Emerging young star Zimmi Farquharson gets a handball away for the Lions in their big win. Photo: AFL MEDIA
BRISBANE 9.9 (63) def CARLTON 4.4 (28)
It wasn’t scenes from the classic film, “Psycho” unfolding on the field, but for two hours, a Lions’ star turned Metricon Stadium into Bates Motel. That star was Emily Bates, who with 23 touches and a goal helped her teammates eviscerate a listless Carlton side. Brisbane showed no ill-effects either from a two-week layoff due to COVID-19 player health and safety protocol, or from bookend big names, Kate Lutkins down back and Dakota Davidson up forward, being out with serious injury. Brisbane uncapped an exciting debutant, the smooth-moving, long-kicking Zimmorlei Farquharson, in its forward line. Her 12-touch, one-goal performance should earn her Rising Star nomination consideration. It was Farquharson who started the Lions’ three-goal first term with a superb pass to teammate Jess Wardlaw — who in the rooms before the match presented Farquharson with her jumper. Orla O’Dwyer (20 touches) was dangerous all evening for Brisbane, and Lions’ forwards Jess Wuestchner and Greta Bodey kicked two goals each. For Carlton, while star Darcy Vescio was limited to 11 touches and a behind, Maddie Prespakis led all players with 27 possessions, and Courtney Jones hit the scoreboard with three majors.
COLLINGWOOD 5.5 (35) def GEELONG 3.6 (24)
The Pies played a second straight week without co-captain Steph Chiocci, but Jaimee Lambert picked up the slack, collecting 21 touches, while Britt Bonnici had 17. Collingwood also regained star Chloe Molloy, who atoned for kicking 0.3 in a Round 1 victory by kicking two goals — one in the third term and in one in the final term. The Pies held the Cats — who, before this battle, had kicked just four majors in two matches — to one goal in the second half. Amy McDonald was Geelong’s leading ball-winner with 20 touches. Despite the Cats’ anaemic attack, Collingwood in this match and the two previous has seemed to lack the killer instinct to put opponents away.
ADELAIDE 6.6 (42) def WEST COAST 1.3 (9)
Both clubs were playing without their captains — the AFLW banned the Eagles’ Emma Swanson for one match for a dangerous tackle, while the Crows’ Chelsea Randall missed with a hamstring injury — but only Adelaide could shoulder the loss. The way the Crows tore apart the match in the third quarter gave the impression they were merely humouring the Eagles through the first half, allowing them to be within 13 points. With Ebony Marinoff (23 disposals) hitting targets off her left boot and Eloise Jones (20 touches and a goal) running riot, West Coast had no answers in the second half as Adelaide outscored them 3.4 to 0.2. West Coast sealed its fate early in the third term, first when Melissa Caulfield missed a set shot that could have reduced their deficit to seven points, then when defender Evie Gooch — who appeared set to be paid a free by the umpire for being held without the ball — carelessly unleashed her left elbow on Adelaide’s Justine Mules’s face, setting her up for a free kick in the goal square. The Eagles’ lone goal for the match came in the first term, off Aimee Schmidt’s boot. Speaking of goals, the Crows’ Ashleigh Woodland continued her chase of the AFLW’s single home-and-away season record of 16 by kicking her ninth and 10th. Barring injury, at her pace, Woodland seems a lock to set a new standard.
PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.
MELBOURNE 9.10 (64) def ST KILDA 3.5 (23)
The Dees could use this match to write a new self-help book: “How to Turn a Nail-Biter into An Almighty Smashing in One Easy Quarter.” The score line here is a little deceiving, as scores were level at three-quarter time. St Kilda jumped the Demons out of the gate, with a quick strike by Jacqui Vogt, and turned up the pressure through three quarters. Tilly Lucas-Rodd was outstanding for the Saints, with 22 touches and 9 tackles, while for the Dees, Karen Paxman (19 possessions) and Sarah Lampard (17 possessions) were ball magnets throughout the match. Thanks to stellar final term clearance work by Melbourne’s Tyla Hanks (16 touches, four clearances, two goals) and Lauren Pearce (13 disposals, five clearances, 20 hit-outs and a goal), the Dees erupted for 13 inside 50s to the Saints’ none, and a devastating, six-goal eruption. Several Dees got in on the final term goal-kicking fiesta, including Hanks kicking two, Lauren Pearce and Daisy Pearce booting one each, Tayla Harris nailing one of her three for the day, and Megan Fitzsimon blasting one in the dying seconds.
FREMANTLE 11.11 (77) def RICHMOND 7.5 (47)
For the first three quarters, this match was an entertaining shootout, with the two sides combining for 11 goals, Fremantle holding a 10-point advantage and Richmond showing no sign of fading. Then the Dockers’ midfield took over. Ruck Mim Strom (18 hit-outs, three clearances) may have played her best-ever match, serving the ball up on a platter to teammates Gabby O’Sullivan, Kiara Bowers, and Hayley Miller, who early in the final term played like a woman possessed, grabbing the ball out of the middle and setting up attacks. Fremantle dropped anchor in its forward 50 in the fourth quarter, locking the ball in its end as if it were setting up a naval blockade. Miller booted a goal in that final stanza, along with Kara Antonio — who in the second term, apropos for Pride Round, combined with her wife, teammate Ebony, in kicking back-to-back majors. Dockers’ perennial goalkicking threat Gemma Houghton booted goals in the first and third quarters. But best-on-ground belonged to 2021 co-best-and-fairest Kiara Bowers, who even by her own lofty standards, was at her vintage best, leading the Dockers with 28 touches, 16 tackles, and nine clearances. Fremantle came within a hair’s breadth of equalling its all-time, one-match output of 80 points, and with 46 inside 50s, just missed tying the AFLW’s record of 48 it already shares with Brisbane.
NORTH MELBOURNE 7.12 (54) def GWS 4.3 (27)
As it turned out, the Giants decided to save wearing their special Pride Round jumper for a scheduled home match next week, but through a dreadful, first two-and-a-half quarter showing, one had to wonder if they had pride in their own jumper. If North’s small forwards fired in this match, it was a good bet the Roos would run rings around the Giants. On a sweltering Sunday arvo at Arden Street, they did. Roos’ livewire Daria Bannister terrorized the Giants, kicking two first-half goals, Ellie Gavalas booted two, and Daisy Bateman kicked one, as North peppered the sticks all day, in a hiding which saw the Giants go into the main break scoreless, down by 35 points. North’s Ashleigh Riddell continued her ball-winning dominance, picking up 23 possessions, and although Tahlia Randall didn’t kick a major, she crashed the pack in the third term to take a Mark of the Year contender. With the fatigued Roos appearing to put the cue in the rack after three-quarter time and going scoreless in the fourth, the sleeping Giants awakened, kicking three goals and actually — albeit far too late — winning the second half.
