A review of Round 9 in the 2023 rebel VFLW season.

A memorable injury comeback headlined Round 9 of the competition at the weekend, as the Seagulls sunk their arch-rival despite missing three stars, the reigning premier showcased its depth despite not winning, the grand finalist moved into the top two and a battling team landed its second win of the year.

CASEY DEMONS vs NORTH MELBOURNE

CASEY DEMONS 0.1, 2.3, 4.3, 5.4 (34)
NORTH MELBOURNE 0.2, 1.2, 3.2, 3.3 (21)

CASEY Demons recorded a second-straight win to stay in touch with the top six, edging away from North Melbourne to win by 13 points at Casey Fields on Saturday.

The Demons grabbed the initiative after a goalless first term with Niamh O’Neill kicking her team’s entire second-quarter score of 2.2, including a crucial major right on the half-time siren.

The teams traded two goals each in the third quarter with Emily Paterno setting up a big last quarter after the three quarter-time siren, only for match-winner O’Neill to snag her third just 46 seconds into the last to seal the deal.

Leah Swain ruled the air with a stunning 62 hitouts for the day as Casey won the taps 77-17, giving first use to the likes of Marla Neal (13 disposals, seven clearances, 12 tackles), Amber Kinnane (14 disposals, six clearances, nine tackles) and Shannon Danckert (13 disposals, six clearances, six tackles, one goal), while O’Neill (15 disposals, six marks, 3.3) dominated in attack and Belinda Woolcock (18 disposals, seven rebounds) starred at the other end.

But nothing they got came easily with the Kangaroos putting on a crazy 120 tackles in just 80 minutes of footy – and they came from all directions, with Mara McSweeney (13), Audrey Rhodes (12) and Marli Klaumanns-Moller (12) leading 12 players with six of them or more.

Jess Mourney (17 disposals) and Klaumanns-Moller (14 disposals, six clearances) were best with ball in hand for North Melbourne.

ESSENDON vs GEELONG CATS

ESSENDON 1.0, 3.0, 3.1, 4.2 (26)
GEELONG CATS 0.0, 2.1, 2.2, 4.4 (28)

GEELONG went a game clear on top of the ladder with a terrific away victory, but reigning premier Essendon lost no friends as the Cats claimed a thrilling two-point win at the NEC Hangar.

Fielding just one AFLW-listed player (Megan Ryan) against the Cats’ five, the Bombers kicked the only goal of the first term and held the lead right through until three quarter-time.

But the Cats were desperate to bounce back from a narrow loss to Collingwood last week and Analea McKee responded right on time with her second and third goals in the space of four minutes early in the last quarter to take a match-winning lead, despite Olivia Manfre setting up a grandstand finish with a major for the Bombers with three minutes remaining.

Geelong had twice as many inside-50s as Essendon, with Charlotte Simpson not missing a beat after a week off in winning 26 disposals, seven clearances and five inside-50s, backed up by Renee Garing (21 disposals, 11 tackles), Ingrid Houtsma (17 disposals, seven tackles), Olivia Fuller (12 disposals, 25 hitouts, six clearances, seven entries) and Danielle Stewart (12 disposals, 12 tackles).

Grace Dicker put in a superhuman effort for the Bombers in sticking a ridiculous 20 tackles, while Reese Sutton (18 disposals, seven clearances, seven rebounds, 10 tackles) was marvellous in defence, Kristal Russell had 25 hitouts, Courtney Ugle nine tackles and a goal, Sophie Molan nine tackles and Mia-Rae Clifford two goals.

COLLINGWOOD vs SOUTHERN SAINTS

COLLINGWOOD 0.2, 0.2, 0.3, 1.7 (13)
SOUTHERN SAINTS 1.1, 1.4, 2.5, 2.6 (18)

SOUTHERN Saints soared to second spot on the ladder after holding off a desperate Collingwood by five points in a desperate struggle at Victoria Park.

The Saints grabbed the upper hand when Abbey Tregellis kicked a goal in just the fourth minute before the match turned into a high-pressure battle where no quarter was asked or given, with last year’s Grand Finalist holding the second-placed Magpies goalless for most of the day and taking a 14-point lead into the last term.

Collingwood wasn’t done with, getting within eight when Tricia Cowan booted what turned out to be its only goal with 6:37 on the clock, but despite dominating the final stretch it could only manage three behinds as the Saints held on gamely.

Tessa Boyd continued her wonderful season for the Saints with another best-on-ground display, picking up 24 touches, five marks and five rebounds, while Madi Capsalis (19 disposals, five marks, six clearances, eight tackles), damaging winger Winnie Laing (19 disposals, eight tackles), Deanna Jolliffe (16 disposals, 13 tackles) and Charlotte Ryan (16 disposals, five entries) made their presence felt.

Collingwood gun Jess Bates did her Lambert-Pearce Medal hopes no harm with a game-high 25 possessions, nine clearances and five tackles, Elizabeth Jackson (20 disposals, five clearances, five tackles, six entries) was a capable assistant, Georgia Ricardo (15 disposals, five rebounds, five tackles) worked hard in defence, Matilda Zander laid 12 tackles and Rene Caris had 23 hitouts.

BOX HILL HAWKS vs CARLTON

BOX HILL HAWKS 1.1, 1.2, 2.4, 4.5 (29)
CARLTON 2.0, 3.0, 4.2, 4.4 (28)

GABBY Collingwood last played a game of top-level football for the Brisbane Lions in the AFLW 2020.

Not even she could have hoped for a comeback game quite like this after she kicked a goal after the siren to hand her new club Box Hill Hawks a thrilling one-point win over Carlton at Box Hill City Oval in a game they trailed almost all day.

The Blues kicked the first two goals and maintained the advantage throughout the game, but they couldn’t manage a goal after Imogen Milford kicked her second in the eighth minute of the third quarter.

Despite that, Carlton led right down to the death and looked like holding until Ally Bild was pinged for a push in the back, before a 50m penalty for dissent took Collingwood to the goal line as the siren sounded.

It was fitting the Hawks’ best two players on the day in Akayla Peterson (16 disposals, five entries) and Nadia von Bertouch (12 disposals, seven marks) were involved in the lead-up play to Collingwood’s goal, while Annie Muir (15 disposals, five entries) and Grace McRae (16 disposals) were also important.

Carlton ruck Jess Good has every right to feel hard done by after being best on ground by the length of Box Hill City Oval, racking up 26 touches, nine marks, nine clearances and 32 hitouts, while Maddie Di Cosmo (18 disposals, five tackles), Chloe Wrigley (16 disposals, eight tackles) and Ashlee Thorneycroft (15 disposals, five marks, five tackles, one goal) also starred for the Blues.

PORT MELBOURNE vs WILLIAMSTOWN

PORT MELBOURNE 0.0, 4.0, 5.2, 5.2 (32)
WILLIAMSTOWN 0.0, 3.1, 3.2, 5.6 (36)

AN UNDERMANNED Williamstown produced a dominant last quarter to overrun Port Melbourne by four points at ETU Stadium to stay in touch with the top six.

The Seagulls went in without both their AFLW players Bridie Kennedy and Aleisha Newman, plus star midfielder Jasmine Kawa, but dug deep when they needed it most, kicking 2.4 to 0.0 in the last term to claim a fourth win in a season for the first time in their short history.

The first half was remarkable in its contrast, with neither team scoring in the first quarter before they shared seven goals in an entertaining second term sparked by a brilliant three-goal salvo in 11 minutes from reigning Rohenna Young medallist Federica Frew for the Borough.

A Stephanie Williams goal in the opening minute of the third quarter gave Port an 11-point lead, but it only managed two more behinds for the rest of the game, with Williamstown’s Eliza Straford and Teagan Brett hitting the target the final term before the visitors built a wall and defended stoutly for a win to be proud of.

The Seagulls’ midfielders were the catalyst, winning clearances 39-20 despite losing hitouts by a whopping 68-11, plus marks 58-28 and tackles 78-51, with Maddie Edwards playing easily the best game of her second coming as a VFLW player in grabbing 20 disposals and laying 11 tackles.

She was supported by Emily Eaves (20 disposals, six clearances, one goal), Lori Stepnell (19 disposals, eight clearances, five inside-50s), Megan Williamson (14 disposals, five clearances, seven entries) and Sarah Thomas (16 disposals, six clearances, eight tackles), while Brett booted two goals.

Olivia Barton was tireless in defence for the Borough with a game-high 22 possessions, eight marks and seven rebounds, with Kaitlyn O’Keefe (17 disposals, seven marks, seven clearances, 11 tackles) also terrific and Jessie Williams (20 disposals, eight tackles) and Lauren Caruso (19 disposals, five tackles) impressive, while Kate Dudley won 53 hitouts but only had one handball for the game.

WESTERN BULLDOGS vs DAREBIN FALCONS

WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.5, 5.9, 5.11, 7.12 (54)
DAREBIN FALCONS 1.0, 1.1, 2.2, 3.2 (20)

THREE goals in the first five minutes saw Western Bulldogs grab control early before cruising past Darebin by 34 points for their second win of the season.

In what shaped as the Falcons’ best chance to grab a win this season, they were 18 points down before they could blink as the Bulldogs’ solid season found a second reward.

Darebin fought hard after that first quarter, kicking 2.2 to 3.7, but the damage was done as Bulldogs star Dom Carbone (32 disposals, six marks, 11 clearances, 10 tackles, one goal) ran riot in one of the best individual performances of the season and Sarah Skinner (20 disposals, five marks, six inside-50s, three goals) was also unstoppable.

Jorja Borg (17 disposals, 22 hitouts), Erica Greet (19 disposals, nine entries), Amanda Ling (22 disposals) and Jaimi Tabb (14 disposals, seven tackles, one goal) also impressed for the Bulldogs.

Angelica Gogos played almost a lone hand for the Falcons with 27 disposals, six clearances, 11 tackles, six inside-50s and five rebounds, although Alyssa Mifsud (17 disposals, seven marks), Sally Lynch (13 disposals, 29 hitouts) and Lauren Jatczak (12 disposals, two goals) also had their moments.

ROUND 10 FIXTURE

Round 10: Saturday, May 27: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood (11:00am, ETU Stadium); Southern Saints vs Casey Demons (12:00pm, RSEA Park – VFL double header); Geelong Cats vs Port Melbourne (12:00pm, Deakin University); North Melbourne vs Box Hill Hawks (2:00pm, Arden Street Oval). Sunday, May 28: Darebin Falcons vs Essendon (10:30am, La Trobe University); Williamstown vs

Click here to view full fixture and ladder.

Broadcast and streaming: All matches in the 2023 rebel VFLW season will be live streamed free via the AFL website (AFL.com.au) and AFL Live Official App.

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