ST KILDA'S unbeaten start to the NAB AFLW season has ended with a 57-point loss to a Greta Bodey-inspired Hawthorn at RSEA Park on Saturday.
As two teams on the rise, this was set to be a tantalising match-up, but it was the Hawks who dominated as Bodey starred with a career-high six goals in an 11.8 (74) to 2.5 (17) win.
SAINTS v HAWKS Full match coverage and stats
The first 10 minutes of the match were categorised by back and forth footy, with neither team able to gain ascendancy. The Saints kept finding opposition players in their forward 50, while the Hawks struggled to be clean close to goal.
Saints ruck Emmelie Fiedler won a free kick for holding about 45m out, and laced it out to Jesse Wardlaw, who went back and slotted it from 15m on a slight angle. At quarter-time, 75-gamer Jaimee Lambert had already racked up 10 disposals and was involved all over the ground.
The Hawks at quarter-time led uncontested possessions unsurprisingly 42-28, and kicks 48-31. They brought that pressure for the rest of the game, kicking four goals in the second quarter alone. Irish recruit Aine McDonagh kicked her sixth goal of the season.
The Saints got one back through a kick from Nat Exon to Wardlaw, who only just threaded it through, and it was their final goal of the game.
With minutes left in the quarter, Bodey kicked a sure NAB AFLW Goal of the Year contender across the body from deep in the forward pocket. She then followed up with a goal after the half-time siren.
At half-time, the Saints led tackles 31-25, echoes of their output against Essendon last weekend. Surprisingly, their captain Hannah Priest hadn't had a touch.
The Saints worked hard in the third quarter, but were held up again and again and didn't score again for the rest of the match. For long periods, the ball lived in Hawthorn's forward 50 and they effectively built a wall at the top of their 50 to ensure any Saints kicks out were quickly intercepted.
Hawthorn effectively put the game to bed in the last with a goal from Kristy Stratton, who lurked out the back in the goalsquare, and a pinpoint kick from Jasmine Fleming to McDonagh who received a front on contact free and capitalised in front. It wasn't over yet though, with Bodey kicking another three goals.
While it was many of the Hawks' mature players who stood up, Fleming (20 disposals) showed vision, finding teammates all over the ground and nearly going coast-to-coast at the end of the game, only to be beaten by the siren.
Bodey magic
Coming into the game with four goals needed to reach 50 AFLW career goals, Bodey hit that milestone with a cracking long kick in the fourth quarter. That wasn't enough though for the former Brisbane player, finishing with a career-high six goals.
Milestone for Lambert
Despite the disappointing loss, 75-game Saint Jaimee Lambert can hold her head high. The former Collingwood midfielder led for disposals for most of the game, entering half-time with a game-high 16, and was involved everywhere. She also had a goal-saving tackle late in the third quarter on Kaitlyn Ashmore, who was on the run towards the goals.
Up next
Both teams still have breathing space before their compressed fixture begins. Hawthorn heads down the highway to face an unpredictable Geelong on Thursday night at GMHBA Stadium. St Kilda is back at home at RSEA Park on Friday to face off against Fremantle at 4.05pm AEST.
ST KILDA 1.2 2.2 2.5 2.5 (17)
HAWTHORN 0.2 4.6 5.7 11.8 (74)
GOALS
St Kilda: Wardlaw 2
Hawthorn: Bodey 6, McDonagh 2, Stratton, Hipwell, Gilroy
BEST
St Kilda: Wardlaw, Lambert, Xenos, Fiedler
Hawthorn: Bodey, Wales, West, Fleming, McDonagh, Lucas-Rodd
INJURIES
St Kilda: Guttridge (head)
Hawthorn: Nil
LATE CHANGES
St Kilda: Charlotte Simpson (illness) replaced in selected side by Simone Nalder
Hawthorn: Nil
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 2822 at RSEA Park
