MAKING plans in a pandemic have proven to be a challenge over the past 10 months and fixturing the NAB AFLW competition is no exception.

The good news is, after numerous changes to the draw, we will have a full seven games go ahead, although opponents have changed since Sunday.

WATCH IT LIVE How to catch every AFLW match in 2021

This weekend also marks the first AFLW Pride Round, with Western Bulldogs and Carlton kicking off proceedings on Friday night, having previously organised annual Pride matches between the two clubs (if you are attending an AFLW match in Victoria and you are standing or unable to socially distance, the AFL says please wear a mask).

WESTERN BULLDOGS v CARLTON

7.45pm AEDT, Friday, February 5
VU Whitten Oval, Footscray, Vic

• The Dogs won the inside-50 count and were particularly dominant with marks inside-50 against St Kilda, but just fell short of converting that on the scoreboard. They were beaten in the middle of the ground, and it will be an area to watch against a young but tenacious Carlton midfield.
• A 10-minute lapse in composure under some fierce Magpie heat was all it ultimately took for the Blues to lose to Collingwood. Mua Laloifi (concussion) will be a loss against a Dogs' forward line containing Izzy Huntington and Bonnie Toogood, with Gab Pound (finger) a chance to take her spot.
• Tip: A draw aside, one team will be left with an 0-2 start at the conclusion of this match. These two teams generally match up well, but Carlton just has too many paths to goal for the Dogs to handle. Blues by 14 points.

COLLINGWOOD v GEELONG

3.10pm AEDT, Saturday, February 6
Victoria Park, Abbotsford, Vic

• This is a hastily re-organised match after a positive COVID-19 case in Victoria, with these two sides originally facing other teams. Collingwood was ferocious against Carlton, dominating out of the middle and unveiling a wildcard in the form of Bri Davey up forward. If the Pies pull the trigger again, she'll be facing two tough one-on-one players in Maddy McMahon and Meg McDonald.
• Geelong has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire with this match. After the Cats' dismal showing against North Melbourne, Collingwood pose another tough task. Geelong had only two fewer inside-50s than North Melbourne, but only recorded four scoring shots. The going will be just as hard against an in-form combination of Stacey Livingstone and Ruby Schleicher. 
• Tip: Unfortunately for the Cats, the revamped fixture has done them no favours, with Collingwood looking too strong all over the park. Magpies by 17 points.

MELBOURNE v RICHMOND

5.10pm AEDT, Saturday, February 6
Casey Fields, Cranbourne East, Vic

• The Dees started slowly against Gold Coast, but started to get their mojo going in the second term with much deeper entries inside their forward-50. Damaging midfielder Karen Paxman must not be left to her own devices again, as she was against the Suns, while Eliza McNamara's debut on the wing was promising.
• The common view after Richmond's efforts against Brisbane is the team is much improved from last year's winless outfit, but still a bit off the pace. Harriet Cordner was a star in defence, marking the ball well, but will face a tough task if paired against the 186cm Tegan Cunningham, her old teammate.
• Tip: Casey Fields always throws a bit of a wildcard into the mix, with a howling cross-field wind often present, difficult to break into with a size-four footy. Saying that, with Paxman, Tyla Hanks and Lily Mithen, the Dees should be too strong in the clearances. Dees by 19 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v ST KILDA

1.10pm AEDT, Sunday, February 7
Arden Street Oval, North Melbourne, Vic

• The Roos didn't do too much wrong at all against Geelong, even conceding a goal so they could record their percentage of 788.9. Emma King looks revitalised as a starting ruck (as opposed to starting forward), and boisterous, injury-hit forward Daria Bannister is finally getting a good run at the top level.
• Peta Searle would have been pleased with the spread of goalkickers against the Dogs, with draftee Jacqui Vogt and Darcy Guttridge supporting Caitlin Greiser. Quelling North Melbourne's deep midfield looks to be a task and a half, especially as Liv Vesely has been sidelined with a soft-tissue injury.
• Tip: The Saints would have been thrilled with a first-up win, but the Kangaroos pose a far sterner task than the Bulldogs. The Roos are a class above at this stage of the Saints' development, 27 points.

BRISBANE v GOLD COAST

2.10pm AEST, Sunday, February 7
Hickey Park, Stafford, Qld

• Anyone for a spontaneous QClash? These two old foes will meet as a result of the positive COVID-19 case in Melbourne, having previously been drawn against Victorian teams.
• Brisbane had a strong first-up win against Richmond, even outscoring the Tigers when going against the wind in the final term. Belle Dawes, Nat Grider and Tahlia Hickie look set to take their game to the next level, with Ally Anderson and Emily Bates tireless at stoppages.
• The new-look veteran Suns forward line – including Sarah Perkins, Sam Virgo and Leah Kaslar – was up and about early, but struggled for supply as the game progressed. Star midfielder Jamie Stanton's time up forward in the QAFLW over winter also looks to have paid dividends. 
• Tip: The one and only "official AFLW" match these two sides have played resulted in a draw, and both will be keen to get bragging rights. It'll be close, but the Lions might just have the edge. Six points.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY v ADELAIDE

5.10pm AEDT, Sunday, February 7
Blacktown International Sportspark, NSW

• What a difference a week makes. These two teams were placed into isolation on Monday, but will face off six days later after training at home for most of the week.
• GWS impressed with its tenacity in the first half against Fremantle, but struggled to contain the Dockers' multi-pronged attack. Setting up viable shots on goal was also an issue, with the wall Janelle Cuthbertson put up resulting in just four marks inside 50 for the Giants.
• Adelaide took a quarter or so to shake off some rust against West Coast, but pulled a joker out of the pack in playing three-time All Australian defender Chelsea Randall forward. Erin Phillips was at her dominant best out of the middle, and was well serviced by ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe.
• Tip: It's impossible to know the effect a week of solo training has had on both sides, but at least the Giants are now back in their own beds after a month on the road. On paper, the Crows are too strong, and should take this out by 23 points.

FREMANTLE v WEST COAST

4.15pm AWST, Sunday February 7
Fremantle Oval, WA

• This match was finally confirmed on Friday afternoon after both clubs' seasons were thrown into chaos after a positive COVID-19 case in Perth, the first in 10 months. They've been able to exercise for one hour a day in pairs, from Monday to Friday. 
• Just in case Fremantle's attack wasn't quite formidable enough, captain Kara Antonio has added a half-forward role to her bow, and is proving an important linking player along with the always hard-working Gabby O'Sullivan.
• West Coast looked a rejuvenated side, with eight new faces and a fresh coach at the helm against Adelaide. Scoring still appears to be an issue, but fans should be thrilled at the long-term prospects of Mikayla Bowen, Bella Lewis and Shanae Davison.
• Tip: The Dockers dominated the last Derby played between these two sides, and it's unlikely much has changed in 12 months. Fremantle by 35 points.

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TWO FOURTH-QUARTER goals from inspirational skipper Ellie Blackburn has seen the Western Bulldogs knock off Carlton by six points.

Blues Maddy Prespakis, Georgia Gee and Tayla Harris all blew opportunities in front of goal in the fourth term, with the Dogs holding strong in the face of a few nervy moments in the 6.6 (42) to 5.6 (36) win.

BULLDOGS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats

It leaves the early premiership fancies in Carlton at zero wins and two losses, a far from ideal start after qualifying for a preliminary final in last year's cancelled season.

Blackburn's (22 disposals, five marks) first effort was a roost from just inside the centre square, while she capitalised on a loose ball inside the goalsquare only four minutes later to take the lead.

With the hint of a rainbow peeking through the heavy cloud over VU Whitten Oval, recruit Elise O'Dea got the Blues off to a perfect start in the first game of the AFLW's inaugural Pride Round.

But the Bulldogs dominated play from that point, locking the ball inside 50 with some ferocious tackling and a disciplined defensive structure. The sticking point for the Dogs was their conversion, managing just three points in the first.

Kirsten McLeod's spray from the goalsquare the most egregious miss, but she made up for it just 22 seconds into the third term with a stunning running goal from the boundary. Her early rustiness could be excused, with coach Nathan Burke revealing post-match it was her first match since suffering a concussion a month ago. 

Harris (2.2) did her best to get the Blues out to a winning lead in the third, while Prespakis (24 and six tackles) shone around the stoppages.

New face Mimi Hill (17 touches), in her second game, was a shining light on the wing, looking busy and assured at the top level after the Blues selected her with a first-round pick.

The Blues tried to address the Bulldogs' frenetic forward pressure by attempting to run the ball out of defence by hand in the second quarter – rather than panicked kicks to the Dogs' defence – but struggled with composure and holding their forward structure.

Izzy Huntington was involved in an intriguing battle with fellow young gun Charlotte Wilson, and after missing her first tough shot on the quarter-time siren, broke the Dogs' duck in the second, greeted with much delight (and red and blue fireworks) by the raucous home crowd.

Dogs midfielder Bailey Hunt's night was done in the first few minutes with a left calf injury, leading Brooke Lochland to spend the majority of the game on the wing.

Welcome to the AFLW, Jess Fitzgerald
In a hard-running passage of play that would have made coaches around the country beam, the No.2 draft pick Jess Fitzgerald kicked her first goal in style. She started the passage of play in the middle of the ground, kicking long to about 20m out, and continued sprinting to cause an intercept when the Blues tried to rebound. The star junior then had the composure to convert on the run, booting the Dogs' second. 

Hey, sister
It's the Moody twins' favourite match of the year. Breann, ruck for Carlton, and Celine, the Dogs' version, faced off for the first centre bounce of the match. Celine got early bragging rights with the first hitout and then eventually, the win. With both teams playing second rucks in Al Downie and Kim Rennie, Breann recorded 13 hitouts, 13 disposals and four marks, while Celine finished with 12 hitouts and three disposals.

Reinforcements needed
Carlton was missing six first-choice players from last year's strong squad: Lucy McEvoy (cheekbone), Mua Laloifi (concussion), Gab Pound (hand), Brooke Walker (foot), Chloe Dalton (Olympics) and Sarah Hosking (now at Richmond). McEvoy, Laloifi and Pound are looking likely to return next week, adding composure and run to the backline, and in the case of McEvoy, a bigger body around the stoppages.

Say what?
"Just a gutsy win. I said to them at three-quarter time, trust that you've done the work over pre-season to run this game out, and keep that pressure on. It's do or die, there's no easy way to play this game, you can't take it easy, you have to push and put your body on the line, and we did it." - Western Bulldogs coach Nathan Burke

"Unfortunately, we went through this 0-2 thing a few years ago, and we rebounded really strongly and made the Grand Final. We've proven we're capable of rebounding, but what we saw tonight was awful. We were awful tonight, and not to take anything from the Doggies, it was nothing like what we are as a team." - Carlton coach Daniel Harford

WESTERN BULLDOGS     0.3     2.4     3.6     6.6     (42)
CARLTON                         1.0     3.3     5.4     5.6     (36)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn 2, McLeod 2, Huntington, Fitzgerald
Carlton: Harris 2, O'Dea, Loynes, Gee

BEST 
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Fitzgerald, Lamb, Newton, McLeod
Carlton: Prespakis, Gee, Hill, Harris, Hosking

INJURIES 
Western Bulldogs: Hunt (left calf) 
Carlton: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 3479 at VU Whitten Oval

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