ROUND 7 of VFL Women’s sees one of the biggest match-ups of the season so far when one play three for bragging rights at the midpoint of the season. Meanwhile, the bottom two teams will battle it out for an all important first win of the season.

GEELONG v. CASEY

Round 7 – 22/6/19
11.30
GMHBA Stadium

With both sides coming into this match off the back of a Round 6 bye, this game is set to be an interesting contest between the two sides. Though the Demons got off to a ripping start with three wins on the trot, Geelong were faced with a difficult fixture early as they took on four of the current top five. Though Casey will hope to bounce back this week after two losses prior to the bye, the Cats will have the home ground advantage and be keen to get a second win on the board. Casey have struggled with consistency in recent weeks and will need their big names to stand up to get the job done this week. Based off performance against similar teams, Geelong and Casey seem relatively evenly matched despite their vastly different positions on the ladder. The Dees will hope Maddy Guerin is back in the side this week as Casey’s leading goalkicker, with an ability to free herself and find space inside 50, while Rebecca Webster has proven week in week out that she can be a big target all across the ground.

COLLINGWOOD v. WESTERN BULLDOGS

Round 7 – 22/6/19
11.30
Morwell Recreation Reserve

Both the Magpies and Dogs will travel this round as they head to Gippsland for a battle between first and third on the ladder. While the Magpies have played one more game to sit in top spot, the Bulldogs suffered a shock loss to Carlton last week, pushing the side into third after a dominant start to the season. The Bulldogs had a frankly disappointing outing against the Blues while the Magpies put on a fantastic performance last round with a number of players impressing across the board, so the Pies will want to continue their momentum before heading into a bye next week. Fan favourites, Chloe Molloy and Jaimee Lambert united for an impeccable performance last round, collecting a combined 46 touches and nine goals to lead Collingwood to victory while the Bulldogs struggled in front of goal with only one major for the match. While the Bulldogs only have the one loss on the board, tackling pressure from the likes of Tayla Dinuccio, and hitouts from leading ruck Nicole McMahon will be pivotal to get over the line.

HAWTHORN v. SOUTHERN SAINTS

Round 7 – 22/6/19
11.50
Box Hill City Oval

Hawthorn have crept up the ladder in recent weeks after three wins and a bye from four rounds, so will be a definite contender as they take on fourth ranked Southern Saints this weekend. The Saints may sit in fourth on win-loss ratio, but the Hawks are not too far behind with only one less victory and some high flyers the likes of Philippa Peschke and Rebecca Beeson who can share the load to get the job done. The Saints will hope for another win this week to maintain their position in fourth, and will be in danger of being overtaken by the Demons if they lose this game. Tilly Lucas-Rodd has been a force to be reckoned with for the Saints this season, while the consistency of Caitlin Greiser has been key, despite kicking 7.10 for the season so far. If Greiser can kick straight and the side can provide her plenty of backup inside 50, the Saints should be able to get a fifth win on the board for the season.

DAREBIN v. WILLIAMSTOWN

Round 7 – 22/6/19
2.00
Bill Lawry Oval

The first of two Saturday afternoon matches will be an intriguing matchup between the two cellar dwellers, both of which are yet to win a game this season. While both sides will be hungry to get a win on the board, this match will certainly be a test to see which of the bottom teams has what it takes to get off the bottom of the ladder and make something out of their season. Williamstown are only ahead on the ladder by default, having only played four matches for the season so far, so Darebin will want to give the Seagulls a run for their money and shut down the likes of Mo Hope and Sharnie Whiting who have been pivotal so far this season. Darebin’s season hasn’t been pretty, but the form of Lauren Pearce has been solid, ninth in hitouts despite sitting at the bottom of the ladder while Reni Hicks has been quiet on the ball but been reliable off the ball to lead the league’s tackle count with an average of 10 per match and a whopping 19 alone in Round 5 alone. The Falcons are still looking for the good form that saw them put 11 goals on the board across rounds one and two, so will hope they find it this week against the equally suffering Seagulls.

NT THUNDER v. ESSENDON

Round 7 – 22/6/19
3.30
TIO Stadium

The Thunder will have their second home game on the trot this week when they host Essendon in the hopes of getting a second home win on the board. Meanwhile, the Bombers will be reeling after a frustrating performance last week against the Hawks, so will be itching to get an all important victory in Darwin. A big win for Thunder could land them as high as fifth come the end of this round, so this match is sure to be a big decider in ladder positions at the midway point of the season. Thunder’s inaccuracy last round lost the match for them, with 10 behinds on the board putting them on the back foot all game. Angela Foley continues to be a shining light for the Thunder, while the Bombers will want their major ball getters in Hayley Bullas and Alexandra Anderson right in the mix.

BYE: Richmond, Carlton, Melbourne Uni