Fremantle players celebrate a goal during their match simulation against West Coast on August 12, 2023. Picture: Fremantle FC

AFLW teams had their first hitout of 2023 against opposition over the weekend, conducting match simulation under a variety of conditions.

Clubs worked out amongst themselves the length of quarters or even how many terms were played, and the scratch matches provided an opportunity for a number of returning players to ease back into football.

Both Alyce Parker (shoulder) and Brianna Davey (hamstring soreness) sat out of their teams' matches, but a host of players completed successful returns from torn ACLs, including Tyanna Smith, Tamara Luke, Aurora Smith, Brit Bonnici, Georgia Nanscawen, Harriet Cordner and Lily Postlethwaite.

PRACTICE MATCH TEAMS

The Swans scored an unofficial first win, the Power ran all over the Giants, while Fremantle made a statement under new coach Lisa Webb.

A round of official practice matches will be played this coming weekend, ahead of round one starting September 1.

So what did we learn from the weekend?

St Kilda 5.5 (35) drew with Richmond 5.5 (35) at RSEA Park

  • Young Saints midfielder Tyanna Smith made her return from a torn ACL suffered in late 2021
  • St Kilda defender Ella Friend played up forward
  • In the absence of Rebecca Ott (injured) and Clara Fitzpatrick (Gold Coast), the Saints backline included recruits Serene Watson, Nat Plane, Maddie Boyd and Beth Pinchin
  • Skipper Hannah Priest, Georgia Patrikios and J'Noemi Anderson were managed
  • Tiger Katelyn Cox switched from half-back to the forward line, kicking the goal to tie the game
  • Recruits Charli Wicksteed (defence) and Molly Eastman (defence) had their first hitout in Tiger colours, as did forwards Caitlin Greiser, Courtney Jones, Shelby Knoll and ruck Lilly Pearce

Essendon 5.5 (35) lost to North Melbourne 10.7 (67) at Windy Hill

  • The Bombers named tough midfielder Alana Barba as their best, with ruck Leah Cutting and powerful forward Daria Bannister also impressing
  • Former VFLW captain Georgia Nanscawen played after missing season seven with a torn ACL
  • Hannah Bowey and recent signing Ailish Considine were the only Roos not named to face the Bombers
  • The Roos tried out their new tall trio in Emma King, Tahlia Randall and Kate Shierlaw in attack, which also brought the small forwards into the game
  • Defensive recruits Lucy Burke, Eliza Shannon and Lulu Pullar all featured at various points of the match

Gold Coast 5.10 (40) lost to Sydney 7.5 (45) at Heritage Bank Stadium

  • The Swans kicked the first four goals of the game, while the Suns kicked five of the final six majors
  • The Suns' leading goalkickers were Kalinda Howarth (three) and Jac Dupuy (two)
  • Last year's first-round draftee and midfielder Alana Gee played after sitting out last season with a back issue
  • Sydney won its first unofficial hitout, having gone winless through practice matches and season seven last year
  • Rising young mids Cynthia Hamilton and Sofia Hurley starred, while recruit Chloe Molloy kicked a goal
  • Bec Privitelli led the way with two majors, and Ally Morphett played well in the ruck

Port Adelaide 8.5 (53) defeated Greater Western Sydney 3.4 (22) at Alberton Oval

  • In a game played in wet conditions, Abbey Dowrick was the only Power multiple goalscorer with two
  • Erin Phillips and Indy Tahau were both rested, but all 30 other Port Adelaide players featured
  • Experienced recruits Jas Stewart (midfield) and Janelle Cuthbertson (defence) provided plenty of steel throughout, and Katelyn Pope found a lot of the footy
  • Giants Bec Beeson (concussion), Chloe Dalton (hamstring) and Fleur Davies (shoulder) made their returns after injury-hit seasons, while Alicia Eva (off-season shoulder operation) also played
  • Alyce Parker did not feature due to a shoulder issue, as well as Jess Doyle (finger), Jas Grierson (calf) and ACL quartet Pepa Randall, Izzy Huntington, Isadora McLeay and Emily Pease
  • The powerful Zarlie Goldsworthy relished the wet conditions through the midfield, while draftee Caitlin Millerkicked two

West Coast 3.6 (24) lost to Fremantle 11.10 (76) at Mineral Resources Park

  • Former Blue Serena Gibbs played in defence in her first run for Fremantle, having spent a little time in the role at Carlton
  • Draftee Tahleah Mulder found plenty of the footy alongside usual suspects Kiara Bowers and Hayley Miller
  • Gabby O'Sullivan and Aine Tighe kicked two each
  • West Coast highlights TBC

Carlton 2.2 (14) lost to Melbourne 5.5 (35) at Ikon Park

  • Carlton fielded just 23 of its squad of 30 in the match simulation, with Phoebe McWilliams, Abbie McKay, Gab Pound, Paige Trudgeon, Tahlia Read, Lulu Beatty and Chloe Wrigley missing
  • Draftee Marianna Anthony slotted in on the wing, Lily Goss played in the middle and Harriet Cordner made her return from a torn ACL in a customary key back role
  • Daisy Walker, who stands at just 169cm, was tasked with playing on Tayla Harris at times
  • New Melbourne skipper Kate Hore booted three goals, and Eliza McNamara made her comeback from a very serious back/neck injury suffered last year
  • Young Dee Georgia Campbell was given a run in the ruck, having been drafted as a key forward

Hawthorn 3.8 (26) lost to Western Bulldogs 5.1 (31) at Kinetic Stadium

  • Defender Jenna Richardson was one of the Hawks' best, while Emily Bates slotted into the midfield seamlessly
  • Draftee Mattea Breed looks set to feature up forward this year, lining up alongside the returning Tamara Luke(ACL)
  • Former Lion Greta Bodey unsurprisingly slotted in across half-forward
  • The Bulldogs kicked the final four goals of the match to secure victory, in a shorter game that saw only three 18-minute terms played
  • Dom Curruthers played as an inside midfielder, while fellow draftee and former Giant Maggie Gorham spent a bit more time on the outside
  • Aurora Smith made her return from a torn ACL, while Sarah Hartwig kicked two

Brisbane 8.5 (53) lost to Adelaide 13.9 (87) at Brighton Homes Arena

  • The high scores are partially reflective of the fact the teams played five terms
  • Lily Postlethwaite kicked a goal on return from her second torn ACL
  • Courtney Hodder also chipped in with consecutive goals in the second term
  • Returning Crow Jess Allan slotted in a ruck role, with Caitlin Gould subsequently playing forward
  • Former Irish Giant Yvonne Bonner played her first (unofficial) AFLW match since 2020, lining up in attack and kicking two goals

Collingwood 3.4 (22) lost to Geelong 5.6 (36) at Victoria Park

  • Brit Bonnici captained the side on return from a torn ACL, with Bri Davey sitting out with hamstring soreness
  • Sabrina Frederick had a particularly strong game in the ruck, while usual defender Sarah Sansonetti slotted a sharp goal from the pocket
  • The No.1 selection in the supplementary draft, Erin Hoare, made a big impact in the ruck, working with established midfielders Georgie Prespakis, Amy McDonald and Nina Morrison (playing on the inside)
  • The rain hit after half-time. Young Cat Darcy Moloney kicked three goals, with Chloe Scheer playing out of the goalsquare