THERE are just four rounds remaining in the 2021 NAB AFLW season, meaning teams are desperate to lock up a top-six spot.

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs looks to be the pick of the games this round, while AFLW returns to Canberra for the first time since round seven, 2019.

Friday, March 5

Richmond v North Melbourne at the Swinburne Centre, 5.10pm AEDT

• It's an early first bounce ahead of Richmond's AFL AAMI Community Series match at Marvel Stadium. The Tigers will be flying high after their breakthrough win against Geelong, but North Melbourne looms as a tougher challenge. Four of Courtney Wakefield's seven goals have come in first quarters this year.
• When North Melbourne flexes its midfield muscle, it's a scary prospect indeed. Jasmine Garner, Emma Kearney, Ash Riddell and Jenna Bruton combined seamlessly against Carlton, wearing down the inexperienced engine room and piling on the pain late.
• Tip: This should be a much closer affair than the last time these sides met in 2020 (56 points), but the Roos are still a bridge too far for the developing Tigers. 22 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Tigers v Kangaroos

Saturday, March 6

Greater Western Sydney v Brisbane at Manuka Oval, 3.10pm AEDT

• Coach Alan McConnell called out the forward line structure in last week's loss to the Western Bulldogs, and it'll be something the Giants will have to straighten up quickly coming up against a hardened, experienced Brisbane backline of Kate Lutkins, Shannon Campbell, Bree Koenen, Emma Zielke and Nat Grider. 
• The Lions were happy to grit their teeth and win ugly against Fremantle last week, having previously piled on the goals against weaker sides. Emily Bates has tapped into a rich vein of form, recording a season-high 26 disposals against Fremantle. Her previous high this year was 19.
• Tip: The Giants generally perform well at their home away from home in Canberra, but Brisbane has just knocked off the might of Fremantle. Lions by 17 points. 

WATCH IT LIVE Giants v Lions

Adelaide v Gold Coast at Norwood Oval, 4.40pm ACDT

• Aside from one (fairly big) hiccup against Fremantle, it's been smooth sailing for Adelaide so far this season. Coach Matthew Clarke would have been thrilled with their full-ground defence against St Kilda, and ability to then capitalise after turning the ball over, more often than not inside 50.
• Life just got more difficult for the Suns, faced with a fifth straight road trip (Metricon Stadium is unavailable this weekend due to a caravan show) and talismanic forward Sarah Perkins ruled out for the season with a knee injury. However, they did record a season-high 13 scoring shots against West Coast last week.
• Tip: Unfortunately for the winless Suns, this looms as another tough challenge with the Crows intent on keeping hold of their top-six spot. Adelaide by 29 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Crows v Suns

Melbourne v St Kilda at Casey Fields, 7.10pm AEDT

• After scoring a cumulative 25.10 over its first three games, Melbourne's inaccuracy woes have returned with a bang (or whimper), kicking 3.20 across the past two weeks. They've been getting plenty of opportunities, but whether they're from viable scoring positions is another question.
• It's been a tough and inconsistent second season from St Kilda, which is understandable from an expansion side. The Saints were stagnant and well corralled by a disciplined Adelaide full-ground press, and will be hoping to rediscover their run this week.
• Tip: Melbourne has to win this game to remain in touch with the top six - and it have the firepower to do it. Dees by 13 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Demons v Saints

Sunday, March 7

Carlton v Geelong at Ikon Park, 12.40pm AEDT

• A game against a team with a percentage of 27.5 was conveniently just what the doctor ordered for the flaky Blues, who will be boosted by the return of AFLW best and fairest Maddy Prespakis from suspension. Carlton has percentage woes of its own, sitting one game and 59 per cent out of the top six.
• A nightmare scenario for Geelong would be to have its best two midfielders, Nina Morrison and Liv Purcell, sidelined with ACLs, and that's exactly what's happened. The Cats rank last for goals, third-last for disposals and fourth-last for tackling.
• Tip: The tide has to turn eventually for Geelong, but it won't be this week. Carlton by 34 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Blues v Cats

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs at Victoria Park, 2.40pm AEDT

• Five wins on the trot, already a club record, and a sixth tantalisingly looming on the horizon. The Pies will go two games clear on top if they get the four points on Sunday. Collingwood ranks first for average disposals, second for handballs, but tellingly, eighth for kicks.
• The Dogs are also on the march this season, recording four straight victories. The last time the AFLW side achieved this was at the tail end of 2018 and start of 2019. One area of concern would be the spread of goalkickers, particularly against a strong Magpie defence, with just five players kicking majors this year.
• Tip: This could be where the Bulldog bandwagon shudders to a halt. The Magpies have a year or two on the Dogs' rebuild and are slightly deeper all around the field. Pies by 15 points. 

WATCH IT LIVE Magpies v Bulldogs

West Coast v Fremantle at Optus Stadium, 1.40pm AWST

• West Coast will be hoping to continue its winning momentum into this week, but it could be a tough ask in the return fixture against Fremantle. Just over a third of the list are on this week's injury list, with seven players facing fitness tests in order to play.
• We may well look back to the round five result as "the loss Fremantle had to have", should the Dockers rebound in style and storm their way to a flag. They just shaded the Lions in the midfield, but goalkicking accuracy (1.8) was a big issue last week.
• Tip: If there was a week not to get Fremantle, it was after losing its first game since the 2019 preliminary final. The first part of the RAC Derby could be a very one-sided affair. Dockers by 35 points.

WATCH IT LIVE Eagles v Dockers

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

NORTH Melbourne has flexed its considerable midfield muscle, thumping a Mon Conti-less Richmond by 35 points at the Swinburne Centre.

At half-time, it looked like the Kangaroos were going to waltz away with a record victory, and aside from a third-quarter Tiger burst, it was a game dominated by the royal blue and white. 

TIGERS v ROOS Full match coverage and stats

Driven by Ash Riddell (25 disposals), Jas Garner (22 and five clearances) and Ellie Gavalas (19) out of the middle, Kaitlyn Ashmore (19) on the wing and some strong Emma King ruck work, North Melbourne dictated play around the ground while the Tigers' engine room struggled without star Conti (a late withdrawal with a hamstring complaint).

Richmond had first use of the gusty wind to the Punt Road end, but struggled to make any headway, scoring just one point.

By comparison, North Melbourne's deep entries – created by clever switches of play – the forwards feasted, with Daisy Bateman, Garner and Bella Eddey all hitting the scoreboard.

The Kangaroos flicked the switch in the second quarter and King dominated with two goals against the under-sized Gabby Seymour.

The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard in the third quarter, with late inclusion Christina Bernardi coming to life, converting a goal and setting up Tayla Stahl for the team's second a few minutes later.

After a scoreless third term, 28-year-old debutant Georgia Hammond settled North Melbourne's nerves at the start of the fourth term, extending the margin to 27 points, before the Roos kicked away in their quest to lock up a top-six position.

Conti-less midfield struggles
Best and fairest Mon Conti has been such a livewire this season, and the Tigers seriously struggled without the run and excitement she brings to the side. In her absence, Katie Brennan spent more time on the ball, while Ellie McKenzie dragged the team forward on her shoulders in the third term. But it was a big ask for a fifth-gamer to be a match-winner by herself in the midfield, against All-Australians Kearney, Riddell and Garner. Kodi Jacques was missing her bestie, writing Conti's number four on her wrist strapping.

The rise and rise of Daisy Bateman
The young Kangaroo is gradually staking her claim as one of the most dangerous small forwards in the AFLW. Bateman, 21, was North's first ever draft pick, and they chose wisely with the smart goalkicker. In the last two matches she's kicked two goals each, and was a constant threat against the Tigers with 14 disposals, her clever positioning meaning she was never out of the game for long.

The return of the King
Emma King hadn’t kicked a major since her astonishing three-goal first quarter against Geelong in round one, but turned it on the second term. The two-time All-Australian booted two goals in a quarter, out-sizing Gabby Seymour. She was strong throughout the game, taking three contested marks and recording 21 hitouts, making Richmond's decision not to bring in 189cm Alice Edmonds an odd choice.

Say what?
"They jumped us. They taught us a lesson. If you're a fraction off against the good teams – that was probably the first time we'd seen that with our group, we've brought the heat in every game. There's always been things we can do better, but that was the first time our energy was low, and they were brilliant." – Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson.

"I thought our first half was some of the most complete footy we'd played so far. Everything just came together, all the different concepts and things we'd been working on and that we went into the game with, they came together really well. The challenge was to do it for three quarters and build it out to four quarters, which as a coach, you go we weren't able to do that, but when you control a game for so much in the first half, it's going to be difficult to continue on." – North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker

Up next
Richmond will be out to reverse last year's result when it takes on Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, while North Melbourne will be on its guard against the dangerous Western Bulldogs at North Hobart Oval.

RICHMOND                    0.1     0.2     3.2     5.2    (32)
NORTH MELBOURNE     3.2     6.5     6.5     10.7     (67)

GOALS
Richmond: Bernardi 2, Stahl, Wakefield, Brennan
North Melbourne: E. King 2, Bateman 2, Garner, Eddey, Abbatangelo, Hammond, Bannister, Kearney

BEST
Richmond: McKenzie, Cordner, Hosking, Brennan, Bernardi
North Melbourne: Riddell, Garner, Ashmore, Gavalas, E. King, Randall

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Richmond: Conti (hamstring), replaced in selected side by Bernardi
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 803 at the Swinburne Centre