AFLW 2021: All the action and results from Round 6
Collingwood has powered away from a spirited Western Bulldogs to put its stamp all over the AFLW season, while Carlton kept its finals hopes alive.
AFLW
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Collingwood has reaffirmed its standing as the AFLW team to beat, surging past a spirited Bulldogs outfit to remain undefeated at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon.
While the Bulldogs had momentum in the first half, the Pies were able to pick apart the Dogs’ defence in the second half, piling on seven goals after the main break.
Young star Chloe Molloy and co-captain Brianna Davey were instrumental in the Pies second-half surge, leading Collingwood to a sixth consecutive win.
Watch every match of the 2021 NAB AFLW Competition LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >>
Collingwood AFLW coach Steve Symonds insists his side is still developing.
“We’re happy about the way we’re progressing, but again today is probably a good indication that we’re still not nailing four quarters and we have a lot of growth to do,” Symonds said post-game.
“I keep on saying we’re a developing team but we truly are. We’re still trying to develop.
“We worked out today we’ve got 11 or 12 players who are 22 or under, so we’re still learning a little bit about the game and ourselves.
“We’re excited about what we’re trying to do and where we’re trying to go and the feeling is really good.
“The girls are really getting confident and they’ve got great connection so we’re really happy about that.”
SHARNI NORDER Q&A: AFLW ABOUT TO GO ‘OFF ITS HEAD’
Both teams came out of the blocks hard, attacking the ball with speed and tackling with intensity.
It was an arm wrestle around the ball, with neither team registering a major in the first quarter.
The Pies had most of the ball in the first half, but were under extreme pressure from a well-populated Bulldogs backline, kicking seven behinds but no major.
The sole first-half goal came courtesy of crafty play from Elisabeth Georgostathis in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
The Pies piles on four goals in the third quarter to wrestle back the momentum.
Molloy capitalised on a free kick early in the third quarter to get the Pies on the board, with debutant Abbi Moloney kicking her first AFLW goal just minutes later.
Molloy snapped her second goal in the dying minutes of the third term, while Sharni Norder converted a set shot just moments later, with her very long run-up proving effective.
Three final-quarter goals proved to be the final nail in the Bulldogs’ coffin, despite a classy crumb from young gun Jess Fitzgerald helping the Dogs get a late goal.
DEFENSIVE DOGS
Bulldogs players flooded their defensive 50 in the first half, putting Collingwood under enormous pressure.
The Pies couldn’t kick straight, spraying shots on goals and coughing up the ball.
But the Bulldogs lost all defensive structure in the second half, with the Pies able to pick off turnovers despite extreme congestion in their forward 50.
The change in momentum helped the Pies boot seven goals in the second half.
MOLLOY MAGIC AGAIN
Young gun Chloe Molloy’s run of exceptional form continued, with her athleticism and footy IQ on display yet again.
Molloy put on a show in front of a sellout crowd at Victoria Park, booting two goals despite a tough tag from Bulldog Eleanor Brown.
CO-CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS
Co-captain Brianna Davey was instrumental in the Pies’ third-quarter surge, with 22 touches to three-quarter time.
Despite the Bulldogs’ best efforts, Davey kept her feet at every contest and was instrumental in moving the ball forward.
Finishing with 28 disposals, seven tackles and eight marks, Davey’s strength and skill was on full display, setting up several scoring opportunities and booting a goal of her own.
DREAM DEBUT
Debutante Abbi Moloney kicked two goals from as many kicks in a debut most young players could only dream of.
Moloney’s first goal came on the end of a slick chain of Collingwood kicks, with Moloney displaying good instincts to mark in the square and play on.
Players streamed into the goalsquare to congratulate the youngster, with the hundreds of Collingwood fans in the sellout crowd cheering in jubilation.
Collingwood 7.9 (51) def Western Bulldogs 2.3 (15)
GOALS
Collingwood: Molloy 2, Moloney 2, Norder, Davey, Brown
Western Bulldogs: Georgostathis, Fitzgerald
BEST
Collingwood: Molloy, Livingstone, Bonnici, Davey, Alexander, Schleicher
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Lamb, Moody, Guest
Crowd: 3017 at Victoria Park
BLUES HOPING TO AVOID MORE KNEE AGONY
- James Mottershead
Another knee injury has soured Round 6 of the AFLW season with prodigious Carlton youngster Mimi Hill taken for scans.
Last week three players suffered season-ending ACL injuries and Carlton coach Daniel Harford sis hoping Hill won’t be added to that list.
The game was stopped for four-minutes while Hill was helped from the ground by trainers early in the last quarter.
“Nothing is confirmed at the minute, she’s off for a scan on that knee, so we’ll wait and see and cross our fingers that it’s not as bad as it could be,” Harford said.
“She’s a terrific young player for us and we’ll do whatever we can to support her through whatever it is, but hopefully it’s not as bad as it first appeared.”
Tayla Harris is expected to return to Carlton’s side next week after Carlton missed the bruised and battered star in the Blues’ 33-point win, Harford said.
Harris was officially managed by Carlton for its clash against Geelong, but Harford said she was carrying a few niggles and needed the rest.
“She’s been banged up a bit, Tay, she had a dodgy knee for a while, so it’s just a bit of a freshen up for her,” Harford said.
“We’re going to need her if we’re going to go anywhere with the remainder of the season.
“I hope it’s just one week, I think you miss a player like that any given day.”
In her second game of AFLW, Serena Gibbs played the Harris role and kicked two goals.
“Our forwards worked well in space and to see Serena Gibbs evolve in that key-position role in her second game is a great step for us going forward,” he said.
“Whilst I’m sure she (Harris) would’ve made a difference, it wasn’t her day today and someone else got a chance.”
Every game looms as a must-win for the Blues as they chase a spot in the top six for finals, with six wins likely to guarantee that. With three games left, that would mean the Blues have to win every game left for the season.
“I think they (the players) know like all of us do every game is super important,” Harford said.
Coming into the game against the bottom-of-the-ladder Cats the Blues sat two wins adrift of the top-eight with just four games to play.
It was a mini elimination final for the Blues, and in finals-like games great players step up.
That was Maddie Prespakis for Carlton.
Returning from suspension for a sling tackle on Richmond’s Sarah Hosking, the 20-year-old made up for lost time in the first quarter and had 10 disposals.
A classy snap goal after receiving a handball from Darcy Vescio in the third term was the cherry on top of Prespakis’s day out in which she finished with 27 touches.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Carlton as the Cats looked the most threatening they had all season on their way to their highest score in 2021.
Coach Paul Hood would be ruing missed opportunities in front of goal in the last quarter, as well as not converting on inside-50s in the second.
The 182cm Olivia Barber looks like she has all the talent to be a star at full-forward for the Cats, but needs better service.
BLUES FINALLY FIRE FIRST
Carlton has been slower to get going than a steam engine in games this season, but it finally clicked after six weeks.
The Blues had kicked just 1.2 in first terms coming into Sunday’s game, and after an early Geelong goal to Rebecca Webster it looked like their pain was to be extended another week.
But three goals in three minutes – two to Vescio and one to Natalie Plane – kicked the Blues into gear.
Serena Gibbs slammed on a fourth to not only make it their best opening term of the season, but their equal best of any quarter this season.
SPEAKING OF SCORING
The Cats put up their highest score of the season by the halfway mark of the third quarter.
Geelong’s struggles to hit the scoreboard had been well documented and coming into the game the Cats had failed to kick a goal in 13 of 20 quarters this year – eight of those were also scoreless quarters.
The Cats burst out of the blocks and looked intent to challenge Carlton from the get-go in search of their maiden win for 2021, and were just two goals adrift at quarter time.
But a sloppy second term would’ve frustrated Geelong coach Paul Hood as the Cats managed more inside-50s than Carlton for a return of just two points.
CROWD LET-DOWN
With only one other game of footy on in Melbourne in Sunday – Collingwood v Western Bulldogs – a crowd of just 1764 attended the game.
It was a far cry from the Round 1 crowd of 6712 that packed out Ikon Park.
Even with the Cats travelling down the freeway for the game, with Carlton’s season on the line and a beautiful 28-degree day, you would’ve liked to see more fans at the game.
Carlton 10.4 (64) d Geelong 4.7 (31)
GOALS
Carlton: 2 Vescio, 2 Gibbs, 2 Gee, Stevens, Plane, Pound, Prespakis
Geelong: Webster, Cranston, Barber, Higgins
BEST
Carlton: Prespakis, Egan, Harrington, Pound, Loynes
Geelong: Webster, A. McDonald, Garing, M. McDonald
Crowd: 1764
BIG SWITCH PAYS OFF FOR DEMONS
- Sophie Welsh
Melbourne seem to have exorcised their accuracy demons, looking slick and speedy as they comfortably beat St Kilda under lights at Casey Fields on Saturday night.
After two frustrating losses punctuated by wayward goalkicking, the Dees seemed determined from the get-go, moving the ball quickly and with purpose.
The ball seemed locked in the Dees’ forward 50 for the first quarter, with the Demons booting two goals while the Saints didn’t register an inside 50.
Daisy Pearce got the Dees on the board early, settling Demon nerves after two weeks of accuracy troubles in front of goal. A second came just minutes later, courtesy of Alyssa Bannan taking advantage of an out-of-position Saints defence.
SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE AFLW MATCH REPORTS
The Saints got one back in the second quarter, courtesy of Nat Exon booting her first goal for the red, white and black in her 30th AFLW game. But the Dees capitalised on two free kicks, with Tegan Cunningham and Shelley Scott converting in the before halftime.
The Dees piled on the pain after the main break, booting three unanswered goals.
Melbourne didn’t seem to be missing Daisy Pearce in the midfield, with Karen Paxman, Maddison Gay and Tyla Hanks running rampant, and ruck Lauren Pearce recording 21 hitouts and 22 disposals to match.
The Saints snuck two last-quarter goals through Claudia Whitfort and Tamara Luke, but the Dees got two of their own thanks to Eliza McNamara and Kate Hore.
Peta Searle said her young St Kilda side can’t hide behind their inexperience forever, after the Saints were overrun by a slick Melbourne outfit at Casey Fields on Saturday night.
“When we work on one thing we go well on that one thing but fall away on the other things,” Searle said.
“That’s a bit characteristic of a developing team and a young team, but it’s certainly a characteristic we don’t want to carry with us and we want to grow out of pretty quickly.”
The victory put Melbourne back on the winner’s list after a shaky few weeks, leaving the Saints still searching for their first win away from RSEA Park.
Melbourne AFLW coach Mick Stinear said it was the kind of four-quarter performance he hoped Melbourne could continue to put together.
“I think tonight we got a good snapshot of how we want to play the game, and the girls backed that up with a good level of physicality and intent,” he said. “I just think the girls really competed well and were hungry to win the ball, they were hungry to get it back, and there were moments in offence where they fought their way back through it.”
FRESH AS A DAISY
The composure and experience of Daisy Pearce up forward gave the Dees their first goal in the opening minutes. Playing forward, captain Daisy Pearce had immediate impact, booting the Dees first goal and setting up an important Tyla Hanks goal in the second quarter. Her experience and composure seemed to settle the Demons’ forward line, providing structure and grit.
NEW-LOOK FORWARD LINE
After two weeks of accuracy woes, something needed to change for the Demons.
And change it did, with star midfielder Daisy Pearce playing forward and Dees using their skill and pace to pile pressure on the Saints’ defence.
Stinear sung the praises of captain Daisy Pearce, whose move into attack got the Dees on the scoreboard early, settling nerves after two weeks of inaccuracy in front of goal plagued the Melbourne camp.
“St Kilda challenged us last year defensively, so we wanted one of our more experienced players [to move forward],” Stinear said.
“She’s really like an on-field coach at times to be able to help us get organised ahead of the ball and for her to kick one early certainly helped and inspired the girls.
“She’s an experienced player, and really good one-on-one.”
Young gun Eden Zanker proved dangerous across half-forward, setting up goals and providing dynamism to the new-look Melbourne attacking unit despite shanking a set shot of her own in the final term.
HANKS A LOT
Tyla Hanks’s exceptional run of form continued, with the 157-centimetre-tall forward’s speed and skill on display under lights at Casey Fields.
Racking up 22 touches and four tackles, Hanks looked to be a star of the future.
Setting up several goals and providing valuable run and carry through into Melbourne’s forward 50, Hanks stood out amid a seriously impressive side.
Stinear said his charges would revel in the win after losing two games back-to-back, but it would be quick to focus on the upcoming clash against Adelaide next Saturday night.
“[The players] will obviously enjoy the moment tonight because they worked hard, but then quickly reset and get ready for the week ahead,” he said. “We’ve got to keep winning now and bringing that level of effort week on week.”
SCOREBOARD
MELBOURNE 9.12 (66) def ST KILDA 3.4 (22)
GOALS
MELBOURNE — Bannan 2, D. Pearce 2, Cunningham, McNamara, Parry, Scott, Hore
ST KILDA — Exon, Whitfort, Luke
BEST
MELBOURNE — D. Pearce, Paxman, L. Pearce, Hanks, Zanker, Bannan
ST KILDA — Lucas-Rodd, Priest, Patrikios, Watt
ROOS’ KING IN COMMAND OVER DEPLETED TIGERS
— James Mottershead
North Melbourne put up its second-highest halftime score on the way to defeating a Monique Conti-less Richmond.
The Roos owned the ball in the first half and looked like putting the Tigers to the sword, but a third-quarter fightback led by 18-year-old Ellie McKenzie made sure her side wasn’t embarrassed.
After notching their first win in AFLW history last week, the Richmond mood was dampened pre-game when their best player was ruled out with hamstring soreness.
North was able to capitalise and controlled the first half while Richmond found their feet, recording 145 disposals to Richmond’s 76.
The Tigers battled their way back into the game on the back of McKenzie and Tayla Stahl in the third term and ended up winning the second half.
North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker said the Roos’ first half was the most complete football they’d played this year.
“Everything just came together, all the different concepts and things we’ve been working on, and that we went into the game with, they came together really well,” Crocker said.
“The challenge was to do it for three quarters and build it out to four quarters but weren’t able to do that.
“But when you actually control a game for so much in the first half, it makes it difficult to continue on.”
Tigers coach Ryan Ferguson said not having Conti had an effect but wasn’t to blame for Richmond being so off in the first half.
He said Tigers fans could expect to see her back next week if her recovery stays on track.
“We’re very confident she’ll play next week, we can’t guarantee anything obviously, but she’s tracking well at the moment, so we’ll see how it progresses,” he said.
KING REIGNS SUPREME
When Emma King gets going she’s arguably the hardest player in AFLW to stop.
Unfortunately for Richmond they were faced with that prospect and couldn’t find an answer for the 26-year-old’s utter dominance.
King gave North Melbourne first use out of the middle, getting her hand to the ball first and feeding her star-studded midfield with 21 hit outs.
And when she went forward her height and marking proved too much for an undersized Richmond defence.
Staggeringly, King hadn’t kicked a goal since the Roos’ first quarter of the season, when she slotted three against the Cats, but took her season tally to five.
“Her first half was super, the best footy she’s played for us since Rd 1, the way she started against Geelong,” Crocker said.
“She really helped set the game up for us, any long ball that went down the line if Richmond held us up and defended us well, she was able to give us that presence down the line.”
TIGER CUB LEADS FIGHT
No one felt the brunt of the loss of Conti pregame more than Ellie McKenzie.
The 18-year-old No.1 draft pick was thrust into the lead role in Richmond’s midfield before her time, but she more than answered the challenge.
She fought a lone battle in the first half as North Melbourne’s vaunted midfield took charge of the game. But her effort in the third term ensured Richmond finished the game with plenty to smile about.
LOW TURNOUT
Despite the game being a sellout, a crowd of just 803 filed into Punt Road Oval.
With 50 per cent of Marvel Stadium allowed to watch the Collingwood v Richmond pre-season game, it shaped as the perfect opportunity to get more eyes on the growing AFLW competition with a curtain raiser.
Whether they played this game, or the Collingwood v Western Bulldogs blockbuster before the AFL game, it would’ve made it much easier for fans to access, and a much larger number at that.
SCOREBOARD
RICHMOND 0.1 0.2 3.2 5.2 (32)
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.2 6.5 6.5 10.7 (67)
GOALS
Richmond: Bernardi 2, Stahl, Wakefield, Brennan
North Melbourne: King 2, Bateman 2, Garner, Abbatangelo, Eddey, Hammond, Bannister, Kearney
BEST
Richmond: McKenzie, Cordner, Brennan, Bernardi
North Melbourne: Riddell, Garner, Ashmore, King, Bateman
LIONS DEMOLISH GIANTS, BUT A BIGGER FISH TO FRY LOOMS
—Greg Davis
Brisbane warmed up for the potential AFLW grand final preview against Collingwood next weekend by handing out some capital punishment to GWS in Canberra on Saturday.
The Lions will host the Magpies in a top-of-the-table clash next Sunday (March 14) at Hickey Park where they will face a much tougher test than they encountered at Manuka Oval where Brisbane thrashed the Giants by 38 points.
The 7.13 (55) to 2.5 (17) shellacking helped Brisbane move to a 5-1 record for their 2021 campaign that has the triple threat of a potent forward line, dominant midfield and suffocating backline.
Brisbane’s three-pronged attack was on show from the first bounce in Canberra and they kept the pedal to the metal.
Coming off their outstanding win against the previously unbeaten Fremantle, the Lions were on the board inside the first two minutes through Dakota Davidson and goals to Courtney Hodder and Jess Wuetschner saw the Lions take a commanding 20-point buffer into quarter-time.
Brisbane dominated inside 50 entries, contested possession and won eight free kicks to nil as they were in front of every contest in the opening term.
The demolition job continued in the second term with Davidson adding her second major to go to the top of the goalkicking standings in the AFLW while Jade Ellenger and Isabel Dawes also piled on the pain with goals as the Lions roared to an emphatic 6.7 (43) to 0.2 (2) advantage at the main break.
Dawes kicked her second goal of the match in the third term when the Giants finally kicked their first goal through Katherine Smith.
Key defender Kate Lutkins was at her All-Australian best with 19 disposals and five marks while Lions midfielders Ally Anderson and Emily Bates had 19 touches each. Alicia Eva had 22 disposals for GWS.
GOTY CONTENDER THAT WASN’T
After a spectacular banana kick against Fremantle last week, Brisbane’s Courtney Hodder had another Goal of the Year contender in the offing when she sprinted out of the centre of the ground, bounced multiple times only to then spray the kick straight in front of goal.
BRAVE JESS THE WEAPON
On the day where Jess Wuetschner bravely opened up in the media about battling her mental health demons in the wake of being struck by lightning last year, the Lions utility kicked her 30th AFLW goal in her 30th career game. A fit and healthy Wuetschner is a major weapon for Brisbane.
TOUGH TIME OF IT
Last season Brisbane’s Cathy Svarc towelled up GWS ball magnet Alyce Parker while getting plenty of the Sherrin herself. Svarc went to Parker from the first bounce to renew acquaintances but had just the seven touches. Although she did limit Parker’s impact with the Giant collecting 16 disposals.
FOOTY’S BACK AT MANUKA
Manuka Oval shone brightly as a venue during the BBL and it was great to have footy back at the Canberra venue after an extended absence. It had been the best part of two years since the AFLW graced the nation’s capital and almost 18 months since Hawthorn and GWS played in the snow 18 months ago in the AFL.
SCOREBOARD
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.1 0.2 1.3 2.5 (17)
lost to
BRISBANE 3.3 6.7 7.11 7.13 (55)
GOALS
Giants: Smith, Bennetts
Lions: Davidson 2, Dawes 2, Hodder, Wuetschner, Ellenger
BEST
Giants: Eva, Tully, Garnett, Bennetts, Goodsir, Parker
Lions: Lutkins, Davidson, Anderson, Bates, Dawes, Wuetschner, Hodder
INJURIES
Giants: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 1847 at Manuka Oval
CROWS DEVASTATING LOSS IN HUNT FOR AFLW PREMIERSHIP
—Warren Partland
Adelaide is almost certain to be chasing the AFLW premiership without Nikki Gore after she was taken to hospital for scans on a suspected broken ankle.
The South Adelaide product was helped from the ground less than two minutes into the Norwood Oval contest against Gold Coast on Saturday and her season is under a cloud.
The Crows are optimistic Hannah Button has escaped serious damage to her shoulder and will be involved in the final three minor rounds. Button had her arm in a sling and shoulder heavily iced at three-quarter time.
Crows coach Matthew Clarke said Button’s shoulder had popped back in immediately.
The positive injury news for the home side was the successful comeback of dual premiership player Deni Varnhagen, making her season debut following knee and thigh problems.
The Suns, still seeking their first win of the season, also have injury concerns after arguably their best player Jamie Stanton was stretchered from the field just five minutes into the game because of foot issue.
The Crows climbed to second on the ladder after thumping the Suns by 70 points, failing by just one point to match the Western Bulldogs’ 86 as the highest score in the competition’s history.
“I wasn’t aware of the score and record,” Clarke said. “But I’m not complaining because we kicked more goals than points.
“It was a strong performance although the injuries sour it quite a bit.”
Clarke said the priority was to finish in the top six to give the Crows a crack at the title.
“The way the draw is, it is going to be good for the competition,” he said. “The teams in the top six play each other and the reality is whoever wins will get the better run to the finals.
“The final five or six weeks is going to be exciting for the AFLW.”
Suns coach David Lake said the clash against the Crows was a prime chance for his young side to gain another valuable lesson.
He noted his line-up contained 10 players under 21 years, while adding the stats were around the mark.
“Understanding where we are at as a footy club,” Lake said. “This was a great opportunity to learn against a really good footy side.
“Last year we had two and a half wins. There are still three opportunities in front of us at home.”
SCOREBOARD
ADELAIDE Crows 2.1 7.2 10.5 13.7 (85)
beat
GOLD COAST Suns 0.0 2.2 2.2 2.3 (15)
GOALS
Adelaide: Ponter 4, Phillips 2, Randall 2, Hatchard, Woodland, Martin, Scheer, Thompson
Gold Coast: Kaslar, Surman
BEST
Adelaide: Ponter, Phillips, Hatchard, Marinoff, Randall, Thompson
Gold Coast: Drennan, Ahrens, Surman, Groves-Little
INJURIES
Adelaide: Gore (ankle), Button (shoulder)
Gold Coast: Stanton (ankle)
More Coverage
Originally published as AFLW 2021: All the action and results from Round 6
Injury-hit Demons stun Crows in Norwood thriller
Struck down by a host of injuries across their team, the Dees have managed to keep their AFLW season alive by pulling off a thrilling victory over the Crows.
AFLW players in ‘push’ for major change
A leading broadcaster says AFLW players are lobbying the league for a radical overhaul of the competition.