THEY were three of the big winners out of the round, and Adelaide, Brisbane and Fremantle lead the way in the AFLW team of the week for round two.
The sides have three representatives apiece, while three other players – Millie Brown, Grace Egan and Kate Surman – made the cut in just their second game in the competition.
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The team is selected to mirror the All Australian side: five defenders, six midfielders (including a ruck), five forwards and five interchange players.
Like the All Australian team, it has players selected in general categories, rather than in traditional positions. The 16-a-side set-up often means teams play with varying configurations, making set selections (e.g wings and flanks) difficult.
Defenders: Sarah Allan (Adelaide), Evie Gooch (Fremantle), Stacey Livingstone (Collingwood), Phoebe Monahan (Richmond), Daisy Pearce (Melbourne)
Livingstone did her talking both on and off the field, holding the dangerous Tayla Harris well. Monahan's fine season continued (21 disposals, six i50s and five r50s) and Daisy Pearce was at her most influential at half-back during the high-pressure opening half.
Key backs Allan and Gooch were influential in their own ways; Allan the calming head in the backline while Gooch was a fierce presence charging out of defence.
Midfielders: Parris Laurie (West Coast, ruck), Emily Bates (Brisbane), Kiara Bowers (Fremantle), Jenna Bruton (North Melbourne), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Jamie Stanton (Gold Coast)
Most ruck battles were split fairly evenly this week, with Laurie (27 hitouts) having the most dominance of the lot.
Bates' influence increased as the match progressed (22 disposals, six clearances), while it's safe to say Bowers (13 and 18 tackles) was fired up for the AFLW Derby.
North Melbourne pair Jasmine Garner (20, six inside 50s and two goals) and Jenna Bruton (20 and seven tackles) were arguably the two most influential people on the ground, and Jamie Stanton shook off a shoulder injury to lead from the front in Gold Coast's first win.
Forwards: Sophie Conway (Brisbane), Courtney Gum (Adelaide), Gabby O'Sullivan (Fremantle), Shelley Scott (Melbourne), Jesse Wardlaw (Brisbane)
Brisbane is sitting top of Conference B and Conway (15, seven i50s, one goal) and Wardlaw (three goals) are a big part of the reason why.
Gum turned back the clock with an influential performance across half-forward, the unheralded Scott dominated with strong hands in heavy rain and O'Sullivan slipped under West Coast's guard with her busy attack on the ball.
Interchange: Jaimee Lambert (Collingwood), Millie Brown (Geelong), Grace Egan (Carlton), Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide), Kate Surman (Gold Coast)
Marinoff had a lazy 26 touches (although her disposal let her down occasionally), Lambert had yet another dangerous performance with ball in hand, while Surman shook off a mid-game vomit to finish with 12 disposals, two goals and a cheeky Q-Clash dig at boundary rider and Brisbane AFL skipper Dayne Zorko.
Two first-years round out the team, with Brown (18 disposals) providing a steady presence at full-back and Egan (18, 11 tackles, four clearances) putting in an industrious performance in the midfield.
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