A review of Round 11 in the 2023 rebel VFLW season.
THE near inseparable nature of the closest rebel VFLW season in the competition’s short history has again been laid bare in Round 11.
Three teams outside the top-six knocked off higher-ranked rivals, with four matches decided by under 10 points heading into the King’s Birthday weekend bye.
WESTERN BULLDOGS vs PORT MELBOURNE
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.0, 2.1, 3.1, 5.2 (32)
PORT MELBOURNE 0.3, 3.4, 4.6, 5.6 (36)
PORT Melbourne saw off a concerted challenge from the much-improved Western Bulldogs for the second time this season, hanging on for a thrilling four-point victory against their temporary stablemates at ETU Stadium on Saturday.
And amazingly, the scores were almost identical, with the Borough having won 36-33 in Round 4 before Saturday’s 36-32 victory that lifted them back into fourth place on the ladder.
The Bulldogs kicked two unanswered goals in the first quarter as they rode a wave of confidence chasing a third-straight win.
They dominated a stats sheet that finished with them +43 in disposals with five of the top seven ball winners, but Port responded with three goals in five minutes midway through the second to take a narrow lead it clung desperately to for the rest of the day.
Dom Carbone was unlucky to be on the losing team with a brilliant 28-disposal, seven-tackle, two-goal effort for the Bulldogs, with Sarah Skinner (20 disposals, five marks, eight tackles) also starring and Jorja Borg racking up another 35 hitouts.
Bulldogs rookie Ashleigh Snow continued the upward trajectory that has seen her gather two, 11, 14, 16 and now 18 disposals in her first five games, while fellow first-year player Emmalyn Nekrep booted two goals.
Kaitlyn O’Keefe was strong in the air for the Borough with 18 touches and six marks, Lauren Caruso terrific at ground level with 16 disposals and nine tackles, Courteney Bromage stuck 13 tackles and Jessie Williams impressed in attack with 13 touches, five tackles and two majors to hand the Dogs their fifth loss by under a goal in eight defeats.
CARLTON vs SOUTHERN SAINTS
CARLTON 0.1, 2.2, 3.2, 5.2 (32)
SOUTHERN SAINTS 2.0, 4.1, 5.2, 6.2 (38)
SOUTHERN Saints were outside the top six after losing to Essendon in Round 7 but now find themselves a game clear on top of the ladder after a fourth-consecutive single-figure victory.
The Saints latest win came against Carlton at IKON Park on Saturday, where they downed the Blues by six points.
The Saints, who were coming off wins over Port Melbourne (three points), Collingwood (five) and Casey Demons (eight), were in front by just six points after ruck Chloe Bain goaled for the Blues in the 10th minute of the final quarter but were able to capitalise on a rare blunder by star Blues midfielder Millie Klingbeil.
Klingbeil won the centre clearance but drove the ball 50m the wrong way into the teeth of the Saints’ goal. Gabby De Angelis did the rest, booting her third goal in what turned out to be a match-winning display to restore a 12-point lead.
While Vanessa Murphy responded with a goal for Carlton to set up a thrilling finish, the Blues couldn’t find the goal to square the match, with the final siren sounding with the ball deep in their forward 50.
Once again it was the team winning less of the ball that got the chocolates, with the more efficient Saints having 49 less touches and eight less inside-50s but getting up through the influence of De Angelis, Michelle Podnecky (16 disposals, five tackles), Lucy Burke (14 disposals, six marks) and ruck Alexandra Hynes (38 hitouts, eight tackles), while Bec Neaves had 11 tackles.
Ashlee Thorneycroft (21 disposals, eight tackles, one goal) sparkled for Carlton, with strong support from Ally Bild (22 disposals), Izzy Khoury (15 disposals, seven clearances, eight tackles), Maddie Di Cosmo (17 disposals, five tackles), Klingbeil (14 disposals, six clearances) and Octavia Di Donato (16 disposals).
BOX HILL HAWKS vs WILLIAMSTOWN
BOX HILL HAWKS 0.3, 1.4, 1.7, 3.8 (26)
WILLIAMSTOWN 0.0, 0.3, 3.3, 4.5 (29)
WILLIAMSTOWN stretched its remarkable run of form to six wins in eight games by overcoming a goalless first half to record its first win over Box Hill Hawks in its history.
The Seagulls were 0-6 against the Hawks heading into the game but remained in touch with the finals race, with a possibly season-defining three-point triumph at Box Hill City Oval.
Despite kicking only three behinds in the first half, a 3.0 to 0.3 third quarter proved decisive for the Seagulls.
Box Hill overturned an eight-point deficit at three quarter-time with the first two goals of the last quarter to regain the lead before Sharnie Whiting made herself the hero for the Seagulls in the 12th minute and the visitors held on to claim the points.
Williamstown had 24 less disposals and only took 18 marks to the Hawks’ 62 but earned eight more inside-50s as its half-back line proved to be impenetrable at times and its midfield won the clearances 34-27 despite being beaten 55-18 in hitouts.
Emily Eaves starred for the Seagulls with 17 disposals, six clearances and nine tackles, Jasmine Kawa had 16 of those hitouts in an unfamiliar ruck role but was terrific around the ground with 16 possessions, eight clearances, five inside-50s and a goal.
They had plenty of mates as Nicole Julian (19 disposals) and Ellie Cleland (18 disposals) did well around the ball, Sarah Thomas (14, disposals six clearances, six tackles) got her hands dirty, Maddie Edwards laid 14 tackles, Danica Pedersen had seven rebounds, Lori Stepnell delivered six inside-50s and Whiting kicked two goals.
Grace McRae (19 disposals, five clearances, eight tackles), Matilda van Berkel (20 disposals, five marks) and Jordan Mifsud (15 disposals, 16 tackles) were the Hawks’ best, Akayla Peterson (16 disposals, five rebounds, one goal), Nic Garner (15 disposals, six marks), Caitlin Thorne (14 disposals, nine tackles), Nadia von Bertouch (13 disposals, seven marks) and Grace Matser (42 hitouts) also playing their part.
GEELONG CATS vs CASEY DEMONS
GEELONG CATS 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 2.2 (14)
CASEY DEMONS 3.6, 3.9, 4.10, 4.11 (35)
THE starkest example of how close the rebel VFLW competition is in season 2022 came with ninth-placed Casey Demons dumping Geelong from the top of the ladder with a comprehensive 21-point win at Deakin University.
Playing for their season, the Demons blasted the Cats with 3.6 to 0.0 in the first quarter, and while they were only able to add another 1.5 for the day, their defence was never seriously threatened as the home team struggled to hit the scoreboard despite controlling play in the last term.
Geelong completed the Saturday quaddie of teams losing with more disposals, finishing +44 as well as +36 in marks and +28 in tackles, but the Demons dominated around the contest with 37-24 hitouts and 34-24 clearances creating a 39-15 inside-50 discrepancy.
Shree Fairchild had one of her best VFLW games with 20 disposals, seven clearances and 10 tackles for Casey, with Belinda Woolcock (18 disposals, five marks, six tackles, seven rebounds) on fire in defence.
Marla Neal (18 disposals, five clearances, six tackles, one goal), Shannon Danckert (16 disposals, five clearances, 11 tackles, five entries), Amber Kinnane (16 disposals, five clearances, six tackles), Ciara Burke (15 disposals, five entries, one goal) and Leah Swain (35 hitouts, five clearances) were also in strong form.
Abby Favell (27 disposals, six marks, seven clearances, nine tackles) couldn’t have done more to keep the Cats on top as Charlotte Simpson (21 disposals, five tackles, five rebounds), Emily Worpel (17 disposals, 10 rebounds) and Ella Firth (17 disposals, six marks) worked overtime in defence and Mia Fuller (15 disposals, 12 tackles) and Emily Ramsay (15, 10 tackles) were strong in the middle.
DAREBIN FALCONS vs COLLINGWOOD
DAREBIN FALCONS 0.1, 1.1, 2.1, 2.1 (13)
COLLINGWOOD 3.1, 4.3, 8.5, 11.6 (72)
COLLINGWOOD speedster Nyakoat Dojiok put paid to any hopes Darebin Falcons had of springing an upset with two outstanding first-quarter goals on her way to a haul of four as the Magpies cruised home by 59 points at Genis Steel Oval on Sunday.
Dojiok twice outsprinted the defence in the space of five minutes, toe-poking the ball forward to gain more than 50m on both occasions before picking it up and slamming it through.
The Falcons broke even in the second quarter but Dojiok again stepped up at the start of the third term before adding a fourth goal late to lift the Magpies from sixth back into third spot on the ladder.
Collingwood gun Jess Bates continued her charge towards all the major individual awards in the competition with a masterclass that netted her 38 disposals, 11 clearances, eight tackles and two goals. Bates is now averaging 27.5 touches and 10.3 tackles per match, as well as kicking 8.3 in 11 appearances.
Dojiok’s four goals came with 17 disposals and five tackles to challenge for best-afield honours, while fellow stars Caitlin Bunker (21 disposals, 14 tackles) and Matilda Zander (19 disposals, nine tackles) were also dominant, Evangelia Nikolitsis knocked up 19 touches, seven clearances, eight tackles and six inside-50s in a wonderful debut, Rene Caris had 15 disposals and 24 hitouts and Caitlin Sargent and Monique De Matteo also kicked two goals each.
Angelica Gogos was outstanding again for Darebin, winning 25 touches, seven clearances, 10 tackles and seven entries, but Shannon Egan (15 disposals, 10 hitouts) was the only other Falcon in the top 10, although Mikayla Plunkett (12 tackles), Sally Lynch (36 hitouts) and Steph Simpson (six clearances, one goal) also tried hard.
ESSENDON vs NORTH MELBOURNE
ESSENDON 1.3, 1.3, 2.5, 5.7 (37)
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.3, 2.8, 4.9, 6.9 (45)
Three consecutive losses had left North Melbourne’s season seemingly in tatters, but the Kangaroos showed they still have some shots to fire after stunning reigning premier Essendon by eight points at NEC Hangar.
The Roos hadn’t won since their downing Port Melbourne in a slog in Round 7, going down to Collingwood, Casey Demons and Box Hill Hawks as their hopes of a maiden finals appearance slipped away, but they bounced back in a big way to keep their faint aspirations alive.
Level at quarter-time, North dominated the middle two quarters with 3.6 to 1.2 and twice found an answer in the last as the Bombers did everything in their power to roll over the top.
Jennifer Guy (20 disposals, eight tackles) had her best game since returning from a knee reconstruction for the Kangaroos, with plenty of support coming from Marli Klaumanns-Moller (17 disposals, five clearances, 10 tackles), Georgia Nicholas (17 disposals, on goal), Audrey Rhodes (17 disposals, five tackles) and Felicity Theodore (17 disposals) in an even display.
Meanwhile, Jess Jones was outstanding in the ruck with 14 touches, 25 hitouts and eight tackles and Madisen Maguire kicked two goals.
Sophie Molan (19 disposals, five clearances, five tackles) and Grace Dicker (19 tackles) put in terrific displays for the Bombers and Tia Davidge (15 disposals, five tackles, one goal) and Mia-Rae Clifford (two goals) also impressed.
THIS WEEK
King’s Birthday weekend bye
ROUND 12 FIXTURE
Saturday, June 17: Williamstown vs Western Bulldogs (10:00am, DSV Stadium – VFL double header); Collingwood vs Carlton (11:00am, AIA Centre); North Melbourne vs Southern Saints (11:00am, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Casey Demons vs Essendon (12:00pm, Casey Fields), Geelong Cats vs Box Hill Hawks (12:00pm, Deakin University). Sunday, June 18: Darebin Falcons vs Port Melbourne (2:00pm, La Trobe University)
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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