RICHMOND claimed a famous victory and the Hawks registered their maiden win during the festival of footy that was round five of the AFLW's season seven.

Each week Gemma Bastiani will look at a key talking point in each game in this handy wrap-up, just in case you missed it. 

Does West Coast have the best emerging ruck in the league? 

Parris Laurie's retirement in the off season heaped plenty on the shoulders of 19-year-old ruck Sarah Lakay, but the teen has relished the challenge and become one of the competition's biggest improvers. Against Fremantle on Thursday, her 42 hitouts made her just the second player in AFLW history to register 40+ in a game, just behind Erin McKinnon's 47 last season. It's not just her taps that make her dangerous either, her imposing presence at ground level has greatly aided the midfield group, and then her awareness to push back into defence to become a last line of support has been wonderful to watch. 

When you let the Cats play their way, they are destructive 

Geelong's strength this season has come from shutting down its opposition's ability to score, but in doing so have forced dour, tough contests due to its own struggles up forward. On Thursday night the Cats finally found the outside run and attack they have been searching for and its was destructive. Shelley Scott, in her first game up forward for Geelong, and Chloe Scheer each kicked three goals as the likes of Georgie Prespakis, Nina Morrison and Mikayla Bowen drove the ball into attack with a purpose we haven't really seen from the side yet this season. 

Jenna Bruton is underrated 

With Ellie Gavalas on the sidelines nursing a hamstring injury, North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker has looked to Jenna Bruton through the middle, and it is working a treat. Bruton has always been an expert ball winner, but it is her ability to thrive in the contest and then spread away from the congestion to clear the ball that is rare in the AFLW and has added a point of difference for the Kangaroos. Her 20 disposals, five clearances and five marks on Friday were crucial to ending the Western Bulldogs' unbeaten run. 

Mikala Cann is Collingwood's new midfield leader 

It is well documented that the Magpies are without Brianna Davey and Britt Bonnici this season, but recently as Jaimee Lambert manages an ankle concern, she has been playing in the forward line, further thinning their midfield stocks. Without the talented trio, 21-year-old Mikala Cann has stepped up and become the Pies' midfield leader. Winning 20 disposals, eight clearances and laying 11 tackles on Friday, Cann was Collingwood's best against a high-powered Essendon outfit. 

Aileen Gilroy is Hawthorn's best player 

When the opportunity for a maiden win was up for grabs between Sydney and Hawthorn on Friday, it was Aileen Gilroy who rose to the occasion for the latter and really drove the comeback victory for her side. Gilroy might have only registered eight disposals - all kicks - but her run and booming kicks does wonders to set up her teammates higher up the field, and then it was her goal in the third quarter that put the Hawks in a winning position. 

Thank goodness for Mua Laloifi 

It was always going to be a tough night for Carlton against the Demons on Friday night without several of their first-choice 21, but Mua Laloifi stemmed the onslaught and kept the margin narrower than it might have been. Of her 20 disposals, 14 were intercepts and nine rebounds back out of the defensive 50. She expertly positioned herself behind the ball and almost encouraged Melbourne to kick it to her late in the game as the Demons' threatened to continue to pile on the pain. Had it not been for Laloifi, the margin might have been far bigger. 

Richmond has some grit 

No Katie Brennan, no Sarah Hosking, no Bec Miller and somehow Richmond felled ladder-leader Brisbane. In a tight, contested game that didn't have much clean ball movement, the Tigers stuck fat and prevented the Lions from playing the way they wanted. Late in the game as Brisbane repeatedly sent the ball forward, the likes of Beth Lynch, Eilish Sheerin, Maddie Shevlin and Gabby Seymour weren't having it, exemplified by Seymour's desperate smother in the goalsquare as Dakota Davidson snapped at goal. 

Bohanna and Dupuy, the one-two punch

Last season it was Tara Bohanna's chance to emerge, and this season it is Jac Dupuy's time to shine. No longer can opposing defences look to shut down Bohanna and feel confident that will close off Gold Coast's avenue to goal, because Dupuy's quick thinking and clean hands in the air can be equally as damaging. The pair combined for five of the Suns' seven goals on Sunday afternoon as Port Adelaide struggled to contain two marking key forwards. 

It ain't easy being a Giants defender

In Adelaide's record-breaking 96-point drubbing of Greater Western Sydney on Sunday afternoon, the Giants' backline was under the pump right from the first siren and it simply didn't let up. GWS conceded 45 inside 50s as the Crows methodically delivered the ball to their forwards who piled on 15 goals through eight different players. Tarni Evans worked hard, winning eight intercepts, but could only do so much as Adelaide systematically dismantled her side.