ROUND 6 saw the Swans and Giants continue their dominant stints in the VFL Women’s, while the Cats had an eye-catching win over the Roos. We took note of some of the VFLW-listed players who impressed across the weekend. All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

Southern Saints 3.7 (25) lost to Casey Demons 6.5 (41)

Southern Saints:

#29 Chloe Hunt (Forward)
02/12/1997 | 175cm

Stats: Six disposals, five tackles, four hitouts, two marks

Although Hunt did not kick any goals on the weekend, she was still able to show off some versatility and other forward craft skills away from her goal kicking. She was continuously displaying strong marking and tackling abilities, and even did some pinch hitting in the ruck.

#39 Gabriella De Angelis (Midfielder/Forward)
17/11/2000 | 161cm

Stats: 20 disposals, four marks, two clearances, two tackles

De Angelis was playing further up the ground than she usually does, as more of a high-forward, and she slotted into that role seamlessly. She was able to use her speed to her advantage, able to scoop up the ball in midfield then drive the ball deep into attack where her taller teammates could mark it.

Casey Demons:

#8 Shree Fairchild (Midfielder)
08/12/1995 | 155cm

Stats: 14 tackles, 10 disposals, one clearance

A tackling machine, Fairchild certainly kept busy through midfield. She was relentless with her defensive pressure, ensuring that clean possessions were going to be hard to come by for anyone near her.

#19 Niamh O’Neill (Forward)
10/05/1996 | 171cm

Stats: 13 disposals, four marks, four clearances, three tackles, three goals

There was a bit of a positional change up for the Irishwoman on the weekend, and she just continued to flourish. Playing more through the midfield than usual, she also played plenty of time in the forwardline, and used the angles well to score three goals and become the only multiple goal kicker on the ground.

North Melbourne (5.5.35) lost to Geelong (8.11.59)

By: Peter Williams

North Melbourne:

#2 Tahlia Meier (Forward/Midfielder)
19/10/2003 | 155cm

Stats: 19 disposals, four marks, four tackles, three inside 50s

Meier was lively playing between forward and midfield, putting her body on the line consistently and showing great vision with ball-in-hand. Her second and third efforts stood out, because when she did get dispossessed or turnover the ball, she hunted the opposition to win it back. Though not able to kick a major when she had a fresh air kick in the opening term, she put pressure on the opposition defence kicking to the hotspot.

#6 Brooke Sheridan (Defender/Forward)
08/09/20054 | 170cm

Stats: 11 disposals, two marks, four tackles, two inside 50s, one rebound 50, two behinds

Had an impact up both ends, starting in defence and producing a highlight with a super clean pickup in the defensive goalsquare to save the day, dishing off by hand to a teammate after spinning away from her opponent. In the fourth term, she ran hard to have a flying shot under pressure that unluckily hit the post, then after laying a great tackle and winning a free kick for holding the ball, had a set shot that missed to the left.

#40 Nyakoat Dojiok (Forward)
07/01/2003 | 175cm

Stats: 13 disposals, three marks, one tackle, three hitouts, one inside 50, one goal, one behind

Dojiok provided energy in the front half of the ground, playing forward and kicked the Roos’ first goal of the day two minutes in to respond to the Cats’ fast opener. She worked up to the wing at times and presented well, even taking a good mark at half-back during the second term. She had some lively moments including a snap on goal late in the third, but the snap just lacked penetration and it was marked in the goalsquare.

Geelong:

#17 Lily Jordan (Midfielder)
29/06/2005 | 165cm

Stats: 10 disposals, eight tackles, four clearances, four inside 50s, one rebound 50

Jordan was massive defensively and continued to harass the opposition throughout the match. While she did not win a lot of it herself and quite often was forced to kick under immense pressure which caused turnovers, she also hunted the ball carrier and threw herself at everything.

#65 Seisia White (Forward/Midfielder)
07/10/2006 | 164cm

Stats: 11 disposals, three marks, seven tackles, three clearances, four inside 50s, one rebound 50

White had a handy debut, using the ball well and running hard all over the ground. She set up a couple of nice kicks to her Geelong Falcons’ teammate Woods, and also provided a goal assist to Chantal Mason with a long kick to the goalsquare after a mark inside 50. A damaging transitional player who can hit targets inside 50.

#72 Kiara Woods (Forward)
27/11/2006 | 182cm

Stats: 10 disposals, four marks, two inside 50s, two goals, two behinds

Woods had an incredible start to the game, kicking two goals in the first term and looking the main danger up forward for the Cats. Her size worried her opponents, and she competed well body-on-body. She could have had a huge day out but missed a couple of opportunities, though Woods made her presence felt even if she did not win the ball in a standout performance.

Collingwood 4.7 (55) lost to Essendon 10.4 (64)

Collingwood:

#50 Kaitlyn Day (Forward)
24/12/1994 | 168cm

Stats: 15 disposals, five clearances, four marks, two tackles, two goals, one behind

A lively choice up forward, Day was one of the picks of the bunch when it came to getting goals on the board for the Pies. Day presented well all day and was not afraid to take on the pack. She also helped set up her teammates for scoring shots.

Essendon:

#73 Sophie Molan (Forward)
24/03/2001 | 175cm

Stats: Nine disposals, four marks, four tackles, two goals

Playing more of a forward role than usual did not seem to affect Molan, who just took everything in her stride. Her strong marking was one of her biggest weapons, and her powerful kicking saw her kick two majors.

#75 Ellie Huggard (Midfielder)
18/02/1994 | 171cm

Stats: 15 disposals, five marks, four tackles

Huggard was one of the key cogs in Essendon’s midfield, helping create plenty of run and drive through the centre of the park. She was a strong marking target, and reliable enough that she could be counted on to be that focal point coming down the ground.

#77 Tia Davidge (Forward)
07/11/2004 | 169cm

Stats: 11 disposals, four marks, two goals, one behind, one tackle

Davidge was the imposing target Essendon truly needed in their forwardline. Not only did Davidge equally lead the goal kicking for the game, but her strong ability to mark, both stationary and on the lead, was impressive.

Port Melbourne 2.6 (18) lost to GWS 6.7 (43)

Port Melbourne:

#36 Ava Seton (Midfielder)
19/04/2004 | 165cm

Stats: 22 disposals, nine tackles, seven clearances, one mark

It was another strong showing from the Queenslander, who continues to be one of the core members of Port Melbourne’s midfield. Seton spent much of the match in and under the bottom of packs, trying to wrestle forward momentum for her side.

GWS:

#2 Grace Buchan (Defender)
23/11/1995 | 169cm

Stats: Nine disposals, five marks, two rebound 50s

Despite not being an AFLW listed player, Buchan is one of the most experienced players playing for the Giant in this VFLW spell and it showed on the weekend. Her level head on the last line of defence was crucial as  she took a number of key intercept marks and was restarting many a foray forward.

#21 Zoe Hurrell (Midfielder)
15/10/2001 | 168cm

Stats: 10 disposals, four clearances, three marks, three tackles

Hurrell was one of the main drivers through midfield for the Giants. Her productiveness was impressive, making every disposal she had effective and setting up many an attack up forward.

#31 Sophie Kavanagh (Forward)
06/11/2004 | 166cm

Stats: 13 disposals, three marks, one inside 50, one rebound 50, one goal, one behind

Kavanagh was impressive up forward for the Giants, proving to be rather lively and pop up at just the right time. She proved to be a strong marker and has an impressive amount of power and kick, and is also very composed playing against athletes much older than her.

Western Bulldogs 6.7 (43) defeated Carlton 3.7 (25)

Western Bulldogs:

#56 Renee Saulitis (Forward)
14/08/2002 | 163cm

Stats: 13 disposals, two marks, two goals, one behind, one tackle, one clearance

Saulitis was one of a number of Bulldogs forwards who really used their overhead marking ability to advantage. She showed the confidence to strongly mark in contested situations, and turn around and slot through a match high two goals.

#62 Sarah Skinner (Midfielder)
15/10/1999 | 166cm

Stats: 17 disposals, three marks, three tackles, two clearances

A determined presence through midfield, Skinner was an important player in multiple ways. Not only did she create plenty of drive through midfield, but her tackling pressure ensured her Carlton opponents could not.

#66 Keeley Hardingham (Ruck/Forward)
25/12/2003 | 182cm

Stats: 22 disposals, 20 hitouts, six tackles, four clearances, two goals, one behind

Hardingham’s height and strength were some of her biggest advantage’s on the weekend, and she used it really well. Whether in the forwardline taking strong marks and accurately using the angles to kick some goals or whether she was in the ruck, it was just as important.

Carlton:

#2 Layla Prince (Defender)
05/06/2003 | 164cm

Stats: Five disposals, three marks, one tackle

Although only in her first season in the competition, Prince is really growing into a player who truly belongs at this level. Playing on the last line of defence on the weekend, she took a number of crucial intercept marks and repelled plenty a Bulldog attack, but also did so with a calmness and confidence beyond her age and experience.

Williamstown 8.9 (57) defeated Darebin 2.7 (19)

Williamstown:

#6 Emily Eaves (Midfielder)
18/04/2001 | 165cm

Stats: 11 disposals, 10 tackles, four clearances, one mark, one goal, one behind

It was another impressive outing for the star midfielder. She continued to create plenty of drive through the midfield, while also delivering plenty of defensive pressure through tackles and other actions.

#25 Sharnie Whiting (Forward)
23/08/2000 | 172cm

Stats: Nine disposals, three marks, three goals, two tackles

The Seagulls’ key tall continued to show her versatility in another strong performance. She played multiple areas of the grounds, had an aerobic capacity that did not match her height and was continuously landing the strong marks and delivering on the goal kicking front.

#37 Cat O’Bryan (Ruck)
20/07/1982 | 178cm

Stats: 24 hitouts, 11 disposals, six clearances, one tackle, one goal

O’Bryan may be one of the Seagulls’ newer faces, but she impressed in a way more than her game experience may suggest. One of her strongest assets was her effectiveness with her tap work, changing up where she would tap the ball but it would still regularly end up in Seagull hands.

Darebin:

#37 Grace Wake (Defender)
13/07/2003 | 166cm

Stats: 13 disposals, five tackles, three clearances, two marks

It was a composed and mature performance from the young defender. Playing across the last line of defence, Wake was composed under pressure, and took a number of key marks and applied really strong tackle pressure.

#52 Monique DeMatteo (Forward)
24/05/1997 | 168cm

Stats: four disposals, three tackles, two goals, one behind, one mark

De Matteo continues to show why she is such an important key forward in the Darebin setup. Darebin’s only goal scorer for good reason, de Matteo is a hard working forward, who combined with a strong marking ability and powerful kick is able to consistently get scoring opportunities.

Box Hill 3.1 (19) lost to Sydney 12.10 (82)

Hawthorn:

#60 Rosie Dillon (Defender)
19/03/1996 | 165cm

Stats: 10 disposals, two tackle, two clearances, one mark

Playing off half-back, Dillon was a key driver through the midfield for her side. She has a powerful kick, and was able to utilise it to clear a chunk of the Swans’ defensive strategy and drive deep into attack for her side.

#63 Paula Pavic (Ruck/Forward)
23/09/2004 | 176cm

Stats: Eight hitouts, seven disposals, two clearances, one mark, one goal

Pavic began the game as the ruck, contesting the first centre bounce, but found more influence later in the match. This was when she moved more into the forward line, where she was able to use her agility to snap a goal around her body.

Sydney:

There was no non-AFLW listed players playing for the Swans on the weekend.