A SPLIT round in the WAFL Women’s over the past fortnight ensured each team had a bye while maintaining plenty of football for West Australian fans to watch. In a different looking Rookie Me Central WAFL Women’s Team of the Week, it was based around both weekends to ensure each of the teams had a chance to earn spots in the 24-player side.

Claremont maintained its unbeaten streak across the weekend and earned five players in the Team of the Week, one more than fellow winners, Subiaco and West Perth. East Fremantle was the other winner and had three players, with Swan Districts also picking up three. Peel Thunder and South Fremantle had the two apiece, with East Perth having a sole nominee.

Experienced Tiger Kate Orme was named captain in the Round 13 on the wing in the Team of the Year, with East Fremantle bottom-ager Zippy Fish named as vice-captain off half-back. Claremont also had three players inside 50, with Adele Arnup (three goals) being the leading goalkicker for the round. Jacinta Valentini and Rachel Ortlepp were the other forwards named.

The fifth Tiger to make it into the team was key defender Mackenzie Webb, next to Swan Districts defender Eliza Gelmi. Peel Thunder’s regular defensive duo of Evie Cowcher and Ebony Dowson made it in yet again after finding plenty of the ball in Round 14, with South Fremantle’s Kloe Bassett rounding out the back six.

Up the other end of the field, a couple of Lions are on the right side of the forward 50 with Meg Brown and Eva Popovsky there. Subiaco skipper Tarnica Golisano slotted into the centre, while double bottom-ager Olivia Crane was named on the bench.

Rounding out the front six is West Perth’s Grace Betti, with her Falcons teammate Taylor Ferguson (wing) and Emily Bennett (rover) also in the team. On the bench, Bianca Webb found a spot, as did East Perth defender Mel Hardy from the same game.

A duo of Swans are there on the pine as well, with Ruby Mahony and Jasmine Ware making it into the side, as did East Fremantle ruck Laura Catherine. Her Sharks skipper Ashleigh Gomes was named on-ball, while South Fremantle’s Ariana Hetherington was named as the starting ruck.

The three emergencies for the split round were Jayme Harken (Claremont), Jess Ritchie (Subiaco) and Chloe Sauzier (East Perth).

WAFL WOMEN’S TEAM OF WEEK: ROUND 13/14

B: Eliza Gelmi (Swan District) – Mackenzie Webb (Claremont) – Ebony Dowson (Peel Thunder)
HB: Kloe Bassett (South Fremantle) – Evie Cowcher (Peel Thunder) – Zippy Fish (East Fremantle) (vc)
C: Taylor Ferguson (West Perth) – Tarnica Golisano (Subiaco) – Kate Orme (Claremont) (c)
HF: Grace Betti (West Perth) – Jacinta Valentini (Claremont) – Meg Brown (Subiaco)
F: Rachel Ortlepp (Claremont) – Adele Arnup (Claremont) – Eva Popovsky (Subiaco)
R: Ariana Hetherington (South Fremantle) – Ashleigh Gomes (East Fremantle) – Emily Bennett (West Perth)
INT: Laura Catherine (East Fremantle) – Olivia Crane (Subiaco) – Mel Hardy (East Perth) – – Ruby Mahony (Swan Districts) – Jasmine Ware (Swan Districts) – Bianca Webb (West Perth)

EMG: Jayme Harken (Claremont) – Jess Ritchie (Subiaco) – Chloe Sauzier (East Perth)