DESPITE the trio of AFLW Academy members missing and another couple still out with injury, there were plenty of West Australian State Academy members taking to the field for Round 6 in the WAFL Women’s competition. As always we took note of those Academy members, with the notes opinion of the individual author.

West Perth:

#3 Samara Sallie (Defender)
Stats: 8 disposals, 3 tackles

Had a nice couple of moments early where she gathered the ball on the wing between two opponents and stepped between then produced a run off half-back. In a backline under siege, Sallie kept looking to provide run, but sometimes rushed her decision making process in a bid to get it out of the defensive 50 resulting in the ball coming back. Still developing areas of her fundamentals, her athleticism catches the eye.

#7 Mia Russo (Forward)
Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Did what she could in a forwardline starved of opportunities. She only kicked the one behind – and that came in the final minute of the match, but she worked up the ground to get involved best she could, with some slick handballs on the wing or half-forward. A pinpoint pass into Brooke Hongell in the third term was a big tick, but she also gave up a few free kicks on the night.

Claremont:

#24 Bec Anderson (Ruck/Forward)
Stats: 7 disposals, 2 tackle, 4 hitouts, 3 inside 50s

Started in the ruck, and though undersized battled hard around the ground. She set up a scoring chance late in the first term and got the ball inside 50 on a number of occasions. Though her stats do not fly off the page, the over-ager contributed to her side’s success in a tough role.

#33 Juliet Kelly (Defender)
Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 1 hitout, 2 inside 50s

Not always the highest accumulator, it would have been pleasing for Claremont coaching staff to see the ball in Kelly’s hands 14 times. Usually making great decisions with the pill, she also took a great intercept contested mark in the defensive 50. She saved the day on a number of occasions, and as always, was clean with her disposals and able to clear the ball to danger and give her teammates an advantage.

South Fremantle:

#4 Noa McNaughton (Forward)
Stats: 11 disposals, 1 inside 50

Provided her usual spark in the forward half of the ground with some quick steps. She had a nice defensive play midway through the second term up on the wing and stepped between a couple of players after winning it. Unfortunately the kick wen out of bounds, and there were a few cases where it did not work out for McNaughton but she kept battling away. Has had bigger games but got to the fall of the ball when she could.

#14 Jasmine Bazeley (Utility)
Stats: 9 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 behinds

There was not much to do for Bazeley early when stationed in the defensive half, but she did get forward a few times to have a couple of shots on goal including a nice running shot in the final minute of the third term. Though she ended the game with just the two behinds, she showed off her trademark dah.

#19 Zoe Keley (Ruck)
Stats: 9 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 5 hitouts, 2 inside 50s

Keley holds a good line for a ruck and when called upon can take a strong mark as she did late in the first term. Though sharing the load with other talls most weeks, she chopped out for Charlie Vandenberg this round and got to roam around the ground using her good mobility for a tall to work into space.

East Perth:

#3 Lucy Greenwood (Forward)
Stats: 9 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50, 1 goal

Though not easy playing forward for the Royals at times, Greenwood does not need many chances to hurt the opposition. Late in the second term she won it in the middle to kick it inside 50 then followed up on that work. Shortly after while making a lead, Greenwood was pushed and earned a free kick 35m out from goal. She made no mistake from that point to get on the board, and while she did not win a heap of it, is ultra-clean at ground level and dangerous by hand or foot with her vision and skill.

By: Liam Badkin

East Fremantle:

#12 Taya Chambers (Defender)
Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks

Chambers was a key figure in a backline that was near-perfect all day, playing her role well and helping thwart Peel’s attacking plays. In typical fashion, she looked to peel off her direct opponent and intercept the ball, which was often the catalyst for East Fremantle’s inside-50s. Chambers was composed by foot and was able to make the right decision with ball in hand, picking holes in the Thunder’s defensive tactics and finding her teammates more often than not.

#21 Tiani Teakle (Forward)
Stats: 12 disposals, 6 marks, 1 tackle, 4 hitouts, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Teakle was one of East Fremantle’s most active players in a forwardline that was firing on all cylinders. It could not have been a better start to the match for her, pulling in a one-handed mark close to goal in the first minute of the game and converting the set shot. Although it was her only major of the day, Teakle was constantly putting herself in scoring positions and looked dangerous for all four quarters. Her link-up possessions were also important, and helped set up scoring shots for the team’s key forwards as East Fremantle kicked away.

#29 Natasha Entwistle (Defender)
Stats: 9 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles

Chambers’ partner-in-crime may have been slightly quieter, but was still rock solid nonetheless. Entwistle stamped her authority on the game with a strong overhead mark on the last line of defence in the second quarter as the Thunder looked to register a maiden major. As she normally does, Entwistle looked to provide an avenue out of defence wherever possible, and ran hard to create space when rebounding.

Peel Thunder:

#2 Evie Cowcher (Defender)
Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50

Far and away Peel Thunder’s best on the day, Cowcher tried valiantly to provide some run and carry for her side. Whenever she got the ball, the defender looked to take the game on, consistently bursting past her opponent, and showed composure by foot to find a target. Cowcher pushed up the ground to provide a target ahead of the ball, but was returned to defence after the backline was put under immense pressure by East Fremantle’s dominance.

#4 Holly Britton (Midfielder)
Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 2 inside 50s

Another solid performer for the Thunder in a tough day at the office, Britton worked tirelessly all day to provide a spark for Peel wherever she could. Lining up on the wing, she maintained her space outside the contest, and was often the first outlet whenever her side could win the ball on the inside. Britton provided an option for her team whenever the ball was being rebounded out of defensive-50, which was a common occurrence given how often the ball was down there.

#6 Jorja Haines (Forward/Midfielder)
Stats: 2 disposals

Unfortunately, Haines suffered a leg injury in the opening minutes of the contest when laying a bone-crunching tackle. Although she came back on the ground with heavy strapping, it was too tall of an order, and she could not continue in a disappointing result following some impressive form.

#8 Dakota Sexton (Midfielder/Defender)
Stats: 9 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles

Spending time in defence and around the ball, Sexton tried her best to create some spread from the contest and push the ball forward in a game where territory was hard to come by for the Thunder. She had some nice moments by foot when exiting defensive 50 and was composed despite the constant pressure from the East Fremantle forwards.

Swan Districts:

#5 Carys D’Addario (Midfielder)
Stats: 12 disposals, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Though a quieter day from a production perspective, D’Addario still had a nice balance of inside and outside ball-winning moments. She took a good mark inside 50 after finding space and converted the goal following a huge first term, and then bobbed up at different stages across the course of the last three quarters too. Her defensive pressure and ability to read the ball off hands at the ruck stoppage stood out in this one as he held her own once again through midfield.

Subiaco:

#22 Olivia Wolmarans (Forward)
Stats: 13 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Looking dangerous early, Wolmarans converted her sole goal of the day in the sixth minute of the first term after picking up an awkward handball to snap truly from 20m out. She continued to present throughout the match and went up in several aerial contests even if she could not clunk a mark. She set up a goal on the edge of three quarter time too, getting involved in transition at half-forward with a slick handball.