AFLW Round 6: Essendon smashed by Lions, late miss costs St Kilda
Essendon has been one of the most promising expansion teams this season, but Brisbane roared back into form to inflict a crushing defeat. Plus the Demons see off the Dockers.
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It was a tough afternoon for Essendon, who were on the end of their first hefty defeat since the side’s inception earlier this year.
Throughout their first five games, the Bombers had been competitive in each and every contest so far this season, even in defeat - not losing by more than 11 points in all of their three defeats prior to Sunday.
However, for much of the contest, it looked dire for Essendon, who went scoreless for most of the match.
But to their credit, the Dons didn’t roll over and found a much-needed spark in the second-half, to help at least take something positive from their first trip up north to Queensland.
The Bombers matched the Lions at the coal-face and began to finally get the ball forward of centre, thus giving themselves at least a chance to get some scores on the board - which they did through consecutive goals from Joanne Doonan and Maddy Prespakis.
While it’s a third consecutive defeat, Essendon’s hopes of playing finals in its first year still have a pulse, but will need to build on the positives that emerged from their strong finish when they face the in-form Cats next Sunday.
Back-to-back goals for the Dons!#AFLW | #AFLWLionsDonspic.twitter.com/3OsilOtoc3
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 2, 2022
RAPID RESPONSE SETS TEMPO
That’s how to respond after a first loss of the season.
Brisbane surged out of the blocks in the opening half, demolishing the Bombers at the coalface (18-7 clearances) and putting Essendon’s already injury-hit defence under enormous pressure through the way they were able to not only get it forward - but lock it in their attacking end (27-2 inside 50s and 36-0 disposals inside 50) and create chances on goal.
Brisbane registered 15 scoring shots to zero in the opening half and had it not been for wastefulness in-front of goal (3.12 to 0.0), the game could’ve been over in a blink of an eye as the helpless Dons had no response for the Lions ferocious start - which could’ve broke all sorts of records had they found their bearings in-front of the big sticks.
Remarkably, four of their 12 opening-half behinds came from Lions players hitting the post and a fifth coming in the second half from the boot of Greta Bodey - who hit the woodwork three times throughout the contest.
In the end, it was their commanding start which helped set the tempo and ultimately win the game for Brisbane, who bounced back in style after their shock loss to Richmond, to come away with a 44-point victory.
The win catapults the Lions back above Adelaide and Collingwood and on to the top of the AFLW ladder, as they head into the final month of the home and away season with the equal-best record in the league and a hefty percentage in tow.
Hodder works hard and kicks her first.#AFLW | #AFLWLionsDonspic.twitter.com/PCWiuYAcdw
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 2, 2022
ANDERSON MAKES HISTORY
The scoreboard wasn’t the only thing ticking over in Burpengary as Brisbane’s Ally Anderson chased history on Sunday afternoon.
Anderson came into the game needing 20 disposals to become not only the sixth player in AFLW history to reach 1000 career disposals, but also the first Indigenous player to reach the milestone since the competition’s inception in 2017. Given Anderson came into the game averaging 20 disposals a game, achieving the feat against the Bombers was right within reach.
The gun Lions midfielder raced out of the blocks with 12 disposals in the opening half and reached the feat in the final minutes of the contest, finishing the afternoon with 23 disposals to go with six tackles.
Anderson isn’t the only Lions player to reach the milestone, with team-mate Emily Bates getting to 1000 possessions earlier this season.
HAPPY RETURNS AT EITHER END
Brisbane were given a major boost at either end with Kate Lutkins and Jesse Wardlaw returning to the side on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier this year, Lutkins tore her ACL in round one of season six, which was a major blow to Brisbane’s hopes of going back-to-back while also putting her out of action for the first five games of season seven.
Remarkably, the defensive general made her recovery from the injury in just under nine months and took her place right in the heart of Brisbane’s defence after 266 days on the sidelines. Her first disposal was met by a raucous ovation from the Lions fans and most importantly got through the game unscathed.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Wardlaw was a more than handy return for a Lions attack who sorely missed her services in their loss to Richmond last week - booting 2.3 and was a handful for the undersized Ashleigh Van Loon all afternoon.
BRISBANE 2.7 3.12 6.12 8.14 (62)
ESSENDON 0.0 0.0 2.0 3.0 (18)
D’URBANO’S BEST
Lions: Anderson, Bates, Conway, Wardlaw, Grider, Hickie, Svarc
Bombers: Prespakis, Toogood, Phillips, Cain
GOALS
Lions: Wardlaw 2, Hickie, Conway, Hodder, Svarc, Bodey, Farquharson
Bombers: Doonan, Prespakis, Phillips
INJURIES
nil
VENUE
Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex
PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTES
3. Ally Anderson (BL)
2. Emily Bates (BL)
1. Maddy Prespakis (Ess)
Dees do enough as big test awaits
– Brad Elborough
While Melbourne searches for its consistent best, it is managing to stay in touch with the top two teams on the AFLW ladder.
The Demons piled on four goals to nil with the aid of the breeze in the final term to grab a 30-point win over Fremantle at Fremantle Oval on Sunday.
But it took last season’s runners up three quarters to shrug off the Dockers, who only claimed their first win of the season a week earlier.
Melbourne did kick its biggest score of the season in the 10.6 (66) to 5.6 (36) victory, but it was a struggle.
The Demons also allowed the Dockers to record their highest tally for AFLW 7 too.
The result takes Melbourne to five wins from six games, along with Brisbane, Adelaide and Collingwood.
It is in third position on the ladder though with the Lions and Crows boasting percentages superior to all the other teams.
An important game looms for the Demons next week when they take on the sixth-placed Western Bulldogs, who lost a one-point thriller against Geelong on Saturday.
It took two goals from the boot of Kate Hore in the final term on Sunday to ease the pressure on the Demons.
Tayla Harris kicked the first goal of the game, following up the three she booted against Carlton a week earlier. Then she was terrific for the Demons in defence and in the ruck.
It was the run of Melbourne’s midfield, mainly Tyla Hanks and Olivia Purcell, that was too much for the Dockers to keep up with in the fourth quarter.
“It took us to then to click as a full team,” Melbourne coach Mick Stinear said.
“Our forwards were out of play for periods in that third quarter, so we struggled to get time in our forward half. That was mainly due to Fremantle work rate.
“It was a bit disconnected for the majority of the game.”
HORE A KEY FOR DEMONS’ DREAM
Kate Hore looms as a crucial cog in Melbourne’s bid to go one better than last season and win the AFLW flag.
She showed why only 15 seconds into the third quarter on Sunday when she finished off the terrific ruck and follow-up clearance work done Tayla Harris to kick a goal to start the second half.
Hore had been rarely seen in the first half, but that goal put the Demons in front by 18 points.
The Demons had led at the main break by the two goals, both from the boot of Eden Zanker.
Earlier, Hore’s one shot at goal sprayed out of bounds on the full and she handed another long scoring opportunity to a teammate that amounted to nothing.
But she recovered to kick two more important goals in the final term to help settle the result, finishing the day with 3.0.
Hore is such a danger inside 50 for Melbourne, but needs to finish that good work off.
She went into the round 6 clash sitting 10th on the AFLW goalkicking table, with a return of 5.10.
The two leaders, Adelaide’s Ashleigh Woodlands (9.3) and St Kilda’s Kate Shierlaw (11.2) have not had as many shots at goal, but have much better conversion rates.
BOWERS’ BRILLIANT BEST
Fremantle’s challenge of recovering from player departures during the off-season is being made a lot easier by the standard being set by its captain Kiara Bowers.
A previous winner of the AFLW best-and-fairest honour is having as good a season as any.
Bowers finished Sunday’s fighting loss with 26 possessions, 13 of them contested. She led the game for clearances (six) and inside-50 entries (eight). The Dockers had not won the clearances battle in any of their games prior to round 6.
They came into the game against the Demons on the back of their first win of the season, against cross-town rival, West Coast.
That was also the only time this season, before Sunday, they’d finished in front of their opponents with inside-50 entries, too.
At halftime against the Demons, Fremantle had been in its forward 50 four times more and led clearances by six.
Bowers led the way in both of those categories and had also collected 18 possessions.
But they couldn’t get their noses in front during the tight first half, drawing level four times and trailing by 12 points at the main break.
A late goal before the halftime siren was a dagger for the Dockers, as it came off the boot of their former teammate Sabreena Duffy, who added another late in the game.
SCOREBOARD
DOCKERS 2.1 3.2 5.4 5.6 (36)
DEMONS 2.1 5.2 6.3 10.6 (66)
ELBOROUGH’S BEST
Dockers: Bowers, Strom, Miller, East, O’Sullivan, Runnalls.
Demons: Hanks, Purcell, Harris, Hore, Mithen, Birch.
GOALS
Dockers: Bowers, Tighe, Kauffman, Franklin, Miller.
Demons: Hore 3; Zanker 2, Duffy 2; Harris, Pearce, Purcell.
INJURIES
Dockers: Hyde (leg). Demons: Nil.
UMPIRES: Simmonds, Evans, Wharton
CROWD: 1548 at Fremantle Oval.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BRAD ELBOROUGH’S VOTES
3. T. Hanks (Melb)
2. K. Bowers (Frem)
1. O. Purcell (Melb)
Horror miss robs Saints of famous AFLW win
It will go down as one of the worst misses in AFLW history and it cost St Kilda a certain win as the Pies snatched a heart stopping two-point win at RSEA Park.
With just two-minutes left and the Saints up by four points Nicola Stevens had the entire 50m arc to herself as she ran into an open goal.
But somehow, in a miss that had to be seen to be believed, the 29-year-old sprayed her shot to miss the easiest of goals from the goal line to give Collingwood time to snatch it.
A quick transition and stoppage inside 50 presented Chloe Molloy the chance to repeat her heroics from last week and snap the winner, but it narrowly missed and the opportunity looked lost.
But the Pies locked the ball forward and with just 60-seconds on the clock Eliza James snapped an amazing goal that bounced through to give Collingwood the unlikeliest win on her 19th birthday.
St Kilda lost this game by 2 points… they should’ve been up by 10 with 3 mins left 😬 #AFLWpic.twitter.com/SqYktIjEEe
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) October 1, 2022
Lethal Lin
Joanna Lin had just one touch last week against Essendon.
In just one quarter at Moorabbin the 20-year-old speedster had collected a game-high six disposals, kicked a poacher’s goal, and laid three tackles.
It helped set the tone for the Pies in what was a fierce opening stanza.
In the absence of star winger Steph Chiocci, Lin’s ability to work forward and back was vital in filling the absent boots of the Pies’ skipper.
Just minutes after kicking her goal, roving it off a pack in the goal square before quickly throwing the ball on her boot and snapping it through, Lin was cleaning up on the last line of Collingwood’s defence.
Lin finished with 11 disposals and a game-high nine tackles.
Eliza James kicks the winning goal in ANOTHER Collingwood thriller!
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) October 1, 2022
📺 Watch #AFLWSaintsPies on Ch 504 on @Foxtel or stream on @kayosportspic.twitter.com/EgHXpTjqnM
Sizzling Stuart
Hannah Stuart had put her best game in St Kilda colours together by halftime.
The 28-year-old in her debut AFLW season had already equalled her career-high in disposals and kicked two of the Saints’ three goals, including a goal of the week contender from the pocket.
From a stoppage in forward 50, Stuart received a handball from Rosie Dillon while running towards the boundary and it seemed the only option was to centre the ball.
But remarkably Stuart took just one step and threw it on her boot, snapping across her body to bend it through and send the crowd into raptures.
Stuart’s 234m gained in the first half was testament to her class with ball in hand, using nine of her 13 touches effectively.
What made Stuart’s first half all the more extraordinary was the fact she only played 57 per cent game time.
She finished the game with 25 touches, two goals, five tackles and four clearances.
Saints’ spread
Coming into the game 20 of St Kilda’s 27 goals for the season had come from just three players – Kate Shierlaw, Jess Matin and Caitlin Greiser.
The narrow avenue to goal needed to change if the Saints had any chance of toppling the high-flying Magpies.
By halftime the Saints had three goals on the board against a Collingwood defence that was conceding an average of just two per game, and none of them had come from the Saints’ big three.
The beauty for St Kilda was when it mattered most in the last quarter it was Shierlaw and Matin who stood tallest to add goals to those kicked by Stuart and Stevens.
SAINTS 2.0 3.2 3.2 5.4 34
PIES 2.4 2.7 3.8 4.12 36
MOTTERSHEAD’S BEST Saints: Stuart, McDonald, Dillon, Patrikios, Shierlaw, Priest. Pies: Cann, Lambert, Schleicher, Brazill, Butler, Allen.
GOALS Saints: Stuart 2, Stevens, Matin, Shierlaw. Pies: Lin, Brazill, Rowe, James.
INJURIES Saints: nil. Pies: nil.
RSEA Park
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JAMES MOTTERSHEAD’S VOTES
3 H Stuart (STK)
2 M Cann (COLL)
1 J Lambert (COLL)
LATE GOAL KEEPS TIGER FINALS DREAM ON TRACK
Richmond’s charge up the AFLW ladder continued unabated on Saturday night after they registered an unprecedented fourth win in a row Gold Coast at Punt Road Oval.
The thrilling four-point win helped the Tigers maintain a foothold in the top eight with four rounds remaining.
Underscoring their rapid improvement this campaign, Richmond had only won six of 25 games prior to season seven.
They almost blew their massive inside-50 advantage of 36-20, though.
After falling nine points behind in the third quarter, Richmond re-took the ascendancy and dominated proceedings, especially in the final quarter when they registered the first nine inside 50s.
But their shocking goalkicking attempts conspired against them.
After Maddie Shevlin got them within three points, Tess Lavey failed to make the distance from 40m out on the three-quarter time siren, Courtney Wakefield and Gabby Seymour missed a pair of absolute sitters in the final term, and Mon Conti’s running attempt from 40m out also failed to score.
However, star youngster Emelia Yassir showed them how it’s done as she bobbed up to finally split the big sticks on the run with under two minutes to go to put Richmond in front by four points.
HOSKING, SHEVLIN HURT
The win came at a cost for Richmond, however.
Jess Hosking suffered a head knock in the final term and had to be taken from the ground. She would not be seen again.
And in the final minute, Shevlin looked to suffer a serious left leg injury, presumably her ankle, and was stretchered off the ground in considerable distress.
Maddie Shevlin lets loose from outside 50 😯#AFLW | #AFLWTigersSunspic.twitter.com/ywi5eGyA78
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 1, 2022
CONTROVERSIAL GOAL
Late in the third quarter, Shevlin unloaded from 55m out, and bounced it home for a long-bomb goal to trim the deficit to three points.
It was a desperately needed major for the hosts as the Suns had kicked the previous three goals to grab control of the contest.
However, the goal umpire paid the goal despite the adamant protestations from Gold Coast pair Serene Watson and Kalinda Howarth that Howarth got a finger on the ball.
And TV replays appeared to suggest that Howarth did in fact touch the footy before it trickled over the goal line.
However, as there is no score review in the AFLW, the goal umpire’s original call stood.
JACQUES IN THE BOOK
Kodi Jacques will nervously await the findings of the match review officer after she was reported in the first quarter for a forceful head-high hit on Lauren Ahrens that left the Sun dazed on the ground for multiple seconds.
She was able to get up, with the assistance of teammates, and eventually took her free kick on the half-back flank, but Jacques could still be in trouble as she looked like she elected to bump instead of going for the ball.
Even though Ahrens was able to play out the rest of the game, Jacques might be lucky to avoid a suspension.
TIGERS 1.2, 1.4, 2.4, 3.5 (23)
SUNS 0.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.1 (19)
LERNER’S BEST Tigers: Conti, Egan, Seymour, Shevlin, Lavey. Suns: Rowbottom, Saad, Whitfort, Bella, Danckert.
GOALS Tigers: Brennan, Shevlin, Yassir. Suns: Howarth, Bohanna, Danckert.
INJURIES Tigers: J.Hosking (head), Shevlin (ankle). Suns: Nil.
REPORTS Jacques (Richmond) for making head-high contact with Ahrens (Gold Coast) in the first quarter
UMPIRES Scott, Devenish, Morgan
VENUE Punt Road Oval
CATS SURVIVE THRILLER AGAINST BULLDOGS
When Julia Crockett-Grills kicked the Cats’ third goal in a row early in the final quarter, they looked home and hosed with a comfortable 19-point lead.
By that stage of the game, the Bulldogs only had two goals to their credit and had been largely outplayed in the middle two quarters.
But shortly after, Rylie Wilcox gave the Bulldogs a sniff with a converted set shot and eight minutes later Kirsty Lamb showed incredible courage as she won the free kick after being crunched in between two Cats at centre-half forward.
She then passed it to Kelly Coyne whose set shot from 40m out was a shocker, as she slipped as she kicked it, but it worked out well in the end, because Deanna Berry was there to take the mark 20m out from goal, before getting the Dogs within seven points.
The Bulldogs kept coming, and put the Cats’ backline under enormous pressure as they more than doubled them for inside-50s in the final term (10-4), but Geelong did enough to put the brakes on the Dogs, and a goal from Elle Bennetts on the siren wasn’t enough for them to avoid an agonising one-point loss.
But the Bulldogs will be left to rue other opportunities in the final term which could’ve scored them a come-from-behind win. At the eight-minute mark, ruck Celine Moody dropped a fairly easy mark at top of goalsquare, and six minutes later, Coyne’s set shot form 25m out went out of bounds on the full.
GEELONG THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY
The reason why the Bulldogs were still in the game in the final quarter was because of Geelong’s wastefulness.
The Cats could’ve almost put the game to bed late in the second quarter, but they kicked four behinds in five minutes, and had to settle for a seven-point halftime lead instead of what could have been a matchwinning advantage.
And in the third quarter, Chloe Scheer’s set shot from directly in front went out of bounds on the full, while Mia Skinner hit the post from a gettable set shot and Amy McDonald’s running attempt from 25m out failed to score.
The Bulldogs actually did all of the early attacking with nine of the first 10 inside 50s in the opening term. Geelong struggled to exit their defensive zone as the Dogs effectively set up the wall on their 50m line.
The Bulldogs’ pressure was fierce and the Cats’ backline under siege, but for all of the hosts’ dominance, they could only manage one goal.
Geelong responded by upping their intensity, gaining the ascendancy in the contested situations and controlled the game in the middle two quarters.
SKINNER SIZZLER
But just prior to her missed set shot, with the game still in the balance and the Cats only up by seven points, Skinner chose the perfect time to produce a goal of the season contender.
After receiving the handball from ruck Olivia Fuller tight on the boundary line, Skinner took a few steps and instinctively had a flying shot on goal from the 35m out on a severe angle.
Despite being under pressure from Bulldogs captain Ellie Blackburn, and on the wrong side for a right-footer, Skinner threaded the eye of the needle magnificently, sparking exuberant celebrations.
SCOTT DENIED BIG BAG
Shelley Scott looked so dangerous up forward for the Cats, and finished with two goals, but it could so easily have been four.
Her snap shot from traffic in the first quarter was outstanding, as was her roving attempt early in the third quarter.
But late in the second term, the 34-year-old’s running shot on goal looked as though it was going to bounce through, before Bulldogs defender Millie Brown got a touch on the goal line, and then shortly after Scott burst through the traffic with strength, but her snap shot from close range hit the post.
SCOREBOARD
BULLDOGS 1.3, 1.4, 2.5, 5.6 (36)
CATS 1.1, 2.5, 4.6, 5.7 (37)
LERNER’S BEST
Bulldogs: Blackburn, Fitzgerald, Pritchard, Berry, Edmonds, Lynch.
Cats: Scott, Morrison, A.McDonald, Webster, Scheer, Emonson.
GOALS
Bulldogs: Newton, Blackburn, Wilcox, Berry, Bennetts.
Cats: Scott 2, Scheer, Skinner, Crockett-Grills.
LATE CHANGE
Sarah Hartwig (neck spasm) replaced in the Western Bulldogs’ selected side by Bailey Hunt; Kate Darby (illness) replaced in Geelong’s selected side by Melissa Bragg.
UMPIRES
Pearson, Clamp, McIntee
VENUE
Mars Stadium
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
LERNER’S VOTES
3 Ellie Blackburn (WB)
2 Shelley Scott (Geel)
1 Nina Morrison (Geel)
Giants respond from biggest defeat in history to beat Blues
Greater Western Sydney could have been forgiven for heading into this game with their tails between their legs and their confidence shot.
After all, they suffered the heaviest defeat in AFLW history last week when they copped a 16-goal hammering from reigning premiers Adelaide.
But to their credit, they started the match with a fantastic attitude and great energy, so much so that you wouldn’t have known they had just copped a frightful smashing six days earlier.
It took the Giants less than two minutes to better their final score of 0.1 (1) from last week when Emily Pease nailed a super set shot from 48m out on the boundary line.
And 10 minutes later they shaded their Round 4 score of 1.3 (9) when Pease bobbed up again to split the big sticks from 15m out.
Tone set early for Blues
The signs were ominous early for Carlton when star defender Vaomua Laloifi had the wind taken out of her after veteran GWS forward Cora Staunton cannoned into her in the first five minutes.
It took Laloifi a while to pick herself up from the deck before being helped from the ground by trainers with what looked like a potential rib injury.
And things went from bad to worse for the Blues 12 minutes later when Lily Goss also left the ground clutching her right shoulder after appearing to suffer a dislocation.
Goss would take no further part in the game, but fortunately for Carlton, Laloifi returned to the field and did an outstanding job on the dangerous Staunton.
Laloifi held her ground in most one-on-one contests against the strongly-built Staunton, but also read the play beautifully and intercepted numerous GWS forays. She finished with 16 disposals (13 contested), in a sign of how much time the ball spent in Carlton’s back half.
Down the other end of the ground, Carlton’s star forward Darcy Vescio was kept quiet by the Giants’ Annalyse Lister.
It was Vescio’s first game back from a broken finger, but she had no influence on the contest.
Blues squander dominance
Thanks to rucks Breann Moody and Jess Good, Carlton dominated the hit-outs (40-5) and the clearances (27-17), with Abbie McKay (seven clearances), Jess Dal Pos (five) and Mimi Hill (four) the major beneficiaries at the stoppages.
Those numbers should’ve translated into a fairly competitive score for the Blues, but unfortunately for them, the Giants’ brilliant pressure negated all of that, forcing the visitors into numerous turnovers and mistakes throughout the day.
That played into the hosts’ hands and despite getting comprehensively outpointed at the stoppages, they countered that by dominating the inside-50 battle 38-27.
Alyce Parker is arguably the Giants’ most important midfielder, and when she fires, so does her team. Given she finished the game with 18 disposals (12 contested) and five clearances, it came as no surprise that GWS finished 17 points to the good on the final siren.
Parker worked hard all day, and her vision, composure and awareness in general play were crucial to the result.
Carlton radar out of whack
Just as they did in the second quarter, Carlton did all the early attacking again in the third, but again, they couldn’t find a goal, with a trio of shots all missing the target.
The worst of them by far was Keeley Skepper’s attempt as her set shot from 30m out directly in front not only missed everything, but finished out of bounds 20m around from the behind post.
She would’ve been lucky to score if there was a second set of goal and behind posts.
A minute later Hill’s set shot from directly in front hit the post, and shortly after, Gabriella Pound, playing her 50th game, also missed a gettable shot from close range.
Before that flurry of shots at goal took place, Carlton only trailed by 13 points, and the complexion of the game could’ve been very different in the second half had they nailed at least one of those chances.
By the time Staunton drilled her second goal midway through the final term, Carlton’s fate was sealed.
Scoreboard
GIANTS 2.2, 3.4, 3.4, 4.5 (29)
BLUES 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 (12)
LERNER’S BEST Giants: Pease, Parker, Garnett, Brazendale, Lister, Staunton. Blues: Laloifi, McKay, Hill, Moody, Good, Peterson.
GOALS Giants: Pease 2, Staunton 2. Blues: Pound.
LATE CHANGE Brid Stack (calf) replaced in Greater Western Sydney’s selected side by Emily Goodsir.
INJURIES Giants: Nil. Blues: Goss (shoulder).
UMPIRES Nippress, Mitchell, Birch
VENUE Henson Park
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
LERNER’S VOTES
3 Vaomua Laloifi (Carl)
2 Emily Pease (GWS)
1 Alyce Parker (GWS)
Cool-headed Hawk rides magic carpet in wind
– James Mottershead
Jess Duffin hadn’t kicked a goal for three-and-a-half years, but a second quarter masterclass in the Hawks’ three-point win changed that.
With the Hawks falling behind by four goals in the first quarter, they needed someone to stand up and make the most of a strong wind blowing to the bay end of Skybus Stadium.
Enter Duffin.
The 33-year-old stationed herself deep inside 50 for the Hawks and used every ounce of her experience to find space where it often looked like there was none to kick three goals for the quarter.
With the ball carrying extra distance, Duffin was simply too smart for her opponents, reading the ball through the air to take two strong marks resulting in goals.
Her performance proved to be the difference, and when kicking into the wind the level-headed Duffin dropped behind the ball to assist the Hawthorn defence to finish best on ground.
DANGEROUS FELLOWS
Tahlia Fellows is proving one of the hottest forwards in the competition at the moment with her speed causing opposition teams big problems.
It was a big week for the 22-year-old. Last weekend she kicked three goals in her second game of AFLW, and on Wednesday night Fellows was at Casey Demons’ best and fairest night, where she came second.
But she was able to refocus to put together another potent performance for the brown and gold, finishing with seven disposals, a goal assist and 1.1.
The performance was made all the more impressive as Fellows’ grandfather passed away during the week.
After kicking her first goal, where she sped off out the back of the Eagles’ defence and slammed through a goal from the line, she pointed to the sky in tribute to her late grandfather.
ELITE AILEEN
Kicking into a stiff Frankston breeze, the game plan was simple for the Hawks — get it to Aileen Gilroy.
The Irishwoman was instrumental in gaining territory for Hawthorn with her daring dash, often from defence.
It was typified by a third-quarter adventure off halfback from the 29-year-old which almost resulted in the goal of the year.
It had all the shades of Phil Manassa and Mick McGuane – the running bounces, the little bursts of speed away from opponents, the little dart inward before the kick – until the final product, which bounced just wide.
But without Gilroy and her 491-metres gained, the Hawks would have been staring down almost insurmountable margins at the end of the first and third terms into the breeze.
CUNNINGHAM CITED
Tegan Cunningham was cited for a fourth quarter bump on West Coast’s Charlotte Thomas.
The game was stopped while the umpire made an on-field report against the 34-year-old for a late bump on the 18-year-old emerging star.
Initially it looked as though Cunningham would find herself in serious trouble, with Thomas staying down and looking in trouble.
But replays appeared to show the heavy hit didn’t catch the Eagle high, and she was able to take her kick and remain on the ground.
SCOREBOARD
HAWKS 1.2 5.4 5.6 6.8 44
EAGLES 4.2 4.2 5.5 6.5 41
MOTTERSHEAD’S BEST
Hawks: Duffin, Gilroy, Fleming, Lucas-Rodd, Eardley.
Eagles: Swanson, Lewis, Thomas, Roberts, Lakay.
GOALS
Hawks: Duffin 3, Fellows, Lucas-Rodd, McDonagh.
Eagles: Roberts, Swanson, Western, Lewis, Britton, Schmidt.
INJURIES
Hawks: nil.
Eagles: nil.
VENUE
Skybus Stadium
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JAMES MOTTERSHEAD’S VOTES
3 J. Duffin (HAW)
2 A. Gilroy (HAW)
1 E. Swanson (WCE)
Athletes or the boardroom? Which women really wield power in sport
Women hold some of the most powerful positions in Australian sport - and boast some of the country’s most recognisable athletes. But who really holds the power?
AFLW’s next gen set to arrive in 2025, headed by WA starlet
One of the most naturally talented female players Western Australia has produced is set to be in contention for the coveted No.1 AFLW draft pick this year. ELIZA REILLY examines the players in the mix.