AFLW week 6 news: All the news from week 6 of the competition

It got heated between the Bombers and Swans, but it was Essendon grabbing a valuable four points in a thriller, meanwhile the Hawks kept themselves in the thick of the top four race.

Poised to regain its spearhead Bonnie Toogood, Essendon will enter the second half of the season in a strong position after holding off a fast-finishing Sydney in a three-point thriller at Whitten Oval.

The Bombers had to withstand repeat forward entries by Sydney in the dying moments after a brilliant, arcing snap by Lucy McEvoy had cut the margin to within a kick with three minutes and 40 seconds left.

A smother by first-year defender Amy Gaylor on Montana Beruldsen in the forward pocket denied Sydney its best scoring chance amid the flurry of activity in their forward half, and sent the Bombers to the cusp of the top eight with a 3-3 record.

Co-captain Toogood, who watched the last few minutes with her head in her hands on the interchange bench, was expected to push to play on Sunday against Gold Coast in a welcome comeback after a bruising encounter which could force changes.

The Bombers held on in a thriller. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Essendon coach Nat Wood said the star would be put through her paces in an intense training session on Thursday along with fellow forward Emily Gough (calf).After suffering a knee injury in round 1, Toogood will bolster an attack which could be without Paige Scott, who suffered a heavy corked quad in the final term and may struggle to recover over the four-day break.

After suffering a knee injury in round 1, the star forward will bolster an attack which could be without Paige Scott, who suffered a heavy corked quad in the final term and may struggle to recover over the four-day break.

Scott took two contested marks and had a game-high five score involvements as they were the key player for the Bombers in their crucial three-goal second term.

GAYLOR STEPS UP

It’s hard to believe 19-year-old Amy Gaylor is only six games into her career after such an assured start in defence for the Bombers.

After joining as an expansion side pre-signing ahead of the 2024 season, Gaylor had been touted as an inside midfielder, but the decision to use her behind the ball has been a masterstroke by coach Nat Wood.

After joining as an expansion side pre-signing ahead of the 2024 season, Gaylor had been touted as an inside midfielder, but the decision to use her in defence has been a masterstroke by coach Nat Wood.

As well as her potentially game-saving smother, the teenager had an equal team-high six intercepts and 353m gained, using the ball well with her left foot out of defence.

Gaylor was unlucky not to be nominated for the Rising Star after her impressive debut in round 1, and will put her hand up again this week.

“I’m not sure I’ve come across a first-year player who has been at the level so consistently for the first four or five games,” Wood said after the game.“She’s a really astute learner, and it’s fantastic to have her in our side.”

Tempers flared between the Bombers and the Swans after this passage.#AFLWDonsSwanspic.twitter.com/xvhiHn5aZI

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 2, 2024

FIGHTS AND SIRENS

A heated scuffle broke out on the three-quarter time siren after Sofia Hurley, Sydney’s best player for the night, was collected by Madi Prespakis as she kicked.

Prespakis’ bump, which was not high but perhaps fractionally late, earnt immediate remonstrations from Swans ruck Alexia Hamilton, before a dozen players rushed in.

Adding to the atmosphere was the uninterrupted wail of the siren, which did not stop for almost 15 seconds. Were the timekeepers trying to break up the scuffle?

SCOREBOARD

BOMBERS 0.1, 3.2, 4.3, 4.3 (27)

SWANS 0.1, 0.2, 1.3, 3.6 (24)

BEST Bombers: Scott, Prespakis, Gaylor, Clarke, Gay, Nanscawen. Swans: Hurley, Gardiner, Kennedy, Tarrant, O’Sullivan, McEvoy.

GOALS Bombers: Gamble 2, Scott, Adams. Swans: Privitelli, Heads, McEvoy.

UMPIRES Kerr, Nippress, van Raay

INJURIES Bombers: Gamble (finger), Scott (corked quad). Swans: nil.

CROWD 1,460 at Whitten Oval

HAPPY HAWKS PILE ON THE PAIN FOR SEETHING, WINLESS SUNS

Hawthorn has survived a scare from a seething Gold Coast to remain in the thick of the top four with a 13-point win in windy conditions at Frankston.

The Suns’ winless start, which has included two losses decided by contentious score reviews, will continue into a sixth week despite a gritty second-quarter effort to keep the Hawks to only one goal while kicking with the strong breeze.

Gold Coast did not have a single inside 50 during the second term, but it took a brilliant Aileen Gilroy snap from the wrong pocket for a right-footer to break the deadlock after fervent defending and stoppage work led by Charlie Rowbottom and Daisy D’Arcy.

The Hawks have continued their charge towards the finals. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The conditions and the Suns’ stubborn defence meant proceedings were a far cry from Hawthorn’s exhilarating shoot-out with Geelong last week, but vice-captain Eliza West said they were just happy to have held off the Suns after a long goal to Lucy Single and checkside banana from Jacqueline Dupuy put them within four points at the final break.

“I’m just glad the team was able to put together a strong first quarter. We knew we had the wind, we just had to battle it out,” West told Fox Footy after the game.

“They definitely brought it to us in the third quarter and you could feel the momentum. We’ve got a lot of belief, we’re a young group with a lot of new fresh faces including myself and the coach (Daniel Webster).”

EXUBERANT YOUTH

Gold Coast could have made inroads earlier in the third term after Jamie Stanton mowed down Ainslie Kemp to win a free kick about 30m from goal.

But wearing a custom red and yellow Suns helmet, second-gamer Keely Fullerton pounced on the loose ball and took advantage before missing her shot at goal, much to Stanton’s dismay.

“Just some game sense and awareness probably needed a little bit more there, especially when you have a likely goalkicker in Stanton having a shot on goal,” Bulldogs star Ellie Blackburn said on Fox Footy.

The Suns remain winless this season. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

KNOW YOUR RULES

Suns midfielder Lucy Single fulfilled many footballers’ dreams when she ran down Gilroy while the Hawks star was taking a bounce on the wing just before three-quarter time.

The bounce took off away from Gilroy, and she was shocked as Single not only dragged her to the ground, but received the free kick for holding the ball.

It was the only error from the dynamic forward as she made vital contributions along with West (23 disposals and eight clearances), who threw the ball on her left boot out of a stoppage to kick the decisive goal midway through the final term.

SCOREBOARD

HAWKS 2.2, 3.7, 3.7, 4.11 (35)

SUNS 1.0, 1.0, 3.3, 3.4 (22)

BEST Hawks: West, Breed, Gilroy, Fleming, Richardson, Bodey. Suns: Single, Rowbottom, Dupuy, D’Arcy, Girvan, Clayden.

GOALS Hawks: Williamson, McDonagh, Gilroy, West. Suns: Dupuy 2, Single.

UMPIRES Bridges, Dalgleish, Lyon

INJURIES Hawks: nil. Suns: Stanton (head).

CROWD 2,291 at Kinetic Stadium, Frankston

INACCURATE CATS’ SEASON HANGING BY A THREAD AFTER DOCKERS’ WIN

- Chloe Williams

A mature Dockers outfit once again found the fight to bounce back following Geelong’s early dominance, breaking the game open with their speed, precision and accuracy in front of goal to record an 18-point win.

The Cats will rue missing the opportunity to keep their season alive, leaving GMHBA Stadium tonight with only one win to their name off the back of a strong 2023 campaign.

Immense forward half pressure saw them win the territory battle early, but costly misses culminated as they succumbed to their fourth loss of the season.

Contrastingly, Fremantle is one step closer to firming its finals place, currently occupying third spot on the ladder.

Hayley Miller (25 disposals) and Aisling McCarthy (29 disposals, one goal) were instrumental in turning the purple tide, exposing the Amy McDonald-shaped hole in the Cats’ midfield as Fremantle surged to record 32 clearances to 21.

Hayley Miller celebrates a goal in Geelong. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Mim Strom is ranked number one for hit-outs across the competition, and recorded a further 42 hit-outs in a dominant display, while Georgie Prespakis (21 disposals) battled bravely in an attempt to drag her side back into finals contention.

After surging to a Preliminary Final last season, Geelong have been largely unable to recapture the toughness and elite ball movement that typified their brand in Season 8.

In what was a much-win match tonight, the Cats failed to perform across all four quarters as the impact of Fremantle’s engine room proved too large a feat to overcome.

Following a three-goal haul last week, Aishling Moloney will rue four behinds which if converted, may have kept the Cats’ season alive.

MORRISON’S MARVEL

Surrounded by family who made the trek from Perth to Geelong, Fremantle’s Mikayla Morrison took to GMHBA Stadium tonight in what was her first game in 973 days.

After fighting through back-to-back ACL surgeries on differing knees, the electric forward was soaking up every moment of pulling the purple and white back on.

After the game Morrison said she was excited to be back on the field.

“It took a while to get into it, but once it went on, I felt more comfortable,” she said.

“Mum told me she couldn’t make it but she surprised me.

Mikayla Morrison makes her AFLW return after 973 days out due to knee injuries 💜#AFLWCatsFreopic.twitter.com/4DgjI5EouS

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 1, 2024

“I think we’ve become closer as a group (following the condensed fixture).”

Fremantle Head Coach Lisa Webb pre-game said Morrison had proved an inspiration to her teammates.

“She’s an incredible human and she’s so silky in the way she goes about it … [I’m] really excited to see her out there tonight,” she said.

Her first disposal of the night was pivotal in breaking the game open, sending Fremantle deep inside 50 where they trapped the ball for an eventual Kikoak major score.

It came at a crucial moment that saw the Dockers battling to create opportunities inside their forward half, trailing the inside 50 count by 11.

Orlagh Lally in full flight for the Dockers. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

DRIBBLING DELIGHTS

Fremantle lacked cleanliness early, but as the second half rolled on, Sarah Verrier emerged to save the day with a classy dribbler to expand her side’s lead.

Mim Strom, Aisling McCarthy and Hayley Miller began to assert themselves on the contest, handing Verrier the opportunity to strike – which she well and truly grabbed with both hands.

The perfect bounce saw her score her first goal of 2024 in style and cemented her side’s freshly acquired lead.

For Geelong, Zali Friswell capitalised on a quick entry from Aishling Moloney to emulate Ferrier’s earlier heroics.

Friswells attempt may not have been as classy, but her ability to recover from an inopportune bounce and keep her team in contention makes her goal the highlight of the evening for the home side.

Aisling McCarthy puts the icing on the cake! 🍰#AFLWCatsFreopic.twitter.com/ddcprS2WGJ

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 1, 2024

FATHER-DAUGHTER DISASTER

Excitement filled the Cats’ rooms pre-game as father-daughter selection Bryde O’Rourke prepared to make her debut – but the joyous occasion was following a knock to her AC joint early in the first term.

After securing 25 tickets for family and friends, the daughter of Ray O’Rourke bravely battled on with the help of heavy strapping, but was eventually subbed out.

Bryde O'Rourke on the bench in her debut game. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

COSTLY CALL

With thirty seconds to play in the third term, Anna-Rose Kennedy conceded a crucial time-wasting 50m penalty which saw Gabby O’Sullivan capitalise with her second goal of the night.

This secured Fremantle a 16-point lead at the final break, eventuating in yet another come-from-behind victory – a testament to the character of this group across 2024 thus far.

It doesn’t come without conjecture, though, as the home crowd appeared disgruntled by the call, which penalised Kennedy for knocking the ball after O’Sullivan’s hands following the initial whistle.