Fremantle players Jasmin Stewart, Gemma Houghton, Tiah Toth and Mikayla Morrison proudly wearing the Dockers’ 2022 Indigenous jumper. Photo: AFL MEDIA

With Indigenous Round this week, AFLW players from all 14 clubs will literally be wearing ancient and living history on their jumpers.

Rich tapestries of stories representing land, animals, plants, and people, designed and displayed, rendered by various Aboriginal Australian artists from Barungguan country (Cape York Peninsula) on one coast, to Noongar country (Western Australia) on the other, and all over the continent’s interior.

Proud Meriam Mir (Torres Strait Islands) woman and retired former Dockers and Eagles ruck Alicia Janz is this year’s Indigenous Round honouree.

There’s never a shortage of excitement and skill demonstrated by the competition’s Indigenous players. Does your heart not race anytime Brisbane’s Courtney Hodder (Whadjuk), Fremantle’s Gemma Houghton (Yindjibarndi) and Mikayla Morrison (Balardong/Goreng/Kija), or North Melbourne’s Mia King (Jawoyn) get near the ball?

Do you not marvel at the silky skills of the Roos’ Kaitlyn Ashmore (Dja Dja Wurrung), or brace for impact when the Blues’ Maddy Prespakis or her sister at the Cats Georgie (also both of Dja Dja Wurrung heritage) attack the contest?

These women’s immense talents all will come to the fore this week, as the season rapidly approaches its pointy end and top clubs seek footholds atop the ladder.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY (2-4) v ST KILDA (0-6) (Wednesday, 5.40 pm, Blacktown International Sports Park)
Based on recent performances, this match might be a candidate for the lowest aggregate score in AFLW history. The Saints last round tied the league record for lowest score, kicking just 0.2 (2), while the Giants have kicked just one goal in their last two matches. Cora Staunton is the Giants’ scoring barometer, as she’s often the only consistent and reliable avenue to goal, while the same is too often the case with St Kilda and their key forward, Caitlin Greiser. Alyce Parker and Alicia Eva are the Giants’ most prolific ball winners and distributors, while Tilly Lucas-Rodd has done the bulk of the work for the Saints, without a consistent supporting cast. The Giants, playing in front of their home crowd, should get over the line.
GIL TIPS: Greater Western Sydney

FREMANTLE (6-1) v ADELAIDE (6-1) (Saturday, 3.10 pm, Fremantle Oval)
Despite the Dockers and Crows occupying the top two spots on the ladder, several factors, including home ground advantage, point toward a Fremantle victory. By the opening bounce, Trent Cooper’s side will be cherry ripe, having reaped the reward of a two-week break, after surviving a compressed fixture as a result of the pandemic which required it to play multiple matches in Victoria on minimal rest. While the Dockers are set to welcome back stalwart midfielder Kiara Bowers from a two-week suspension, Crows legend Erin Phillips is a likely out with a sprained left knee, captain Chelsea Randall remains sidelined with a right hamstring strain, and the fitness of Stevie-Lee Thompson — already coping with a recent foot injury — is in question, because of hamstring tightness. Adelaide kicked poorly in knocking off a weak Giants side last week, but Fremantle won’t underestimate their depleted, yet dangerous opponent and will get the chocolates.
GIL TIPS: Fremantle

RICHMOND (2-5) v GEELONG (1-6) (Saturday, 5.10 pm, Punt Road Oval)
The Tigers last week reverted to their best form in a comfortable win over West Coast and they should continue their momentum at home to the Cats. Though only one game separates them, and Richmond co-owns the ignominy of conceding the most points this season, the Tigers can do one thing the Cats haven’t yet shown: score at will when they have the ball. By virtue of having stars like Mon Conti, Katie Brennan, and Ellie McKenzie on its list, Richmond is dangerous despite what its ladder position might suggest. The Cats’ Georgie Prespakis continues her impressive, rapid development and Amy McDonald has been sensational, but while Geelong has amassed honourable losses, this contest may be a blowout, with the Tigers set to pounce.
GIL TIPS: Richmond

PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

MELBOURNE (6-1) v NORTH MELBOURNE (6-1) (Saturday, 7.10 pm, Casey Fields)
There may not be a more evenly matched pair of clubs than these two, which makes tipping this game a coin flip. Both sides have lengthy winning streaks on their home decks, each boast star-studded spines, and the Dees and Roos are equally well-drilled and play with intensity. Melbourne’s Daisy Pearce is as skilled a rebounding defender as North’s Emma Kearney, while North’s former All-Australian ruck Emma King is as potent a weapon as Dees All-Australian ruck contender Lauren Pearce. So, what may decide this match? Besides North’s ability to limit the considerable influence of Tayla Harris and Karen Paxman and Melbourne’s efforts at muting Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell, the result may come down to which way the infamously tricky Casey winds blow. Mother Nature has tended to favour the Demons, but their home winning streak must fall sometime. The Roos will pip the Dees in a close one, but a future finals date between them could be on the cards.
GIL TIPS: North Melbourne

ST KILDA v GOLD COAST (3-3-1) (Sunday, 1.10 pm, Trevor Barker Beach Oval)
The Suns’ win-loss record doesn’t do them justice. They are easily the league’s most improved club and could very well catapult from last year’s wooden spoon to the finals. Charlie Rowbottom last round loudly announced her arrival as an elite player — and her favouritism for the 2022 Rising Star award – while ruck Lauren Bella must be in this year’s All-Australian conversations, as she’s helped her side emerge as the competition’s clearance leaders. Gold Coast is playing with discipline and passion and if it hadn’t run out of petrol at the end of its match with the Bulldogs, it might’ve leapfrogged Collingwood for sixth spot on the ladder. In their draw, Gold Coast kicked its highest score of the season and there’s no reason to think that trend can’t continue against a Saints outfit with the league’s lowest percentage.
GIL TIPS: Gold Coast

COLLINGWOOD (4-3) v WESTERN BULLDOGS (3-3-1) (Sunday, 3.10 pm, Victoria Park)
It’s safe to say no other club felt more relief after last round’s Suns-Dogs match than the Pies, who would’ve dropped out of the top six if they hadn’t drawn. Over the last three rounds, Collingwood will be forced to defend its top-six spot against its closest pursuers, the Bulldogs and the Suns, with a date with the Crows sandwiched in between. The rejuvenated Dogs, who were just a point away from winning four on the trot, are playing inspired footy, with Ellie Blackburn, Bonnie Toogood, Kirsty Lamb, and Elisabeth Georgostathis leading the charge. Collingwood, meanwhile, has been comprehensively beaten in all three of its matches this year against top-six sides. The Pies sorely miss midfielders Bri Davey and Steph Chiocci, and their forward line has been in shambles, with Chloe Molloy a non-factor in last week’s loss to North Melbourne, and Sabrina Frederick playing VFL. The Doggies now have the chance to shock the competition and barge their way into finals. A win at Victoria Park would jumpstart that effort.
GIL TIPS: Western Bulldogs

WEST COAST (1-6) v BRISBANE (5-2) (Sunday, 5.10 pm, Mineral Resources Park)
Fatigue seems like one of the culprits that sabotaged the Lions’ attempt to win back-to-back matches in the space of just a handful of days, as the Demons ran them down in the second half to snatch the victory. But while Brisbane must fly across the country to meet the Eagles, it has a longer break this round. West Coast has had a troubling, recent habit of not denting the scoreboard until the second half and by then, those matches are well and truly decided. While the Eagles have greatly benefitted from Emma Swanson, Dana Hooker and Aimee Schmidt having excellent seasons, the Lions have far too many weapons for the Eagles to contend with, including prolific ball-winners and likely first-time All-Australians, Emily Bates and Orla O’Dwyer. Brisbane will be more focused and fresher after its loss, which could spell doom for West Coast.
GIL TIPS: Brisbane

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY v CARLTON (2-5) (Sunday, 7.10 pm, Manuka Oval)
The Blues played their best football last round in their shellacking of St Kilda, as Darcy Vescio broke the shackles and Maddy Prespakis played what might’ve been her best game this season. Will Carlton now use its past performance as momentum to drive them to a second straight victory? Highly likely. With the talent on the Blues’ list, and the Giants’ well-documented scoring troubles, it should amount to a very comfortable victory for Daniel Harford’s side.
GIL TIPS: Carlton