against GWS. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
This year’s hunted mob, the Demons, hunted with ferocity to smash their first challenger, while perennial flag contenders, the Crows and Kangaroos, signaled to the rest of the comp that they’ll have a say in who lifts this season’s cup. Last season’s biggest improvers, the Cats and Tigers, knocked off fellow finalists, while new-look St Kilda looked same-old, same-old. And then there were the Swans. They finally made the kind of history they’ve longed to make since their inception, in what turned out to be the round’s biggest thriller.
MELBOURNE 10.13 (73) def COLLINGWOOD 4.7 (31)
Fittingly, the reigning premiers used the premiership quarter to grind their boots into their opponent’s throats. With their trademark handball chains and lightning quick run-and-carry style, the Dees unleashed a five-goal, third-term assault. Shelley Heath (two goals, 11 tackles), Kate Hore (17 touches, six score involvements), and Alyssa Bannan (three goals) helped Melbourne turn an eight-point, halftime deficit into a 25-point, three-quarter time lead. Melbourne limited the Pies to just four second half behinds and kicked the match’s last 10 majors. Pies’ captain Brianna Davey, though, who missed all but one match in the last two seasons due to a knee injury, accumulated a match-high 35 possessions (23 contested) to go with a goal and 11 clearances.
CARLTON 5.4 (34) def GOLD COAST 4.8 (32)
In an unexpected thriller, the Blues survived a Suns’ grandstand finish, with Carlton star Darcy Vescio refreshingly at their electrifying, match-winning best. For the last two seasons, Vescio was arguably miscast in their role and didn’t find much of the footy. On Saturday, though, Vescio sparkled. Their three goals — two after playing on from strong contested marks and the third from soccering home a loose ball in the square — were works of art. Vescio also helped their side down back after ex-Pie Jordan Membrey, Tara Bohanna, and Jac DuPuy all kicked majors for Gold Coast to close a 23-point gap to just two.
ADELAIDE 8.10 (58) def PORT ADELAIDE 4.4 (28)
The perennial powerhouse Crows were back to their bruising best, brushing aside a strong second-term challenge from, then burying their crosstown rivals, the Power, by 30 points to win the second-ever AFLW Showdown. As is the case in so many Crows victories, star ball-winners Ebony Marinoff (31 touches) and Anne Hatchard (29 touches) posted nearly identical possession numbers. But their teammate Niamh Kelly was the surprise packet — her 28 disposals and a goal earned her the Showdown Medal — while her fellow Irishwoman, Yvonne Bonner booted two goals. For the Power, ex-Crows goalkicking star Ash Saint (nee Woodland) fueled its brief fightback with two majors.
GEELONG 10.5 (65) def WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.5 (17)
That little scoring issue that the Cats had at times last season, including in their heartbreaking elimination final loss? Seems well and truly sorted now. Geelong’s eventual eight-goal smashing was well and truly over by halftime, with a parade of goalkickers, including Jacquie Parry, Aishling Moloney, and Nina Morrison all hitting the scoreboard. Two Cats’ All-Australians had blinders: Amy McDonald was her typical, prolific self, getting 28 touches and laying 12 tackles; while Georgie Prespakis’s numbers were astronomical: 34 possessions, 11 tackles, nine clearances, and a ridiculous 641 metres gained. For the Doggies, there was only pain: Sarah Hartwig kicked their only goals, while a suspected ACL injury forced teammate Elle Bennetts out of the match in the second term.
ESSENDON 7.7 (49) def HAWTHORN 4.6 (30)
The Hawks led by a point at halftime, but the Bombers’ cream eventually rose to the top, with Madison Prespakis shaking off a second-term injury scare and running rampant, Steph Cain starting counterattacks from the backline, and Bonnie Toogood impacting the scoreboard. Prespakis touched the pill 31 times and chalked up seven clearances, Cain had 16 disposals and five score involvements, and Toogood slotted two majors. Former Lions’ champion Emily Bates led Hawthorn in both possessions (18) and tackles (15), and the Hawks drew even with the Bombers in clearances, but Essendon dominated the contested possession count (127-94), starving Hawthorn of attacking opportunities.
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NORTH MELBOURNE 8.8 (56) def ST KILDA 2.4 (16)
Despite remaking their list and recruiting three of the competition’s best players after last season’s 3-7 campaign St Kilda sent out an “S.O.S.”: Same old Saints. From the opening bounce, the Roos’ ambush was on. Ball-magnet Jasmine Garner won the first of her 11 clearances, then nailed a flying shot from 45 metres out. With Garner (29 possessions, eight inside 50s, seven score involvements) and Ash Riddell (29 possessions) vacuuming up plenty of ball and hitting teammates lace out in the attack zone, the Roos pummeled the Saints for 36 first-half points, to St Kilda’s nil. The Roos dominated every facet of the game, and the Saints didn’t manage a shot on goal until six minutes into the third term, with their frustration manifesting in undisciplined acts, which got them pinged for 50-metre penalties.
SYDNEY 7.9 (51) def GWS 7.4 (46)
For the Swans, it’s poetic justice: winning a Sydney Derby for their historic first win, and two Giants-turned-Swans playing the heroes. Ex-Giants Ally Morphett and Rebecca Privatelli starred in those roles. Ruck-forward Morphett (29 hitouts, 18 possessions, seven clearances, and a goal) was a dominant force, while Privatelli snapped home two checkside majors late in the final term — the first pulled her side within a kick, the second ultimately giving it its margin of victory. GWS appeared in the third term to be pulling away with the match, after Georgia Garnett kicked her second goal, but Privatelli’s heroics capped what will be known as a famous Swans fightback.
RICHMOND 6.4 (40) def BRISBANE 5.4 (34)
No better time like a new season’s first round for a club to make a strong statement and no better time for a club debutant to kick the match-winner. The Tigers and their new acquisition Caitlin Greiser did both. Richmond overcame a tepid first term to overtake last season’s runners-up in the second, then rallied in the match’s final four minutes — courtesy of a levelling set shot goal by captain Katie Brennan, followed by ex-Saint Greiser’s decider — to triumph over the Lions by a kick. Tigers’ star Mon Conti (26 disposals, eight clearances, and a goal) was at her vintage best. Grace Egan (20 touches) and Ellie McKenzie (15 touches) also were influential. Brisbane is feeling the effects of three core stars defecting to to other clubs, but in defeat, Ally Anderson, last season’s AFLW best and fairest winner, picked up where she left off, leading her side with 22 possessions, while spearhead Dakota Davidson booted two goals.
FREMANTLE 4.3 (27) def 2.7 (19) WEST COAST
No Turbo? No worries for the Dockers, who despite a late withdrawal by megastar, Kiara “Turbo” Bowers, remained undefeated in Western Derbies by besting a wasteful West Coast outfit. Fremantle star Ebony Antonio returning from knee surgery, after making only two appearances last season, was a welcome sight. Senior Coach Lisa Webb moved Antonio forward and she rewarded her coach by kicking two goals. Laura Pugh topped Fremantle’s ball-winners with 19 touches and in tackling machine Bowers’s stead, Gabby O’Sullivan laid 14. Former Dockers Kellie Gibson and Amy Franklin kicked the Eagles’ goals, with Ella Roberts gathering 24 possessions.
