IT took them until the final play of the day, but Peel Thunder escaped with the points in a Round 1 that suggested the 2022 West Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s competition may be anything but predictable. The reigning premiers unfurled their 2021 flag in front of a home crowd at the renamed Lane Group Stadium in perfect footballing conditions. They were taking on a side in Subiaco, who were keen to prove a point in 2022 having bowed out at the first week of finals last year. In the end, the Thunder got home in a thriller, 4.8 (32) to 5.1 (31).

Though the crowd was settled in to watch a Thunder win, Subiaco reminded the home fans that the Lions were not going to make it easy. Off some great work from Tarnica Golisano, the experienced skipper got it out to one of the debutants in Amy Mulholland who slammed it on the left boot and put through the games’ first major six minutes into the contest. Kate Bartlett soon levelled the scores a couple of minutes later, with neither team able to really break away.

If the game needed some magic, then ex-Swan Districts forward Nyra Anderson produced that. Getting to the right spot at the top of the goalsquare early in the second term, she received the ball off hands and snapped it around her body. When the experienced Jayme Harten marked just 15m out from goal and made no mistake with the set shot, the Lions had opened up a two-goal lead. That advantage was chiselled into by the dangerous Kira Phillips who would kick her first – though not most memorable – goal of he day with a clever kick off a couple of steps to bounce it home. When a Krystal Carter shot fell short, the Thunder had to head into the main break with a four-point deficit.

That deficit grew to 13 by the final break, as Mulholland – who had her jumper tugged inside 50 – kicked her second, and a costly turnover from Bella Mann – in what was an otherwise fairly solid performance from the defender – lead to another debutant hitting the scoreboard in Hanna Dethlefsen. That would be the last time the Lions scored however, with the last term belonging to the Power.

For most of the 18 minutes, Peel controlled play trying to get it forward, and Aisha Wright – who had been fairly subdued over the first three quarters – came to life. First it was Ebonee Hardie who took a great mark and goal,, with Wright having a couple of chances but just missing. Bartlett and Phillips also peppered the goal, as the margin was cut to a dangerous five points. Cassie Davidson – who had been great all match – laid a game-saving tackle in the dying minutes.

Despite the ball being up Subiaco’s end in the final minute, Peel never lost the faith, and it resulted in the most memorable play of the day. Winning it at half-back, the Thunder put it into the middle for Wright to run onto it. With her opponent unfortunately going to ground and hurting herself, the speedy Wright took grass, knowing there was 30 seconds on the clock. She took a couple of bounces and hit up Phillips who chose to play on and turn and snap rather than opt for the set shot and risk i falling short, with the ball sailing through with the last kick of the day.

Peel Thunder might have won it in the final 30 seconds, but had a stack of strong contributors. Through the midfield, Gracie Fenton (17 disposals, four tackles and four inside 50s), Chloe Wrigley (16 disposals, 12 tackles) and Jaide Britton (15 disposals, two marks and two inside 50s) all stood up through four quarers, whilst Wright had a memorable last term, finishing with 16 touches and four inside 50s. Ebony Dowson (19 disposals, eight marks and three inside 50s) and Davidson (12 disposals, six tackles) showed their experience, whilst debutant Kaitlyn Srhoj wowed onlookers with her breakaway speed.

Harken (20 disposals, four marks, eight tackles and two inside 50s), Mulholland (19 disposals, three tackles) and Golisano (19 disposals, two inside 50s) were all outstanding, whilst Lara Filocamo stepped up with 18 disposals and eight tackles. Another debutant in Helen Taylor (18 disposals) did not look out of place in the League side, whilst Beth Schilling did well on Phillips for the majority, playing at full-back against her former side.

SOUTH FREMANTLE 10.14 (74) defeated WEST PERTH 0.0 (0)

After a two-year drought, South Fremantle broke through for its first win in style, proving far too strong for newcomers West Perth. The Bulldogs only lead by nine points at quarter time, but kicked four goals in the second term, and then powered home with 14 scoring shots in the second half. Though inaccurate at times, the Bulldogs conceded one inside 50 for the entire match, whilst having a whopping 61 themselves, and winning by 74 points.

AFLW Academy member Ashleigh Reidy booted 3.4 from 16 disposals and six marks, whilst fellow Academy member Lauren Wakfer dominated between the ruck and forward, picking up 19 disposals, five marks, seven tackles, 16 hitouts, five inside 50s and booting 1.2. Also among the better players were the likes of Tahlia Holtze, Lauren VecchIo, Kiara Templeman and Lauren Gauci, with the latter AFLW representative making her impact felt. The quartet recorded 22 inside 50s between them. Noa McNaughton slotted 3.3 from 15 disposals and three marks, whilst Hunter Cronin also kicked a couple of majors.

For West Perth, Megan Norbury managed 16 disposals, three marks and three tackles, with Karla Stagg (14 disposals, two marks) and Nicole Bombardieri (13 disposals, three tackles) trying hard. Talented youngster Liliana Grassenis laid a match-high nine tackles to go with her 12 disposals.

CLAREMONT 8.12 (60) defeated SWAN DISTRICTS 1.2 (8)

In a result no-one saw coming – at least from a margin perspective – Claremont put its hand up as a genuine 2022 title contender with a 52-point rout over reigning grand finalists, Swan Districts. The Tigers completely dominated the opening half, piling on 6.4 before Swan Districts had a chance to score. Though the visitors won the third term to cut the deficit to 35 points, Claremont took no chances in the final stanza, slamming home two goals from seven scoring shots to win, 8.12 (60) to 1.2 (8).

Captain and Dhara Kerr medallist Ella Smith fittingly stood up to guide her team to the Dhara Kerr Cup, with a game-high 23 disposals, as well as four marks and three inside 50s. Coming back from a season at AFLW, Katherine Orme managed 21 disposals, nine marks, two tackles and four inside 50s, with both players hitting the scoreboard. Also hitting the scoreboard, Sasha Goranova and Tessa Doumanis both slotted two goals apiece, whilst Mikayla Western looked dangerous up forward, and Claire Ortlepp stood tall up the other end.

For Swan Districts, it was unsurprisingly the defenders who found plenty of the ball, with Lauren Osborne, Emma Nanut and Jaime Henry among the top disposal winners, whilst ruck Sarah Wielstra showed her AFLW experience with 25 hitouts from 11 disposals and four marks. Youngsters Tara Stribley, Abbygail Bushby and captain Jess Cox were all among the better players from the losing side.