WITH several young stars absent from their state leagues over the weekend, instead playing in the Marsh U18 National Championships, it was a chance for experience to shine.

Casey enjoyed the services of nine AFLW-listed Demons, including top draft pick Molly O'Hehir, while Glenelg's Jess Bates, who announced during the week that she will hang up the boots at the end of the season, had the ball on a string.

VFLW

Williamstown 4.3 (27) d Essendon 0.11 (11)

Sharnie Whiting's neat turn of form continued, with three of Williamstown's four goals, while Jemima Wrigley and Emily Eaves combined for 43 disposals. 

El Chaston was again among Essendon's best with 18 disposals and seven tackles.

Collingwood 8.5 (53) d Port Melbourne 4.2 (26)

As part of Collingwood's winning streak – now out to five games – teenager Tahlia Sanger was impressive with 33 disposals, six clearances, and 11 tackles, and Amelia Peck kicked two goals.

Ava Seton and Nicola Davidson combined for 46 disposals, 17 tackles, and 13 clearances.

Box Hill 7.6 (48) d Casey 5.6 (47)

Still winless at the bottom of the ladder, Casey put up a good fight against Box Hill with the aid of nine AFLW-listed players, but still fell by 12 points.

Inaugural Demons Sarah Lampard (26 disposals) and Lauren Pearce (17 disposals, 12 hitouts) were handy, and 2024 All-Australian squad member Maeve Chaplin finished with 21 disposals.

Top draftee Molly O'Hehir (16 disposals, nine tackles) worked hard both ways, and emerging defender Saraid Taylor (17 disposals, 11 intercepts) was strong down back alongside Tahlia Gillard (12 disposals, six intercepts) and Gabrielle Colvin (11 disposals, four intercepts).

Untried pair Jemma Rigoni (nine disposals, four inside 50s) and Amelia Dethridge (eight disposals, three tackles) also ran out for Casey.

Former AFLW Saints Jess Matin and Nat Exon each kicked two goals in Box Hill's fourth-straight win.

North Melbourne 7.12 (54) d Darebin 2.2 (14)

Powerhouse forward Nyakoat Dijiok backed up a seven-goal performance last week with another four in North Melbourne's 40-point win over Darebin, to remain on top of the ladder on percentage.

Through the middle of the ground Maddie Di Cosmo was impressive again, with 29 disposals, 10 tackles, and seven clearances, and Stella Reid's (eight intercepts, five inside 50s) work in defence shone.

Unsurprisingly, it was Ange Gogos racking up the stats for Darebin with 25 disposals, 10 tackles and a goal.

Sandringham 6.6 (42) d Western Bulldogs 1.7 (13)

Sandringham was simply dominant against the Western Bulldogs, getting four goals from duo Ash Patton and Sophie Locke, and former St Kilda midfielder Deanna Jolliffe led the way for disposals with 20. 77-game Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone also provided a brick wall down back, with 10 intercept possessions for the game.

At the other end of the ground Sarah Sansonetti's defensive work was evident, with 10 intercepts and 10 marks – three contested – a highlight for the Bulldogs, with Brianna McFarlane the sole goalkicker.

Geelong 8.8 (56) d Carlton 2.2 (14)

Geelong landed its first win since round six last year, and did so in a big way. Captain Mel Staunton (two goals, nine tackles) was powerful, and youngster Mekah Morrissey's neat turn of form continued with 25 disposals and 13 clearances in the win.

For Carlton it was formerly-AFLW listed pair Grace Matser and Lucy Burke who hit the scoreboard.

SANFLW

Central District 8.3 (51) d North Adelaide 3.4 (22)

Central District landed an important win to keep it just one game out of the top four, with Tesharna Maher (four goals) and Akeira-Juliet Whichello (three goals) getting busy in attack. 

Aprille Crooks (three goals) was equally damaging for North Adelaide, but unfortunately the only goalkicker for the Roosters on the day.

Woodville-West Torrens 6.5 (41) d West Adelaide 3.3 (21)

Alice Tentye starred for Woodville-West Torrens in its 11th win of the season, with 24 disposals, five clearances and nine tackles, while Leah Cutting's work in the ruck bore 27 hitouts and 18 disposals.

Richmond forward Shelby Knoll made her return from long term knee issues as part of North Adelaide's team, finishing with seven disposals and two contested marks.

Glenelg 4.9 (33) d Sturt 4.4 (28)

Jess Bates – who announced her retirement during the week – put in a mountain of work to record 33 disposals, 10 clearances, and two goals in Glenelg's second win of the season. 

Isobel Kuiper was the standout for Sturt, with 25 disposals and 14 tackles in the loss.

South Adelaide 5.9 (39) d Norwood 3.6 (24)

The stunning season of Soriah Moon continued for South Adelaide, as the ruck finished with 25 disposals, 32 hitouts, and six clearances in the win, and up forward Doreena Hansen kicked three of the side's five goals.

Kiana Lee (two goals, four contested marks), and Jade Halfpenny (21 disposals, seven tackles) were the stars for Norwood.

QAFLW

Coorparoo 11.4 (70) d Maroochydore 3.2 (20)

Grace Roberts-White (35 disposals, seven tackles) and Indiana Scheffler (seven goals, 15 disposals) each had a day out in Coorparoo's big win over Maroochydore on Saturday afternoon. The 50-point win has helped the Kings maintain a percentage buffer in its third ladder position.

For Maroochydore, Abbey Rankin was a powerhouse around the footy, with 23 disposals and six clearances to her name.

Aspley 5.6 (36) d Morningside 2.7 (19)

Morningside suffered its first loss of the season, bested by Aspley and feeling the absence of teenage trio Zoe Petrides, Stella Scott, and Harlee McIlwain who were playing in the U18 champs.

Aspley was also without tall duo Monique Corrigan and Niamh McCarthy, but the work of Kaitlyn Day (28 disposals, two goals, 10 inside 50s) and Anna van de Wiel (26 disposals, four intercept marks) was enough to get the job done.

Laura Roy was Morningside's best, finishing the match with 23 disposals and a goal.

Wilston Grange 6.8 (44) d University of Queensland 2.4 (16)

Mackenzie Findlay (20 disposals, nine tackles) and Keyshia Matenga (24 disposals, seven tackles) worked both ways for Wilston Grange on Saturday, helping the side to an even 5-5 ledger after 10 games.

At the contest Farradai Hopkins worked hard for the University of Queensland, finishing with 18 disposals and six clearances.

Southport 37.25 (247) d Yeronga 1.0 (6)

Southport's percentage has surged over 1000 with a stunning 241-point win over Yeronga, even in the absence of a host of teens who were featuring in the U18 championships. 

Rianna Schipp and Olivia Meagher each kicked four goals, and Maddy Baldwin and Keely Whittaker kicked three apiece. In fact, just two Sharks failed to hit the scoreboard.

Eleven different Sharks recorded 20 or more disposals across the match, led by Kierra Zerafa with 36.

Deanna Iovenitti was the sole player to score for Yeronga.

Bond University 8.11 (59) d Moreton Bay 0.0 (0)

Kendra Blattman did the damage in front of goal for Bond University, with four goals from 20 disposals, while Isabelle Lowe kicked two of her own. Jessica Davy was the leading disposal winner for Moreton Bay with 23 touches.

WAFLW

South Fremantle 7.6 (48) d Subiaco 0.5 (5)

Subiaco dropped its first game of the year, in the absence of some young stars who were in Victoria playing in the U18 champs.

While teenage quartet Olivia Wolmarans, Sunni-Quay Peters, Layla Quinn-Schofield and Olivia Crane were out, experienced players Krstel Petrevski (27 disposals), Paige Sheppard (23 disposals, eight tackles), and Lisa Steane (21 disposals) were in the thick of the action.

For the victor, Alira Fotu made a strong return from a knee injury – opting to do so via the WAFLW rather than the U18 Champs - to kick two goals from 15 disposals, while Shannyn Pomersbach and Jasmine Bazeley each kicked two of their own.

West Perth 5.10 (40) d Peel Thunder 1.1 (7)

Both Leuca Krmpotic and Lunay Van Den Heever kicked two goals in West Perth's sixth win of the season, while Madison Dodd led the disposals with 21. 

Lucy Kane was the sole goalkicker for Peel.

Claremont 4.10 (34) d Perth 2.1 (13)

Claremont remains the only undefeated side in the WAFLW, helped along by its 21-point win over Perth.

Sarah Viney led the way with 30 disposals and nine tackles, while Savannah Muir-Thompson kicked two of the side's four goals.

Isabella Shannon continued her ball-winning ways for Perth, with 25 disposals, 12 tackles, and six inside 50s in the loss.

East Fremantle 6.6 (42) d East Perth 2.1 (13)

Noa McNaughton led East Fremantle to a fifth win, keeping it in touching distance of the top four with six rounds remaining. McNaughton's 18 disposals and 13 tackles proved her willingness to work both ways, while Sarah Wielstra and Eve Wilson-Sieber each kicked two goals.

Brianna Cleggett and Taylor Drummond were the goalkickers for East Perth.