IN A fiercely contested AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division match, North Shore Bombers overturned an early deficit to defeat UTS Bats in a contest defined by momentum swings and individual brilliance.

From the first bounce, North Shore displayed their well-known midfield strength, surging the ball forward from stoppages and looking to isolate a loose runner to deliver deep into attack. However, UTS matched this intensity, defending the initial entries and responding with clean, linking handpasses and proactive ball movement. The early play reflected an improved emphasis on team-oriented, attacking football by the Bats.

UTS opened the scoring with a behind, the result of a forward entry that, while scrappy, demonstrated the Bats’ intent to challenge North Shore defensively. The Bats held the lead for the entire first half and into the third quarter, thanks to their sustained pressure and defensive structure.

Throughout the opening term, UTS sought to exploit North Shore’s tendency to hesitate under pressure. By applying relentless tackling and crowding the contest, the Bats denied the Bombers their preferred clean exits from stoppages. Despite missed opportunities in front of goal, the Bats dominated field position and individual contests across their forward half.

Both teams demonstrated impressive overhead marking and ball movement with Ella Daniel‘s composure for the Bombers from defence and Madeleine Quinn‘s strong link-up play in the forward half for UTS among the highlights.

The first major score of the match came through Quinn, who gathered from a ruck contest in front of goal and converted truly. Daniel and Emelye Blades engaged in an absorbing ruck battle, with both players competing fiercely around the stoppages. North Shore, however, struggled to break free from the centre square, a credit to the Bats’ midfield pressure.

Despite periods of dominance from UTS, North Shore’s defenders stood tall under constant attack. Late in the first quarter, Daniel shifted the momentum with a contested mark at half-back, initiating a passage of play that led to Lucinda Watson delivering a precise inside 50 to Daniel, who goaled calmly to get the Bombers on the board.

Another clever goal to Quinn, followed by a Laura Donohue converted set shot after a 50-metre penalty gave UTS a well deserved 14-point buffer at the first break. While Quinn and Daniel were their respective sides’ standouts, Blades and young duo Aoife Berry and Tallulah Kirk were also very good.

>> PLAYER FOCUS: Madeleine Quinn (UTS Bats)

The second quarter was a more even affair. North Shore stabilised its structures and maintained the margin, though the Bats continued to apply defensive pressure and limit the Bombers’ attacking cohesion. However a two goals to one quarter in favour of the visitors cut the deficit to just eight points at the main break and it began showing signs of a North Shore comeback.

Indeed, the third quarter, marked a turning point in the match. North Shore lifted its intensity around the ball and capitalised on scoring opportunities, booting four goals to two for the term to hit the front and head into the final break with a five-point lead. The Bombers’ inside midfielders, led by Pippy Clegg and Heidi de Saxe, won crucial contests and created forward surges. De Saxe’s clean ground ball work and explosive running resulted in a composed goal to Kayla Villareal, narrowing the margin.

As the Bombers increased their forward pressure, the Bats struggled to link their defensive rebound 50s into meaningful forward entries. Eventually, De Saxe capitalised on a deft ruck tap, finishing from close range to level the scores.

North Shore’s midfield dominance finally translated to scoreboard pressure late in the term. Daniel won a crucial centre tap, and while Blades surged the ball forward for UTS, the Bombers quickly transitioned through the corridor. Lucy Yates gathered and launched a forward entry, and her follow-up work inside 50 allowed her to extract the ball from congestion and set up a goal to give the Bombers the lead for the first time.

Yates continued her impact in the final term, evading pressure and driving the ball inside 50, where Matilda Eder goaled on the run to give North Shore a two-goal buffer. From there, the Bombers controlled the tempo, absorbing the Bats’ efforts to regain the lead. Despite UTS maintaining strong tackling pressure and defending resolutely, they were unable to generate enough forward momentum to overcome the deficit in the closing stages.

Eder finished with three goals for the Bombers to be the key target inside 50, though the work of Daniel (13 touches, five marks, 30 hitouts, three tackles, two inside 50s and a goal) was a best on ground performance from the tall. She worked well with the midfield as de Saxe and Yates combined for nine clearances and 10 inside 50s, while Emily Bliss was also named among the best.

For UTS, Quinn’s three goals from 15 disposals was a highlight, as Blades’ ruck craft alongside her (25 hitouts and eight tackles from 14 disposals) was impressive. At ground level, Kirk and Berry were lively, while Sophia Gaukrodger had another big game of 21 disposals, 12 tackles and seven inside 50s, though finished with just three behinds after her three majors in Round 11.

UTS BATS 3.3 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 7.8 (50)
NORTH SHORE 1.1 | 3.3 | 7.4 | 8.4 (52)

GOALS:
UTS: M. Quinn 3, L. Donohoe, P. Khouri, J. Quade, B. Wade
North Shore: M. Eder 3, E. Cleghorn, E. Daniel, K. Villarreal, H. de Saxe, A. Keeffe

BEST:
UTS: M. Quinn, E. Blades, T. Kirk, A. Berry, S. Gaukrodger
North Shore: E. Daniel, H. de Saxe, L. Yates, E. Bliss, M. Eder

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Sydney University got back on the winners’ list with a hard-fought seven-point victory over reigning three-time premiers East Coast Eagles at home. Amanda Farrugia (24 disposals, nine clearances and a goal) was phenomenal in guiding her side to victory, while Saskia Johnson and Evie Bowie both stood up around the clearances and Frances Walsh continued her great form. Giants youngster Aysha Sanchez booted two goals to show some resistance for the Eagles.

Manly Warringah Wolves made light work of the battling Pennant Hills Demons, running out 143-0 winners at Weldon Oval. The Wolves won the hitouts (40-17), clearances (38-12) and inside 50s (49-3) to completely dominate the match as expected. Dominant goalkicker Isabella Rudolph had target practice around the big sticks with 5.6, while Lauren Bull and Ashleigh Carter booted three apiece for the Wolves. Star midfielder Hannah Woolf had 20 touches, five clearance and six inside 50s.

UNSW-ES Bulldogs ticked off another win in their bid to reach finals with a comfortable victory on the road at Olds Park against St George Dragons, 8.13 (61) to 2.1 (13). Sera Kaukiono was a star through the ruck with video game numbers of 36 disposals, 19 hitouts and 16 clearances, taking on a two-prong Dragons attack. Emily Conlan (29 disposals, five clearances, seven inside 50s and a goal also impressed, while Emma Haley booted four goals from 24 disposals. Eloise Carey had 25 touches and laid six tackles for the Dragons.