YARTAPUULTI is having the best season in its short AFLW history.

Currently on a streak of four consecutive wins – taking it to a total of five for the year – and two weeks away from confirming a maiden finals berth, its last month of footy has come because of clearer method in attack.

Dynamic forward duo Gemma Houghton and Julia Teakle started the season on fire, and because of their form, the Power became blinkered in their decision making when going inside 50.

But in recent weeks there has been a clear shift not only in how they send the ball forward, but the balance of representation around the key forward mix.

This has led to the ball going forward more, higher scores kicked through more individual goalkickers, and greater efficiency once in attack, making Yartapuulti harder to defend.

Yartapuulti's forward balance

Houghton remains a key target ahead of the ball – as did Teakle until she suffered a knee injury – but the presence of ground-level players at her feet has allowed the Power to maintain the ball in attack and generate more opportunities on goal.

This is in significant contrast to earlier in the season when Houghton was expected to compete in an outnumber, and when she was unable to win the footy, the opposition was typically able to rebound with ease.

Those taller key forward targets are still crucial to the structure and are still hitting the scoreboard – Ash Saint has kicked four goals in the last five games, Houghton five, and Olivia Levicki two – but when those keys aren't getting ball in hand, the likes of Justine Mules-Robinson, Katelyn Pope, and Caitlin Wendland are applying pressure, or kicking goals themselves.

This also includes midfielders pressing forward and impacting on the scoreboard, as Abbey Dowrick, Piper Window, and Sachi Syme have all proven.

These smaller forward options have the opportunity to reference the movement of players like Houghton, preventing them from getting lost in that space in attack, instead allowing them to lurk dangerously.

With this more balanced representation inside 50, those in possession higher up the field have become more adept at putting the ball to their teammates' advantage. They are more regularly hitting up space for the Power forward to run into, and are becoming better at isolating defensive units in one-on-one contests, rather than allowing interceptors to disrupt connection between the midfield and forward unit.

Playing in such a way means that even when things aren't perfect – kick forward, mark on the lead, set shot opportunity – they are able to maintain territory and create shots on goal in other ways.

Now, with two weeks remaining in the home and away season, finals are a very real possibility, and if it is to keep this winning streak going, balance in Yartapuulti's forward line will be key to that success.