SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 5.7 (37)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 8.9 (57)

DANDENONG continued its undefeated run through the NAB League Girls season after overpowering Sandringham by 20 points at Seaford’s Linen House on Friday night.

The Dragons dominated the first 10 minutes with 15-year-old Siena Farrell and the in-form Pia Staltari kicking the first two goals to lead by 13 points – although it could easily have been more had they connected better going inside 50.

They paid a heavy price for that disconnect as the Stingrays kicked the next four majors, drawing level seven minutes into the second term and then breaking to a 13-point gap of their own.

Emma Stuber’s first goal in the shadows of half-time did nothing to improve Sandringham coach Wayne Cripps’ mood and he let his players know about it, but it was the flag favourites who responded with the next five majors to put the game to bed.

Mackenzie Eardley was again a star for Dandenong in the wet conditions, particularly down back as she finished with 23 disposals, seven marks and six rebound-50s and Olivia Robinson was outstanding further up the ground with 20 touches, nine tackles and six inside-50s.

Ruby Murdoch and Sophie Butterworth kicked two goals each, Hayley Monk and Charlotte Blair each laid eight tackles and Jemma Ramsdale had five rebounds.

For the Dragons, Charlie Anderson worked hard all night and was a much more important performer than her 12 disposals and five rebounds might indicate, while Kitty Smyth did a solid job on key Stingrays Amber Clarke (15 disposals, one goal).

Sofia Hurley was wonderful in the middle with 19 disposals and a tireless 15 tackles, Keely Coyne topped the count with 21 touches, Stuber finished with two goals, Tayla Jones laid eight tackles, Bridie Hipwell had six inside-50s and Maddison Torpey was the best ruck on the ground with 18 hitouts.

TASMANIA DEVILS 4.3 (27)
CALDER CANNONS 4.7 (31)

CALDER kept the pressure on the top two on the Metro ladder and left Tasmania’s Country finals hopes on the ropes with a thrilling four-point win at Kingston Twin Ovals on Saturday.

In a seesawing encounter, the Devils led at quarter-time after key goalkickers Georgia Clarke and Bellah Parker hit the target but didn’t score in the second term to fall 10 points behind at the main break.

Tasmania dominated the third term with 2.3 to 0.0 with the win and led by five points turning for home but couldn’t hold the Cannons out and Chloe Prpic kicked the only goal of the last term at the 10-minute mark to regain the lead for the last time.

Reese Sutton was best for the visitors with 20 disposals, eight tackles and five inside-50s, with support coming from Tahlia Reid (15, seven marks, seven tackles), Mali McLeod (16, six marks), Amy Gaylor (17, six tackles), Abbey McDonald (17) and Maree Stephenson (six rebounds), who was vital down back.

The Devils had the bigger numbers, with Claire Ransom once again leading the way with 26 touches, four marks and six inside-50s and Madison Brazendale and Brooke Barwick riding shotgun with 20 and five tackles apiece, while Charlotte Vandenberg (26 hitouts), Meg Harrison (five marks), Jemma Blair (10 tackles), Candice Belben (nine tackles) and Chelsea Thomas (seven tackles) also caught the eyes.  

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 2.2 (14)
GOLD COAST ACADEMY 4.5 (29)

OAKLEIGH’s premiership defence is over after the Chargers fell by 15 points to guest team Gold Coast Academy at Highgate Reserve.

The Suns took control from the start with 2.3 to nothing in the first quarter before holding the Chargers to 1.2 in the second when they had their turn with the breeze, with another two unanswered goals in the third sealing the win.

Oakleigh’s best player Jasmine Fleming was excellent again in trying to keep her team in the contest with 29 disposals and 10 tackles and Maggie Mahony also stood up with 20, six tackles and a goal, with Charlotte Van der Vlies (seven) and Grace Osborne (six) having 13 tackles between them.

But Gold Coast had winners all over the field, led by a brilliant display from Alana Gee, who racked up 34 touches, four marks, five tackles and seven inside-50s to be a clear best-on-ground and Imogen Evans (22, five marks, five tackles, five inside-50s, one goal).

Jasmyn Smith (23) also won plenty of the ball, Fleur Davies was imperious in the ruck with 26 hitouts, six tackles and a goal and twins Lacquoia and Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap shared 13 tackles as the Suns left the Chargers two games and percentage off the pace with a bye still to come.

WESTERN JETS 4.14 (38)
BRISBANE LIONS ACADEMY 0.2 (2)

WESTERN Jets rolled on their merry way despite an unfamiliar opponent, cruising to a 36-point win over the Brisbane Lions Academy at The Hangar on Sunday that could and should have been so much more.

Both teams took a while to get the hang of the wet conditions, with neither team able to score until the Jets managed two behinds and rushed one to the Lions in the shadows of quarter-time.

But once Jets’ star Charlotte Baskaran kicked the first goal 2½ minutes into the second quarter, it was only their inaccurate finishing that kept the Queenslanders in the game as the Lions managed only a second rushed behind for the day.

Montana Ham was again dominant for Western with 25 disposals, 10 tackles and five inside-50s, but blotted her copybook by kicking three behinds, while Baskaran (22, five tackles, one goal was again terrific.

Krystal Russell gave her midfielders first use of the ball with 23 hitouts and backed it up with 10 tackles, Caitlin Sargent kicked 2.3, Laura Elliott took an impressive five marks in the wet, Trinity Skenderis made it three Jets with 10 tackles.

Ella Smith was the best of the Lions with 22 disposals and eight tackles, Charlotte Mullins had 20 and seven and Ava Seton 15 and nine, while Bree McKenzie and Lilu Hung had nine tackles apiece.

GIPPSLAND POWER 1.3 (9)
EASTERN RANGES 5.6 (36)

GIPPSLAND produced its best effort of the season, holding Metro ladder leader Eastern Ranges to just five goals in a 27-point defeat at Gaskin Park, Churchill.

The Power led at quarter-time after a goal from Ash Centra and stuck with their more fancied opponents in all facets except the scoreboard, finishing with more inside-50s (29-28) and a stunning 125 tackles to a still massive 114 while only losing the disposal count 265-254.

But Eastern had a bit too much polish when it counted, led by rucks Mia Austin (21 hitouts, seven tackles) and Jess Vukic (16 hitouts) spearheading a 43-7 advantage in that area, while Laura Stone gathered 20 touches and five rebounds and Haylee Brebner (five marks, seven tackles) also performed well.

Alisha Molesworth would be unlucky not to pick up the three votes in a losing cause for Gippsland after laying a stunning 18 tackles to go with 21 disposals, while Amber Schutte (21, seven tackles), Sunday Brisbane (21) and Jemma Birss (20, seven tackles) were also important.

The tackling pressure from both teams was remarkable, with Ruby O’Dwyer (13), Kasey Phillips (12), Jade Hutchinson (11), Georgie Pruden (eight), Hayley McLaughlin (eight) and Alana Zappia (seven) racking up huge numbers for Eastern and Macie Gilmour (nine), Alexei Guy-Toogood (eight), Leesa Guastella (seven), Yasmin Duursma (seven) and Tyla Burn (seven) keeping the pressure on for Gippsland.

GWV REBELS 4.4 (28)
GEELONG FALCONS 9.9 (63)

GEELONG put one foot in the Country division final with a comfortable 35-point win over GWV at Ballarat City Oval.

The Falcons made their move with five goals to one in the third quarter after a tight first half, turning a 10-point lead into a matchwinning 34-point gap by the final change before cruising home against the Rebels for the second time this season.

Keeley Hardingham did it all for Geelong with 25 disposals, four marks, six tackles, six inside-50s, 13 hitouts and a goal, while Johanna Sunderland (24, five marks, six rebounds) turned back plenty of Rebel attacks and Chloe Adams (19, five tackles), Kara Stacey and Leila Owens booted two goals each and Analea McKee (nine), Sara Howley (eight), Mia Van Dyke (seven), Lucy Maresuk (six) and Sophie Mahar (six) harassed all day with 36 tackles between them.

Molly Walton was the standout for GWV with 29 touches for the second week in a row, this time mopping up down back with seven rebounds, while Tahlia Meier could also be in the votes for a season-best 19-possession, five inside-50, three-goal effort, Jessica Rentsch laid 11 tackles, Chloe Stevens had seven rebounds and Olivia Leonard six tackles.

BENDIGO PIONEERS 0.9 (9)
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 6.9 (45)

MURRAY kept its slim finals hopes alive by holding Bendigo goalless in a 36-point win at Epsom Huntly Reserve.

The Bushrangers had the game won at quarter-time after kicking 3.6 without reply before adding another 3.2 in the third, while their defence was almost impassable.

Their usual suspects were the reasons behind the win, with top-five draft chance Zarlie Goldsworthy (27 possessions, four marks, 14 tackles, six inside-50s, one goal) again in everything and Zara Hamilton (22 disposals, seven inside-50s), Cassidy Mailer (20 and a goal) and Keeley Skepper (19, four inside-50s) also exceptional, while ruck Molly Kennedy backed up last week’s great game with 13 touches, 23 hitouts and seven inside-50s.

Lucia Painter was tireless in defence for the Pioneers, gathering 21 disposals, six tackles and a huge 11 rebounds, and Drew Ryan (22 disposals), Octavia Di Donato (18, seven tackles) and Freya Pearce (eight tackles) all tried hard.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS bye

LADDERS

COUNTRY: Dandenong 24 (265.1%), Geelong 20 (121.7%), Tasmania 12 (138.3%), Murray 12 (106.8%), Bendigo 8 (95.8%), GWV 4 (55.6%), Gippsland 0 (18.9%)

METRO: Eastern 20 (234.9%), Western 20 (195.9%), Calder 20 (118.2%), Sandringham 12 (127.4%), Oakleigh 12 (81.9%), Northern 4 (51.0%)

(The top two teams from each of the Country and Metro Divisions will play each other in the semis, with the winners to face off in the Grand Final) 

LEADING GOALKICKERS

14: Caitlin Sargent (Western Jets)
13: Amber Clarke (Dandenong Stingrays)
13: Mindy Quade (Murray Bushrangers)
12: Lizzie Dowling (Geelong Falcons)
11: Zarlie Goldsworthy (Murray Bushrangers)
10: Bellah Parker (Tasmania Devils)
10: Analea McKee (Geelong Falcons)
10: Alyssia Pisano (Eastern Ranges)
9: Mia Austin (Eastern Ranges)
9: Georgia Clark (Tasmania Devils)
9: Kristen Smith (Oakleigh Chargers)

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL