Essendon’s Paige Scott wheels away from her West Coast opponents in Perth on Sunday. Photo: AFL MEDIA
With three rounds completed in the AFLW season, it’s clear that Brisbane, on top of the ladder by virtue of a third consecutive mauling of an opponent, is stalking and hunting the rest of the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning premier Adelaide is channelling boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s “rope-a-dope” style, lulling opponents into a false sense of security by taking punches early, then unleashing a torrent of counterpunches to win.
Naarm (Melbourne) wasted no time in bringing previously undefeated St Kilda crashing down to earth with a first-term barrage, while the undefeated Western Bulldogs kept winless Fremantle near the bottom of the ladder.
And though Geelong lost to Collingwood, by keeping the Pies to two goals, the Cats are establishing themselves as having the competition’s most miserly defence.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.5 (23) d FREMANTLE 3.2 (20)
Kirsty Lamb isn’t the tallest Bulldogs’ player, but she stood the tallest on Friday night when it mattered most. In the dying minutes, while Fremantle was making repeat entries inside its attacking end, hoping to pinch a victory, Lamb — who turned in a 23-disposal, six-mark, five-tackle best-on-ground effort — took two important intercept grabs and cleared the ball twice from the danger zone. Her effort helped keep Fremantle scoreless the entire second half, while teammate Gabby Newton booted the go-ahead goal. The Dogs nearly had enough points on the board in the first half to win, if not for 17-year-old debutant Rylie Wilcox accidentally touching captain Ellie Blackburn’s snap as it sailed through the big sticks. With the win, Wilcox’s youthful exuberance could be easily forgiven, especially because of her beautiful flying shot that went for a goal. For Fremantle, Aine Tighe got maximum scoreboard impact from her four possessions, snapping one goal, and setting up Dana East with a second, thanks to her clever pass.
ADELAIDE 4.6 (30) d NORTH MELBOURNE 2.4 (16)
Like the birds after which they’re named, the Crows again showed their adaptability to challenging situations. With Roos defender Jasmine Ferguson completely shutting down Adelaide star goalkicker Ash Woodland and last round’s Rising Star nominee Abbie Ballard held to just six possessions, the Crows only needed an opportunity to pounce on an opponent’s mistake to pull ahead, with the score deadlocked at three-quarter time. The Roos, who matched it with the reigning premier nearly all match, then made two blunders, Taylah Gatt unwisely playing on from a mark on her side’s defensive end, then quickly tackled and pinged for holding the ball, leading to Danielle Ponter’s second goal of the match, putting the Crows in front. After Adelaide’s Caitlin Gould later drilled a goal to extend the lead, the Roos squandered a golden chance in the dying minutes to narrow the margin to one point. With two players streaking unmarked into their attacking 50, the Roos’ ruck Emma King, who had marked a pass, was about to kick to one of them, but slipped over and fumbled away the ball.
GWS 9.11 (65) d SYDNEY 2.6 (18)
The outcome of the inaugural AFLW Sydney derby was never for a moment in doubt. The Giants stomped the young Swans at the SCG, with dynamic ball-winning duo Alyce Parker (22 disposals) and Alicia Eva (19) once again dominating the hunting, gathering, and distributing of the ball. Their prolific work helped their side create multiple avenues to goal — GWS leading goalkicker Cora Staunton booted two, and Nicola Barr and Zarlie Goldsworthy matched her output, en route to an annihilation. For the Swans, Molly Eastman led her side with a respectable 15 possessions and four tackles.
COLLINGWOOD 2.3 (15) d GEELONG 1.5 (11)
They may not have pulled off another miracle win, but in restricting the Pies to just 15 points, the Cats not only achieved a moral victory, but by allowing only 27 points across three matches, the young Cats became the competition’s stingiest defence. Jordyn Allan and Alana Porter were the only Collingwood players to hit the scoreboard. Allan, Mikala Cann and Lauren Butler led the Pies with 17, 17, and 16 disposals respectively. For the Cats, Amy McDonald (19 possessions and seven tackles) and Georgie Prespakis (18 disposals and nine tackles) continued their red-hot form.
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BRISBANE 12.10 (82) d GOLD COAST 1.3 (9)
If this were a literal contest of Queensland bragging rights, the Lions would still be roaring while the Suns couldn’t open their mouths. With this 73-point thumping, Brisbane through three matches remains undefeated, its league-leading points total is more than 100 greater than its nearest competitor, and its astronomically-high percentage of 401.8 is off the charts. In a contest that was well and truly over by the major break with the Suns scoreless and trailing the Lions by 42 points, Jesse Wardlaw had a day out, kicking a bag of four goals, while her teammate Greta Bodey had three and second-year jet Zimmorel Farquharson two. Ally Anderson (28 disposals, seven tackles and a goal) and Emily Bates (21 touches, 11 tackles) were especially ferocious. Even in the rout, though, Suns’ ruck Lauren Bella burned brilliantly for Gold Coat, amassing 23 hit-outs, 13 possessions and four tackles.
CARLTON 4.3 (27) drew with PORT ADELAIDE 4.3 (27)
For the first time in their short history, the Power have points to show for their efforts, but unfortunately for them they get to bank two, not four. In an exciting conclusion to this affair, Carlton’s Kate Goss launched a long set shot for goal, but a tick after the final siren went. Each side will rue several chances to seal the game. Port Adelaide erupted for four goals in the second quarter, including two to Jade De Melo, giving it a 13-point lead at the major break. Carlton fought back, though, through goals by Breann Moody and Jessica Dal Pos to reduce the deficit by five at the last change. and Early in the final term, Carlton’s Darcy Vescio missed a set shot early in the final term that could have put the Blues up by four points, while two minutes later, Vaomua Laloifi missed a snap that would have not only been her first career AFLW goal, but more importantly, given her side a five-point edge. Abbie McKay was the Blues’ best, gathering 26 touches and racking up six clearances, while Hannah Ewings led the Power with 21 disposals, four tackles, and five clearances.
NAARM 6.10 (46) d ST KILDA 3.2 (20)
The Demons — who rebrand their geographic nomenclature for Indigenous Round — delivered an early, stinging reminder of the gap between them and the Saints, despite St Kilda’s two straight beltings of expansion sides. Naarm pummelled St Kilda with six first quarter goals (all kicked against the breeze) to salt away this contest in minutes. With Eliza West (21 touches, nine clearances, six tackles), Lily Mithen (20 disposals) and Kate Hore (16 disposals) winning heaps of the ball, Eden Zanker led the opening term scoring frenzy with two majors, while three of her teammates chipped in with one each. It wasn’t until the first half’s dying minutes that St Kilda opened its account, as Kate Shierlaw booted the first of her two goals, giving her an AFLW-best eight. Naarm’s Olivia Purcell, meanwhile, accumulated an equal career-best 27 touches.
RICHMOND 7.2 (44) d HAWTHORN 1.3 (9)
This was a classic case of a superstar putting her teammates on her back and leading from the front to carry her team to victory. It would be hard to find a single thing Tigers’ superstar Mon Conti didn’t do on the ground. Conti collected an equal game-high 23 possessions, and while she’s not known as a prolific goalkicker, she booted a bag of three. That proved quote handy, as Richmond remains without the injured All-Australian Katie Brennan, its all-time leader in goals. Recruit Grace Egan matched Conti possession-wise, and also kicked a goal. Hawthorn, meanwhile, continues winless, despite a strong performance by Tilly Lucas-Rodd, who laid eight tackles and had 17 disposals.
ESSENDON 13.6 (84) d WEST COAST 4.8 (32)
The vulnerable Eagles got so royally plucked in the round’s last match — on their home deck, no less — by the nascent Bombers, it looked like a glorified Essendon women’s training session. The Bombers’ intensity and urgency was apparent from the opening bunce, as they quickly ran up a lead they’d never relinquish. Maddy Prespakis continued her dream start, booting two goals from her 22 touches, while Essendon ruck Stephanie Wales and midfielder Paige Scott kicked bags of three each. West Coast’s lone bright spot was the performance of captain Emma Swanson, who had a match-high 25 disposals.
