THERE'S been a few alterations since Monday, but it's still a blockbuster round of footy.

We'll have a much better picture of how sides are placed at the conclusion of round three of the NAB AFLW competition, with a series of games between relatively even sides.

GEELONG v WESTERN BULLDOGS

7.10pm AEDT, Friday, February 12
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong, Vic

• Of immediate concern to Geelong is scoring just three majors across two matches (admittedly against pace-setters North Melbourne and Collingwood), including six goalless quarters. Despite losing two matches, the Cats have laid the equal-second fewest tackles this season.
• A third Friday night match for the high-scoring, free-flowing Dogs, who are starting to hit their groove, and confidence will be up after a breakthrough win last week. The Bulldogs aren't getting too much of the footy (ranked second-last for disposal), but using it well when they have it.
• Tip: Two sides who have had contrasting fortunes so far this year, and who have historically struggled with consistent form. The Dogs' momentum might carry them over the line here, eight points.

WATCH IT LIVE Cats v Bulldogs

GWS v GOLD COAST

3.10pm AEDT, Saturday, February 13
Blacktown International Sportspark, NSW

• After weeks on the road in pre-season and round one, two consecutive home games are just what the doctor ordered for the Giants. Coach Alan McConnell has highlighted the team's disposal (41 per cent efficiency against Adelaide) as an area of concern.
• The Suns will be desperate to get at least one goal after the board after a dismal two-point effort last week against Brisbane. They took just one mark inside 50 for the game and allowed 22 up the other end.
• Tip: A difficult one to call, with both sides coming off a poor performance. The last time these played resulted in a one-point win to the Giants, but the Suns might just get over the line here. Four points.

WATCH IT LIVE Giants v Suns

ST KILDA v CARLTON

5.10pm AEDT, Saturday, February 13
RSEA Park, Moorabbin, Vic

• St Kilda have alternatively dominated and been dominated in its games this year. With Caitlin Greiser, Jacqui Vogt, Kate Shierlaw and Darcy Guttridge, the Saints have the potential to score quickly, but struggled to translate their possession into a meaningful tally against North Melbourne.
• It's starting to get a little serious for pre-season premiership fancy Carlton, sitting at 0-2 in a nine-round season. The inclusions of defenders Mua Laloifi (concussion) and Gab Pound (hand) and midfielder Lucy McEvoy (cheekbone) will help enormously.
• Tip: Patrikios v Prespakis, yes please. The two former Calder Cannons teammates will face off in the middle of the ground, but it's the latter looking likely to finish with the choccies. Blues by 17 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Saints v Blues

MELBOURNE v NORTH MELBOURNE

7.10pm AEDT, Saturday, February 13
Casey Fields, Vic

• Melbourne has done everything asked of it in the first two rounds of the season, seeing off second-year clubs Gold Coast and Richmond. Conceding early majors would be a bit of a concern, but the number of goals they've created at their end (16 in two weeks, equal-second highest) would please coach Mick Stinear.
• Similarly, North Melbourne has ticked every box in front of it thus far. The Roos are winning plenty of the footy (ranked second for disposal), controlling play (second for marks) and converting inside 50 (equal-second for goals).
• Tip: By the end of this match, one team will have lost their first game for the season. Despite the somewhat chaotic conditions the blustery Casey Fields can throw up, the powerful Kangaroos should hold firm. North by 22 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Demons v Kangaroos

ADELAIDE v FREMANTLE

12.40pm ACDT, Sunday, February 14
Norwood Oval, SA

• Is the rampaging Adelaide back as one of the premier sides of the competition? Early signs indicate yes, although their two wins have come against strugglers West Coast and GWS. Danielle Ponter's habit of converting one goal into three is proving to be a dangerous one for opposition sides.
• The all-conquering Dockers head to Adelaide, having just overtaken the Crows' own record for consecutive wins (now nine straight). There'll be a few battered bodies after playing in a torrential downpour, and accuracy will be front of mind after kicking 2.11.
• Tip: Will Chelsea Randall return to her defensive roots to take on the equally athletic Gemma Houghton? This match is very much a flip of a coin, but the Crows' midfield depth may be too much. Crows by five points.

WATCH IT LIVE Crows v Dockers

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD

3.10pm AEDT, Sunday, February 14
Swinburne Centre, Vic

• We're fast becoming accustomed to rescheduled games, and at the start of the week, Richmond was drawn to play West Coast and Collingwood to make the trip north to face Brisbane.
• Despite boasting some high-profile forwards in Katie Brennan and Sabrina Frederick, the Tigers have kicked just three goals across two games. Inaccuracy and supply have been issues, but they simply need to get on the board more to win games.
• Collingwood steadily dismantled Geelong, proving they have too many threats all over the park. Ruby Schleicher is becoming a genuine rebound defender, while the pacey Sarah Rowe slotted in perfectly across half-forward after missing round one with a shoulder injury.
• Tip: The Tigers were hoping to break their duck against West Coast, but a fixture reshuffle proved that was not to be. Unfortunately, that win is now unlikely to come this weekend. Pies by 28 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Tigers v Magpies

BRISBANE v WEST COAST

4.15pm AEST, Monday February 15
Hickey Park, Qld

• Brisbane nearly played a perfect match against Gold Coast, holding their intrastate rivals to just two points while kicking 10 goals. The Lions appear to have a good mix of experience and youth, with the latter – led by Nat Grider, Belle Dawes, Jesse Wardlaw and Dakota Davidson – beginning to dictate matches.
• West Coast lost no admirers for its tough performance in soggy conditions against Fremantle, with Mikayla Bowen and a much-improved Belinda Smith among those trying their hearts out. After needing to dip into top-up players to fill the emergency slots, Melissa Caulfield (hamstring) and Maddy Collier (concussion) are now available.
• Tip: Lions have too much momentum at the moment, and the Eagles are making one of the longest trips in footy from Perth to Brisbane. Lions by 32 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Lions v Eagles

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now

ONCE in a while during a game of football, everything falls into place.

Melbourne tapped a rich vein of form in the second quarter, booting six goals to seal an upset nine-point win over heavyweight North Melbourne.

DEMONS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

But it wasn't without some nerves, with the Roos racing back in the second half to push the result all the way to the line in the Dees' 9.6 (60) to 8.3 (51) win at Casey Fields.

The battle of two undefeated sides – who are perennially in the upper echelons of the ladder – did not disappoint.

The 2020 All-Australian captain Karen Paxman stood alongside the All-Australian vice-captain Emma Kearney at the first bounce, and the two were never far away from each other as the game evolved.

The Dees improved the cleanliness of their disposal in the second term, cutting through North Melbourne with aggressive rebound and quick, pin-point passes.

What resulted was a scintillating six-goal quarter, ripping the Kangaroos' usually impressive backline to shreds, with Tegan Cunningham and Jackie Parry kicking two apiece in the term.

Melbourne had plenty of overlap run from Sinead Goldrick and Daisy Pearce at half-back, and were beating North on the outside, recording 24 more handballs and seven more marks inside 50 at half-time.

Stung by one of their worst quarters perhaps since 2019, the Roos came out firing after the major break, dominating the contest and giving their forwards a chance.

Inspired by powerful young forward Daria Bannister, North Melbourne kicked four goals in the premiership quarter, while holding Melbourne to one and cutting the margin to seven at the final break.

Melbourne slowed the game considerably in the fourth term, the free-flowing footy of earlier forgotten.

After a period of scrappy play, classy draftee Bella Eddey crumbed to perfection to cut the margin to just two points halfway through the term, but the Dees held firm.

Cream rises to the top
There were mouth-watering match-ups aplenty around the ground, but the most star-studded of the lot was between the 2020 All-Australian captain Karen Paxman and the All-Australian vice-captain Emma Kearney. Paxman was particularly busy early, slotting a goal and finishing with 25 disposals, while Kearney had 16 and eight tackles. In all, it was one of the most talented and exciting games of AFLW we've seen in four-and-a-bit seasons, slotting in with the fifth-highest score aggregate of all time. 

North Melbourne's kryptonite
The Kangaroos came into the match with an eight-game winning streak under their belt, dating back to round two last year. The team that beat them in round one, 2020? Melbourne at Casey Fields. While the Roos managed to address the structural issues that plagued them in the opening half, Melbourne showed just how powerful it can be when its running game kicks into gear. 

Blink and you'll miss it
Daria Bannister has been on an AFLW list since 2018, but Saturday night marked the first time she had been fit to play three consecutive games. The young Tasmanian has endured a horror run with injury, including a torn ACL and a broken collarbone, but in the space of a minute she showed that she belonged at AFLW level. Bustling her way through packs, she threw her powerful frame at the ball and booted two quick goals in the Roos' third-quarter fightback. 

Say what?
"It was really pleasing at half-time, the position we were in. The girls had a lot of energy, their ability to win the ball and then their method in the forward half to create scoring opportunities, we were really pleased with that. Their effort to fight out the game was really good, I think it'll be a key game in terms of our season this year." – Melbourne coach Mick Stinear 

"It was an impressive third quarter, the second half was better. Even though the second quarter was really disappointing, we as coaches felt the whole first half we didn't get the game on our terms, even in the first quarter. We were efficient going inside 50, but we felt the scoreboard probably flattered us in that first quarter." – North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker

MELBOURNE                 1.3     7.4     8.4     9.6     (60)
NORTH MELBOURNE     2.1     3.1     7.3     8.3     (51)

GOALS
Melbourne: Parry 3, Cunningham 2, Scott 2, Hore, Paxman
North Melbourne: Garner 2, Bannister 2, Campbell, Kearney, Abbatangelo, Eddey

BEST
Melbourne: Hanks, Goldrick, Parry, Paxman, Mithen, Hore
North Melbourne: Garner, Kearney, Riddell, Bannister, Ashmore

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now