AFTER so many near misses, Perth Demons became the first expansion club in WAFL Women’s history to win a match in their inaugural season when they overcame South Fremantle by 12 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval yesterday. The Demons lead at every break, but had several opponents on the back foot in recent weeks so the final siren came as a relief with the visitors ahead, 5.4 (34) to 3.4 (22).

The win was not just a relieving one though, with so much time and effort put into the club over the off-season bringing in quality recruits and an experienced head coach in Jess Sedunary. Determined to be competitive, though it took a few weeks to hit their straps, the Demons pushed even the very best sides, including the unbeaten Subiaco, and last year’s preliminary finalists West Perth where on both occasions Perth was in front during the last quarter.

While those matches went against the Demons, their trip to Fremantle on the weekend would finally tip in their favour. Fittingly, it was the experienced recruits who stood tall in the win with ex-Lion Taya Strickland booting three goals including the only two majors in the second half. When slotting her third with a minute to go, she put the sweetest icing on the cake and the Demons could enjoy just 60 seconds of realisation before the bliss set in with the final siren.

Strickland was the finisher, but the match was spearheaded by Queensland recruit Jasmine Single – the young sister of current Sun Lucy – who has been enormous on a wing all season. She followed coach Sedunary – who coached the Suns Academy prior to her Perth appointment – from the east coast to west coast and has filled out that specialist role.

Also joining Sedunary was former Saint Isabella Shannon who played the 2020 season with her coach at St Kilda, and she joined ex-Peel Thunder midfielder Holly Britton as inaugural captains of the Demons. Yesterday, the pair were strong once more with Shannon notching up 21 disposals, three marks, nine tackles and inside 50s, second only to Single who racked up 29 disposals, three marks and six tackles.

Coming up from the Mandurah-based club with Britton was fellow West Australian representative Jorja Haines who showed her typical ferociousness at the ball, laying seven tackles from 17 touches and four inside 50s. Then there was the young top-age defender in Addison Opalinski who was one of the few not playing in the State Academy trial match, but instead tasted a rare slice of history instead.

The win was an incredible moment for the Perth Football Club, while on the flip side, the Bulldogs – who were missing a host of key players including Bailey Hunt, Renee Morgan and Marie Polimeno – missed the opportunity to pounce on a top four spot. Behind West Perth on percentage, the Bulldogs have the unbeaten Subiaco and Claremont, as well as third placed Swan Districts in three of the next four rounds,

Still, despite the loss, there were positives to be take from the contest with ex-Docker Tahleah Mulder a clear best-on for her side, picking up 30 disposals, four inside 50s and laying a tame-high 13 tackles. Young left-footer Jasmine Bazeley also thrived in teh conditions laying 11 tackles from 12 touches and five inside 50s, while Annalie Polimeno, Shannyn Pomersbach and Tara Stribley also found plenty of the ball.

Perth takes on the second placed Tigers in Round 12 which will be a stiff task for the Demons, with the top ranked Subiaco coming after their Round 13 bye. Regardless of how the rest of their season goes, the Demons broke a streak that no expansion team before them has been able to do. Not only that, but the Demons are off the bottom of the latter with a higher percentage than the Royals.

SOUTH FREMANTLE 1.2 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 (22)
PERTH 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 5.4 (34)

GOALS:
South Fremantle: A. Polimeno, Z. Huggett, M. Hadley
Perth: T. Strickland, A. Wyatt, N. House

RMC BEST:
South Fremantle: T. Mulder, A. Polimeno, J. Bazeley, T. Stribley, H. Burt
Perth: T. Strickland, J. Single, I. Shannon, J. Haines, H. Britton

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Swan Districts put away West Perth to further lock in a third placed spot in this year’s WAFL Women’s finals series, going eight points clear of the Falcons. The result made it back-to-back losses for West Perth, with the Swans coming away with the 8.6 (54) to 3.3 (21) victory. Jaime Henry‘s return was vital with the midfielder laying 15 tackles from 20 touches, while Kayley King kicked two goals from 21 disposals. Madison Dodd tried hard from the Falcons.

Subiaco’s unbeaten streak rolled on with an inaccurate, but effective two-goal win over East Fremantle. The Lions booted 5.10 (40) to 4.4 (28) with Aimee Schmidt booting a couple of majors. Paige Sheppard had a match-high 31 disposals in the win with four marks and five tackles, while Krstel Petrevski was busy once again. Madison Evans worked tirelessly in defence for the Sharks.

In the other match, Peel Thunder all but confirmed they would avoid a second successive wooden spoon with a 26-point triumph over East Perth. The Thunder won 5.9 (39) to 1.7 (13) with the experience of Chloe Wrigley, Ebony Bilcich and Ebony Dowson all coming to the fore. Layla Firns and Hayley O’Donnell did what they could for the Royals to no avail in the defeat at Lane Group Stadium.