A review of all the action from Round 2 of the 2024 rebel VFLW season.
NORTH MELBOURNE vs CARLTON
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.1 2.2 3.3 4.5 (29)
CARLTON 0.1 0.1 1.1 1.2 (8)
STAR recruits Nyakoat Dojiok and Maddie Di Cosmo were unstoppable in different ways as they led North Melbourne to a convincing 21-point rebel VFLW victory over Carlton at Arden St on Good Friday.
Dojiok, who was a member of Collingwood’s Grand Final team last year, dominated the scoreboard with three majors and was the only goalkicker on either team until former Kangaroo Sophia McCarthy kicked the Blues’ only goal a minute before three quarter-time.
Meanwhile, former Carlton prime mover Di Cosmo tormented her old team with an amazing 18 tackles to go with the same number of disposals.
The Kangaroos kicked one goal in each quarter in a fiercely contested game while giving away only one behind in the first half and three scores for the day.
Dojiok led all comers with 21 disposals to go with her three goals, not needing to rely on anyone else to do the job for her. Although support came from fellow ex-Magpie Elisabeth Jackson (19 disposals) and best-and-fairest Audrey Rhodes (16 tackles) as the Kangaroos laid 93 tackles in a fierce attack on ball and opposition.
Maddie Guerin continued her comeback from her knee reconstruction to be Carlton’s most prolific contributor with 19 touches, with the in-form Keeley Sherar and fellow former AFLW player Hannah Bowey.
“We were able to change our game style and adapt a little bit today,” North Melbourne coach Brett Gourley told NMFC Media.
“We've played against two really quality teams to start and we're taking a lot of confidence out of the fact that we've been able to come out on top.
“We've been challenged in both games and the ability of the group to respond has been great.”
PORT MELBOURNE vs COLLINGWOOD
PORT MELBOURNE 1.3 5.5 8.6 9.7 (61)
COLLINGWOOD 0.1 1.2 1.3 3.3 (21)
PORT Melbourne emphatically repeated its victory over Collingwood in the rebel VFLW Grand Final rematch, booting seven goals to one in the middle two quarters on its way to a comprehensive 40-point win at ETU Stadium.
The reigning premiers went in as strong favourites but were challenged by the Magpies early with the only goal of the opening term coming via Borough spearhead Emily Harley at the eight-minute mark.
The margin was still only eight points midway through the second term, but the home team broke the game open with Stella Reid kicking truly before Harley and Fed Frew each kicked their second to make it 27 points at the main change.
Port then added three more goals in the third quarter to well and truly wrap up the match, although the Magpies did win the last quarter to give themselves some confidence going forward.
Highly-rated young Queenslander Ava Seton was the best player on the ground for Port Melbourne in just her second VFLW game, picking up 22 disposals, five clearances and 11 inside-50s while also laying 14 tackles in a wonderful display.
Hardeman medallist Lauren Caruso again tormented the Magpies with 24 possessions and seven rebounds, Nayely Borg starred with 20 and a goal, Reid booted three majors and Frew worked up the ground for six marks and seven inside-50s while also booting a couple herself.
Sarah Ingram was outstanding for Collingwood, leading all comers with 25 disposals and five clearances, with draftees Lucy Cronin and Amber Schutte again impressing alongside Hannah Dyson.
CASEY DEMONS vs WESTERN BULLDOGS
CASEY DEMONS 2.3 5.5 5.6 7.8 (50)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.0 5.1 7.4 11.5 (71)
THE Western Bulldogs’ rebuild continues to gather steam as they won their first game of the season with an outstanding second half to beat Casey Demons by 21 points at Casey Fields on Saturday.
The Bulldogs kicked just 19 goals in their bottom-out 2022 season but slammed on 11 to overwhelm the Demons in a shootout.
There was nothing in the contest in the first half as the teams went virtually goal for goal and the home team sat four points to the good at the main change.
But three unanswered goals to Tallia Pulcino, debutant Isadora McLeay and Jaimi Tabb tilted the balance to the west and with Tabb adding a further two more the Bulldogs went on to kick six to two in the second half to record a convincing win.
Tabb’s three-goal second half was crucial but the Bulldogs had the top ball winners on the ground in best afield Keeley Hardingham (20 disposals, 14 hitouts), skipper Dom Carbone (23 disposals, nine tackles) and Carlton recruit Millie Klingbeil (22 disposals, seven clearances), while McLeay kicked two goals and laid seven tackles.
Lauren Jatczak was close to Casey’s best again with 20 hitouts and 18 touches, while Meg Macdonald (18 disposals, 10 tackles), Sophie Casey and Tyla Burn also played well.
ESSENDON vs WILLIAMSTOWN
ESSENDON 3.4 4.6 4.8 4.11 (35)
WILLIAMSTOWN 0.1 2.3 3.3 5.5 (35)
WILLIAMSTOWN overcame a slow start to fly home and pinch a draw against stalemate expert Essendon at the NEC Hangar.
The Bombers looked like cruising to a season-launching victory against a dominant Round 1 victor when they soared to a 28-point lead at the 10-minute mark of the second term having conceded just one behind for the game.
But they failed to kick a goal for the rest of the day as the Seagulls ground their way back into the contest. Sharnie Whiting struck twice to halve the deficit by the main break before Jazmin Tweddle-O’Donnell brought her side within two kicks turning for home.
Whiting’s third midway through the final term raised the tension and Emily Eaves snapped another goal soon after to give Williamstown the lead with eight minutes to play.
However, the visitors were unable to score again as the Bombers made a last-ditch effort to pinch the game back, only to miss twice and finish with their fourth draw since the start of 2022.
Whiting was the hero in saving two points for the Seagulls, adding 16 disposals to her three goals and picking up three important rebounds in the last quarter when she went behind the ball.
Her teammates Ash Thorneycroft (13) and Megan Williamson (11) were terriers around the ball with 24 tackles between them and Lori Stepnell had 16 touches, five marks and six rebounds.
But the Bombers dominated the numbers and will feel this is one that got away after winning disposals 236-185 and having 20 more inside-50 entries.
Mia Busch (25 disposals, five tackles) was easily the most prolific player on the ground, with Ash Melnikas (18 disposals, five marks, eight tackles, one goal), Lily-Rose Williamson (18 disposals, five tackles, five inside-50s), Steph Wales (15 disposals, six marks, 28 hitouts) and Scarlett Orritt (10 tackles) all prominent.
GEELONG CATS vs BOX HILL HAWKS
GEELONG CATS 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 (2)
BOX HILL HAWKS 2.3 4.9 7.12 14.14 (98)
BOX HILL Hawks’ AFLW-boosted squad put another opponent to the sword, thumping Geelong by 96 points at GMHBA Stadium in Round 2.
Fielding 11 AFLW-listed players, the Hawks were never going to be in danger of losing against an injury-plagued Geelong outfit, however the Cats defended stoutly in only conceding five goals to the 17-minute mark of the third term before the visitors finally broke the shackles to add nine more thereafter.
Box Hill was +101 in disposals, had 32 more inside-50 entries and won 14 more clearances, with Hawthorn superstar Emily Bates again a class above with 31 disposals, seven clearances, seven entries, five tackles and a goal.
Fellow AFLW-listed players Eliza West (26 disposals, six marks, five clearances, five entries, two goals) and Casey Sherriff (18 disposals, two goals) were also prominent and youngster Caitlin Thorne (19 disposals, five tackles, six entries) performed strongly.
The Hawks had the top seven disposal-winners on the ground, but the Cats never gave up, with Caitlin Reid, Poppy Schaap, Jo Sunderland and Brooke Plummer doing their best to hold back the tide.
SOUTHERN SAINTS vs DAREBIN FALCONS
SOUTHERN SAINTS 2.0 3.2 4.3 5.4 (34)
DAREBIN FALCONS 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.3 (9)
SOUTHERN Saints cruised to a second consecutive win, downing Darebin by 25 points at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday.
The Saints fired an early shot across the bows with two goals to Chloe Hunt inside the first six minutes and they were never seriously challenged despite the Falcons fighting hard and keeping the home team scoreless for long stretches of the match.
Neither team hit the scoreboard again for more than a quarter and there were no more goals until Piper Phelan broke through in the 17th minute of the second before the lead pushed out to 31 early in the last.
Georgina Gough finally kicked Darebin’s first goal of the season 11 minutes into the last quarter and it was no less than they deserved against a team shaping as a premiership contender.
Hunt was the difference with three goals as she finished off the efforts of Nat Plane (16 disposals, five tackles, five entries), Eva Nikolitsis (12 tackles, one goal), Abbey Tregellis and Alex Hynes (10 tackles each) further up the ground.
The Falcons had the more prolific players, with second-gamer Sam Baisas impressing with 17 touches, five clearances and six tackles alongside Ange Gogos (24 disposals, 10 clearances, six tackles) and Caitlin Bunker (19 disposals, six clearances, 15 tackles).
