BRISBANE finished the Winter Series undefeated, comfortably accounting for local rivals Gold Coast by 73 points at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
The Lions' AFLW-calibre forward line power was too much for a young Suns team to handle, with Kate McCarthy and Jess Wuetschner kicking four goals each.
Forward-ruck Sabrina Frederick-Traub was named best afield after kicking two goals, while midfield trio Jordan Zanchetta, Emily Bates and Emma Pittman were also strong.
Gold Coast had a big task on its hands, with the Lions fielding 19 AFLW-listed players, but coach Michael Gugliotta said Jordan Membrey and North Melbourne AFLW recruits Tahlia Randall and Jamie Stanton were "a class above".
"Selina Goodman (from Coolangatta Football Club) on Frederick-Traub, who's arguably one of the biggest and strongest in the AFLW at the moment, was fantastic. We couldn't have asked for more competitiveness from her," Gugliotta told the Suns' website.
The Northern Giants were too good for sister side the Southern Giants, cruising to a 41-point win.
Southern was aggressive early against the experienced Northern, which featured eight AFLW players, but the class of players such as Ellie Brush proved too much in the end.
Inside midfielder Meagan Kiely (from the UNSW-ES Bulldogs in the AFL Sydney competition) was solid for Northern, while young star Alyce Parker (Thurgoona in the North-East Border Female Football League) and forward Rylee McGartland (Wollongong/AFL Sydney) were stand-outs for Southern over the past few games.
"[The Winter Series] has been really important for a number of reasons … initially it was a way to keep a number of AFLW players together," Giants star Alicia Eva told gwsgiants.com.au.
"We've seen a few girls go play in the VFLW this season (including NSW natives Rebecca Beeson, Phoebe Monahan and Maddy Collier), so it's been good to keep a group together.
"We train together weekly and it also gives our coaching staff and our selection panel a bit of a look who's around in the (under-18) NSW/ACT pathway and who's running around in the state leagues."
Round one
Northern Giants 7.8 (50) d Gold Coast 2.3 (15)
Tom Wills Oval at Olympic Park, Sydney, Saturday, June 9
Southern Giants 0.0 (0) lost to Brisbane 18.8 (116)
Tom Wills Oval at Olympic Park, Sydney, Sunday, June 10
Round two
Brisbane 5.10 (40) d Northern Giants 4.5 (29)
Zillmere Oval Brisbane, Saturday June 23
Gold Coast 7.5 (47) lost to Southern Giants 8.10 (58)
Southport, Sunday June 24
Round three
Gold Coast 1.5 (11) lost to Brisbane 13.6 (84)
Metricon Stadium, Saturday, July 14
Northern Giants 9.9 (63) d Southern Giants 3.4 (22)
Tom Wills Oval at Olympic Park, Sydney, Saturday, July 14
