St Kilda has claimed their first win of the season, with a five-goal to none last quarter enough to overrun Collingwood by 12 points.
Nick Dal Santo’s charges looked down and out as they stared down the barrel of a fourth loss of 2023; trailing by 25 points at one stage against a rampant Pies outfit.
But what transpired was some of the more inspiring victories we have seen this season as the Saints pulled off the unthinkable.
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STAR MAGPIE LIMPS FROM THE FIELD
There was a third quarter scare to 2021 league best and fairest Bri Davey who appeared to limp from the field with an apparent ankle injury.
Luckily Davey, who still managed 15 disposals and 11 tackles as part of Collingwood’s best players, returned to the field – although will be worth watching as the team now prepares to take on the 6th place Bombers next week.
RELIEF FOR DAL SANTO
As significant as the four points were, today also marked one of the largest comebacks in the club’s short history on their way to their first-ever victory against the Magpies.
Now in their third AFLW season, the win is a big positive for this gritty St Kilda team who fell just short last season of a maiden victory.
And it was relief for Nick Dal Santo who had been under serious pressure following three straight losses to start the season.
ST KILDA 0.0 1.2 2.3 7.5 (47)
COLLINGWOOD 3.2 3.3 5.5 5.5 (35)
DOGS’ SEASON IN TATTERS
The Western Bulldogs have made their worst-ever start to an AFLW season, leaving their finals hopes in tatters after they lost a thriller to Gold Coast by four points at Carrara on Sunday.
Despite holding the Suns goalless in the final term, the Dogs now remain in the bottom four with the 7.6 (48) to 7.2 (44) result.
The Suns shot out to a game-high 19-point lead with back-to-back goals halfway through the third quarter, and looked like they were headed for a comfortable win.
But the brave Bulldogs refused to give in as they kicked the next three goals, including a pair to Kirsty Lamb, to get back within a point early in the final term.
The Dogs had two golden chances to re-take the lead; Heidi Woodley’s snap from 30m out in front missed everything, before Jess Fitzgerald failed to score after being swamped by two Gold Coast defenders.
With four points the difference, Lamb pinged Alison Drennan holding the ball in the middle of the ground and won the free kick with 90 seconds to go. However, her long kick towards 50 was dropped by Brianna McFarlane at centre-half forward, adding to her other costly drop in the goalsquare at a crucial stage in the third term.
BURKE UNDER THE PUMP
It was very much a must-win game for the winless Bulldogs, nearing the halfway mark of the season.
But the loss to the Suns means the Bulldogs must now win their final six matches to give themselves the best chance of finishing in the top eight.
With league heavyweights Adelaide and North Melbourne still to come in their run home, all hope looks lost, as the heat is set to surely intensify on Dogs coach Nathan Burke.
Adding salt to the Bulldogs’ wound was a double injury blow which saw Gemma Lagioia fail a concussion test in the third quarter and Celine Moody injure her shoulder in the final term. Neither player took any further part in the game and Lagioia at least looks set to be unavailable for the Dogs’ clash with St Kilda next week.
WASTEFUL BULLDOGS
The Suns battered the Bulldogs in the clinches, convincingly winning the contested possessions 125-101 and clearances 29-16, but the Dogs will be left to rue their inability to capitalise on their 37-32 advantage in forward entries.
The Bulldogs burst out of the blocks with the opening two goals after registering 11 of the first 12 inside 50s, thanks largely to the work from Deanna Berry in the middle. But the visitors didn’t make the most of their territory dominance, as the Suns kicked the next four majors to grab a stranglehold on the contest in the second quarter.
ROWBOTTOM RISES TO THE TOP
Charlie Rowbottom produced another spectacular performance for Gold Coast, registering 28 disposals (18 contested), eight tackles and seven clearances, while her partner in crime Claudia Whitfort was riding shotgun as usual with 22 touches (13 contested), seven clearances and five tackles.
For the Bulldogs, Berry played one of her best games as she helped herself to 21 possessions (10 contested) and eight inside 50s, and Ellie Blackburn (20 disposals) kept trying as well.
GOLD COAST 1.0 5.3 7.3 7.6 (48)
BULLDOGS 2.0 3.1 5.2 7.2 (44)
BOMBERS MOVE CLOSER TO MAIDEN FINALS
Essendon has edged closer to securing a debut finals appearance after a gutsy 20-point win over Fremantle.
The first two and a half quarters saw five lead changes before the Bombers stormed home with three goals to one in the 7.8 (50) to 4.6 (30) win.
It was a finals-like atmosphere in front of a healthy crowd at Windy Hill as both sides met for the very first time in the hope of claiming a third win to rise into the top eight.
Bonnie Toogood led the charge for the Bombers with two goals and 22 touches – including eight in the first quarter where she also nailed a goal.
The win for the Bombers puts them in sixth position on the ladder at the completion of the game while the Dockers drop to 10th place.
BIG TACKLES KEEP BOMBERS ALIVE EARLY
Bombers defender Georgia Clarke had the crowd roaring in the second quarter when she landed a huge chase-down tackle in defensive 50 to save what could have been an easy run-in Dockers goal. Clarke’s strong effort in front of the Windy Hill grandstand ensured the Bombers would remain three points ahead.
Moments later, Bomber midfielder Kodi Jacques’ big tackle denied the Dockers the lead.
Straight after halftime Bonnie Toogood joined in the action, gaining a set shot opportunity after a sound tackle. She took her chance with both hands, putting the Bombers up by four points with an accurate attempt from 35m out on a difficult angle. Coach Natalie Wood said her side “put a power of work into being better defensively” in the off-season after rating “quite low” in key areas including tackles last season.
INACCURATE DOCKERS
The Dockers had seven scoring shots to three at half time but only led by four points. It brought back memories of round two against Collingwood where the Dockers scored 3.7 and lost by 21 points when the Pies were accurate with 7.4. It proved costly for the Dockers who could have charged ahead in the second quarter when they scored 1.3 against the Bombers.
BOMBERS 2.0 2.1 5.5 7.8 (50)
DOCKERS 1.2 2.5 3.5 4.6 (30)
LIONS KNOCK OFF UNDEFEATED ROOS
Brisbane has capped off a perfect weekend to defeat North Melbourne by two points and hand the Roos their first-ever loss in Tasmania.
The Lions came from three goals down at halftime to claim the 5.5 (35) to 5.3 (33) win.
An elegant snap from Lions utility Shannon Campbell late in the fourth levelled scores at 33-all before Orla O’Dwyer kicked a handy point moments later to steer the Lions’ to their third win of the season on Sunday afternoon.
Notably the win continues the Lions’ dominance against the Roos as the head-to-head record improves to 4-0.
With their first loss of the season, the Roos now join the Lions on 3-1 to start the campaign.
The Roos led for the majority of the contest despite being down to three on the bench after defender Nicole Bresnehan went down late in the first quarter.
MASTERFUL COACHING MOVE SWINGS MOMENTUM
Lions skipper Breanna Koenen was tasked with the role of tagging Roos superstar Jasmine Garner in the midfield after a dominant first half where the competition leader scored a goal and had 16 disposals.
But Lions coach Craig Starcevich had enough of the individual brilliance as he pushed defender Koenen into the midfield. And Koenen led from the front, kicking the first goal of the half as the Lions responded with the first four clearances of the third term.
On return from a hamstring injury Lions forward Taylor Smith nailed a goal shortly after Koenen to make it two goals in less than three minutes, cutting the Roos lead to six points. Ally Anderson was also pivotal in the Lions third quarter comeback with the midfielder gaining 15 touches in the term.
INTERCHANGE MASTERSTROKE
Roos defender Bresnehan needed medical treatment on her left ankle after landing heavily late in the first term in her defensive 50. But instead of using an interchange for treatment – given this season is the first in AFLW with rotations capped at 60 per team, the Roos treated their defender on the ground instead of on the bench.
Boundary commentator Sam Lane said it was “something I have never seen in men’s or women’s footy before”.
SLING TACKLE DANGER
Lions defender Dee Heslop may find herself in trouble by the MRO this week as the AFL crackdown on dangerous tackles. Working in Heslop’s favour may be the fact the umpire didn’t pay a free kick but Alice O’Loughlin – whose head made contact with the ground after being sling tackled – left the field but returned to play for the remainder of the game.
KANGAROOS 2.0 4.1 5.2 5.3 (33)
LIONS 0.1 1.1 4.2 5.5 (35)
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