UTS Bats are flying high off the back of a fifth straight win in the AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division, easily accounting for the winless Sydney University on Saturday. In a round that was incredibly one-sided with 53 points being the closest result, the Bats’ 64-point belting of the Students was part of the course.

After keeping ahead throughout most of the first half, the Bats stormed to an easy win off the back of seven of the last eight goals of the match, 11.10 (76) to 2.0 (12). Coming into the match, the sides had enjoyed very different seasons to say the least, with the Bats having not dropped a game in four matches, while the Students, sitting eighth in the nine-team competition were winless from the same amount of games.

Sydney University was buoyed by the return of Sydney Swans young gun Sofia Hurley who had not played since Round 1 of the season, with the teenager among four inclusions. However on the same note, defender Keiley Mead and top-age forward/ruck Kendra Blattman were key outs for the Students.

UTS Bats, fresh off a come-from-behind win over UNSW-ES Bulldogs by 20 points at Waverley Oval, had brought back Gillian Behan to replace AFLW Academy member Marnie Robinson, while bottom-age draft prospect Ella Parker was also out to represent the Swans Academy against the Gold Coast Suns. However they did get to recall GIANTS Academy tall Ammie Vamah.

The home side got off to the perfect start when the first goal game off a clearance from captain Maryanne Harley to one of her deputies Stephanie Gillon who made no mistake from the set shot. As if to repeat the play, the Bats did the exact same out of the middle with April Devine marking on the lead but being unable to complete the play and registered just one behind. Just a few minutes later through, the forward press enabled Beth Martini to kick truly and the Bats never looked back.

UTS Bats would control proceedings providing run out of defence and getting repeat forward entries time and time again, peppering the goals. By quarter time, the Bats had booted 4.3 to 1.0 with the last seven scoring shots of the quarter going the way of the second placed side.

Both teams had chances early in the second term, but the defence led by Hurley was sensational for the Students as they refused to give them too many easy looks and pressuring the Bats right to the line. In the end it took a bit of Melissa Lindsay magic in the pocket to break through the stringent defence and extend the lead out to 29 points.

Molly Cameron‘s dominance in the ruck was keeping the home side in it, often getting first hands to it, and the Bats midfield was having to shark the taps to win the clearances. Behan snapped a clever goal midway through the quarter and the lead was out to a game-high 35 points. While the Students would reply through Annika Durante to reduce the half-time deficit to five goals, they could not get enough good looks to have an impact.

UTS Bats would go on to kick the last five goals of the match, while holding the Students scoreless in the second half to record a memorable 11.10 (76) to 2.0 (12) victory. Sydney University has some nice run and impressive defenders, as well as Cameron controlling proceedings in the middle, but ultimately, not enough scoring options to get the job done.

Harley led from the front in the midfield, with the skipper named among the best with Cameron and Hurley. For the winners, the contributions were well spread as vice-captain Lindsay finished with five majors to be named best on ground in the victory, while Georgina McDonnell and Tanya Kennedy were also impressive across the course of the game.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

The tightest match of Round 5 belonged to the Henson Park battle between UNSW-ES Bulldogs and Manly Warringah Wolves. It was the latter who took home the four points despite the former taking a one-point lead into quarter time. After the first break, the Wolves piled on 8.8 to 0.2 in a dominant performance to run away 9.8 (62) to 1.3 (9) winners. Ashley Carter booted three goals in a captain’s performance for the Wolves, while youngster London Ashcroft kicked a goal and was named among the best.

At the other end of the scale, ladder leaders and reigning premiers East Coast Eagles showed no mercy against the rebuilding Southern Power, slamming home 33 goals in a whopping 219-point shellacking at Waratah Oval. The Eagles booted 10 goals in the first term and had 174 points on the board by the final break, before an inaccurate 6.9 in the final term saw them finish with 33.21 (219) to the Power’s 0.0 (0). Teagan Germech was named best on, booting three goals as part of seven multiple goalkickers, though Caitlin Davidson (10) and Brooke Bailey (nine) were unstoppable up forward for the Eagles.

In the other match, Macquarie University Goannas held Pennant Hills Demons goalless for a 65-point victory at Greenway Park. The Goannas kept the home side scoreless in the first term to open up a four-goal lead by quarter time, and while the Demons did well to contain the visitors to just six goals across the next three quarters, could not put the score on the board themselves and the Goannas won, 10.8 (68) to 0.3 (3). Lauren Easton was best-on in the win with four majors, while Amie Maguire stood tall for the Demons in defeat.