A review of Round 12 in the 2023 rebel VFLW season.
Is any result in the rebel VFLW an upset?
The unbelievable season unfolding in the women’s competition continued across the weekend, with 10th beating first, eighth downing third, and nine of the 12 clubs changing ladder positions.
Round 12 produced the second draw of the season and 25th single-figure margin in just 72 matches.
WILLIAMSTOWN vs WESTERN BULLDOGS
WILLIAMSTOWN 1.0, 1.0, 4.3, 5.5 (35)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.1, 1.1, 1.1, 1.4 (10)
WILLIAMSTOWN is in the top and six and eyeing finals for the first time in its short history after overwhelming Western Bulldogs by 25 points at DSV Stadium on Saturday.
On a day where the wind played havoc at most venues, the Seagulls won convincingly despite not scoring for more than half the match, claiming a seventh win in nine games in a tough but entertaining contest.
Sharnie Whiting cashed in on a horrible error for the opening goal for Williamstown in the second minute, but the Bulldogs controlled the next 40 minutes, only to not be able to put the score on the board.
Williamstown’s Danica Pedersen received a handball and bombed a long goal for only the third major of her 53-match career nine minutes into the third quarter which sparked the home team.
The Seagulls then added two more in quick succession and sealed the deal when Mikayla Meyer kicked the only goal of the last term.
Jasmine Kawa starred for the victors, picking up 19 disposals, 19 hitouts and eight clearances in a bullocking return to her best. Whiting (13 disposals, two goals) was an ever-present threat in attack, Nicole Julian (17 disposals) was hard to get past in defence and youngsters Maddie Edwards (17 disposals, 10 tackles), Eloise Freeman (16 disposals, five inside-50s) and Emily Eaves (14 disposals, five clearances, seven tackles) kept the pressure on.
The Bulldogs battled hard, with Ellie Bishop (15 disposals) putting in a strong shift and Jaimi Tabb working ferociously with 15 tackles, while the only AFLW-listed player in the game, Amanda Ling, was more impactful than her 13 touches and nine tackles might suggest. Imahra Cameron put herself in the right positions regularly, but the ball would not bounce for her all day.
COLLINGWOOD vs CARLTON
COLLINGWOOD 2.0, 2.1, 3.2, 4.2 (26)
CARLTON 0.0, 3.0, 3.1, 5.4 (34)
CARLTON kept its season alive in the best possible manner for a Blues fan, upsetting Collingwood by eight points at AIA Centre.
The Blues went into the match in eighth spot, six points out of the top six, while the Magpies were third and eyeing off the ladder lead.
The visitors overcame a scoreless first quarter to keep their rivals in check and then edge over the top in a pulsating last quarter.
Collingwood held a one-point lead at the final change and Carlton was coming home with the wind, but after an early goal for Evangelia Nikolitsis put the heat on the Blues, they were able to respond through Georgia Tait and Millie Klingbeil before shutting the game down.
Georgia Tait was Carlton’s best with 16 disposals, six clearances and two goals, while Ashlee Thorneycroft (22 disposals, five tackles), Klingbeil (17 disposals, five clearances, one goal) and the tireless Izzy Khoury (12 disposals, 15 tackles) all worked hard to cover the absence of Madeleine Di Cosmo, who featured for the U23 All-Stars against the AFL Academy Girls on Sunday.
Collingwood midfielder Jess Bates was again brilliant for the Magpies with 26 possessions, 11 clearances, nine tackles and a goal. Nic Hales (15 disposals, five marks, five rebounds) and Georgia Ricardo (15 disposals, five rebounds) were strong in defence, but their attack badly missed Nyakoat Dojiok, who kicked the match-winner for the U23 All Stars at Marvel Stadium.
NORTH MELBOURNE vs SOUTHERN SAINTS
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.3, 3.4, 5.4, 5.4 (34)
SOUTHERN SAINTS 0.0, 1.3, 1.3, 1.4 (10)
NORTH MELBOURNE is also still alive after stunning ladder-leader Southern Saints by 24 points at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval to celebrate Emily Paterno’s 100th VWFL/VFLW match in style.
Paterno has previously played for St Kilda Sharks, Williamstown, Richmond and now the Kangaroos, who entered the contest in 10th spot.
Despite giving up their home game to the Saints, the Roos were never seriously threatened, kicking 2.3 to 0.0 in the first quarter and holding the home team to a solitary second quarter goal from Margaret Kershaw.
In fact, it was that quarter which won the game for the Roos, as they added 1.1 to 1.3 against the wind before conceding just one behind in the last term to draw within a win of the top six.
Jen Guy was the clear best player on the ground for North Melbourne, with 24 disposals, six clearances and eight tackles.
Audrey Rhodes was the only other contender for the honour with 16 possessions, 15 tackles and a goal, while Jess Jones (13 disposals, 37 hitouts, six tackles) worked tirelessly one out against Kershaw (12 disposals, 21 hitouts, one goal) and Alex Hynes (12 disposals, 22 hitouts, nine tackles).
Reni Hicks (11) and Zara Flanagan (10) didn’t give their Saints opponents any respite with 21 tackles between them.
Tessa Boyd (15 disposals, five tackles) led the way for the Saints and Tayla Kearns (11 disposals, five marks) provided a strong contest, but their team found it hard to get their hands on the ball.
CASEY DEMONS vs ESSENDON
CASEY DEMONS 0.0, 1.5, 1.5, 3.7 (25)
ESSENDON 3.2, 3.2, 4.6, 4.6 (30)
THE Casey Doctor was in full swing as Essendon all but ended the Demons’ season in a heart-stopping five-point win at Casey Fields.
The wind howling down the middle of Casey Fields made scoring to the Berwick-Cranbourne Rd end literally impossible, with not a single point being scored to that end for the entire match.
The Bombers grabbed a match-winning break when they kicked 3.2 unanswered in the first quarter before holding the Demons to 1.5 in the second, but they kept the home team in the contest when they only managed 1.4 themselves.
Chasing a 19-point deficit to save their season, Casey threw everything at the reigning premiers, but 2.2 wasn’t enough and the Bombers held on to move to third on the ladder and leave the Demons two games and percentage out with two matches to play.
The Demons won every stat category except tackles and the scoreboard, with Essendon laying 96 tackles to keep the heat on, led by 15 from Grace Dicker, 11 from Eloise Chaston and nine from Jaimee-Lee Morrow.
Despite the defeat, Casey’s Shannon Danckert was arguably best afield in both attack and defence, picking up 25 disposals, seven clearances and 10 tackles, with Shree Fairchild (21 disposals, eight tackles) and Tyla Burn (16 disposals, seven clearances, five tackles) playing well and Leah Swain dominating hitouts with 52 to Essendon’s collective 35.
The Bombers were more even in their contribution, with Tamsin Crook (15 disposals) and Zoe Hurrell (14 disposals) most prolific with ball in hand, while Olivia Manfre kicked two goals from three kicks.
GEELONG CATS vs BOX HILL HAWKS
GEELONG CATS 0.0, 1.1, 3.2, 4.3 (27)
BOX HILL HAWKS 2.3, 3.4, 3.7, 3.9 (27)
GEELONG came from behind to pinch a draw with Box Hill Hawks at Deakin University.
The result helped the Cats maintain a spot in the top three and sent their rivals out of the top six with two rounds to play.
One of the premiership favourites, the Hawks once again paid the price for poor kicking at goal, managing just 0.5 in the second half to let slip a 15-point lead at the main break.
Box Hill started strongly, kicking 2.3 without reply in the opening quarter as Maddie Boyd fired up against her former team before holding strong in the second term, conceding just one major to Breanna Pratt after 16 minutes and responding immediately through Jade Wise’s second.
But that was the visitors’ last goal as the Cats scored twice early in the third and then took the lead through Pratt’s second major in the 10th minute of the last.
The Hawks had two chances to take the lead back, but both missed and the teams battled out a scoreless final eight minutes to end up locked together – the second time this year Box Hill had drawn a game 3.9 to 4.3 after producing the identical scoreline against Essendon in Round 1.
Jordan Mifsud deserved better than two premiership points after putting on a masterclass for the Hawks with 25 disposals, five clearances and 16 tackles, while Akayla Peterson roamed up and down the ground for 19 touches, three entries and four rebounds, Boyd added 18 touches and 10 hitouts to her goal and Caitlin Thorne had 16 and six clearances.
Geelong’s Abby Favell did her best to match Mifsud’s output, picking up 19 possessions, six clearances and 14 tackles, while Emily Ramsay’s kicking skills were on display with 15 of them to go with five tackles.
Cheryl de Groot (20 disposals, six marks, five tackles), Ingrid Houtsma (16 disposals, seven marks), Poppy Schaap (16 disposals, six tackles) and Mia Fuller (18 disposals) were also prominent and Kalani Scoullar just edged Grace Matser 27-21 in the hitout battle.
DAREBIN FALCONS vs PORT MELBOURNE
DAREBIN FALCONS 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 2.5 (17)
PORT MELBOURNE 1.5, 3.6, 7.8, 8.10 (58)
PORT MELBOURNE soared from fourth spot to the top of the ladder with a 41-point win over Darebin Falcons at La Trobe University on Sunday.
The Falcons held the Borough for most of the first half, before Nayely Borg gave the visitors a big confidence boost 90 seconds before the main break.
She then kicked the first two goals in quick succession to start the third term as Port put the game to bed with a four-goal term.
Darebin kept working and were rewarded with a couple of late majors for Alyssa Mifsud and Shannon Egan to win the final quarter by a kick.
Borg was one of the two best players on the ground with her three match-sealing goals either side of half-time to go with 16 disposals. Meanwhile, Jessie Williams continuing to relish her move into the midfield by grabbing 21 possessions, seven clearances, six tackles and eight inside-50s.
Kaitlyn O’Keefe (18 disposals, nine tackles, six entries), Beth Wilson (17 disposals, 11 hitouts, one goal) and Emily Harley (13 disposals, six marks, five entries, two goals) were also impressive for the Borough and Isobel Hartog laid 10 tackles.
It’s impossible to see how Angelica Gogos doesn’t win Darebin’s best-and-fairest after another outstanding effort for 23 disposals, 10 clearances, five entries and six rebounds, with Mifsud (17 disposals, six clearances, eight tackles, one goal), Mikayla Plunkett (eight tackles) and Karly McNiece (five rebounds) also trying hard.
ROUND 13 FIXTURE
Saturday, June 24: Western Bulldogs vs Carlton (11:00am, ETU Stadium); Casey Demons vs Box Hill Hawks (12:00pm, Casey Fields); North Melbourne vs Darebin Falcons (2:00pm, Arden Street Oval); Southern Saints vs Williamstown (2:05pm, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval – VFL double header). Sunday, June 25: Collingwood vs Geelong Cats (10:00am, AIA Centre); Port Melbourne vs Essendon (11:30am, ETU Stadium – VFL double header).
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.
Live scoring and stats: Live scoring and stats will be available via both the AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Download the VFL App from the Apple or Google Play stores.
