CLEAN ball movement will be the key to success in the AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division this weekend as the competition reaches Round 5 of action. Though sunny conditions are predicted, with rain anticipated for Sunday, teams will have to prepare for anything in order to come away with the four points.

SYDNEY UNIVERSITY vs. UTS BATS
Saturday, May 6 @ Sydney Uni, 10:55am

The teams might be undefeated and winless respectively, but astute viewers will see this as a close contest and a game Sydney Uni will be desperate to win in order to get on the board. UTS has found all the answers so far but will want to keep working on extractions from contest and finding clean ways to get their runners moving. Ella Parker has been a key player for the Bats this season providing great run and carry, while Emma Walsh has booted two goals in three games and being among the best for Sydney Uni. The Bats showed vulnerability in the first half last week against the Bulldogs and will want to fix that against a tricky Students outfit. The visitors in a nail-biter.

PENNANT HILLS DEMONS vs. MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY GOANNAS
Saturday, May 6 @ Greenway Park, 12:40pm

Third place on the ladder is up for grabs for the winner and the clash should be the closet game of the weekend. Both teams defences are very athletic and miserly, meaning the respective offences will have to work hard to kick a winning score. Thus, individual work in the contests and clearances will be the difference, particularly the side that can link up the best and use the ball most effectively without giving up the corridor. Michala Ford is having a ripping start to the season with nine goals from three games for the Goannas, while Rebecca Ives is one to watch from Pennant Hills. Both teams have two wins from three games this season, with the first side to five goals likely to be the winner.

UNSW-ES BULLDOGS vs. MANLY WARRINGAH WOLVES
Saturday, May 6 @ Henson Park, 2:40pm

Manly stormed back onto the scene last week with a comprehensive 37-point win over Sydney University. Meanwhile UNSW was held scoreless for the majority of the second half against UTS Bats because they didn’t link up with teammates effectively and the pressure around the ball was consistently too much for them to finds linkages. It might be the same again if UNSW cannot get the ball into its forwardline quickly. Hayley Stanford is in great form for the Bulldogs, with Hannah Woolf among the more impressive players for the Wolves this year. Last year’s grand finalists should get the job done and make it back-to-back wins by a few goals.

SOUTHERN POWER vs. EAST COAST EAGLES
Saturday, May 6 @ Waratah Oval, 5pm

Southern Power will be looking for all sorts of internal learnings and bonding their young and inexperienced side together for the future as they take on the league’s benchmark. East Coast coaching staff will want no mercy shown though and encourage their runners to take all the space they can when they extract the ball from the coalface. Ex-Southern Power players who are now at the Eagles, Caitlin Davidson and Jessica Whelan are flying in 2023 and will want to put on a good show on their old home ground. Davidson might cement the league goal kicking lead if she kicks a bag. Laura Kent has been a shining light for the Power in a tough start to the season. Expect a one-sided contest in favour of the visitors.