IT was a memorable round of West Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s action, with Kate Bartlett stealing the show once again. The Peel Thunder forward slammed home seven goals – five in the final term, to help her side fight back from a 20-point deficit to South Fremantle and post a 14-point win. The Thunder leapfrogged Swan Districts who suffered a loss to Subiaco, with the Lions keeping their finals hopes alive, as East Fremantle put West Perth to the sword as expected, to remain undefeated.

East Fremantle flexed its muscles over the winless West Perth, storming to a 91-point victory over the Falcons. Though the last placed Falcons had been more competitive the past month, they were no match for the ultra-impressive Sharks who are yet to be beaten in season 2022. They slammed home 23 scoring shots to two, and whilst West Perth managed to keep them to no more than four goals in a quarter, it all accumulated in the 15-goal win.

The Sharks had multiple scoring options with Ashlee Atkins continuing her red-hot form, racking up 26 disposals, taking 11 marks, laying seven tackles and slotting three goals in a best on ground performance. Larissa Versaci (22 disposals, nine marks) and Julia Teakle (12 disposals, seven marks) also dominated in the air, each slotting three goals. Through the midfield, the likes of Sharon Wong (28 disposals, four marks, four tackles and four inside 50s), Amber Kinnane (25 disposals, four marks and five inside 50s) and Zippy Fish (25 disposals, four marks and six inside 50s) took control. Bottom-age AFLW Academy talent Georgie Cleaver made a big return to the side, taking eight marks to go with 22 disposals, seven tackles, eight hitouts and five inside 50s in the win.

Jessica Roper amassed 21 disposals, three marks and seven tackles to be the standout Falcon again, with State Academy members Megan Norbury (14 disposals, six marks and two tackles) and Kayla Van Den Heever (13 disposals, two marks and three tackles) were busy. Keely Byrne (13 disposals, six tackles), Kaitlyn Roper (11 disposals, seven tackles) and Cameron Dawson (six disposals, 20 hitouts) tried hard in the heavy loss.

East Fremantle has the bye in Round 14, whilst West Perth travel to Leederville Oval to lock horns with Subiaco from 2pm.

EAST FREMANTLE 4.0 | 8.3 | 11.6 | 14.9 (93)
WEST PERTH 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 (2)

GOALS:

East Fremantle: A. Atkins 3, J. Teakle 3, L. Versaci 3, H. O’Donnell, E. Sanders, T. Revell, A. Nokes, P. Prentice
West Perth: Nil.

RMC BEST:

East Fremantle: A. Atkins, S. Wong, L. Versaci, Z. Fish, A. Kinnane
West Perth: J. Roper, M. Norbury, K. Van Den Heever, K. Byrne, K. Roper

A seven-goal performance from sharpshooter Kate Bartlett has lifted Peel Thunder to a jaw-dropping come-from-behind victory against South Fremantle. A loss would have seen the Thunder slip out of the top four, and as fate would have it, Peel has now leapt into third spot with the win. On the ropes at half-time by 15 points and as much as 20 points early in the third term, the Thunder needed a hero and it came in the form of Bartlett who slammed home five second half goals to lead her team to victory by 14 points, 9.7 (61) to 7.5 (47).

Bartlett finished with 13 disposals, three marks, three tackles, two inside 50s and 7.1 for the game, with only three goalkickers for the Thunder. The other two were the speedy Aisha Wright and Jaide Britton who each kicked a goal, with Wright collecting 15 touches, three marks, five tackles and six inside 50s, whilst Britton had an equal game-high 20 disposals, as well as five marks and four inside 50s. Chloe Wrigley also racked up 20 touches and laid a game-high nine tackles, whilst Ebony Dowson (16 disposals, two marks and two tackles) and Kaitlyn Srhoj (14 disposals, five marks, two tackles and six inside 50s) were also impressive in the win.

Returning to the side, Lauren Wakfer had a day out in the ruck, amassing 26 hitouts to go with 14 touches, two marks and three tackles, whilst Zoe Huggett returned to the WAFLW for the first time in 12 months, slotting three goals in the win. Leila Fotu (16 disposals, four tackles), Kiara Templeman (15 disposals, three marks and four inside 50s), Casey Byrne (14 disposals) and Liusaidh Gilchrist (13 disposals, six tackles) were also among the better South players.

Peel Thunder head back home to Mandurah next Saturday to host Swan Districts, whilst South Fremantle head to Claremont on Sunday in a crunch clash for the Bulldogs.

SOUTH FREMANTLE 1.1 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 (47)
PEEL THUNDER 1.2 | 3.2 | 7.4 | 9.7 (61)

GOALS:

South Fremantle: Z. Huggett 3, P. Stockwell 2, R. Anderson, K. Sprylan
Peel Thunder: K. Bartlett 7, J. Britton, A. Wright

RMC BEST:

South Fremantle: L. Wakfer, Z. Huggett, L. Fotu, L. Gilchrist, C. Byrne
Peel Thunder: K. Bartlett, A. Wright, J. Britton, E. Dowson, K. Srhoj

Subiaco has kept its finals hopes alive with a crucial 17-point win over Swan Districts, moving just four points and percentage out of the top four with a game-in-hand on the Swans, and four matches remaining. The Lions got off to the perfect start to lead by 10 points at the first break, and 11 at the second, which was a game-high lead until the final term. At one stage a Taylah Edwards goal put the Swans in front, but a goal just a minuet later from Hanna Dethlefsen handed Subiaco back the lead. From that point on, they booted two more goals to make it the last three goals of the game, and record the 6.9 (45) to 4.4 (28) victory.

Dethlefsen booted two goals from seven touches, but it was Amy Mulholland who stepped up on the scoreboard, slamming home three goals from 16 touches, four marks and six inside 50s. Captain Tarnica Golisano starred for another week with a match-high 25 disposals, as well as five marks, six tackles and five inside 50s, whilst fellow midfielders Jayme Harken (17 disposals, three marks and four inside 50s) and Tiah Toth (18 disposals, four marks, four tackles and four inside 50s) looked good.

For Swan Districts, bottom-age jet Jaime Henry was the best, picking up a team-high 19 disposals, seven tackles and six inside 50s, as well as taking four marks. Aimee Ralph (17 disposals, five marks) tried hard in defence, with youngsters Abbygail Bushby (15 disposals, two marks, three tackles and four inside 50s) and Emma Nanut (14 disposals, four marks) also amongst the best in the loss.

Swan Districts travel to Mandurah next Saturday for a massive third-against-fourth clash with Peel Thunder, whilst Subiaco hosts West Perth on Sunday at Leederville Oval.

SUBIACO 2.4 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 6.9 (45)
SWAN DISTRICTS 1.0 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 4.4 (28)

GOALS:

Subiaco: A. Mulholland 3, H. Dethlefsen 2, M. Maclachlan
Swan Districts: E. McGuire 2, T. Edwards, H. Ugle-Hayward

RMC BEST:

Subiaco: A. Mulholland, T. Golisano, J. Harken, T. Toth, M. Maclachlan
Swan Districts: J. Henry, A. Ralph, A. Bushby, E. Nanut, T. Edwards