THREE sides moved to 2-0 on the SANFL Women’s ladder in season 2024 after victories over their respective opponents in Round 2. Glenelg, Central District and West Adelaide all picked up wins on the weekend and occupy the top three spots on the ladder.

>> MOTR: Norwood 6.9 (45) defeated South Adelaide 3.7 (25)

Glenelg gets past determined Sturt

Glenelg bounced back from a scoreless first term – and a number of fierce challenges from Sturt – to kick away and win by 26 points at Thebarton on Saturday morning. The Double Blues raced away with the first two goals of the game through young guns Monique Bessen and India Rasheed, but Glenelg roared home with eight of the next 10 goals to record an 8.9 (57) to 4.7 (31) victory.

The wind played havoc on both sides with temperatures continue to rise. Glenelg took full advantage in the second term, slotting four goals with Brooke Tonon breaking the drought, and she was followed up by Grace Duffy and Ellie Kellock in quick succession. The Bays hit the front and then had some breathing space at the main break when Piper Window kjicked truly from a forward stoppage.

Captain Samantha Franson kicked the first and only goal up the non-scoring end just two minutes into the third term, and Glenelg lead by as much as 18 points midway through the quarter. Sturt peppered the goals a little before late majors to Georgia King and India Rasheed cut the deficit to just five points at the final break. Unfortunately for Sturt, Glenelg had the breeze and stormed away, kicking 3.2 while keeping Sturt scoreless up that end again.

Jessica Bates was clearly a standout, racking up a massive 27 disposals, 13 clearances, 11 tackles, six inside 50s and two rebound 50s rotating between midfield and attack. Window (21 disposals, four marks, seven clearances, six tackles, four inside 50s and a goal) was huge, while Port AFLW-listed Jasmin Stewart and former Bays’ skipper Kellock were both vital.

For Sturt, Isobel Kuiper was outstanding across four quarters, collecting 24 disposals, five marks, six clearances, five tackles and five rebound 50s, while Rasheed (21 disposals, five marks, eight tackles and two goals) was eye-catching. Bessen, Alisha Gepp, Kate Harris and Claudia Edmonds were also among the Double Blues’ best.

GLENELG 0.0 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 8.9 (57)
STURT 2.4 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 (31)

GOALS:
Glenelg: E. Kellock 2, B. Tonon 2, G. Duffy, S. Franson, J. Searle, P. Window
Sturt: I. Rasheed 2, M. Bessen, G. King

RMC BEST:
Glenelg: J. Bates, P. Window, J. Stewart, E. Kellock, B. Tonon
Sturt: I. Kuiper, I. Rasheed, A. Gepp, K. Harris, M. Bessen

West proves best again to record back-to-back victories

West Adelaide made it two consecutive years of 2-0 starts, fending off North Adelaide at Hisense Stadium to pick up an 18-point win on Saturday. The first term was a complete arm-wrestle until Jemma Charity broke through for a major, but with the exception of a Julia Clark special early in the third, the scoreboard only really ticked over the Bloods en route to a 5.5 (35) to 2.5 (17) victory.

Clark started on key West Adelaide ball-winner Zoe Venning before the pair went their separate ways to find plenty of the ball each, with the start very hot both in temperature and in pressure. That invited turnovers, but with the breeze it was North that settled sooner thanks to Clark setting up the dangerous Charity inside 50.

With the breeze, West Adelaide attacked hard and got reward for its efforts in the second term as Nicole Hooper, Lauren Young and Chloe Tonkin all converted majors. Despite Young kicking the goal, Sarah Steele-Park had done about as well as anyone could on the star Port Adelaide draftee, while speedster Katelyn Pope was everywhere. For the Bloods, top-ager Asha Dufour was rock solid across the game, helping the midfield win its fair share of the pill on the way to a plus-five clearance differential (24-19).

North trimmed the deficit at the final break to just seven points – and as low as six with Clark’s major – as the Roosters could not quite capitalise with the breeze, but had also stopped West Adelaide from adding to the damage. Unfortunately they could not stop them in the last as Hooper and Tonkin kicked back-to-back goals early to blow it out to 19 points, with the eventual final margin standing at 18 and the teams taking 2-0 and 0-2 records into Round 3 respectively.

Dufour was impressive for the winners picking up 20 disposals, seven marks, five clearances and four inside 50s, working well with Venning (18 disposals, five marks, five clearances and five tackles) and Keeley Kustermann (19 disposals, four marks, five clearances and six inside 50s). Emma Kilpatrick and Jemma Ellis were also among the better players for the winners.

Pope (24 disposals, three marks, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s) and Jess Edwards (23 disposals, three marks, four tackles and four inside 50s) found plenty of the ball, with Steele-Park and Kristi Harvey rock solid in defence alongside Carlton AFLW’s Maddy Guerin. Clark was phenomenal throughout the game with her ball use and decision making.

WEST ADELAIDE 0.2 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 5.5 (35)
NORTH ADELAIDE 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 2.5 (17)

GOALS:
West Adelaide: N. Hooper 2, C. Tonkin 2, L. Young
North Adelaide: J. Clark. J. Charity

RMC BEST:
West Adelaide: A. Dufour, Z. Venning, K. Kustermann, E. Kilpatrick. J. Ellis
North Adelaide: K. Pope, J. Clark, K. Harvey, S. Steele-Park, J. Edwards

Dog day out after unfurling flag

Central District returned home for the first time this season, and after unfurling its premiership flag from last year, went about dismantling the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles. To the Eagles’ credit, they kept fighting to the end, but the skill of Jasmine Evans and power of Katelyn Rosenzweig up forward proved too much as the pair combined for six of the Dogs’ eight goals in the 8.6 (54) to 4.8 (32) victory at The Ponderosa.

The Bulldogs jumped the Eagles early, dominating the inside 50s as Julia Teakle, Rosenzweig, Evans and Lauren Breguet all nailed first quarter goals to hand the Dogs’ a massive 25-point lead at hte first change. Breguet’s goal came after the siren via a free kick moments before, but the strength and class of the Dogs was first choice.

Woodville-West Torrens would five a sniff early in the second as Ashley Baker broke through for her side’s first major, before McKenzie Dowrick got one of the easiest goals she has ever kicked in her career, making up for one moments earlier she shanked. Despite coming back, two more majors to Evans either side of the main break essentially ended the contest with the Bulldogs well on top.

The Eagles cut the deficit back to as little as 17 points at the final break following a Popi Gikas major, but Rosenzweig put any doubts of a Central collapse to bed in the first seven minutes, kicking back-to-back goals and and finish with a more accurate goalkicking display with 3.4 to her name from 13 touches and four marks.

Evans kicked three straight from seven touches and two marks, also laying three tackles, while the Wendland sisters – Caitlin and Kasey – compiled 35 disposals and 20 tackles between them. Breguet was lively with 16 disposals four tackles, three inside 50s and a goal, while Georgia Madigan (16 disposals, four tackles and four rebound 50s) was rock solid in defence.

Poppy Waterford (21 disposals, three marks, 14 tackles and four inside 50s) was enormous with her defensive pressure, teaming up well with Grace Martin (20 disposals, two marks, seven clearances and three rebound 50s). Skipper Annie Falkenberg and fellow defenders Christina Leuzzi and Bianca Portaro were also impressive despite the defeat.

CENTRAL DISTRICT 4.2 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 8.6 (54)
WWT EAGLES 0.1 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.8 (32)

GOALS:
Central District: J. Evans 3, K. Rosenzweig 3, L. Breguet, J. Teakle
WWT Eagles: A. Baker, A. Blanden, M. Dowrick, P. Gikas

RMC BEST:
Central District: K. Rosenzweig, C. Wendland, G. Madigan, L. Breguet, J. Evans
WWT Eagles: P. Waterford, A. Falkenberg, C. Leuzzi, G. Martin, B. Portaro