NORTH Melbourne has strung back-to-back wins to get its AFL Women’s season back on track thanks to a dominant 35-point victory over Richmond. The Tigers, who grabbed the first win in their club’s history last week, were on the back foot from the get-go as the Roos piled on the first six goals of the match, and never looked back from there during the 10.7 (67) to 5.2 (32) victory at the Swinburne Centre.

North Melbourne dominated the opening half, scoring 3.2 in the first term and then 3.3 in the second quarter to race out to a 6.5 to 0.2 lead, keeping the Tigers goalless at half-time. After a three-goal effort for Richmond’s VFL Women’s affiliate Port Melbourne last week, Christina Bernardi was the first goalscorer for the yellow and black, coming two minutes into the third term. There was a minor resurgence for the home team, as Richmond, through Tayla Stahl and Courtney Wakefield, brought the margin back to within 21 points at the final break.

Needing at least four goals to cause an almighty upset, it was Georgia Hammond who put the final nail in the coffin early in the last term, kicking a goal to put the result beyond doubt at 27 points. Bernardi went on to kick her second goal moments later, but when Daisy Bateman, Daria Bannister and Emma Kearney all converted majors, the lead was at a blowout 41 points. Katie Brennan got one back for the Tigers for a final deficit of 35 points.

Bateman finished with two goals from 14 disposals, three marks and two tackles, while Emma King snagged two first half goals up forward. In an even team performance, the Roos had eight individual goalkickers, including the red-hot Jasmine Garner (22 disposals, four marks, five tackles and one goal) and Kearney (17 disposals, three marks, two tackles and one goal). The Tigers had Bernardi as the sole multiple goalkicker, also picking up seven touches, two marks and three tackles upon her return.

The top seven ball-winners were all wearing the blue and white, led by Ash Riddell (25 disposals, four marks and five tackles), Garner, Ellie Gavalas (19 disposals), Kaitlyn Ashmore (19 disposals, seven marks) and Jenna Bruton (18 disposals, seven marks and four tackles). For Richmond, number one selection in last year’s draft, Ellie McKenzie had a team-high 16 disposals, as well as four tackles, while Harriet Cordner (13 disposals, seven marks and two tackles), Iilish Ross (12 disposals, two tackles) and Kate Dempsey (12 disposals, three marks) also won their fair share of the ball.

North Melbourne head down to the Apple Isle in Round 7 to face the Western Bulldogs in a 5.10pm fixture on Saturday, while Richmond will have a straight seven days to recover, flying north to Metricon Stadium to face Gold Coast Suns on Friday night.

RICHMOND 0.1 | 0.2 | 3.2 | 5.2 (32)
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.2  | 6.5 | 6.5 | 10.7 (67)

GOALS
Richmond: Bernardi 2, Stahl, Wakefield, Brennan.
North Melbourne: King 2, Bateman 2, Garner, Eddey, Abbatangelo, Hammond, Bannister, Kearney.

DC BEST
Richmond: McKenzie, Cordner, Brennan, Bernardi, Hosking,
North Melbourne: Riddell, Garner, Ashmore, Gavalas, Bateman, King