A COMBINED AFL Sydney/Canberra side was too strong in the women’s representative action, taking down Tasmania by 50 points at UTAS Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Sky Blues were dominant from the first bounce asserting themselves around the contest, led by Zara Hamilton and Caitlin Fletcher who locked the ball inside 50 for the majority of the first half.

The Devils were persistent in their offensive threats but weren’t able to capitalise inside 50, with the Sky Blues blowing the lead out to 28 points by half-time, hammering down the lead.

Tasmania 2.5 (17) def by. Sydney/Canberra 10.7 (67)

It was Fletcher who burst out of the blocks early for the Sky Blues, providing run on the outside of the contest to create inside 50 entries, reading the ball well out of the centre stoppages.

The first goal came off the boot of Michelle Foscarini, who was able to quickly get it on her boot off a quick handball over the top inside 50, opening the Sky Blues account.

Livewire midfielder Zara Hamilton shortly imposed herself on the contest for Sydney/Canberra, attacking the footy around the stoppages, using her run and acceleration to move the ball forward. For the Devils, Madison Lamb provided a strong defensive presence, laying tackles, following up the loose ball, and using the ball well by foot in transition.

The Sky Blues had the last laugh of the first quarter after fending off a lot of Tasmania’s forward pressure, as Brianna-Lee Wade got loose inside 50 to nail a set shot right before the quarter time siren.

Charlotte Vandenberg battled hard for the Devils in the ruck and almost hit the scoreboard floating forward early in the second, narrowly missing a kick off the ground. Olivia Fogarty and Hamilton linked up well in transition to set up Chantel Jones inside the goalsquare for another major.

In transition for the Devils, Sophie Ranken was prominent with her rebound through the corridor, keeping the Devils in the contest with her deep entries inside 50.

Jacinta Limbrick and Jamie Symons were equally as potent in transition for Tasmania, lowering their eyes and switching angles to present scoring shot opportunities, which the Devils were unable to convert.

Limbrick was the key late in the quarter, capitalising on her strong contested marking high up the ground, handballing to the advantage of the running Chloe Haines, who was able to kick a lovely goal on the run right on the siren to get the Devils first major.

The Sky Blues were not keen to allow the Devils a sniff, coming out firing as Caitlin Reid used her strength inside 50 to out-mark her opponent and dish off the handball to the running Hamilton, who nailed her first of the day.

Hamilton electrified the contest with her speed out of the stoppages, using her strength to gain separation, giving the Sky Blues consistent inside 50 entries.

Her fellow midfield counterpart, Fletcher, also took it up another level in the third quarter, powerful out of the stoppages to push off opponents, burst through the corridor and even slotting through a big goal on the run from 40 metres out.

Foscarini was in the right place at the right time again, as she got on the end of a kick over the top from Jones to kick her second.

The Sky Blues got out to a 45-point lead at the final change, which led to a quite contested final quarter with neither side truly finding freedom with the ball in hand.

Grace White stood up for the Devils with her transitional impact, setting up the beginning of a forward chain that allowed Alice Robinson to poke through her first goal of the day.

Down the other end for the Sky Blues, Brooke Bailey capitalised on a loose ball over the top inside 50, shrugging the tacklers and finding Foscarini yet again in the goalsquare for her third of the game.

The icing on top started with an unusual play, where Fleming handballed to herself, kicked down the line to find Fogarty, who took a bounce, striding into goal, putting the game to bed.

TASMANIA  0.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.5 (17)
SYDNEY/CANBERRA 2.3 | 5.6 | 8.7 | 10.7 (67)

GOALS:

Tasmania: C. Haines, A. Robinson
Sydney/Canberra: C. Jones 3, M. Foscarini 3, B. Wade, Z. Hamilton, C. Fletcher, O. Fogarty

BEST:
Tasmania: J. Limbrick, G. White, M. Lamb
Sydney/Canberra: Z. Hamilton, C. Fletcher, M. Foscarini, C. Jones, S. Kavanagh