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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FREMANTLE has won a bruising Western Derby by nine points, prevailing in the wet against a brave West Coast team that was left nursing more injuries at Fremantle Oval.

The Eagles drew to within six points early in the final quarter but couldn't find the late goal they needed, going down 2.11 (23) to 2.2 (14) in the second clash between the AFLW rivals.  

DOCKERS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats

Fremantle star Kiara Bowers was brilliant for the Dockers and gave her team the hard edge needed in the wet, finishing with 22 possessions (17 contested), seven clearances and a goal, winning the AFLW Derby Medal unanimously. 

The skilful and fast Dockers were stripped of their attacking game in the conditions but stood up in the contest, winning the clearances 26-20 and the contested ball 120-89.

Beaten by 45 points in the first AFLW Derby in 2020, West Coast was a much-improved unit and sniffed an opportunity late in the final quarter.

The second-year team came up short, however, and was left nursing hand injuries to Niamh Kelly and Andrea Gilmore, who were both sidelined before three-quarter time.

Clever ruck Parris Laurie also looked to have suffered a serious leg injury on the cusp of three-quarter time but emerged in the final term and limped through to give her team a contest in the ruck. 

The Dockers, who extended their unbeaten run, were challenged early when the Eagles got the first goal of the match through recruit Aisling McCarthy.

Turbo charged

Bowers' midfield performance was supreme in conditions she would have relished. A tackling machine who is balancing her defensive assets with an attacking edge as well, she racked up 14 tackles, including eight in the first half. When the match was in the balance in the final quarter she was on the frontline, winning four of her seven clearances to ensure the ball kept going her team's way. The dual club champion looks in top form and will again be among the competition's very top bracket.

Bowen shines

Second-year Eagle Mikayla Bowen is already a leader for her group and showed why on Sunday, playing with poise and skill beyond her years. She was everywhere at times, covering the ground to win her disposals at half-back, half-forward and inside and outside the contest, winning a team-high 10 of her 18 touches the hard way. In a physical Derby, she was shaded on the ground only by brilliant midfield opponent Bowers.

Winged Eagles

The injury issues at West Coast are such that coach Daniel Pratt conceded he was less concerned with winning late in the match and more concerned with getting his players to the finish line. If ruck Parris Laurie is unavailable next round, the club will likely need to look outside its list to fill its structural needs and field a full team. Pratt was hopeful Laurie had suffered a bad corkie and nothing structural after she insisted on playing on. Gilmore suffered split webbing and also wanted to push on, while Kelly's finger issue will be assessed.

Say what?

"It was a credit to West Coast the way they defended, but they got a lot of numbers back, which made it difficult. They had 14 or sometimes even 15 players back behind the ball, so they never really looked like scoring. As frustrating as it was, we didn't feel in danger that they were going to score at the other end. Definitely would have liked a few more goals along the way, but at the same time we didn't feel like they were going to break it open at the other end." - Fremantle coach Trent Cooper

"They got on top of us, but I was really proud of the way our players kept fighting it out. Unfortunately in a short period of time we haven't been able to work on scenarios such as that, getting stuck in defensive 50 … They were tougher around the contest when they needed to be and they got the supply they needed to dominate the game." - West Coast coach Daniel Pratt

FREMANTLE        0.3   1.6   2.8   2.11 (23)
WEST COAST        1.1   1.1   1.2   2.2 (14)

GOALS
Fremantle: Bowers, Houghton
West Coast: McCarthy, Cameron   

BEST 
Fremantle: Bowers, Cain, Miller, Duffy, Haynes, Cuthbertson, Houghton
West Coast: Bowen, Smith, McCarthy, Swanson, Laurie, Bullas 

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
West Coast: Gilmore (hand), N Kelly (finger), Laurie (leg) 

Reports: Nil  

Crowd: closed to the public at Fremantle Oval 

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