AFLW Round 1: Dees down Cats in thriller, huge collision costs Dons, Crows win Showdown
The AFLW season is only seven games old but there has been plenty of big talking points. Check out the match reports from every match so far.
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A little-known rule reared its head again to give Melbourne a last-minute scare, but the Demons held on to avenge last year’s semi-final exit with a nail-biting two-point win over Geelong.
Even a player with the experience of Paxy Paxman could be forgiven for not knowing the consequences when she gave the ball to Dees ruckman Lauren Pearce instead of the umpire following a tackle deep in Geelong’s forward line with 55 seconds to play.
Just like in the AFL’s dramatic Fremantle-Collingwood draw earlier this season, the umpire chose to enforce the rule and it handed Geelong’s Jackie Parry a goal to cut the margin to two points.
Pearce won the next centre clearance and drove the ball forward, but Geelong rebounded and had several chances to win the ball off its half-forward line before Demons debutant Grace Beasley gathered and kicked the ball long to safety to seal a brave away win.
HARRIS WASN’T READY
The Demons got on the front foot and declared Tayla Harris ready to play following a lengthy shoulder rehab and a minor quad setback a fortnight ago, but it was clear the star tall was underdone.
A fairly innocuous first-quarter contest left Harris grimacing in pain and carrying her left arm, and she writhed in pain on the ground late in the third term following another collision before she was ruled out of the game following conversations with Demons trainers.
Harris played down the injury to Channel 7 boundary rider Kate Massey at three-quarter time.
“Obviously I’ve had some shoulder issues along the way, and this is just another little incident,” Harris said.
“The girls are doing an awesome job, and I feel like it’s an opportunity to watch the show. Yeah, today it is just (precautionary).”
It puts Harris in doubt to play in an important fortnight against Brisbane and North Melbourne, and her shoulder could affect her entire season unless she can find a way to manage the pain.
CAPTAIN KATE STEPS UP
Melbourne looked all at sea in the first 15 minutes as Nina Morrison (18 disposals, one goal) and Georgie Prespakis (21 disposals) waltzed through stoppages and were far cleaner on the way to opening up a two-goal advantage.
It took two moments of individual brilliance from Kate Hore, first in a one-against-two contest on the wing and then with a sliding chest mark and goal, to ignite her side.
It was an inspired performance from Hore, right up there with the best of her 69-game career as she finished with 23 disposals (13 contested), five marks and three goals.
The 29-year-old skipper only spent six minutes on the bench for the entire night as she pushed back to help the defenders in the final minutes.
“It was such a tough battle all night, so many momentum swings … those last 30 seconds, they were really coming, so it was so good to hold on,” Hore told Seven after the game.
DEBUTANTS IMPRESS
Geelong’s Irish debutant Kate Kenny was mobbed after kicking an opportunistic first goal when Julia Crockett-Grills nailed Paxy Paxman holding the ball in the goal square during the third term.
But it was Demons on-baller Grace Beasley who was the most impressive of the four debutants, racking up 15 disposals and clamping down on Morrison after her blazing start.
An excellent handball out of heavy traffic sparked the chain which led to Hore’s second goal in the first quarter.
“It was intense, I think when you have a captain like Kate (Hore), and she’s bringing the energy in the forward line, it makes you work even harder,” Beasley told Seven.
“It’s definitely special, it’s an amazing stadium … this is very surreal, and I’m just soaking it all in.”
After a narrow defeat, Geelong faces its own injury concerns with Rachel Kearns ruled out of the game during the final quarter and Georgie Prespakis receiving treatment to her left quad several times throughout the match.
SCOREBOARD
CATS 2.2, 3.2, 5.2, 6.4 (40)
DEMONS 2.0, 2.2, 5.4, 6.6 (42)
BOURKE’S BEST
Cats: A McDonald, Webster, Prespakis, Morrison, Parry, Bowen.
Demons: Hore, McNamara, Pearce, Mackin, Beasley, Chaplin.
GOALS
Cats: Parry 2, Morrison, Bowen, Kearns, Kenny.
Demons: Hore 3, Goldrick, Mackin, Zanker.
UMPIRES Chrystie, Jankovskis, Power
INJURIES Cats: Kearns (TBA), Prespakis (quad). Demons: Harris (shoulder).
CROWD 3,797 at GMHBA Stadium
CROWS CLAIM BRAGGING RIGHTS
New season, same Ebony Marinoff, the Adelaide superstar taking out the Showdown Medal with a scintillating display at Alberton Oval as the Crows fought out a gritty win against a dogged Port Adelaide.
In the third AFLW Showdown between the archrivals, and the first at Port’s spiritual home, Adelaide leapt out of the blocks early, but was made to work hard by Lauren Arnell’s charges, who will take a lot away from the performance.
It was the closest margin of the three Showdowns, but the Crows maintained their perfect record with the 14-point victory.
Adelaide’s lead was just 10 points early in the last term when former Crow Ash Saint booted her first goal in her 50th AFLW game, but Eloise Jones, who threatened to take mark of the year on several occasions, seized her moment.
The star forward caught Cheyenne Hammond holding the ball with her seventh tackle of the night and slotted her second goal to give her side breathing room.
ALARM BELLS
A siren began wailing somewhere in the Fos Williams Family Stand as the players ran onto the ground and, while it turned out to be a false alarm, the alarm bells kept ringing for the Power in the first quarter.
Retired Port and Crows legend Erin Phillips tossed the coin and new Adelaide co-captain Marinoff chose to take first use of a stiff breeze blowing towards the city end.
The visitors registered the first five inside 50s in a hot start to the match, with Brooke Tonon kicking her first AFLW goal in her 18th game.
Anne Hatchard was a key contributor to her side’s early onslaught around the ball and she hit the scoreboard with 30 seconds left in the opening term to give Adelaide a 12-point buffer at the first break.
GOODY GOES GREAT
Shineah Goody enjoyed a stellar start to her AFLW career with five touches in the first quarter and a sensational goal in the second.
The first-gamer gave a glimpse of her bright future when she received a handball without breaking stride in full flight, ran inside 50 and stroked home a superb goal.
The youngster finished with 15 possessions to be high among her side’s best players.
ARGY BARGY
It wouldn’t be a Showdown without some intensity and physicality and there was a bit of both in an entertaining first half.
Combative Crow Jess Waterhouse knocked Ebony O’Dea to the ground not once, but twice, in the same passage of play to let Hatchard make a play on a loose ball in the first quarter, with the pair sharing a heated tussle throughout.
Hatchard was bowled over off the ball in the second term leading to a shot at goal by Zoe Prowse from the downfield free kick.
It was one of four free kicks Port, undisciplined at times, gave away inside 50.
AGAINST THE GRAIN
Adelaide had the first 11 inside 50s of the third quarter, but managed just one goal, to Chelsea Biddell, for all that territorial dominance.
The Power made the Crows pay for their forward inefficiency the first time it went inside 50 for the term, Abbey Dowrick getting on the end of a sweeping fast break against the grain to make it a 10-point game heading into a tense final term.
Adelaide went inside attacking 50 14 times to the Power’s three in the third, but finished strongly despite giving up use of the breeze.
SCOREBOARD
POWER 1.1 3.2 4.3 5.5 (35)
CROWS 3.1 4.4 5.7 7.7 (49)
PHELAN’S BEST
Power: Syme, Dowrick, Foley, Goody, Cuthbertson, Saint, Moloney.
Crows: Marinoff (Showdown Medal), Hatchard, J Allan, Jones, Ponter, S Allan, Newman, Randall.
GOALS
Power: Teakle, Saint, Houghton, Goody, Dowrick.
Crows: J Allan 2, Jones 2, Hatchard, Saint, Biddell.
INJURIES
Power: Nil.
Crows: Nil.
CROWD: 5,194 at ALBERTON OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Marinoff (Adel)
2 Hatchard (Adel)
1 Syme (Port)
SAINTS START FINALS QUEST WITH WIN
Jesse Wardlaw led the way for the Saints with two goals as they sent a message to the rest of the competition, thumping the Suns and showing they have what it takes to play finals in 2024.
The Nick Dal Santo-led Saints outfit which narrowly missed finals last season by percentage ran away to a huge 54-point victory to hand the Suns a slow start to their finals defence.
St Kilda have never played finals in their history but players like Wardlaw are out to change that this year as the 24-year-old set the tone from the start of the game and inspired her teammates to play with great belief.
Wardlaw was by far the best player on the ground in the first quarter which had all of the Gold Coast players and coaches scratching their heads, just trying to come up with a way to nullify her dominance.
The key forward kicked the first of the game when she grabbed the ball out of the ruck and snapped a great goal on the run. But it wasn’t just her ability to kick goals that impressed but her strong hands leading up at the ball and her beautiful ball use inside 50.
The former Brisbane Lion is a premiership player, All-Australian and won the AFLW leading goalkicker award in 2022, but she is ready to help take St Kilda to their first ever finals appearance in 2024.
Wardlaw finished with 17 disposals, two goals, eight marks and nine score involvements in a strong first outing of the season. She is one of the most exciting players in the league and you can expect her to kick plenty more goals this season.
SUNS TRIO SHINE
The midfield trio of Charlie Rowbottom, Claudia Whitfort and Lucy Single battled hard and were strong in the stoppages combining for most of the team’s clearances but were no match for the Saints with Jaimee Lambert (17 disposals, one goal) leading the way.
The Suns were unable to put their clearance dominance on the scoreboard and apart from this midfield trio and a strong cameo from Lauren Bella (eight disposals, 32 hitouts), the side didn’t have a whole heap of other contributors.
We know Charlie Rowbottom is a superstar, a contested midfielder who is a tackling machine, but the Suns star needed some players to help her on the outside.
Despite being paid some very close attention from St Kilda’s Olivia Vesely, the 21-year-old had no trouble finding the ball around the contest and finished the game with 27 disposals, 10 tackles and five clearances.
Reigning club best and fairest winner Whitfort was impactful when she got the football with 20 disposals and had a game-high nine clearances.
DISCIPLINE IN DEFENCE
St Kilda held off a Suns resurgence in the third term as the home side dominated the territory battle and fired the ball inside 50 (14-3), but the Saints’ defence held up incredibly well under significant pressure.
The game was played at the Suns’ end, but the likes of Molly McDonald (19 disposals), Paige Trudgeon (15 disposals, 10 intercept possessions) and Grace Kelly (12 disposals) made the task difficult as they absorbed the onslaught of inside 50s to keep the Suns goalless for the term.
On the flip side, Gold Coast kicked 0.4 for the quarter and a number of goals went begging. If they had managed to convert the way they should have, the third quarter could’ve been exactly what the Suns needed to get right back in the game.
SUNS’ SLOW START
It was the early dominance from St Kilda which set them up for a massive round 1 victory as they kicked four unanswered goals in the first quarter to dictate the game and despite a second-quarter fightback, the Saints came home strong.
The most disappointing thing about the Suns’ slow start was the way they conceded their goals, commonly appearing to be without great fight or effort. The Saints moved the ball too quickly for the Suns who couldn’t manage to nail their defensive structure early in the game.
Having lost more than 100 games of experience over the off-season, starting well will be crucial for the Suns and the only player that seemed to start well was Rowbottom, without enough help from her teammates.
On the other side of the ledger, the Saints will take some huge positives out of the way they moved the ball through the corridor and with great speed early in the game. Not to mention their second half blitz which turned a solid win into a huge victory.
SCOREBOARD
SUNS 0.1, 1.2, 1.6, 2.8 (20)
SAINTS 4.1, 6.4, 7.5, 11.8 (74)
BEST
Suns: Rowbottom, Whitfort, Single, Bella, Darcy
Saints: Wardlaw, Lambert, McDonald, Trudgeon, Vesely
GOALS
Suns: Stanton, Maurer
Saints: Wardlaw 2, Vesely, Stuart, Smith, Richards, Lambert, Friend, Caris, Anderson, Guttridge
INJURIES
Suns: nil
Saints: nil
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: BLAIR BURNS’ VOTES
3 Jesse Wardlaw (STK)
2 Charlie Rowbottom (GCS)
1 Jaimee Lambert (STK)
HORROR COLLISION COSTS DONS AS FREO RUN RIOT
A nightmare collision has sidelined Essendon’s best player and a teenage gun and set in motion a calamitous opening round loss to Fremantle on Saturday.
Young forward Amber Clarke ran into the path of an oncoming Bonnie Toogood as the Bombers co-captain steamed towards a high ball inside Essendon’s forward 50 early in the second quarter of the Windy Hill clash.
The pair appeared to clash heads before Clarke’s head sickeningly hit the ground left her knocked out cold.
The 19-year-old was stretchered off the field, while Toogood, who limped from the field and was in tears on the sidelines, was assessed in the rooms and ruled out of the game with ice on her right knee.
The All-Australian vice-captain and Bombers best and fairest was tested for concussion but cleared by club doctors.
Trailing by eight points at the time of the collision, Fremantle raced away with four consecutive goals as Toogood’s opponent, veteran recruit Ash Brazill, dictated play after being freed up as an intercept defender.
DEMOTED SKIPPER RESPONDS
If Hayley Miller felt any disappointment when she was surprisingly demoted to the joint vice-captaincy for an injured Ange Stannett, it is not showing in her football.
Miller led from the front during the Dockers’ second-quarter surge, tackling relentlessly and engineering two goals, which included a clever toe-poke across the face to set up Aine Tighe.
Tighe (3.1) is already forming a potent combination with West Coast recruit Aisling McCarthy, who was the Dockers’ best with 23 disposals and two goals in a superb club debut.
BANNISTER’S ACL COMEBACK
Daria Bannister has endured an incredibly luckless run with injury but on Saturday again bounced back with a determined performance.
Just like she did on return from an ACL for North Melbourne in 2019, Bannister kicked the opening goal of the game before a clever banana gave the Bombers their second before halftime.
RAZOR SHARP CALL
Bannister’s goal came through a theatrical piece of officiating from the not-so-retired Ray Chamberlain, who will be mentoring younger umpires during the AFLW season.
With no fewer than four Essendon forwards crowding her – but not shaping to tackle – near the goal line, an intimidated Dockers defender backed over the line after a few seconds of hesitation, and was pinged for a deliberate rushed behind.
Piling on another five unanswered goals with the breeze in the final term, Lisa Webb’s Fremantle flexed its muscles in a promising start after two consecutive seasons missing finals.
SCOREBOARD
BOMBERS 1.2, 2.2, 3.3, 3.3 (21)
DOCKERS 0.0, 4.2, 5.3, 10.4 (64)
BOURKE’S BEST
Bombers: Nanscawen, Gay, Bannister, Prespakis.
Dockers: McCarthy, Tighe, Brazill, Strom, Miller, O’Sullivan.
GOALS
Bombers: Bannister 2, Morcom.
Dockers: Tighe 4, McCarthy 2, Seth, Pugh, Kauffman, Runnalls.
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Johanson, Ritchie
INJURIES: Bombers: Clarke (concussion), Toogood (knee). Dockers: nil.
CROWD: 2,820 at Windy Hill
GIANTS’ TEEN BLOWS DOGS AWAY
It was a clinical performance from GWS young gun Zarlie Goldsworthy who kicked four goals to help the home-town Giants secure a record-breaking 63-point victory and start the 2024 season on a high.
Goldsworthy was everywhere in the Giants’ forward line and found plenty of the ball to finish with 18 disposals and seven score involvements.
The 19-year-old, who secured the Rising Star award last season, already sits second on the club’s all-time goalkicking leaderboard and looks set for a huge 2024 season.
Goldsworthy said her individual performance gave her a “lot of confidence” and was hopeful she could continue the fine form into the rest of the season.
“I think we were down in the contested possession (early), so we wanted to come out and really hunt the ball and I think we did that,” she said.
The game opened up in the third quarter and it was the Orange Tsunami which swept through Canberra to take a huge 44-point lead into the final break, which they extended in the last to snap a five-game losing streak at Manuka Oval.
DAZZLING O’DOWD DOMINATING ON DEBUT
It couldn’t have been a more perfect start for the Giants as Irish debutant Eilish O’Dowd produced one of the greatest plays in AFLW history, with just her first touch in the league.
Just 15 seconds is all it took for O’Dowd to prove that she is going to be an issue for opposition teams this season. But that wasn’t the last bounce she took on the day or the last goal she kicked.
The 24-year-old, who didn’t know how to hold a Sherrin at her first training session, streamed out of the middle in the first play of the game after winning the hitout, took a bounce and ran to 30m before kicking it truly for the fastest AFLW goal in history.
It took a moment for the crowd to comprehend exactly what they were witnessing as she produced an early Goal of the Year contender, showcasing her burst and speed from the stoppage. She added a second goal with a beautiful kick on the run from the pocket later in the game and despite an ankle concern, she appeared to be okay after returning to the field.
O’Dowd offers a point of difference in the ruck with the ability to ultimately become an extra midfielder and you can expect her to produce many more exciting moments this season.
PARKER VS BLACKBURN
The two midfield bulls of Alyce Parker and Ellie Blackburn went head-to-head on Saturday at Canberra leading the way for their respective sides in the engine room, neither willing to take a backwards step.
Parker came to play in her 50th game and set the tone for her side around the stoppage with 29 disposals, one goal and seven clearances. While she wasn’t able to use it as well as she would’ve liked in the first, she put together a huge third term which helped Giants race away to an unassailable lead.
Blackburn was the only Bulldogs player who was able to get her hands on the football collecting 25 disposals (20 contested) and eight tackles. While she no longer holds the label of captain, she still led from the front and won any contested ball that bounced her way.
GRIGG A TACKLING MACHINE
Elaine Grigg only managed three disposals but showcased her tackling pressure and tenacity around the football with a game-high nine tackles.
Grigg was drafted with pick No.6 in the 2023 National Draft and is an electric player who attacks the football with speed and courage. And despite just three disposals, you couldn’t question her effort and intensity around the contest with 21 pressure acts to her name.
It was clear that Grigg had settled into football at the top level when she was rewarded for a chase-down tackle in the first half, before kicking inside 50 and finding new recruit Analea McKee who took a strong contested mark and kicked truly for the team’s only goal of the day.
Other highly touted youngsters in Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner (one disposal), Brooke Barwick (two disposals) struggled to get into the game, while Cleo Buttifant had seven disposals.
EFFICIENCY WOES FOR DOGGIES
You only have to look at the efficiency in which the Western Bulldogs used the football to see one of the key areas where the game got away from the visitors.
The Bulldogs won the hitouts easily and only just fell short in clearances (22-26), but it was their ball-use, particularly inside 50 that hurt them the most. This was evident in the second quarter where they had all the play but couldn’t put any of their dominance on the scoreboard.
Using the ball at 23 per cent inside 50 is never going to equate to significant scoreboard damage but it was a double-edged sword which also led to GWS getting their intercepting game going and starting many of their attacking chains from defence.
Western Bulldogs also went at a poor efficiency of 55 per cent around the ground, almost getting doubled in the disposal count.
SCOREBOARD
GIANTS 1.3, 2.4, 7.10, 10.12 (72)
BULLDOGS 0.1, 1.2, 1.2, 1.3 (9)
BEST
Giants: Goldsworthy, Barr, Parker, O’Dowd, Beeson, Srhoj
Bulldogs: Blackburn, Pritchard, Edmonds, Ahrens, Grigg, Berry
GOALS
Giants: Goldsworthy 4, Garnett, O’Dowd 2, Evans, Parker
Bulldogs: McKee
INJURIES
Giants: Pauga (ribs)
Bulldogs: Nil
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: BLAIR BURNS’ VOTES
3 Zarlie Goldsworthy (GWS)
2 Nicola Barr (GWS)
1 Ellie Blackburn (WB)
PEARCE ERA BEGINS WITH WEST COAST WIN
It was equal parts nerve-racking and thrilling but the Daisy Pearce era is off to a flying start at West Coast as the Eagles claimed a one-point win.
Bereft of success across their short AFLW existence, Pearce’s signature looks to be worth every cent as West Coast held on in a heart-stopper to claim just its ninth win.
Richmond kicked the first three goals of the final quarter, pulling ahead at the 16-minute mark in a comeback that threatened to break blue and gold hearts.
But in front of a record 2166 crowd, the young Eagles held their nerve and found a reply via Kellie Gibson. In the most pivotal passage of play of the match, Charlie Thomas reeled in an intercept mark and centred a kick to Ella Roberts.
The young star held her own in the air and won the ball at ground level, firing away a handball to Abbygail Bushby who sent a long ball to the square where Gibson was waiting on her lonesome.
Pearce was mobbed by her enthusiastic charges and enjoyed a Gatorade shower to celebrate.
FRANKY FIRES
Where are West Coast’s goals going to come?
That was the big question facing the Eagles leading into this season with an inability to score and score consistently a bugbear last year.
But Amy Franklin answered that query within the first five minutes of play, sinking a commanding set shot from 40 metres out after receiving a free kick for an arm chop.
It was the perfect start to life under Pearce. And it marked the start of a productive first half for West Coast.
New recruit Jess Hosking, against her former side, kicked two first half goals while sister Sarah watched on from the sidelines after failing to overcome a hamstring/back niggle.
Kellie Gibson found space inside 50 and snapped one late in the second quarter, an immediate reply to Richmond’s opener courtesy of Courtney Jones. Then Mik Western inflicted further pain on the Tigers, converting a set shot from a free kick.
The first half flurry gave the Eagles a 22-point advantage at the main break. West Coast failed to reach five goals in seven of their 10 matches last season.
Meanwhile, Richmond had six scoring shots for the first half but couldn’t capitalise, finishing with 1.3 and two complete misses. Tigers captain Katie Brennan was guilty of inaccuracy, hitting the post from close range when her side desperately needed a foot in the game. In fact, the Tigers didn’t nail a set shot until the last three goals of the game.
It looked like the Eagles wouldn’t go on with it but the strong start was enough to put West Coast in a winning position. But West Coast will be without high-flying forward Roxy Roux for several weeks after she broke her hand at training in the lead-up to round one.
So much love in this group 🫶 pic.twitter.com/hXFfUBD4Uu
— West Coast Eagles AFLW (@eaglesaflw) August 30, 2024
LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER
There are few more daunting tasks in the AFLW than playing on Richmond captain Katie Brennan, a two-time leading goal kicker for the Tigers. So imagine doing it on debut.
A few weeks ago, draftee Georgie Cleaver was in Fiji representing Australia’s under-21 netball side. On Friday night, she made her AFLW debut for West Coast.
Cleaver and fellow defender Zoe Wakfer did an outstanding joint job on the Tigers star, restricting her to 12 disposals, four marks and three shots on goal. All three missed and two of them came in the final quarter when Richmond had early momentum.
Any meaningful impact Brennan did have was further afield away from goal, Cleaver using her athleticism and speed to close down space and tie her up inside 50.
Making her performance even more impressive is the fact that Cleaver played as a forward/ruck for East Fremantle. Wakfer is also coming off a limited pre-season due to a wrist injury.
With lockdown key defender Sophie McDonald ruled out of round one with concussion, it was a serious effort from a relatively inexperienced backline. Beth Schilling had several big moments in the air. Reigning All-Australian Charlie Thomas picked up where she left off. And debutant Jess Rentsch was lively at half-back, using her speed to intercept and attack.
When the pressure was on in the second half, the Eagles backline held their structure, refusing to fold even when 64% play in the third quarter unfolded in Richmond’s front half.
The Tigers coach would be 'tearing his hair out' at his side's ill-discipline 😬
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 30, 2024
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CONTI ROLL
Taking to the field in a state known for its love of Italian cured meat sandwiches, Conti of the Mon variety was exceptional in her first game as the AFLW’s best player.
Conti won the AFLW best and fairest last season, polling 23 of a possible 30 votes. And that pressure and expectation has done nothing to faze the Tiger queen.
Conti had a quiet first quarter by her lofty standards, picking up just three touches in the first quarter. But from that point onwards, Conti picked up where she left off. Her speed, power and ball-winning ability dragged her side back into the game. She inserted herself in the contest with her competitiveness and her defensive pressure was just as good as her attack.
Conti finished with a game-high 30 disposals, five clearances and 584 metres gained. And even though the Eagles got the win, you feel as though she could’ve polled her first maximum votes.
FEISTY TIGERS
Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson would be fuming with the lack of discipline his side showed in round one.
The Tigers conceded 3.1 to free kicks in the first half and lost by a point. Richmond also gave away two 50m penalties but the free kick count was still even at 22 apiece come full-time.
SCORECARD
WEST COAST 2.1 5.1 5.3 6.4 (40)
RICHMOND 0.2 1.3 2.5 5.8 (38)
Best
Eagles: E Roberts, J Hosking, C Thomas, A Drennan, I Lewis, B Schilling.
Tigers: M Conti, E McKenzie, P Kelly, G Egan. K Dempsey.
Goals
Eagles: J Hosking 2, K Gibson 2, A. Franklin, M Western
Tigers: C Jones, P Kelly, J Woods, M Shevlin, E Yassir
Injuries Eagles: B Lewis (knee). Tigers: nil.
Crowd: 2166 at Mineral Resources Park
Reilly’s votes
3 M Conti (RIC)
2 E Roberts (WC)
1 C Thomas (WC)
SWANS DOWN WAYWARD PIES IN FIERY AFLW SEASON OPENER
The Swans have announced they’re here to stay in the AFLW top eight with a dominant 15-point win over Collingwood in the opening match of the season.
Following a tight arm wrestle in the first half, the game came to life during the third term following two late hits from Collingwood players. Multiple melees broke out across the ground and it was the Swans who responded best with four unanswered goals in the quarter.
It was a baptism of fire for Sam Wright in his first game in charge as Sydney turned the screws in the second half. Their transition movement out of defence proved too strong while the Pies’ inefficiency in front of goal was costly as they finished the game with five more scoring shots.
Scott Gowans’ side started last year with an impressive early win on their run to finals, and they’ve done the same in 2024 as they look to return to the top eight again.
THE RUMBLE OF NORTH SYDNEY
It was a physical encounter early as both sides looked to start their season with plenty of intensity. But the game exploded in the third quarter as spot fires emerged all across the ground following several big bumps.
The first melee started after Maddy Collier was hit in mid-air by Tarni White. Collier had to be helped from the field as Sydney players began to remonstrate with White.
With the ball making its way down the ground, another melee started after Muireann Atkinson then collected Chloe Molloy with what looked like head-to-head contact. That saw more Sydney players rush in to share their displeasure.
Both Collier and Atkinson were forced from the field for HIA checks and subsequently ruled out of the game, but the incidents gave the Swans all the momentum.
Molloy kicked a goal from the ensuing free kick before Cynthia Hamilton added her first of the day not long after. At one stage the Swans had kicked four goals from six inside 50s with each one being launched out of defence with elite movement in transition.
MOLLOY AND McEVOY EARLY MAGIC
The Swans didn’t need to look far for some early inspiration in their season opener against the Pies. Their two co-captains stood up early to get them on the scoreboard and build some nice momentum as an arm wrestle ensued between the two teams.
Molloy took a brilliant mark over her head running back with the flight of the ball before carefully dispatching her set shot.
In the move of the game, Lucy McEvoy got on the end of a wonderful piece of transition play where Ally Morphett, Montana Beruldsen and debutant Sarah Grunden all got involved.
Sydney looked more damaging getting the ball forward in the early stages and were having more success getting out of their defensive 50.
BRITTANY BONICCI BRILLIANCE
The Collingwood star looked back to her best as she put together a brilliant opening half against the Swans.
She had 14 disposals, 10 contested possessions and a mammoth five clearances by the main break and looked incredibly damaging around the stoppages.
Bonicci masterminded a period of serious dominance for the Pies in the second quarter where they had six inside 50s to Sydney’s none. Unfortunately, Collingwood couldn’t quite capitalise on the scoreboard with just one goal.
Following her ACL injury in 2022, Bonicci produced a strong season last year after a much shorter pre-season. But it’s a massive warning sign to the rest of the competition that the 27-year-old looks back to her best from round one.
She continued to get plenty of ball in the second half, ending the game with a game-high 24 disposals. However, much like the rest of her team she struggled with her efficiency and finished with a rate of just 29.2 per cent.
PLAY TO THE WHISTLE
A crucial brain fade from the Swans gave the Pies a path back into the game late in the final quarter as some early celebrations almost proved costly.
Sydney thought they had kicked the sealer through Cynthia Hamilton and began to swarm her with even their defenders dropping out of position. However, the ball was clearly touched over the line and the Pies didn’t need a second invitation.
They moved the ball downfield with incredible speed and the ball eventually landed in Alana Porter’s hand. She made no mistake and brought the margin back to 10 points and handed the visitors all the momentum.
However, the story of the night continued as they wasted several more opportunities to hit the scoreboard and the Swans were able to see out the match. A late goal by Rebecca Privitelli on the siren confirmed the result and an early win in season 2024 for Sydney.
SCOREBOARD
SYDNEY - 2.0, 3.0, 7.1, 8.2 (50)
COLLINGWOOD - 1.2, 2.6, 2.7, 4.11 (35)
Best
Sydney - McEvoy, Ham, Privitelli, Molloy, Morphett
Collingwood - Bonicci, Frederick, Rowe, Schleicher
Goals
Sydney - Molloy (2), Privitelli (2), McEvoy, Beruldsen, Ham, C. Hamilton
Collingwood - Campbell, Rowe, Porter, Livingstone
Injuries: Sydney - Maddy Collier (HIA); Collingwood - Muireann Atkinson (HIA)
Umpires: Matthew Baigent, Gen Devenish, John Howorth
Crowd: 5,489 at North Sydney Oval
McKirdy’s Votes
3 - Lucy McEvoy (SYD)
2 - Brittany Bonicci (COLL)
1 - Montana Ham (SYD)
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