FINALS action began in the WAFL Women’s competition, and though four teams were eliminated after the end of the regular season, there were still some State Academy members running around. We took a look across the two games and noted down some of the standouts.

EAST FREMANTLE:

Bottom-age speedster Zippy Fish proved a match-winner in the third term by setting up a goal and kicking one of her own in a brilliant purple patch. No stranger to tucking the ball under the arm and going, she used her sensational acceleration and speed to impact the game on the scoreboard. Her major came from a set shot, but her work all around the ground was influential despite only being credited with 11 touches, three marks and four inside 50s.

Tall forward/ruck Anjelique Raison also worked hard across the ground, booting two goals in the game and chopped out at stoppages inside 50. She was able to provide a target inside 50 and brought the ball to ground when she did not mark it, finishing with 11 disposals, three marks, two tackles, seven hitouts, two inside 50s and two goals.

Caylen Crook was the other State Academy member to have a promising day out, recording 11 disposals, three marks, three tackles and two inside 50s. She did her best work around the stoppages and was able to thrust it forward on a number of occasions. Mylee Leitch kicked an important set shot goal in the second term and also had the 11 disposals, as well as two marks, three tackles and two inside 50s for her troubles.

Further afield, Taya Chambers (five disposals, one mark) and Natasha Entwistle (five disposals, one tackle and one inside 50) were relatively quiet but had a couple of nice moments.

SWAN DISTRICTS:

Top-age AFLW Academy member Jaime Henry was the sole representative for the Black Ducks, collecting 16 disposals and taking three marks. She also had a chance on goal that missed running in early n the game. She still cracked in and found plenty of the ball, shovelling it out to teammates and was her side’s most prolific ball winner.

CLAREMONT:

Over-age defender Mackenzie Webb was the sole State Academy member in the match, and she had a tough job often against Bethany Bond. While Bond did kick a couple of goals, Webb was strong one-on-one and did not make life easy, and also rotated onto the deepest forward at times. Her third quarter was particularly prolific and she finished with 12 disposals, one mark and four tackles in the win.

SOUTH FREMANTLE:

All three State Academy members in the game caught the eye and were among the Bulldogs’ best. Double bottom-ager Renee Morgan finished with a game-high 16 disposals, using the ball well in close by hand and being influential at the stoppages. While Claremont ultimately won the midfield battle, she worked hard across the ground.

Molly O’Hehir also held her own at half-back en route to 14 disposals, three marks and four tackles. She coughed up a silly 50m penalty in the opening two minutes for a push in the back on Brooke Whyte, but worked her way into the game with some strong intercepting. Her disposal was more hit and miss than usual but she still had some nice moments.

Fellow bottom-ager Noa McNaughton also looked lively despite not hitting the scoreboard, finishing with 11 disposals, four tackles and five inside 50s, pushing up into the midfield at times.