AFLW Round 9: All the news from Sunday’s games in Pride Round
Fremantle has put a stop to a rampaging Demons side’s top two hopes with a thrilling five-point win, with Tayla Harris taken to hospital after a huge clash. See the latest on the Dees star here.
Tayla Harris will return home to Victoria with her teammates on Monday morning after being assessed in hospital for suspected fractured ribs.
Harris left Fremantle Oval in an ambulance after the Demons’ five-point loss to the Dockers on Sunday after being collected by Dockers ruck Mim Strom in a heavy bump during a frenetic final quarter.
Demons coach Mick Stinear said post-match the key forward would also be assessed for a potential concussion.
The MRO is expected to assess the incident in which both players making a play for the ball.
Fellow forward Georgia Gall was on crutches post-game after being ruled out in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
The Dockers also face a nervous wait after returning star Aine Tighe finished the game on the bench with knee soreness in her first game back from an ACL.
Coach Lisa Webb said post-game the club was hopeful the 33-year-old had dodged a bullet.
“We’ll get the right medical (support) around her, but I honestly don’t know enough,” Webb said. “Hopefully she’s fine. She worked incredibly hard to get back where she is.”
HARRIS INJURED AS DEES’ TOP-TWO HOPES TAKE A BEATING
Melbourne star Tayla Harris has been taken away in an ambulance after a heavy collision late in Melbourne’s heart-stopping five point loss to Fremantle.
Harris, 28, was collected by Dockers ruck Mim Strom in a heavy bump during a frenetic finish at Fremantle Oval.
The game was stopped as trainers helped Harris from the ground but there are concerns for the spearhead after she was seen in the hands of paramedics post-match.
Melbourne say the ambulance is a precaution and Harris was able to walk under her own steam up the race.
Coach Mick Stinear confirmed the star forward would be put through the concussion protocols as the Demons prepare to return to Victoria on Monday morning.
“She appeared okay but she’s going through the concussion protocols and we’ll report back once we get an update,” Stinear said post-match.”
“She didn’t appear too distressed but you never know with those knocks.”
The loss has dented Melbourne’s top two chances, with the 7-2 Demons overtaken by Hawthorn following the conclusion of round nine.
There are also concerns for fellow key forward Georgia Gall who landed awkwardly after a marking contest in the first quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game with an ankle injury.
Stinear said it was an injury to the same ankle that kept Gall out of round one.
“It looks okay but scans will tell us a little bit more,” he said.
Compounding Melbourne’s disappointing day at the office, the Demons only had 60 minutes to prepare instead of their usual two-hour lead-up after arriving late at the ground due to heavy traffic in Perth as a result of a running festival.
“I don’t think so,” Stinear said when asked if his side was unprepared.
“A lot of people had similar troubles. We still felt like we had time to prepare.”
Fremantle wasn’t without its own injury concerns, with key forward Aine Tighe ruled out on the stroke of three quarter time with knee soreness.
Tighe, 33, was playing her first game in nearly 400 days after overcoming an ACL injury, coincidently suffered in round four last year against the Demons.
The Dockers laid the ground work for their 6.4 (40) to 5.5 (35) win, just Fremantle’s fourth of the season, with a four-goal first term.
Melbourne dominated large chunks of the contest with its slick ball movement and athleticism, punctuated by a three-goal second term.
But the Dockers gritted their teeth and withstood a barrage of inside 50s (40-26 in Melbourne’s favour) to salute at Fremantle Oval.
The Demons face Sydney, Brisbane and Geelong in the run home after losing its grip on second spot.
While Fremantle has kept its slim finals hopes alive, moving to 11th at the conclusion of round nine.
RUTHLESS SAINTS STUN PIES TO MAINTAIN THE RAGE
— Chloe Williams
A ruthlessly efficient St Kilda outfit has staked its claim on the top eight with a 23-point victory over Collingwood.
The 5.5 (35) to 1.6 (12) win sets the tone for next week’s ladder-shaping contest against Carlton, who St Kilda now trail by only 1.4 percentage points.
Collingwood was once again hot out of the gates in a similar vein to last week’s outing against West Coast, but this time was unable to convert.
The Magpies, who are last in the competition for goals per inside 50, finished +17 for inside 50s but once more failed to create scoring chances.
Their inability to hit targets inside their forward arc saw them finish with an efficiency of only 25 per cent in this area.
It came after the late omission of star recruit Ash Centra (calf awareness), with Sam Wright saying they “pulled her to hopefully get her up for next week.”
Whilst much of Collingwood’s woes were self-inflicted, St Kilda continued to outnumber Collingwood behind the ball, led by Serene Watson.
It’s first time St Kilda has kept an opponent goalless across the first half in season ten, with Collingwood recording only their second mark inside 50 late in the third quarter.
It resulted in their only goal of the afternoon through captain Ruby Schleicher.
Georgia Patrikios (28 disposals) and Tyanna Smith (six clearances) were strong at stoppage dominance, allowing St Kilda’s first use to actualise into potent possessions.
A nasty knock to the mouth saw Charlotte Simpson exit the contest in the first quarter, adding to St Kilda’s growing injury list which has already welcomed Nicola Barr, Bianca Jakobsson and Jaimee Lambert.
In the wake of the AFL ditching the sub rule for 2026, her early exit emphasised the benefits of the five person bench used in the AFLW.
Next week’s battle against the Blues will be a test for a Saints side who has won their past five games against opponents outside the top eight.
BRITT’S MILESTONE
2021 All-Australian Britt Bonnici is a bonafide star of the competition, and now has 75 games to her name.
Averaging 22.5 possessions this year, season ten is shaping as a career-best year for the Magpies midfielder.
Today was no different, walking away with 27 disposals and seven clearances as one of Collingwood’s best.
CLARKE STRIKES TRULY
Eleventh-hour injury replacement signing Arianna Clarke struck truly to record her first AFLW goal, St Kilda’s first of the day.
Ex-Lion Clarke returned to footy through Sandringham’s VFLW side after six years, five months and two weeks out of the game at AFLW level.
LUCKY CHARM?
Nicola Stevens welcomed son Otis into the world on September 10, and St Kilda haven’t lost since.
Today marks the Saints’ fifth consecutive win, all coming after his birthday …
Coincidence? I think not.
“Five-and-Otis is the little slogan,” said Stevens post game.
GEE WHIZ
Alana Gee’s club debut for St Kilda marked her first AFLW game in 722 days following an ACL injury suffered during her time with Gold Coast.
She was involved in Jesse Wardlaw’s first score, going on to accumulate 12 disposals and lay four tackles.
SWANS SNAP FOUR-GAME LOSING STREAK
— Eliza Reilly
Sydney has soared to its first ever win over Carlton in the AFLW, spearhead by a stunning midfield performance.
Snapping a four-game losing streak, the Swans were red-hot from the start on their way to an 11.10 (76) to 5.7 (37) victory at Henson Park during the AFLW’s Pride Round.
The home side won the inside-50 count 17-2 in the first quarter, helping it open up a game-high 44-point lead midway through the second term.
While the Blues found a short-lived spark early in the third quarter, they ultimately had no answers as Sydney controlled the ball and applied strong pressure when it didn’t have possession.
Onballer Laura Gardiner was everywhere for the Swans, gathering a career-high 43 disposals and nine clearances.
Fellow midfielder Montana Ham (25 disposals, two goals) was also prolific, while veteran Tanya Kennedy racked up 24 disposals and two goals and.
It was only Carlton’s third loss from nine games this season, with the Blues hanging on to a top-eight spot on the ladder despite the upset result.
Originally published as AFLW Round 9: All the news from Sunday’s games in Pride Round
