ROUND one of the 2025 NAB AFLW season taught us a lot, but also raised plenty of questions heading into round two.

Are the Saints as good as last week suggested? Can the Swans better showcase their game style on a larger ground? Will Adelaide and Brisbane bounce back?

Only time will tell.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

Collingwood v Greater Western Sydney at Victoria Park, 1.05pm AEST

Last time they met: Collingwood 6.10 (46) d Greater Western Sydney 2.2 (14), round seven, 2022 (S7)

The looming concern for the Giants coming into their round two match is how they cover the loss of Alyce Parker, not just this week but for the whole season. Against a Collingwood midfield that does boast the likes of Ruby Schleicher and Brit Bonnici, it is Bec Beeson, Mikayla Pauga and Kaitlyn Srhoj who will have to carry the load, while Zarlie Goldsworthy – who was initially slated for more time forward – will come into the contest, and recruit Taylah Levy may also make her Giants debut. Irishwoman Eilish O'Dowd may also earn a run as a midfielder, rather than solely a ruck, to offer a point of difference in the line.

Collingwood, meanwhile, hasn't won at its Victoria Park home since round eight, 2023 and will be determined to break the run of losses. Utilising its transition runners – Schleicher, Violet Patterson, Airlie Runnalls – will be important in this one given the Giants' vulnerability to rebound run. And in defence, shutting down Tarni Evans will be key to closing off Greater Western Sydney's attacking game. Last week the club as a whole took 15 marks inside 50, and five of those were attributed to Evans.

Tip: The Pies will get off the mark. Collingwood by six points.

Melbourne v St Kilda at Casey Fields, 3.05pm AEST

Last time they met: Melbourne 6.8 (44) d St Kilda 5.0 (30), week seven, 2024

St Kilda has only beaten Melbourne once – in its very first win way back in 2020 – but this is the chance for it to prove that last week's win over Adelaide was not simply a one-off, and instead the Saints that fans can come to expect each week. For Melbourne, it's about confirming that the bounce back from last season's ninth place finish is well and truly on.

The midfield battle will be fascinating, as this is the area that St Kilda established dominance last week, by way of Tyanna Smith, Georgia Patrikios and a host of others rotating through the line, and Melbourne duo Tyla Hanks and Liv Purcell are back at their best. Finding control through the middle of the ground will offer either team a chance to get the game moving in the way they'd like – St Kilda using space on the wings, Melbourne dashing up the corridor – then the battle between a super-disciplined St Kilda defence, and a multi-pronged Demons attack comes into focus.

Tip: The Demons love their home deck. Melbourne by 10 points.

Gold Coast v Sydney at People First Stadium, 3.05pm AEST

Last time they met: Gold Coast 7.8 (50) d Sydney 6.10 (46), week eight, 2024

The feeling is that the Swans are back to challenge for finals this year, helped significantly by the fitness of important trio Ally Morphett, Montana Ham and Chloe Molloy, but more interesting in this battle will be just how the side is able to play on the larger deck of People First Stadium. With so much more space compared to North Sydney Oval, the elite skill of players like Zippy Fish, Sofia Hurley and Cynthia Hamilton have the potential to really shine.

Gold Coast, who hasn't won at the venue since round nine, 2023, seems to be lacking some potency in its attack. Despite boasting Havana Harris, Darcie Davies and Jamie Stanton in the front half, the Suns haven't quite unlocked the way to get the most out of them on the scoreboard, although there has been a clear game style shift for the side in its first season under Rhyce Shaw. It is playing more of a kick-mark game, rather than overusing the ball at contest by hand, but it's just going to take some time to turn that into scores.

Tip: The Swans will showcase their movement in space. Sydney by 17 points.

Fremantle v Brisbane at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, 3.05pm AWST

Last time they met: Brisbane 11.10 (76) d Fremantle 4.3 (27), round one, 2022 (S7)

The re-introduction of Ange Stannett and Kiara Bowers to Fremantle's midfield worked well last week, with the duo waxing nicely with last year's additions of Gabby Newton and Aisling McCarthy. It has also helped to solve the side's thinness in attack, with Hayley Miller providing a really dangerous target ahead of the ball. Around the contest last week the Lions did get caught out on the scramble, with fumbled attempts at winning the footy opening the door for the opposition, and this is something the Dockers will be keen to make work for them.

Off the back of that, the Lions can get caught out for speed out the back, but need to be especially conscious of how damaging the Dockers can be out of forward stoppages. Brisbane also like to create space of their own in the attacking half to isolate the likes of Taylor Smith and Dakota Davidson in the one-on-one. It is likely that second-gamer Indi Strom will be tasked with one of the pair, while Emma O'Driscoll or Ash Brazill will take the other, so for Brisbane it's important to force them to defend individually, rather than support across the backline.

Tip: The Lions will get off the mark. Brisbane by 10 points.

Hawthorn v Carlton at Kinetic Stadium, 7.15pm AEST

Last time they met: Hawthorn 9.12 (66) d Carlton 4.4 (28), week one, 2024

Hawthorn is coming off a significant win, not just in terms of style and persistence, but what a win over Brisbane does for the side mentally. As a result, it will head into this weekend's clash with Carlton chock-full of confidence, albeit without young talent Jas Fleming. Carlton also landed a round one win and will be enthusiastic about its ability to transition the footy and use dynamic players like Erone Fitzpatrick and Sophie McKay to break the lines.

Both teams tend to have a half-back – Tilly Lucas-Rodd for Hawthorn, Darcy Vescio for Carlton – come up to act as a sweeper following centre stoppages so they can get aggressive from the back half, so how each club opts to defend that could have significant impact. The Hawks typically flick the ball around the contest by hand to find a genuine exit, and this is where the Blues must establish some effective pressure to prevent that clean clearance work.

Tip: The Hawks will make it two from two. Hawthorn by 20 points.

SUNDAY AUGUST 24

Richmond v Western Bulldogs at Ikon Park, 12.35pm AEST

Last time they met: Western Bulldogs 4.6 (30) d Richmond 1.7 (13), round five, 2022 (S6)

It was a strange performance from Richmond last week, who found its way forward but was susceptible to Sydney's interceptors and couldn't find a way to work captain Katie Brennan into the game. But the use of Bec Miller as a swing player did reap rewards, so expect that to come into play again this week, given the Bulldogs have fewer tall forwards to defend.

Delivery to those Dogs forwards does differ based on how much uncontested ball the side is winning. When things are pressured and panicked, they do get sucked into long kicks down the line to contests, which can be picked off by the likes of Libby Graham and Gabby Seymour. Where the Bulldogs can generate some opportunity in front of goal is with midfielders/wingers sliding forward and losing their direct opponent in the process – something that hurt Richmond last week when the defence got caught napping.

Tip: Katie Brennan is ready for a big game. Richmond by 23 points.

North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Arden Street Oval, 1.05pm AEST

Last time they met: North Melbourne 12.6 (78) d Port Adelaide 2.9 (21), preliminary final, 2024

North Melbourne hasn't lost at Arden Street since round seven, 2022 (S7), and boasts an uncanny ability to put its foot down and score heavily in a short period of time. This is presenting as especially dangerous for Port Adelaide, who will be going into this one without key defenders Amelie Borg and Janelle Cuthbertson, leaving Teagan Germech and Indy Tahau to compete with the Roos' complement of goalkicking tall forwards.

It is likely that Port Adelaide will aim to make it a highly contested game, and work to disallow the Roos' handball to runners on the outside. Shutting down the attacking work of players like Tayla Gatt, Amy Smith and Tess Craven is a crucial part of limiting North Melbourne's style. This, however, can be a particularly exhausting way to play and a tough ask against a super fit North Melbourne outfit. Compounding this is the absence of Julia Teakle and Caitlin Wendland in attack, putting a lot of pressure on Gemma Houghton and Ash Woodland to hold up the Power's attack.

Tip: The Roos will equal the AFLW's winning streak record. North Melbourne by 35 points.

Essendon v West Coast at Windy Hill, 2.35pm AEST

Last time they met: Essendon 6.5 (41) d West Coast 3.7 (25), week two, 2024

This is a real opportunity to see two clusters of exciting young talent going head-to-head. Holly Ridewood, Grace Belloni, Taya Chambers and Amy Gaylor lit it up for Essendon last week, as did Ella Roberts, Lucia Painter, Jess Rentsch and Abbygail Bushby for West Coast. Now, it's about which of those young contingents can have the biggest impact for their side. The big question for Essendon coach Natalie Wood is whether it's worth sending someone to run with Roberts, or attempt more of a team effort in shutting down the Eagles star. Should the Bombers opt for an individual task, Steph Cain appears the most likely to take the role, given her running capacity and strength.

Last week the Bombers found a wide spread of goalkickers, with 10 different players hitting the scoreboard, and this is especially difficult to shut down. So, the Eagles will likely focus on the conduits to attacking positions in Georgia Nanscawen, Cain, Maddy Prespakis and Bonnie Toogood. Limiting the sort of clean use these players get will have a big say in how Essendon's attack operates.

Tip: It will go right down to the line. West Coast by two points.

Adelaide v Geelong at Thomas Farms Oval, 2.35pm ACST

Last time they met: Adelaide 4.8 (32) d Geelong 4.4 (28), week 10, 2024

Both Adelaide and Geelong are smarting from losses last week, as neither side was able to generate the heavy scoring we've seen from them in the past. The Cats are also yet to post a win over the Crows, although the last two margins of two and four points prove that they are getting steadily closer.

Adelaide really struggled to generate genuine opportunities at goal last week, finding it hard to break through St Kilda's defence of its attacking 30m zone so, despite recording 50 inside 50s for the match the side's goal efficiency was just four per cent – a lingering problem from last year. It is this sort of defence that Geelong will need to employ, almost willing to concede marks from 40-50m of their defensive goal, knowing that they are less dangerous than those closer in. The Cats, meanwhile, will be without some important forwards, and this has the potential to put a lot of pressure on Aishling Moloney, so she will need the support of those higher up the field both in their delivery, and them getting dangerous on the scoreboard themselves.

Tip: The Cats' thin attack will be its undoing. Adelaide by eight points.