AFLW Week 5 news: All the news from across Grand Final public holiday
Fremantle has its fourth win of the year after accounting for St Kilda in a low-scoring arm wrestle. Meanwhile, the Bombers snared a September win and the Pies broke their drought.
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A late goal to Dockers’ Gabby Biedenweg-Webster saw Fremantle repel a St Kilda surge to hold on by 11 points to secure their fourth victory of the season in a low-scoring affair.
It was a classic arm-wrestle on a sunny Friday at RSEA Park with just five goals scored for the entire match despite a total of 61 inside 50s.
Fremantle hold onto sixth spot on the ladder as they continue to push for a maiden finals’ appearance under the guidance of Lisa Webb.
Aisling McCarthy inspired her Dockers teammates and led the way for the side with 24 disposals, seven tackles and four score involvements.
While young gun Tunisha Kikoak kicked two goals in the second quarter to help set up a crucial victory for her side.
Hannah Priest was clinical for the home side in her milestone match while Jesse Wardlaw and Nat Exon kicked the goals for the Saints.
Fremantle established dominance around the stoppage in the second half, taking control of the inside 50 count and generating some great looks at goal, but they went begging.
Without being able to capitalise from opportunities, Fremantle left the door ajar for Saints to steal the four points.
It appeared as though St Kilda could steal victory late when Ella Friend threw it on the boot, only to be smothered by Sarah Verrier.
While Fremantle defender Jess Low produced a spectacular match-saving run-down tackle late in the fourth term as she caught Saints’ Grace Kelly holding the ball.
MILESTONE TRIO
There were three players celebrating milestone games with Fremantle duo Hayley Miller (75 games) Emma O’Driscoll (50 games) and Saints’ captain Hannah Priest (50 games).
Dockers’ vice-captain Miller finished the game with 20 disposals (14 uncontested), three clearances but more importantly a win in her 75th match.
“It was awesome to get the win, I’ve never had a Gatorade shower before, but I’m stoked I’ll get one today,” she said.
Miller added that she was happy with the way the side finished the game and didn’t put a ceiling on what the now 4-1 Dockers could achieve this season.
“We’re pretty confident with our fourth quarters, we feel we’re really fit, we’ve had some tight games recently,” she said.
“You’re always thinking finals, the sky’s the limit.”
Emma O’ Driscoll (20 disposals, 301 metres gained) was another key performer for Fremantle in her milestone match.
Priest (21 disposals, four tackles, seven intercept possessions) was reliable in defence and led the way for her side despite being inundated with Fremantle inside 50s throughout the entire match.
KIKOAK KICKING GOALS
After losing key forward Aine Tighe to an ACL injury last week, there was some questions about a lack of height in Dockers’ forward line, but Tunisha Kikoak solved any concerns.
The 19-year-old returned from a shoulder injury which was timely for the side as they were forced to make three changes from last week’s after-the-siren victory.
Kikoak made the most of her opportunities in the second quarter with some magic to kick her first ever goal in AFLW, with just the sixth disposal of her career.
The Tasmanian replacement player made it look easy as she faked out her defender and launched the ball from range, lifting her side with a classy 45 metre bomb.
After earning a free kick just minutes later, she kicked her second goal of the quarter.
Her performance was the definition of impact, three touches for two goals.
EXON OPENS SCORING
Scoring was hard to come by in the first half of the game, but the first two majors were ones to add to the highlight reel with players from both sides selling some candy.
Nat Exon produced a special patch of play to kick Saints’ first and only goal of the first quarter.
The experienced campaigner received a handball out of congestion before selling candy to Ariana Hetherington and kicking her second goal of the season.
The early brilliance got the RSEA crowd on their feet and had coach Nick Dal Santo loving what he saw.
Exon copped a head knock in the second quarter and went into the rooms for assessment, but later returned to the field after more than 23 minutes on the bench.
FREO CONVERSION WORRIES
The rapid ball movement and territory dominance in the second half should’ve seen Fremantle win the game by more than 11 points.
After Kikoak kicked Fremantle’s only two goals in the first half, the Dockers then kicked seven straight behinds in the second half before a late sealer.
Fremantle scored just three goals from 38 inside 50s and while the Saints’ defence was relentless all day, they would’ve been disappointed to not capitalise on dominant periods.
BOMBERS SNARE RARE SEPTEMBER WIN
It appears as though it is the end of an era for perennial AFLW powerhouse Melbourne after the injury-hit Demons suffered their darkest day in club history against Essendon at Windy Hill on Friday afternoon.
Melbourne not only suffered a club record 65-point loss but were restricted to their lowest-ever score of 1.1 (7) after being held scoreless in the final three quarters.
The Demons headed into the game with 10 players unavailable, including Tayla Harris, Eden Zanker, Olivia Purcell, Lauren Pearce, Aimee Mackin and Blaithin Mackin.
And things went from bad to worse for them in the second quarter when Shelley Heath departed the match with what looked like a serious shoulder injury.
It proved too much for them to overcome and the 11.6 (72) to 1.1 (7) result not only handed Melbourne four losses in a row for the first time ever, but also ensured their worst start to a season (1-4). Eliza McNamara also failed to finish the game after suffering a broken nose.
Their premiership ambitions are in tatters now considering they will need to win at least five of their last six games to qualify for the top eight after making the finals in the last five seasons.
Meanwhile, it was a much-needed win for the Bombers who have remained in touch with the top eight. Having ended their two-game losing skid, their bid for back-to-back finals appearances received a timely boost.
It was one-way traffic all afternoon as the Bombers thrashed the Demons in all key aspects of the game, finishing with far more contested possessions (131-92), clearances (31-18), inside 50s (50-24), scoring shots (17-2) and disposals (309-225).
BANNISTER GOES BIG
Essendon forward Daria Bannister only had three goals for the season heading into the game, but she had a career-high three in the first quarter before finishing the game with four from her 15 disposals.
Maddie Prespakis also had a day out with 32 disposals (12 contested), seven clearances and a goal, Stephanie Cain had 19 possessions (10), six tackles and a goal and Georgia Nanscawen registered 24 possessions (12) and eight tackles as Essendon bullied Melbourne into submission.
DONS DOMINATION
The Bombers got off to a flyer with the first three goals as the hosts ran roughshod over Melbourne by helping themselves to 10 of the first 11 clearances as well as a sizeable early lead in contested possessions (27-11).
Essendon’s pressure all over the ground was immense, especially up forward, and their run-and-carry through the corridor caused all sorts of problems for the besieged Demons.
The Bombers’ relentlessness ensured the game was as good as over at halftime, as the overwhelmed Demons’ defensive structure broke down. Essendon refused to take the foot off Melbourne’s throat and kicked the last eight goals of the match.
CHAPLIN MAKES A MESS
Melbourne defender Maeve Chaplin produced one of the clangers of the year late in the first quarter. After Bomber Jacqui Vogt’s long shot on goal dribbled timidly off target, Chaplin arrived at the scene first and all she had to do was rush it through for a behind. But she comically ran over the ball, and allowed Bannister to pounce and kick the easiest goal of her career from the goal line to put Essendon up by 17 points.
RARE DEES HIGHLIGHT
There wasn’t much to cheer about for Melbourne, but a rare highlight occurred late in the first quarter as Ryleigh Wotherspoon kicked her first AFLW goal in impressive fashion. While being tackled by Alex Morcom, Wotherspoon got a toe to the ball, and it rolled through for the Demons’ sole major of the game.
PIES BREAK 2024 DROUGHT WITH WIN OVER SUNS
Collingwood has broken through for their first win of the AFLW season after edging Gold Coast by three points in a scrappy battle of the cellar dwellers at Punt Road Oval on Friday.
The small margin was misleading, though, because this game certainly will not make its way into the time capsule. In perfect conditions, the two teams combined for just seven goals.
Nevertheless, the 4.3 (27) to 3.6 (24) result lifted the Magpies off the bottom of the ladder and ensured they avoided making their equal-worst start to a season.
It was a very tight finish at the Swinburne Centre!
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 27, 2024
Enjoy the last two minutes of Collingwood v Gold Coast. pic.twitter.com/kGWUCdsGya
The winless Suns are now in last place and their finals hopes are in serious doubt considering they will almost certainly have to win their last six matches to qualify.
To make matters worse for Gold Coast, Claudia Whitfort, who was one of their best players in the first half with 12 disposals (six contested) and three clearances, exited the game at halftime due to concussion. She will now be ruled out of matches against Hawthorn (October 2) and Essendon (October 6) in the condensed fixture as she enters protocols.
Meanwhile, Collingwood’s Mikala Cann finished the game on the bench as well with a shoulder injury.
Brittany Bonnici played through a sore shoulder to be Collingwood’s standout player with 27 disposals (17 contested), nine tackles and eight clearances while Tarni White was also influential with 15 possessions, 10 tackles and two goals. Jordyn Allen was a rock down back with 14 touches and six marks.
For the Suns, Lucy Single racked up 29 disposals (22 contested), 10 tackles and nine clearances, while Charlie Rowbottom registered 30 touches (18) and six clearances.
SCORING STRUGGLES
It was clear early that this was a game between the two worst teams in the league as it took almost 12 minutes for the first score to be registered – a behind from Gold Coast’s Maddy Brancatisano.
But at least the Suns managed to trouble the scoreboard in the first quarter (0.2). Despite dominating the inside 50s (9-2), the Magpies failed to break their duck in radiant sunshine in the opening term, which was riddled by a combined 35 turnovers.
It was Collingwood’s worst first quarter since Round 9 in Season 6, but they finally got rewarded for their territory superiority early in the second quarter when Ruby Schleicher unloaded a long bomb from 50m out.
WHITE GIFTED TWICE
The contest degenerated back into a scrap for most of the term, but the Magpies were gifted a second goal when Gold Coast’s Lauren Bella gave away a silly 50m penalty which brought White to the goalsquare to put the hosts up by 11 points.
The Suns turned the tables in the inside-50 battle in the second quarter as they walloped the Magpies in contested possessions 39-25, but had to wait until the 18-minute mark for their first goal via Georgia Clayden.
In a game where goals were hard to come by, White must’ve thought all her Christmases came at once early in the third quarter when she received another 50m penalty on the wing when the ball wasn’t returned to her properly. She again took advantage by slotting home the set shot from 40m out and Suns coach Cameron Joyce must’ve felt like tearing his hair out.
Gold Coast were undeterred, however, and booted the next two goals to lead by two points at the last change, as they continued to enjoy the lion’s share of forward entries in the third period.
PIES HIT BACK
The Magpies re-took the lead early in the final quarter when Imogen Barnett took it out of the ruck in the goalsquare and goaled against the run of play. The Suns kept coming, however, shots at goal from Elise Barwick and Annabel Kievit (twice) were all off target.
With 90 seconds to go, Bonnici laid a game-winning tackle on Single and earned herself a holding-the-ball free kick on the Suns’ half-forward line. Bella then inexplicably gave away another 50m penalty at the most crucial stage of the match to seal the Suns’ fate.
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