ROUND 6 of the WAFL Women’s brought some classic contests on the positive, and unfortunately one significant injury concern, with Lunay Van Den Heever going down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury early in West Perth’s clash against Peel Thunder. We took note of how the remaining academy members fared across the four games.

>> ROUND 6: Recap

All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

EAST FREMANTLE:

#18 Cienna Leslie (Defender)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle

Leslie had a quieter day by disposal count but continued to show her value in defensive positions, with an intercept mark on the quarter-time siren to prevent a potential opposition score her most important individual act. Her second half was more active – a long kick down the wing from a handball receive at half-back in the third term and some good pressure acts in the fourth, including strong defensive work in the 11th minute, showed the two-way traits that have made her a consistent academy performer. Limited touches but impactful when called upon given East Fremantle was largely in control of the game

#37 Olivia McCay (Wing)

Stats: 12 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 1 behind

McCay was busy up and down the wing throughout, with her second-quarter set shot hitting the post from a follow-up mark unlucky but showed her repeat contest work after delivering the ball inside 50 to the player she received the ball off. She showed clean hands at half-back in the third term and her best moment came in the final quarter, taking a clean mark on the wing and placing a nicely weighted kick down the line. A reliable and hardworking presence across the ground.

PERTH:

#2 Mia Carlshausen (Defender)

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles

Carlshausen was again composed and impactful in the defensive half, producing two potential goal-saving acts – a brilliant smother in the third term and a mark on the goalline before the ball could go through. Her clean hands and intercept ability were consistent features, including a terrific drive out of defence off the deck in the second term, and she showed real composure when unexpectedly called to play on, not panicking and finding a clean disposal. Unlucky to have a controversial moment when East Fremantle kicked a goal she claimed she had touched. Perth’s most reliable academy performer continued her consistent season.

SUBIACO:

#10 Caitlin Boss (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Boss was buzzing around the forward half all day, showing ultra-clean hands in traffic and doing the quick one-two work that creates opportunities for teammates. Undersized in a one-on-one against Madison Evans in the final term, she still competed hard and showed fantastic pressure acts in attack. A snap on goal couldn’t get the penetration required, and she was pinged for a throw in the defensive 50 when tackled front-on – but the overall picture was of a player who is always in the right areas and never stops moving. Her clean hands at ground level and decision making more often than not is superb.

#37 Marley Kelman (Defender)

Stats: 10 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50

Kelman was competitive and hard-working from the defensive half, with a massive holding-the-ball tackle to win the ball and convert it to the wing in the third term a memorable moment, showing both her physicality and her clean ball use after winning it. She was unlucky to be pinged for holding the ball in the first term while trying to handball, but she was not afraid to take the game on herself when required.

SOUTH FREMANTLE:

#31 Marie Polimeno (Defender)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles

Polimeno came off the bench and made her presence felt immediately, saving a goal with a smother in defence and following it up with a clean intercept mark and safe switch in the second term. She locked the ball up well in defensive 50 on multiple occasions and capped her day with a huge late tackle alongside an important mark and tidy chip across the ground. A player who makes things happen regardless of her disposal count.

EAST PERTH:

#8 Charli Bassett (Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50

Bassett had a quiet start from the bench but built strongly as the game went on, laying a couple of incredible run-down tackles on opponents, including State Academy teammates, Hirst and Yarran. She kept trying all game despite limited early minutes and finished as one of East Perth’s most competitive contributors. The attitude and pressure acts are consistently there.

SWAN DISTRICTS:

#3 Grace Hirst (Midfielder/Defender)

Stats: 19 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 6 inside 50s

Hirst was one of the best players on the ground across four quarters, finishing with 19 disposals and six inside 50s in a strong two-way performance. She got better as the game went on – building through a solid first half into a dominant final term where she drove the ball forward consistently from the midfield and won a holding-the-ball free kick. Her ability to look inside before stepping to the boundary to create space and kick inside 50 was a recurring theme, and seven tackles reflected her defensive pressure alongside the accumulation.

#12 Keira Fawcett (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

Fawcett had a dream start to her debut, with the Under 16s All-Austrailan taking a mark back with the flight and then nailed her first WAFLW goal with great composure. She was a genuine aerial threat every time the ball came near her, flying high for a spoil in the second term before laying a tackle at ground level and winning a free kick. Her final passage was equally impressive – setting up a late goal to Ashley Sharp with a tidy kick to the goalsquare one-on-one. Dangerous, composed and a real aerial threat. A strong debut showing.

#13 Shaya Yarran (Wing/Forward)

Stats: 5 disposals, 4 tackles, 1 goal

Yarran did not win a heap of it after being moved from the wing to forward for a different look, but made her moment count in the third term where she nailed a crucial goal to keep the Swans foot down. Her defensive pressure wherever she played was a big tick, and her value lies in her two-way ability and knack for worrying the opposition once the ball hits the deck.