THE FOUR WAFL Women’s Round 4 winners dominated our Rookie Me Central Team of the Week, making up 75 per cent of the representatives. East Fremantle and Claremont both picked up five players in the side, while fellow winners West Perth and South Fremantle had the four apiece. Peel Thunder had three representatives, with Swan Districts (two) and Subiaco (one) the others to feature, while East Perth missed out following a heavy loss to East Fremantle.

This week’s hypothetical captain is East Fremantle onballer Ashleigh Gomes after a clear best on ground performance for the Sharks against the Royals. She had 26 disposals, three marks, eight inside 50s and booted a goal. Gomes is joined in the team by fellow midfielders, Beth Beckett and Amber Kinnane, while defender Leanne Gubbins and forward Chloe Reilly made it five Sharks in the team.

Claremont boasted five players including this week’s vice-captain in Jayme Harken, with another midfielder in recent Port Adelaide signing Jasmin Stewart named in the side. Ruck Matilda Dyke was sensational in Round 4 and slotted into the starting ruck role, while up forward, the duo of Adele Arnup and Eva O’Donnell were easy choices after three goals apiece in the Tigers’ win.

South Fremantle’s Tahleah Mulder – who was drafted to Fremantle in the AFLW Supplementary Draft – was named in the centre, while Noa McNaughton‘s round-high five goals made her a standout nomination for the forwardline. Also in the team were fellow Bulldogs, Kahra Sprylan and Charli Wicksteed.

West Perth bought real estate on the half-forward line, with all three representatives being Falcons. Tall Elissa Price covered the ground well rotating across multiple positions, while Katherine Bennett and Grace Betti flanked her. On the bench was winger Megan Norbury, squeezed out by the strength of the midfield this week.

Speaking of wingers on the bench, top AFLW Draft hope Kaitlyn Srhoj was named there, while Peel Thunder teammates, Ebony Dowson and Greta McKinley were named in defence. Of the remaining three players, Swan Districts had defender Emma Nanut and captain Jess Cox make the 24-player squad, while double bottom-ager Olivia Crane was Subiaco’s sole representative. She largely played on a wing, but her flexibility to play in defence made her an easy choice to go back there for this team.

The three Round 4 emergencies were East Fremantle tall Georgie Cleaver, Swan Districts young gun Carys D’Addario and Subiaco captain Tarnica Golisano who all narrowly missed out for the week.

2023 WAFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 4

B: Ebony Dowson (Peel Thunder) – Leanne Gubbins (East Fremantle) – Greta McKinley (Peel Thunder)
HB: Emma Nanut (Swan Districts) – Olivia Crane (Subiaco) – Kahra Sprylan (South Fremantle)
C: Beth Beckett (East Fremantle) – Tahleah Mulder (South Fremantle) – Jasmin Stewart (Claremont)
HF: Katherine Bennett (West Perth) – Elissa Price (West Perth) – Grace Betti (West Perth)
F: Noa McNaughton (South Fremantle) – Adele Arnup (Claremont) – Eva O’Donnell (Claremont)
R: Matilda Dyke (Claremont) – Ashleigh Gomes (East Fremantle) (c) – Jayme Harken (Claremont) (vc)
INT: Jess Cox (Swan Districts) – Amber Kinnane (East Fremantle) – Megan Norbury (West Perth) – Chloe Reilly (East Fremantle) – Kaitlyn Srhoj (Peel Thunder) – Charli Wicksteed (South Fremantle)

EMG: Georgie Cleaver (East Fremantle) – Carys D’Addario (Swan Districts) – Tarnica Golisano (Subiaco)