AFLW Round 7: Keep up with all the mid-week action and news

A stellar performance from star ruck Matilda Scholz propelled Port Adelaide to a history-making win against Collingwood, as the Power storm into the AFLW finals picture.

A stellar performance from star ruck Matilda Scholz propelled Port Adelaide to a history-making win against Collingwood on Thursday night, the Power storming into the finals mix with a third win in a row.

Lauren Arnell’s side broke the game open with a three-goals-to-nil third quarter at a windy Alberton Oval and hung on to win the first ever AFLW meeting between the club’s and make it three victories on the trot for the first time in Port’s history.

The Magpies’ Alana Porter kicked the only goal of the final term to make it an eight-point game with just under five tense minutes remaining, but the Power defended grimly to improve to a 4-4 record.

Matilda Scholz celebrates. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Scholz was outstanding in the ruck with 20 hit-outs, nine clearances, a goal, and spectacular mark, in an eye-catching display, with Abbey Dowrick, Molly Brooksby and Shineah Goody important.

Playing her 50th game, Collingwood star Bri Davey was among her side’s best players, with Mikala Cann the leading possession winner on the ground.

Fingers crossed for Julia Teakle, the key forward grimacing in pain as she was helped from the field with a knee injury in the third term and was unable to return.

WINDY WOES

Port had first use of the stiff breeze, but didn’t make the most of it.

Influential talls Gemma Houghton and Scholz were instrumental in the Power’s opening goal, Houghton latching onto Scholz’s kick into the middle and winning a critical one-on-one to set Ella Boag and Caitlin Wendland sprinting at goal, Wendland winning the race to toe the ball home.

But that was it for the term, and while the Pies didn’t kick a goal in the first, they did better with the wind in the second.

Port’s defence stood up to repeated inside 50s until Georgia Clark took a diving mark and converted her set shot for her first AFLW goal in her third game.

Cann’s classy right-foot snap in traffic bounced through the middle with a minute left in the half, the Power managing just one rushed behind in the second quarter to go into the main break down by a goal.

Matilda Scholz takes an absolute hanger! ✈️#AFLWPowerPiespic.twitter.com/0uKrDUfoH1

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 10, 2024

HOW, HOUGHTON?

Delighted Power fans were left to wonder, ‘How did she do that?’ after Houghton somehow defied the angles to kick a stunning goal early in the third quarter.

Houghton took possession at a crowded ruck contest about a metre inside the boundary near the point post, threw ball on her right boot and was mobbed by teammates after her miracle goal put her side back in front.

MATILDA’S MARK!

Port only registered five marks in the first half to Collingwood’s 19, with three of those to Boag, but Scholz added another to the tally with a spectacular third-quarter gem.

The 19-year-old rose majestically from a huge pack inside 50 and clunked a brilliant mark-of-the-year contender.

She capped her fine aerial work with a goal, her side’s third of the quarter, with the visitors scoreless for the term to go into the last quarter 14 points down.

SCOREBOARD

POWER 1.5 1.6 4.8 4.9 (33)

MAGPIES 0.3 2.6 2.6 3.7 (25)

PHELAN’S BEST POWER: Scholz, Dowrick, Goody, Brooksby, Moloney, Mules-Robinson. MAGPIES: Cann, Schleicher, Rowe, Davey, Cronin, Allen.

GOALS POWER: Scholz, Houghton, Wendland, Mules-Robinson. MAGPIES: Cann, Clark, Porter.

INJURIES POWER: Teakle (knee), Saint (hip). MAGPIES: Nil.

ALBERTON OVAL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JASON PHELAN’S VOTES

3 Scholz (Port)

2 Cann (Coll)

1 Dowrick (Port)

INJURY-HIT DEMONS STUN CROWS IN NORWOOD THRILLER

Injury-depleted Melbourne have pulled off one of the upsets of the season, with Tyla Hanks inspiring the Demons to a gutsy two-point win against Adelaide at Norwood Oval.

The Crows had won 12 of their past 14 matches at the fortress, but Matthew Clarke’s side spurned the opportunity to climb back into the top four, kicking just one goal despite controlling long periods of play after quarter-time.

In one of the grittier defensive displays of the season by a club with 12 players on its injury list, Melbourne booted two goals in the opening term and led all night despite not managing another major for the rest of the night.

The Dees started hot in Norwood. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

As frustrating as it was for the home fans, the neutral observer couldn’t help but admire the sheer will and determination of Mick Stinear’s charges, who improved to a 3-4 record to keep their finals chances alive.

Clarke was left to rue his side’s inaccuracy in front of goal, the Crows attacking in waves in the frantic final term, leading the inside 50 count to start the quarter 10-1 only to spray shots on goal or be repelled by the brave Demons.

FLYING START

The fired-up Demons flew out of the blocks with their attack on the footy and lightning-quick transition usually associated with the home side at its Norwood Oval fortress.

The visitors may have been a little fortunate with a 50m penalty helping Georgia Campbell slot their first goal, but there was nothing lucky about Alyssa Bannan’s deadeye conversion of a set shot from a tricky angle 35m out.

Melbourne had superior intensity and the top-three possession winners on the ground late in the first quarter, with Adelaide looking disjointed and flat in comparison, generally failing to enter forward 50 in a decisive manner.

The Crows managed their one goal in the second half. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

DYNAMIC DUO

With Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard inefficient with their disposal in the opening term, Hanks was the leading possession winner at the first break, but Adelaide’s dynamic duo led the charge in the second quarter.

Hatchard had 11 touches and Marinoff eight as the re-energised Crows hit back, winning the territory battle and almost doubling Melbourne’s inside 50s for the term.

The only problem was Adelaide couldn’t find the middle, blazing away for four points – Hatchard with two of them and Danielle Ponter rattling the post from close range – to finish the first half goalless and nine points in arrears.

The contest continued in much the same manner after the break, with the home side’s goal drought finally broken when Maddie Newman got on the end of a well-worked passage of play to mark and kick truly.

But with the dam walls threatening to break, Melbourne did well to put the brakes on the Crows to lead by four points at the last change despite failing to register a goal since the opening term.

SCOREBOARD

CROWS 0.1 0.5 1.5 1.8 (14)

DEMONS 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 (16)

PHELAN’S BEST CROWS:Marinoff, Hatchard, Randall, J Allan, Newman, Kelly. DEMONS: Hanks, McNamara, Campbell, Hore, Goldrick, Taylor.

GOALS CROWS: Newman. DEMONS: Bannan, Campbell.

INJURIES CROWS: Nil. DEMONS: Nil.

NORWOOD OVAL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JASON PHELAN’S VOTES

3 Marinoff (Adel)

2 Hanks (Mel)

1 McNamara (Mel)

STAR SAINT TO APPEAL SUSPENSION

St Kilda star Jaimee Lambert will head to the tribunal in a bid to play in Sunday’s crunch game against Melbourne.

Lambert was immediately in trouble for a final-quarter tackle on GWS’ Alyce Parker in Tuesday night’s comfortable win.

Lambert pinned Parker’s right arm and dragged her to ground, with the Giant’s left arm holding the football.

Parker could be seen immediately reaching for her head in pain after being dragged to the turf.

Jaimee Lambert has one arm of Alyce Parker as she tackles her to the ground. Picture: Getty Images

Jaimee Lambert has been handed a one-match ban for her tackle on Alyce Parker.

Details: https://t.co/PZbXjQ8APUpic.twitter.com/FbByFtgO2w

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 9, 2024

Lambert completes the tackle as Parker’s head hits the turf. Picture: Getty Images

Lambert was handed a one-game ban on Wednesday, with the incident graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.

St Kilda immediately announced it would challenge the ban.

Tuesday’s win put the Saints into the top eight and they could further cement that position by beating the Demons on Sunday.

Lambert’s loss would be a significant hit to the improved Saints, given she has won four best-and-fairests (three at Collingwood and last year’s St Kilda award) and been named All-Australian twice.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN SWAN LIKELY OUT FOR YEAR

The Swans’ AFLW season has gone from bad to worse with All-Australian Laura Gardiner the latest to be ruled out with a potential season-ending injury.

Gardiner suffered a knock to her hand while attempting to make a tackle in Sydney’s loss to Geelong. It was an innocuous incident but she later reported soreness.

The midfielder will see a specialist on Wednesday, but it’s expected she will miss at least four weeks. While there is some hope she could return for their final game against West Coast, coach Scott Gowans admitted it doesn’t look likely.

“We won’t know until we get the results from the specialist but it’s not looking good,” Gowans said.

Laura Gardiner (R) has likely played her last game of the season. Picture: Getty Images

“She had a tackle and just reached out and her hand bit the body of the opposition player a bit awkwardly and unfortunately she’s done some damage to her hand … she’ll be out for an extended time.

“It’s a challenge for us. Injuries are just a part of the game, but it’s not great. The good thing is it’s next player in and it gives opportunity to others.”

Gardiner, who has been Sydney’s main ball-winner with 29 disposals a game, joins an injury ward that includes fellow All-Australian players Chloe Molloy and Ally Morphett.

It will be make the Swans’ task tougher as they prepare to take on the Kangaroos in Tasmania this weekend. While players like Sofia Hurley and Tanya Kennedy have stepped up in their absence, knows they will be challenged against last year’s grand finalists.

In a boost for the Swans, Montana Ham looks set to be available for the game. But even though their finals hopes appear slim, Gowans is confident his team has plenty to play for.

“She’ll be up for selection this week,” Gowans said.

Montana Ham is set to return from injury this week. Picture: Getty Images

“We could be 5-2 if you take some of those (close) results and flip them but it is what it is. The way we’re looking at it is we’ve had the opportunity to be in those games and that’s exciting and we’ve learned a lot.

“We’ve got a job to do down there. We trust them. We’ve got a bit of belief, our effort and intensity has been really good, pressure has been through the roof, so if we bring that, then you just never know.

“It’s a big challenge, but a great challenge and we’ve got nothing to lose.”

SAINTS REIGNITE FINALS PUSH

The Saints have claimed an important 34-point victory over the Giants to move them back inside the top eight on the AFLW ladder.

The 7.7 (49) to 2.3 (15) result was much-needed for St Kilda, who made their best ever-start to a season (3-0) before losing their next three matches to drop to 10th.

The Saints started the match like a team possessed, kicking the first six goals to seal the result early.

Darcy Guttridge kicks a goal in game 50! 🙌#AFLWSaintsGiantspic.twitter.com/z2cczUcP9v

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 8, 2024

GWS COACH FEELING PINCH

As for the Giants, their finals hopes are toast as they remain entrenched in the bottom three with just one win from seven matches.

And that means GWS coach Cameron Bernasconi is under all sorts of pressure to keep his job.

Having won just seven of 27 matches since taking over the reins in season seven, he will likely fail to make the finals in each of his first three campaigns in charge.

Cameron Bernasconi’s poor coaching record is putting his position under pressure. Picture: Getty Images

WASTEFUL GIANTS

GWS actually had much more of the ball (223-182) and dominated both clearances (36-28) and centre clearances (8-3), but were nowhere near as efficient as the slicker Saints and committed more turnovers as well.

St Kilda’s transition game cut the Giants to ribbons and with their direct brand, the hosts were much more dangerous in attack.

Jesse Wardlaw hit the scoreboard with three goals. Picture: Getty Images

TALL TIMBER TOO MUCH

The Saints’ aerial supremacy, particularly up forward, saw them take almost four times as many contested marks as GWS (11-3) and the visitors just could not cope with St Kilda’s marking power via Jesse Wardlaw, Ashleigh Richards and Darcy Guttridge.

When the game was up for grabs, the Giants’ defensive structure totally unravelled. The Saints only had two more inside 50s (29-27) but were far more lethal in front of goal.

St Kilda’s pressure was ferocious in the opening term, as they smashed GWS in the tackle count (24-15), and it set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Tyanna Smith that is unreal 🤩@Coles#AFLWSaintsGiantspic.twitter.com/VtijQJdLEA

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 8, 2024

SAINT SMITH STARS

Tyanna Smith was also a standout for the winners with 17 touches, nine tackles, six clearances and a goal of the year contender as she took a bounce on the wing, engaged in a one-two with Maddie Boyd, took another bounce, ran to 30m out and drilled it home from a sharp angle on the boundary.

Wardlaw stood tall with three goals from her 10 disposals and seven marks. Grace Kelly was also instrumental in icing the result early with her nine first-half touches.

For GWS, Parker never gave up, finishing with 29 touches (18 contested), 10 clearances and eight tackles, while Rebecca Beeson accumulated 24 disposals (13), six tackles and five clearances.

Originally published as AFLW Round 7: Keep up with all the mid-week action and news