AFLW Round 3: All the news from across the competition on super Saturday
Fremantle has powered to a win over Port Adelaide while, Carlton launched into premiership contention when it held Geelong goalless and Richmond beat Sydney. Catch all the AFLW news.
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Fremantle stormed home with the wind to score a thrilling eight-point victory against Port Adelaide on Saturday, Mim Strom and Hayley Miller starring as the Dockers came from behind to win the first ever AFLW meeting between the clubs.
Fremantle led for the first time at Alberton Oval with five minutes remaining in the entertaining match after Gabby Biedenweg-Webster scored a behind, with Miller sealing her side’s second win of the season with the last goal of the contest.
Maria Moloney and Julia Teakle impressed for the Power, but the home side was unable to register a score in the last term after holding a seven-point lead at the last break.
A strong wind to the northern end was a key factor in the clash, with no goals scored against it in the first half, with Port and Fremantle kicking two apiece when they had use of the breeze.
The Power looked to have made good use of the wind with two goals in the third term, including a second to Teakle, but Aine Tighe reacted quickest to mark an errant shot from Miller and boot a priceless goal into the wind from close range.
Fremantle got the result without Aisling McCarthy, the Dockers losing their No. 1 ball winner and leading tackler to knee soreness before the match.
TERRIFIC TEAKLE
On the heels of her career-best four-goal outing in the big win over the Western Bulldogs, Teakle was prominent early, applying pressure with some key tackles.
Her hard work paid off on the scoreboard 13 minutes into the opening term when she pounced on a Dockers’ error exiting defence to deftly gather a loose ball and slot the first goal of the day across her body from 35m out.
A special moment for Caitlin Wendland followed soon after, the former Lion registering her first AFLW goal when she swooped on a loose ball at a stoppage deep inside attacking 50 and found the middle with a neat snap off her left.
Port’s tackling was a feature as the home side leapt out to a 13-point lead at the first break, Lauren Arnell’s side leading the tackle count 30-14, Moloney and Ella Boag with nine between them.
PURPLE PATCH
The Dockers’ goalless first term meant they had gone five quarters in a row without a major after Adelaide kept them to six behinds in Round 2.
The visitors had use of the breeze in the second term, but they struggled to take advantage until Ebony Antonio was first to a ball that went over the back and kicked truly from close range five minutes before half-time.
With the goal drought broken, and Strom and Miller exerting their influence on the contest, Fremantle sliced the margin to one point at the main break, with Gabby O’Sullivan converting a free kick in the shadows of half-time.
CARLTON SPRINGS INTO PREMIERSHIP CONTENTION AFTER TOPPLING CATS
Geelong faces an uphill battle to return to the finals after Carlton’s revamped midfield group announced itself in a stunning upset win on Saturday.
The Cats left Ikon Park with their lowest ever score and only two premiership points from three games after Blues on-ballers Maddy Guerin, Abbie McKay, Mimi Hill and Keeley Sherar ran riot.
All under the age of 24, the Carlton quartet had 17 inside 50s between them while the entire Geelong side could muster only 22.
Guerin (31 possessions including a game-high eight intercepts) rode the momentum of her matchwinning goal against Gold Coast in Mackay to surge past her previous career-high of 13 disposals early in the second term.
The 24-year-old broke a lengthy deadlock with a long-range goal before McKay and Hill, who was thrown back into the middle after a fortnight at halfback, also produced classy finishes to open a three-goal gap in the second term.
KEY CATS OBSTACLE EMERGES
At least part of Carlton’s territory domination could be attributed to the absence of star Cat Georgie Prespakis, who has been dealing with a persistent quad issue since the pre-season.
But more worrying for Geelong is the decimation of its ruck stocks after Liv Fuller opted to sit out the season due to work commitments in May, Erin Hoare retired in July, and Fuller’s replacement Lilly Pearce ruptured her ACL at training this week.
It left a gallant 170cm Gabbi Featherston to shoulder the ruck load against Jess Good (185cm) and Breann Moody (180cm), with 34-year-old forward Kate Darby her only support heading into the condensed mid-season period.
The Blues rucks gave their midfielders first use all afternoon with 50 hit-outs to 20, and the Cats will be anxious to find ways to overcome similar deficits before their season gets away from them.
CLICKING INTO GUER
The 2-1 Blues will be a genuine finals contender if this is a level Maddy Guerin can continue to find this season.
Having suffered three ACL injuries in a five-year period, the classy South Australian midfielder-forward successfully sought permission to play two early-season SANFL games for West Adelaide before she returned to Melbourne and appeared in six VFLW games for Carlton.
“It felt like no one really picked us to win today – I think we wanted to make a bit of a statement,” Guerin told Fox Footy after the game.
“Last week gave me a bit of confidence, kicking that first goal in AFLW … today I just wanted to bring my contest, and obviously it worked out well.
Carlton’s victory sets up a Thursday night blockbuster against current top-eight side Richmond at Ikon Park next week, while Geelong has a full week before its trip north to face Gold Coast.
TIGERS BREEZE PAST WOUNDED SWANS
It threatened to get ugly, but Sydney clung on to avoid embarrassment after a blistering first quarter from Katie Brennan and Richmond delivered a 46-point victory in Coffs Harbour.
Brennan marked everything that came her way in a sensational opening term which produced three of the Tigers’ five goals, as a flat-footed Sydney failed to cope under the weight of 11 of the first 13 forward entries of the game.
Sarah Hosking gets the opener! 🙌#AFLWSwansTigerspic.twitter.com/zFVtlMHVId
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 14, 2024
Dynamic small forward Emelia Yassir was given too much space by the Swans as she had a direct hand in two goals and won five free kicks through her relentless attack on the ball.
The Tigers’ delivery inside 50 to their captain was superb as Brennan responded to rare consecutive goalless games to begin the season with a commanding performance.
Her second goal was the pick of the bunch for Richmond after a sweeping handball from Monique Conti allowed winger Tessa Lavey to receive without breaking stride and deliver the ball cleanly inside 50.
CONTI TAGGED OUT
Conti was among the Tigers’ best but her influence was well below her usual standards after a Swans defensive effort which could create a blueprint for Richmond’s rivals.
Sydney on-ballers Hayley Bullas and Montana Beruldsen were used to mark the Richmond superstar tightly at stoppages, and she was held to just 17 disposals – with only four in the second term as the Swans pushed back into the match.
While Conti was subdued, former No. 1 pick Ellie McKenzie racked up a career-high 23 disposals and seven marks in a breakout game after missing all but one match last season with an ankle injury.
“I think we came here wanting to prove a point,” McKenzie, 21, told Fox Footy after the game.
“I think for me, having a year out of the game really made me miss it. I wanted to come out here and build on my last couple of weeks, and just keep building for the girls and playing team football.
“Every win here is crucial … it’s going to be a really tight competition. Hopefully we can go into that condensed period of the season and bring a bit of confidence from this game.”
Richmond will play three games in 10 days during the AFLW’s rapid run through the middle of the season, with home clashes against Carlton and Port Adelaide followed by a trip to Launceston to face North Melbourne.
Montana Ham is growing before our very eyes ðŸ˜#AFLWSwansTigerspic.twitter.com/YoP175wyro
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 14, 2024
INJURY PAIN WORSENS
Montana Ham (two goals) and Laura Gardiner fought hard for the Swans, but the absences of co-captain Chloe Molloy (ACL), star ruck Ally Morphett (managed) and forward threat Cynthia Hamilton (Quad) all clearly hurt the 2023 finalists.
Richmond ruck Poppy Kelly dominated in Morphett’s absence, but the Tigers had their own injury concern out of the game with Yassir ruled out midway through the final term after suffering a knock to her knee.
FIRST GOAL FLURRY
Tasmanian 19-year-old Mackenzie Ford was mobbed by Richmond teammates after she booted her first goal against the run of play early in the second term.
The Swans immediately responded through their own teenager in Holly Cooper, who pounced as Kelly tried to grab the ball out of the ruck and brought down the bigger Tiger for a free kick and goal on debut.
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