Star tall Matilda Scholz has turned on a masterclass as Port Adelaide romped to a record-setting 68-point victory over an injury-smashed Gold Coast for their first win of the AFLW season.
After scoring just 39 points across their two opening losses, the Power turned up the heat to win 16.11 (108) to 5.10 (40), claiming their biggest ever win and the AFLW’s highest ever score.
Rising Star winner Scholz (four goals, 22 disposals, 16 hitouts, 710 metres gained, six clearances, 14 score involvements) was magnificent, and the Suns had no answers for Gemma Houghton, who kicked 4.5.
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Indy Tahau (three goals), Sachi Syme (13 intercept possessions, 21 disposals), Abbey Dowrick (21 disposals) and Shineah Goody (19 disposals) were also influential.
Rhyce Shaw’s Suns slumped to a 0-3 start and have a plethora of injury concerns, while they became the first team to concede 100 or more points in consecutive weeks.
The Suns lost Claudia Whitfort (calf) before the game, then Meara Girvan (concussion) was ruled out after a heavy hit in the first quarter.
Charlotte Wilson (knee) was also in the hands of the trainers and was ruled out in the second quarter.
Star midfielder Charlie Rowbottom had her right shoulder taped after a first-quarter bump, but returned to play in the second term.
Rowbottom battled through injury to collect 24 disposals, while Niamh McLaughlin (28 disposals, 538 metres gained) was prolific.
Scholz kicked two goals in the first quarter, including an incredible running drop punt from the pocket, as the Power took a 23-point lead at quarter-time.
Tayla Gregory kicked the Suns’ first goal as they attempted to settle, but Houghton snagged two goals in quick succession to keep the Power on top.
The six-goal second quarter allowed Port to extend their lead to 37 at the main break.
Houghton’s third and fourth goals at the start of the third quarter put the game beyond doubt, with the Power keeping the Suns goalless for the quarter.
Scholz put an exclamation mark on the thumping when she nailed her third goal from long range on the run, before later kicking her fourth in a tighter final term.
The Suns (0-3) next host fellow strugglers GWS on Saturday, and Lauren Arnell’s Port (1-2) travel to Perth for next Sunday’s clash with West Coast.
Hawks sneak home against Dogs
Hawthorn skipper Emily Bates has given her side a big clip, despite the Hawks escaping with yet another thrilling AFLW win - this time a four-point victory over the Western Bulldogs.
Only three goals were kicked in Saturday night’s match at Whitten Oval - and none after halftime.
The Bulldogs were pushing hard for victory in the dying minutes, but a strong contested mark from Jenna Richardson deep in defence with 70 seconds remaining helped secure the 2.2 (14) to 1.4 (10) win for Hawthorn.
The victory improved Hawthorn’s record to a perfect 3-0, with the tight win over the Bulldogs following on from a four-point triumph over Brisbane and an eight-point win over Carlton.
Last year Hawthorn established a reputation for being a free-flowing, high-scoring side, but they have lost that mojo this season, despite being unbeaten.
Bates didn’t mince her words when assessing her team’s form.
“Obviously still happy to win, but we’re not playing the way we want to play,” Bates told Channel 7.
“We want to play an attractive brand of footy that’s high-scoring and with plenty of speed.
“Credit to the Bulldogs, their pressure was outstanding and they smacked us around clearance.
“But we really need to get our game going, because no one wants to come watch a three-goal game.
“Disappointed with that, but at least we scraped a win.”
Isabelle Pritchard racked up 29 disposals and six clearances for the Bulldogs, while Tilly Lucas-Rodd led the way for Hawthorn with 23 possessions.
The Bulldogs dominated the opening quarter, winning the inside-50 count (10-3), clearances (12-3) and contested possessions (37-23) on the way to holding Hawthorn scoreless.
Rylie Wilcox kicked the sole goal of the quarter to give the Bulldogs a seven-point lead, with Hawthorn lucky the margin wasn’t bigger.
The Bulldogs’ inability to capitalise on their first-quarter dominance came back to haunt them as Hawthorn made them pay early in the second quarter.
Mackenzie Eardley kicked truly after a 50m penalty was paid against Jasmyn Smith for encroaching on the protected area.
And when Casey Sherriff held her feet in a marking contest and was able to run on to the crumbs for an easy goal, Hawthorn had the lead for the first time.
The best two chances of the goalless third quarter fell to star Hawthorn recruit Greta Bodey.
She sent her running shot from 20m out wide of the target, and later in the quarter sprayed a close-range set shot.
Emily Everist pulled off a goal-saving tackle early in the final quarter to deny Bulldogs star Ellie Blackburn, and it was Richardson’s mark at the death that helped seal the win.
Bulldogs forward Emma McDonald suffered a game-ending shoulder injury in the third quarter, and Hawthorn’s Najwa Allen strained her hamstring a short time later.
Eagles pull off last-quarter miracle
Emerging AFLW superstar Ella Roberts has led West Coast to a remarkable 14-point comeback win over St Kilda in a thrilling end to their extended time on the road.
The Saints led by 17 points at three-quarter time, when coach Daisy Pearce threw caution to the wind and gave Roberts the keys to run free in attack.
It proved a coaching masterclass as Roberts kicked two goals from eight final-term disposals and the Eagles reeled off four unanswered majors to snatch a 6.6 (42) to 4.4 (28) win at RSEA Park.
“Obviously we had to win that last quarter, so just bombing it in deep rather than overusing the handpasses,” Roberts, who finished with 24 disposals and nine marks, told Fox Footy.
“My teammates and my coaches give me a bit of a licence to do kind of what I want down there.
“Without them I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing.”
The victory was the perfect antidote to a heartbreaking five-point loss to Essendon last Sunday.
West Coast (2-1) spent the entire week in Melbourne to maximise training time together between games.
“Obviously our last week against Essendon was a bit average,” Roberts said.
“So to be around each other for the week has been really good fun and lots of bonding and stuff like that.”
Roberts had good support from Bella Lewis (22 disposals), Emma Swanson and Jaide Britton (22 disposals).
For St Kilda, J’Noemi Anderson and spearhead Jesse Wardlaw (two goals apiece) were excellent early, while Tyanna Smith (18 disposals, six clearances) and Jaimee Lambert (19 disposals, 10 tackles) were busy.
Wardlaw gave St Kilda an eight-point lead at quarter-time.
Anderson delivered a second-quarter highlight when she watched her long bomb from inside the centre square bounce on the line, but she kept running and managed to get there first to toe-poke it home.
St Kilda led by 11 points at halftime and 17 at three-quarter time.
Pearce moved the magnets around and it paid off almost immediately, with Kayla Dalgleish cutting the lead to 11, before Roberts drew the Eagles within four points with six minutes remaining.
Skipper Charlie Thomas put the Eagles in front, before Roberts and Dalgleish nabbed their second goal each to seal victory.
St Kilda (1-2) next play Hawthorn at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on Saturday, and the Eagles (2-1) host Port Adelaide at Mineral Resources Park on Sunday.
Swans edge Cats in thriller
Sydney’s rise under returning superstar Chloe Molloy has continued, securing a thrilling road win against Geelong by five points.
In a fiery match at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, the Swans trailed by 19 points at quarter-time, but booted seven of the next nine majors to set up the 7.8 (50) to 6.9 (45) win.
Geelong’s Jacqueline Parry had a shot in the dying stages to level the scores, but her kick on the run went wayward, allowing the Swans to hang on and move to 3-0.
Molloy again led from the front, helping inspire her Swans teammates, who struggled in her absence last season.
With 11 goals from her first two games since recovering from an ACL, the 26-year-old spent even more time in the midfield and helped herself to 24 possessions.
But Molloy did add to her lead in the AFLW goal-kicking award, slotting an important major in the final quarter that effectively killed off any chance the Cats had of a comeback.
Sofia Hurley was also important for the Swans, gathering 26 disposals and kicking a goal.
“I’m just glad to get the win,” Hurley told Fox Footy.
“Cramping, they make us run, those girls, but just so proud.
“Three on the trot, but it’s a long season and more to go.”
Gun forward Aishling Moloney did her best to lift Geelong over the line, booting three second-half goals to go with her 23 disposals.
Moloney received significant support from ace midfielder Georgie Prespakis, who had a game-high 27 possessions and 10 clearances.
While Sydney will be targeting another finals appearance after reaching the semi-finals in 2023, Geelong have slumped to 0-3 and are facing another season outside the top eight.
The Swans return to Sydney next Sunday to host Fremantle at Henson Park, and Geelong have another tough encounter next week when they play undefeated Essendon at Windy Hill.
Crows cruise to big win
A first-quarter surge with a strong breeze has powered Adelaide to a comfortable 32-point away win over winless GWS.
Kicking with a powerful wind to open the match, the Crows made the most of their advantage with a dominant 4.7 to 0.1 at Henson Park in Marrickville.
The young Giants, who lost classy veteran Alicia Eva to a hamstring injury in the first quarter, then fought seriously hard against the experienced Crows.
But Adelaide’s 30-point quarter-time lead was always going to be too hard to overcome as the Crows prevailed 7.12 (54) to 2.10 (22) for their second-straight win.
Just one goal was kicked against the wind, Stevie-Lee Thompson’s brilliant finish on the run midway through the last quarter.
Crows powerhouse Caitlin Gould was the sole multiple goal-kicker, slotting the first major of the game and then the only one of the third term.
Adelaide star Anne Hatchard was typically influential, overcoming an early knock when she was forced from the ground due to a cut lip.
“I just went in for a tackle, and her head just bumped my lip,” Hatchard told Fox Footy.
“They did a pretty good job, and got back out for quarter two.
“We just wanted to come out and play our footy.
“I guess that first game (a shock round-one loss to St Kilda), we did not show that at all.
“We started pretty hot in this game.
“Had a few patches here and there, but came off with the win, which we’re happy about.”
The Crows were dominant in the middle, winning clearances 31-17, even though reigning best-and-fairest Ebony Marinoff was kept relatively quiet with 17 touches.
Young Giants star Zarlie Goldsworthy led the way for the hosts with 25 possessions and a team-high three clearances.
GWS will head to the Gold Coast next Saturday as they search for their first win of the season.
Adelaide face their biggest test of the season so far when they host the Brisbane Lions next Sunday.
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