WHILE several State Academy members were rested or still injured from the WAFL Women’s in Round 11, each match featured a number of promising AFLW Draft talents, as we took note of how each performed. All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

WAFLW Round 11 | Weekly Wrap | Player Focus (Megan Norbury) | Team of the Week

Subiaco:

#22 Olivia Wolmarans (Forward/Ruck)
Stats: 23 disposals, 6 marks, 9 tackles, 12 hitouts, 8 inside 50s, 1 goal

Wolmarans started in attack and did well rotating between forward and giving Tess Lyons a chop out in the ruck. She found a stack of the ball and was able to impact overhead and at ground level, showing great defensive pressure for tall. Mobile below her knees, Wolmarans kicked a nice goal and did a bit of everything with a fend-off to an opponent late in the third term, and a low bullet inside 50 a quarter earlier, among the highlights. Was one of the most impressive State Academy members across the weekend.

Swan Districts:

#5 Carys D’Addario (Midfielder)
Stats: 20 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Always cracking in and getting her hands dirty, Round 11 was no different for D’Addario who won plenty of ball around the stoppages, and then drops out to be either a kick behind play or pushing further afield. Her clean hands at ground level stood out, and while often immediately tackled at the coalface, D’Addario has the strength to stand up in tackles and still dish off handballs.

#12 Sienna Gerardi (Forward)
Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

Gerardi is one of those players whose six touches look about 15 such is her impact-per-possession. She has little ‘moments’ where she threatens to tear a game apart, and while she only had the modest six touches for one goal, looks one for the future. She is classy, clever and clean and midway through the last quarter had a multiple bounce run along the wing going forward, kicking deep inside 50.

East Fremantle:

#12 Taya Chambers (Defender)
Stats: 9 disposals, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Rebounding from the defence on a number of occasions early, Chambers started the game strongly to repel early West Perth attacks. Two minutes into the second half, Chambers came of with a blood nose, but returned and provided her usual competitive effort both in the air – via spoils – and ground level – via pressure acts – throughout the match. She set up Ash Atkins for a set shot on goal when she went inside 50 late in the match.

#21 Tiani Teakle (Defender/Forward)
Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 8 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 goal

Teakle found herself in defence for a change of scenery early, and looked impressive behind the ball. She spoiled, got back on the last line and mopped up, and used her penetrating kick to clear the danger zone. In the third term Teakle pushed forward in a low-scoring contest and took a great intercept mark 40m out to slot the set shot goal. Arguably her best game given all elements featured heavily.

#29 Natasha Entwistle (Defender)
Stats: 8 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 inside 50

Not a huge game from the running defender, but Entwistle still applied some great defensive pressure and often had to engage in on-on-ones. She beat Russo in a good contest by bringing the ball to ground and running away with it in the second term, but later on got outbodied by the more experienced Kat Bennett who did the same to her and ran forward to slot the goal. Will always compete.

#38 Zippy Fish (Midfielder/Defender)
Stats: 21 disposals, 6 marks, 1 tackle, 3 inside 50s

Not quite her 39 touches against the Falcons like last time out, but it was still evident Fish played an important role in getting the Sharks the win. She worked into space well, found plenty of uncontested ball on the outside and looked to zip forward, sometimes stepping between multiple opponents before going forward. A natural accumulator, Fish was strong overhead, taking a number of marks – including intercept ones when dropping to half-back – to turn defence into offence.

West Perth:

#1 Megan Norbury (Midfielder/Wing)
Stats: 18 disposals, 11 marks, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50

Norbury played an incredible game, arguably the best one of the season for the talented top-ager. She started inside in a new role change, then moved to the wing in the second half, and overall showed great strength overhead and used the ball well around the ground. She was our WAFLW Player Focus for Round 11, with her full game detailed there.

#7 Mia Russo (Forward/Midfielder)
Stats: 11 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

The bottom-age young gun rotated between forward and midfield again, kicking a goal after a nice second effort to get forward of the handball chain after a smother, follow-up and flying shot that bounced through for a goal. She was clean at ground level and though she copped a knock midway through the second term and had to be helped off, returned for the start of the third quarter. She set up a goal to Bennett with a long kick forward, and though she has had higher production games, still played her role well.