AFLW 2023: All the news, results and action from Round 3
St Kilda is staring at another AFLW season without finals after falling to 0-3 against Port Adelaide, turning up the pressure on coach Nick Dal Santo. Full AFLW wrap.
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St Kilda’s AFLW finals hopes are hanging by a thread after they gave up a 20-point lead in the third quarter before succumbing to lowly Port Adelaide by eight points in a controversial thriller at Moorabbin on Sunday.
The 8.8 (56) to 7.6 (48) result ensures the Saints are winless after three games this season, meaning they will probably have to win six of their last seven matches to finish in the top eight for the first time since entering the competition in 2020.
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The pressure must surely be rising on Saints coach Nick Dal Santo who has now overseen just five wins from 23 matches since taking over the reins in late 2021. His third season in charge looks destined to finish without finals footy again after the Power managed only their second win from 13 attempts since joining the league.
Dal Santo said “poor decisions at critical moments” cost the Saints dearly.
“We’re aware that we need to be more disciplined in multiple facets of the game and give ourselves some more opportunity,” he said.
After kicking four consecutive behinds either side of halftime, St Kilda finally got reward for effort with back-to-back majors from Jaimee Lambert and Jesse Wardlaw to stretch their advantage to a game-high 20 points.
However, just as the Saints looked like they were home, Port Adelaide roared into life, kicking the next five goals to lead by 14 points late in the final quarter, after racking up 12 inside-50s in a row at one stage.
Their lead should have been greater, but of their 10 consecutive shots on goal, one hit the post, two others were minor scores, and another four failed to score, including three set shots – two from the boot of Ashleigh Saint.
But it mattered little in the wash-up and when champion Erin Phillips finally kicked her first goal for Port Adelaide, after managing just seven behinds since joining the expansion club last year, the result was sealed. It capped off a memorable day for the AFLW superstar, who became just the 14th player to register 1000 career disposals.
GOAL LINE DRAMA
The contest had no shortage of controversial moments. In the dying seconds of the third quarter, with the Saints still up by 11 points, Port Adelaide’s Indy Tahau had a shot on goal from 30m out which was way off line.
However, it took a wicked bounce on the behind line at right angles before miraculously coming back into play and dribbling into the goal umpire who was straddling the goalpost.
The ball looked like it might’ve been headed for the post and a minor score, but after a quick chat with field umpire Ray Chamberlain, Tahau was sensationally awarded the goal to cut the deficit to just five points.
Tahau was also done a big favour by St Kilda defender Natalie Plane, who was daydreaming underneath the ball while it was seemingly headed for a behind, but failed to get a fist on the ball and allowed it to go on its unexpected path towards goal.
And in the first quarter, St Kilda’s Darcy Guttridge ran onto the loose ball in the goalsquare but took a long time to get boot to ball, and looked like she may have even done so just over the goal line. However, she too was given the benefit of the doubt.
BIG HEAD CLASH
The nailbiting match was marred by a huge head clash between St Kilda’s J’Noemi Anderson and Port Adelaide’s Janelle Cuthbertson, who were contesting a loose ball on the wing late in the third quarter.
Both players came from the ground to receive medical attention, and while Cuthbertson was ultimately cleared to return to the game, Anderson wasn’t as fortunate, and failed to take any further part.
Anderson will likely have entered the 12-day concussion protocols as a result.
EWINGS’ DOUBLE DAZZLER
The two biggest highlights of Port Adelaide’s five-goal blitz either side of three-quarter time belonged to Hannah Ewings.
Ewings kickstarted the Power’s resurgence when she kicked the first of those goals after going for a run and unloading a magnificent attempt from 48m out, which bounced home to get the Power within 12 points.
And then shortly after three-quarter time, Ewings gave her team the lead with the goal of the day as she executed a sensational snap shot from the impossible angle on the boundary which somehow sailed straight through the big sticks.
Scoreboard
SAINTS 3.1, 4.3, 6.5, 7.6 (48)
POWER 2.1, 3.3, 5.6, 8.8 (56)
LERNER’S BEST
Saints: Lambert, Vesely, Priest, Smith, Patrikios.
Power: Phillips, Dowrick, Ewings, Tahau, Scholz, Stewart, Houghton.
GOALS
Saints: Guttridge 2, Lambert 2, Xenos, Wardlaw, Vesely.
Power: Saint 2, Ewings 2, Tahau 2, Boag, Phillips.
INJURIES
Saints: Anderson (head). Power: Nil
Umpires: Birch, Chamberlain, Coyne
Venue: Moorabbin Oval
Blues power back into finals contention
Carlton’s season is back on track after powering to a 53-point win over West Coast to improve its record to 2-1.
The Blues were led by second-year midfielder-forward Keeley Skepper and veteran forward Darcy Vescio as the pair booted a combined five goals to lift their side to their biggest score of the season at Mineral Resources Park.
But before climbing to 12.5 (77) to 3.6 (24) win, it was a high-pressure game early as both sides went into the first break a goal apiece.
The Blues, however, thrilled with three goals in the first five minutes of the second term to power ahead and Lily Goss kicked her first AFLW goal in the third term to make it a 46-point advantage.
It was a strong response from the Blues after a 10-goal drubbing last week while the Eagles remain winless this season.
50M PENALTIES COSTLY FOR EAGLES
The Blues piled on three goals in the first five minutes of the second term to surge to a 20-point lead.
At the centre of the onslaught came a controversial protected area infringement call against Eagle Isabella Lewis, which sent Blues forward Darcy Vescio to the top of the goalsquare.
They converted a simple set-shot goal to put the Blues up by 14.
While Vescio was searching for a target inside 50, Lewis was seen as impairing the protected zone on the far side. Eagles players could be seen frustrated with some having their hands out following the call.
It proved to be a key moment in the game, and the Eagles were on the wrong end of another key call at the beginning of the second half when Aimee Achmidt was called for holding her opponent after taking a stunning one-handed grab in close range of goal.
Her reaction to the close call led to the Blues gaining the ball at half-back after a 50m penalty was given. The Blues went on to kick their sixth goal of the game at the other end through Keeley Skepper.
SKEPPER A STAR IN THE MAKING
In just her second season, Keeley Skepper produced the performance of a seasoned veteran with a game-high three goals and 23 disposals. The 19-year-old’s first goal came in the opening quarter via a slick snap before firing again in the third and fourth quarters to see her side over the line in a top-notch performance in Western Australia. The 2022 Rising Star nominee is an exciting prospect, having produced this performance in just her 12th AFLW game.
RUCK DECISION TO RUE
Eagles coach Michael Prior might have regretted his decision to leave emerging ruck Sarah Lakay out of the team after West Coast was beaten convincingly in the hitouts 56 to 16 as well as clearances 33-23. Lakay, a rising star nominee last season, was left out of the side for a mix of tall and small players but perhaps could have stayed in the team to counter the stunning performance of Blues ruck duo Breann Moody and Jessica Good. The pair had 55 hitouts and 28 touches between them and could have had a tougher battle with Lakay in the side, c
oming off 28 and 26 hitouts in the first two rounds.
Scoreboard
EAGLES 1.0, 1.0, 2.2, 3.6 (24)
BLUES 1.2, 5.4, 8.5, 12.5 (77)
HATZOGLOU’S BEST
Eagles: Swanson, Lewis, McCarthy, Roberts, Smith.
Blues: Skepper, Hill, Moody, McKay, Vescio, Fitzpatrick, Sherar, Anthony.
GOALS
Eagles: Hooker, Roberts, Rowley.
Blues: Skepper 3, Vescio 2, Moody 2, Austin 2, Goss, Fitzpatrick, Dal Pos.
Injuries: Eagles: Thomas (finger). Blues: Nil.
Umpires: Evans, Fry, Gibson
Venue: Mineral Resources Park
Pies pay for broken radar
Gold Coast secured back-to-back AFLW wins on Sunday after upsetting a woefully inaccurate Collingwood outfit by 12 points at the Magpies’ spiritual home Victoria Park.
The Magpies had more than enough chances to kick a winning score, but despite finishing with three more scoring shots than the Suns, could only manage a final score of 2.9 (21) to 5.3 (33).
The Magpies kicked an appalling 1.6 from set shots.
Nell Morris-Dalton had the chance to level the scores with five minutes to go when she took a big pack mark 35m out directly in front.
However, she too hooked it to the left, and four minutes later, Jamie Stanton iced the game for the Suns with her third major, and her 10th for the season.
“Disappointing. That’s certainly one that got away,” Collingwood coach Stephen Symonds said post-match.
“The data tells us that we should have won – 2.9, you’re not going to win too many games kicking like that.
“We didn’t take our opportunities in front of goal and it came back to hurt us.
“We’ve just got to keep on coming back to the process ... and we’ve got to get our players a bit more confident in front of goal and not panicking when they’re in front of goal and make sure they’re executing it. It’s all we can do.
“Keep on giving them game time where they’re exposed under more pressure and the more exposure they get, the more experience they get, they’ll finish those shots.”
The result improved the Suns’ record to 2-1, while Collingwood now has a bit of work to do if it plans to make the top eight.
The Pies are 1-2, and will probably need to win five of their last seven matches to qualify for the finals for a fifth consecutive year.
WASTEFUL MAGPIES
After starting the game with three behinds in a row, the Magpies finally got rewarded just before the first break when Brianna Davey converted a set shot after being paid a dubious free kick for supposedly being pushed in the back.
Gold Coast trailed at quarter-time after failing to capitalise on their whopping clearance (13-3) and contested possession (32-18) advantages in the opening term, but got bang for buck early in the second period with two goals in five minutes to take the lead.
The ball lived in Collingwood’s forward half for the remainder of the quarter after they wrested the ascendancy around the stoppages, but atrocious goalkicking prevented them from grabbing the halftime lead as their next five shots on goal all missed, including two that failed to score.
Ironically, it was former Magpie Jordan Membrey who made her former club pay the price by bobbing up for Gold Coast’s third goal in a row early in the third period. The Magpies continued to fritter away numerous shots on goal, including a shocking attempt from Davey, who hit the post from directly in front.
A beautiful six-pointer on the run from Ash Brazill levelled the scores in the shadows of three-quarter time, but Stanton gave the Suns back the lead in the opening minutes of the final stanza with her second major, and the visitors would not relinquish their advantage.
SINGLE SUBDUES DAVEY
Gold Coast’s Lucy Single was given the big task of tagging Collingwood superstar Davey, who averaged 27 disposals in her first two games.
But Single was more than up to the task, restricting Davey to just 16 touches, while helping herself to 19 possessions (11 contested) and seven tackles.
Claudia Whitfort was also instrumental for the Suns with 19 disposals (14 contested) and seven clearances, while Charlie Rowbottom accrued 18 touches (11 contested) and laid six tackles.
For the Pies, Brit Bonnici was the standout in her 50th game, racking up 19 possessions, and Sarah Rowe picked up 18 disposals.
While Davey was below her best by her own lofty standards, she still managed to record 13 contested possessions, seven clearances and a goal.
Ultimately, the Suns’ appetite for the hard stuff was decisive as they finished up with a massive advantage in contested possessions (118-92).
LATE DRAMA
With 30 seconds to go, and the Magpies trailing by 12 points, Collingwood’s Tarni Brown brought Gold Coast’s Jacqueline Dupuy to ground with a desperate tackle a few metres out from the Magpies’ goal.
Brown should have been paid a free kick for holding the ball, because Dupuy clearly appeared to have prior opportunity.
It would have given Brown the chance to cut the deficit to six points with time enough for Collingwood to snare a draw, but the umpire was not interested and waved play on.
Scoreboard
PIES 1.3, 1.6, 2.8, 2.9 (21)
SUNS 0.2, 2.2, 3.2, 5.3 (33)
LERNER’S BEST
Magpies: Bonnici, Davey, Rowe, Brazill, Frederick.
Suns: Single, Stanton, Whitfort, Rowbottom, D’Arcy, Ahrens.
GOALS
Magpies: Davey, Brazill.
Suns: Stanton 3, Dupuy, Membrey.
Umpires: Compton-Robins, Wallace, Whetton
Venue: Victoria Park
Dees gun goes down as star Crow notches AFLW-first
Melbourne’s 42-point victory over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday at Casey Fields has been soured by a potentially serious ankle injury suffered by star forward Alyssa Bannan.
Bannan sustained the injury in the first quarter while being tackled as she was kicking for goal, and it looked as though her leg tangled awkwardly with her opponent’s.
Hearts were in Melbourne mouths as Bannan remained grounded for a lengthy period, visibly in a lot of distress with her face in her arms.
She finally made it to her feet with the aid of medical staff and went straight to the rooms to get assessed, but took no further part in the game.
An extended absence for Bannan would serve as a blow for the Demons who are aiming to become the first AFLW team to win back-to-back premierships.
Bannan had started the year on fire with six goals in her first two matches.
Bulldogs hopes fade
The Western Bulldogs’ finals hopes are rapidly fading after they were outgunned by the reigning premiers in an entertaining contest which produced 18 goals.
The Bulldogs headed into the game as one of the biggest outsiders the six-year-old competition had ever seen, but they were a sniff to defy those odds in the third quarter when Melbourne’s Tahlia Gillard dropped an absolute sitter in defence, allowing Kirsten McLeod to pounce on the loose ball and run into the open goal to cut the margin to eight points.
However, Melbourne responded ferociously, booting six of the last seven goals to extend their winning streak to 12 matches.
The 12.11 (83) to 6.5 (41) result saw the Bulldogs slump to an 0-3 record, which means they will probably have to win six of their last seven games to make the finals.
And with matches against another pair of premiership contenders in Adelaide and North Melbourne still in their run home, the gravity of their uphill battle is apparent.
Demons dominant
The Bulldogs’ endeavour couldn’t be questioned, as they out-tackled the Demons 73-46, but their inability to maximise the strong wind when they had it at their backs proved their undoing. Melbourne ended up dominating the disposals 288-228, contested possessions 121-105 and inside 50s 46-22.
Melbourne captain Kate Hore continued were sensational start to the season, racking up 22 disposals (12 contested), four clearances and two goals, to take provisional lead of the competition goalkicking (eight).
Tyla Hanks was also superb for the Demons with 25 touches (11 contested), six tackles, six clearances, seven forward entries and a goal, while Lily Mithen was instrumental too as she helped herself to 17 possessions and two goals.
For the Bulldogs, Ellie Blackburn shone as per usual with 29 disposals (12 contested), seven clearances and eight inside 50s.
Melbourne keep door ajar
If it wasn’t for wayward kicking at goal, Melbourne would have enjoyed a bigger lead than 23 points at the 15-minute mark of the second quarter, but Hore (twice), Eden Zanker and Olivia Purcell, who sprayed a shot from the top of the goalsquare, all squandered gettable goalscoring opportunities.
The Bulldogs defence also held up admirably in the face of the barrage, and a pair of quick goals from Kirsty Lamb and Rylie Wilcox cut the deficit to 10 points against the run of play in the shadows of halftime.
Hanks steadied the ship for the Demons with a long bomb goal on the siren, before the contest turned into a goal fest in the third term as both teams booted three majors each to liven things up.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, like the first quarter, it meant that they once again couldn’t capitalise on the breeze, as the Demons answered each time they challenged.
Melbourne headed into the game having won their last 11 final quarters, and they continued their reputation as the fast-finishing queens, kicking the last four goals.
Wilcox wizardry
Late in the second quarter as the Bulldogs mounted a mini counter-attack, Sarah Hartwig had the chance to kick back-to-back goals for her team as she lined up from 30m out directly in front.
It was always going to be a challenge considering she was kicking into the breeze, and the shot on goal ultimately failed to make the distance.
However, the Dogs’ hopes for a third goal weren’t completely dashed because Wilcox bobbed out of nowhere to take a spectacular contested chest mark in the pocket after executing a 360-degree spin in mid-air against Eliza McNamara.
Wilcox duly capped off her play of the day by threading the eye of the needle with an equally magnificent snap set shot from an extremely acute angle.
Scoreboard
DEMONS 2.3, 5.7, 8.7, 12.11 (83)
BULLDOGS 1.2, 3.3, 6.5, 6.5 (41)
LERNER’S BEST Demons: Hore, Hanks, Mithen, Paxman, Zanker, McNamara, Purcell. Bulldogs: Blackburn, Lynch, Lamb, Pritchard, Wilcox, Coyne.
GOALS Demons: Gay 2, Mithen 2, Hore 2, Zanker 2, Paxman 2, Sherriff, Hanks. Bulldogs: Lamb 2, Berry, Wilcox, McLeod, McFarlane.
INJURIES Demons: Bannan (ankle). Bulldogs: Nil.
UMPIRES Ball, Mitchell, Pearson
VENUE Casey Fields
Undefeated Crows march on as Marinoff achieves AFLW-first
– Jason Phelan
Adelaide’s blistering start to the AFLW season continued at Unley Oval on Saturday, Danielle Ponter booting three goals in a commanding 47-point win over Essendon that made it three victories in a row for the undefeated Crows.
The Bombers opened the first AFLW meeting for premiership points between the sides brightly enough, but fell away after quarter-time to concede their highest score in their first defeat of the season.
Midfield prime movers Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff were also outstanding, Hatchard with 27 possessions and two goals and Marinoff (22 disposals) going inside 50 nine times and laying 15 tackles.
Maddy Prespakis and Bonnie Toogood led the way for Essendon, each booting two goals.
Bannister done
The Bombers made an encouraging start, Prespakis nailing the first goal of the contest on the run and Toogood snapping truly in her 50th AFLW match, with the visitors leading by four points at the first break.
Daria Bannister was a key factor in the flying start with five possessions and two inside 50s in the opening 15 minutes, but she departed the game for good in the first quarter.
Bombers coach Natalie Wood was forced to rejig her forward line after Bannister was concussed when she slammed her head into the turf while executing a tackle.
Prespakis passed 1000 career possessions in the second quarter, the youngest AFLW player to do so, and led all comers with 12 touches at halftime.
But it was all Adelaide in the second, the home side unleashing a withering burst of four unanswered goals to lead by 23 points at the main break.
Polished Ponter
Ponter started the game needing three goals to make it 50 career majors and draw level with all-time Adelaide goalkicking leader Erin Phillips.
She opened her account in the first quarter after she collected her own deft tap to squirt home a goal with two defenders on her tail and reached her milestone with two majors in the second.
Ponter’s second goal was a regulation free kick from the goalsquare, with the third coming from a superb contested mark 30m out.
In a dominant second term, Adelaide went inside attacking 16 times, while the under-siege Bombers ventured inside their forward 50 arc just three times.
The Crows made it five in a row to stretch the margin to 29 points early in the third term before Toogood took a strong contested mark and booted her second.
Lucky 13
The result means Brooke Tonon’s winning streak now stands at 13.
Featuring in her 13th game just three days out from her 20th birthday, the first-round draft pick is yet to taste defeat in Crows colours.
It was also a significant result for Marinoff, who became the first AFLW player to feature in 50 wins.
In one of few negatives for the home side, Stevie-Lee Thompson limped out of the match with a back injury in the last quarter.
Scoreboard
CROWS 1.3 5.6 9.9 12.9 (81)
BOMBERS 2.1 2.1 3.2 5.4 (34)
PHELAN’S BEST CROWS: Hatchard, Ponter, Marinoff, Newman, Allan, Biddell, Waterhouse. BOMBERS: Prespakis, Toogood, Gee, Brown, Nanscawen, Cain.
GOALS CROWS: Ponter 3, Ballard 2, Gould 2, Waterhouse, Randall, Hatchard, Charlton. BOMBER: Toogood 2, Prespakis 2, Scott.
INJURIES CROWS: Thomson (back). BOMBERS: Bannister (concussion).
UNLEY OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Hatchard (Adel)
2 Ponter (Adel)
1 Prespakis (Ess)
Irish Dockers too good for Hawks
– Ronny Lerner
Fremantle’s giant Irishwoman Aine Tighe has produced one of the individual performances of the AFLW season to date as she inspired the Dockers to a 13-point win over Hawthorn at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.
Tighe’s 185cm height posed problems for Hawthorn’s undersized backline all day as she wreaked havoc in attack, finishing up with 20 disposals (10 contested), 12 marks (five) and three goals.
Tighe kicked things off in the first quarter with the first two majors, including a magnificent snap from a sharp angle in the pocket under enormous pressure, showing that she is also capable below her knees.
And when the Hawks made their run with three consecutive goals to cut the margin to one point early in the third quarter, the irrepressible Tighe reared her head again with her third goal after taking another towering mark in the goalsquare to keep the Hawks at arm’s length.
She clearly likes playing Hawthorn, because in her previous meeting against them, she booted four majors.
The 5.5 (35) to 3.4 (22) result saw the Dockers enter the top eight, and they’re well placed to make the finals given they will probably need to win four of their last seven matches to do so.
Meanwhile, the Hawks find themselves in a precarious position with another five victories most likely required for them to qualify for the top eight.
Irish attack
Tighe wasn’t the only player from Ireland to have an impact on the scoreboard. Six of the match’s eight goals were ultimately kicked by footballers from the Emerald Isle.
Orlagh Lally booted Fremantle’s third goal in a row in the first term after she capitalised on a bad defensive turnover from Hawthorn’s Jenna Richardson following a marking contest with Tighe.
Aileen Gilroy turned the tide back in Hawthorn’s favour in the second term when she kicked their first goal, and when Aine McDonagh converted on the run from the pocket, the Hawks found themselves down by just a point in the third period.
Bowers produces the goods
The Dockers were superior in the clinches, shading the Hawks comfortably in contested possessions 129-105 and clearances 29-20.
As influential as Tighe was, she certainly enjoyed tremendous support from star teammate Kiara Bowers who racked up 25 disposals (14 contested), eight tackles and eight clearances.
For the Hawks, Emily Bates recorded 22 touches (12 contested) and six tackles, while Tilly Lucas-Rodd finished with 21 possessions.
Despite finishing with 10 fewer inside 50s (28-38), Fremantle were very well served by their defence, with the likes of Jessica Low and Laura Pugh starring.
Tighe leads hot start
In the first quarter Fremantle swamped the Hawks whose effort and intensity levels were sorely lacking to start the game.
The Dockers kicked the first three goals while keeping the Hawks scoreless in the first quarter and goalless until the 10-minute mark of the second term.
Fremantle smashed Hawthorn in contested possessions 37-26 in the opening term, prompting Hawthorn coach Bec Goddard to use colourful language during her quarter-time address, as she revealed in her in-game Fox Footy interview.
Antonio seals the deal
The spray elicited the desired response because the Hawks owned the second quarter, as they kicked two majors while keeping the hosts goalless.
Hawthorn’s run-and-carry troubled Fremantle but after Tighe settled things for Fremantle late in the third term, Ebony Antonio bobbed up with the goal of the day early in the final quarter to extend the Dockers’ lead to 14 points, and it proved to be the match winner.
Antonio collected the loose ball and on the run from 40m out, her curling snap shot bent around to perfection and over the goal umpire’s hat.
The Hawks had one last gasp with 2:40 to go when McDonagh snapped quickly from the goalsquare, but Low was there with a desperate fist on the goal line.
Scoreboard
DOCKERS 3.1, 3.2, 4.4, 5.5 (35)
HAWKS 0.0, 2.2, 3.2, 3.4 (22)
LERNER’S BEST Dockers: Tighe, Bowers, Runnalls, O’Driscoll, Low, Pugh, Miller. Hawks: Bates, Lucas-Rodd, Ashmore, Richardson, Stratton, Makur Chuot.
GOALS Dockers: Tighe 3, Lally, Antonio. Hawks: Gilroy, Bodey, McDonagh.
INJURIES Dockers: Nil. Hawks: Makur Chuot (knee).
UMPIRES Adams, Bailes, Simmonds
VENUE Fremantle Oval
Star Giant hurt, Conti presses claims as AFLW’s best
– Ed Bourke
Richmond has claimed a resilient win in searingly hot conditions at Blacktown, handing the Giants a third consecutive loss amid fears for their best player Alyce Parker following a knee injury late in the game.
Parker came off with trainers unable to put weight on her right leg in the final minutes, just before Richmond’s Sarah D’Arcy sunk the Giants with a left-foot snap to seal a 19-point win.
The 34 degree temperature was always going to make for periods of ugly footy as the players struggled to adjust, but the game roared to life in an electric third term as the Giants hit back with four consecutive goals to briefly lead by nine points.
Mon’s merry way
Monique Conti has won four consecutive Tigers’ best and fairests and not only is well on track for a fifth, but a hot favourite for the league gong after another blistering performance on Saturday.
Conti had a game-high 22 disposals and seven clearances and single-handedly pulled Richmond back in front late in the third term when she won a free kick for holding the ball and coolly slotted her set shot.
Parker was tremendous for the Giants with 21 disposals and two goals, but with Kate Dempsey and Eilish Sheerin riding shotgun, Conti ran out the game strongly to help the Tigers to their second win of the season.
Tough ask for Izzy
The conditions could not have been tougher for Izzy Huntington’s return to football after a 616-day drought, but the former No. 1 draft pick showed plenty of promising signs as the Giants immediately entrusted her with the full-forward role in her comeback.
Huntington was held to five disposals and two marks by a tremendous Rebecca Miller but competed strongly and showed confidence in her body after a torrid run of knee injuries, throwing herself at marking contests.
There is plenty of potential for the Giants in the key forward combination of Huntington and Georgia Garnett, who continues to mark strongly at centre half-forward but is searching for more scoreboard impact.
Scoreboard
GIANTS 0.0, 1.2, 5.4, 5.4 (34)
TIGERS 0.2, 2.5, 5.7, 7.11 (53)
BOURKE’S BEST Giants: Parker, Goldsworthy, Barr, Dalton, Beeson, Garnett. Tigers: Conti, Sheerin, Seymour, Dempsey, Miller, Brennan.
GOALS Giants: Parker 2, Lister, Dalton, Zreika. Tigers: Yassir 2, Greiser, Brennan, Conti, Jones, D’Arcy.
UMPIRES Baigent, Ferguson, Porter.
INJURIES Giants: Parker (knee). Tigers: J Hosking (ankle).
VENUE Blacktown International Sports Park
GARNER GOES BERSERK TO INSPIRE ROOS COMEBACK
– Brayden May
North Melbourne has produced a stunning second half turnaround to break Geelong’s hearts at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
After being held goalless in the first half, North rallied in the third quarter to take the lead heading into the final term.
The visitors turned the game on its head in the second half as they held the Cats goalless, restricting them to just one behind.
North’s win continued their recent dominance over the Cats having beaten them in all six meetings in their history.
Big guns put on a show
Both midfields are stacked with talent and it was only rightful they put on a show in a head-to-head battle. Jasmine Garner, who is arguably the best player in the competition right now, put together another monster showing with 32 disposals, 12 clearances, 11 tackles and a goal. Garner is going to take some stopping for the league best and fairest. For Geelong, Georgie Prespakis was back to her best with 27 disposals in a best on ground display for the Cats after just 15 touches last week.
'She absolutely drills it!'
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) September 15, 2023
Georgie Prespakis nails a ripping goal to extend Geelong's margin.
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Emma King’s telling second half
As many of her teammates did, Emma King lifted for the Roos after the main break and took several telling contested marks. Importantly, these helped to relieve the pressure at both ends of the ground and helped her side to control momentum in the second half.
Geelong’s fast starts
The Cats are making a habit of racing out of the blocks to start season 8 of the AFLW. In each of their opening three games, Geelong has managed to keep their opponents goalless in the first term. Friday night’s effort came on the back of a strong defensive effort in the opening minutes as North dominated territory. The home side’s first two quarters confined North to just their second goalless opening half in their history. Cats captain Meg McDonald and Claudia Gunjaca were a key reason for their side’s performance in the first half with an outstanding display in defence.
Jasmine Ferguson’s the blanket
Looking at just the stats you might have thought Roos defender Jasmine Ferguson didn’t have a big game but she was sensational. Opposed to Cats star Chloe Scheer, Ferguson blanketed her impact limiting the gun forward to just three disposals and one behind which came from a quick snap.
Scoreboard
CATS 2.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 (22)
ROOS 0.1, 0.4, 3.6, 4.7 (31)
MAY’S BEST: Cats: Prespakis, Morrison, Bowen, M. McDonald, Gunjaca, A.McDonald Roos: Garner, M.King, Riddell, Ferguson, Kearney, E.King
GOALS: Cats: Bowen 2, Prespakis. Roos: Eddey 2 Randall, Garner
UMPIRES: Devenish, Jones, Rodger
INJURIES: Nil.
AFLW: Gallant Dees hold off Giants to keep season alive
A gallant Melbourne side has kept its season alive, claiming its first win since round 1 over GWS to just barely keep its season alive.
O’Rourke to miss games after injury on debut as first-year Cats in mix
A Geelong father-daughter selection will miss multiple weeks after injuring her shoulder on debut. Plus, two in mix to debut for Cats in Sydney.