Brisbane has climbed over Collingwood to get to the top of the AFLW ladder for the second straight week.
Key points:
- Brisbane handed Collingwood their first loss of the season last week
- Fremantle could join the Lions and Pies on 28 competition points if they win on Sunday
- There is one round left before finals, with the top six teams making the cut
After handing the Magpies their first loss of the season last week, the Lions took the number one mantle from them once again with a 15-point win over North Melbourne on Saturday.
Brisbane is tied with Collingwood on 28 competition points, but ahead on percentage — 218.5 to 217.
Fremantle is one win back but could go top with a win over Melbourne on Sunday thanks to their league-best percentage of 231.9.
On Saturday, the Lions took care of business at the Gabba to win their fourth-straight game for the first time since the first AFLW season.
The Lions and Kangaroos were separated by just four points at half-time after a goalless second quarter, and Brisbane outscored North by three goals to one in the second half despite missing some very kickable chances.
Lions tagger Cathy Svarc added Jasmin Garner to her 2021 hitlist, limiting the influential North midfielder to just four disposals in the opening half and Courtney Hodder’s courageous fourth-quarter snap secured the win.
That came hours after Collingwood scored a runaway 46-point AFLW win over St Kilda, rebounding with an 8.11 (59) to 2.1 (13) victory at Victoria Park and stay in contention for top spot on the ladder.
Not only did the Pies post their highest score and biggest winning margin, co-captain and key on-baller Bri Davey bounced back to top form with 23 possessions.
Davey, Britt Bonnici (29 disposals) and Jaimee Lambert (21) controlled the midfield battles, Chloe Molloy (two goals) and Aleisha Newman (three) finished off efficiently, and Stacey Livingstone led a well-organised backline.
But they were all overshadowed by a brilliant display across half-back by Ruby Schleicher (23 possessions).
Schleicher complemented her five timely intercept marks with hard tackling and run out of the backline to regularly turn defence into attack.
GWS keeps faint finals hopes alive
Another brilliant display by onball leader Alyce Parker kept alive Greater Western Sydney’s slim hopes of reaching the AFLW finals with a fighting win against Geelong on Saturday.
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Parker ran up an impressive 25 possessions as the left-footer was rarely out of the action in the Giants’ 2.4 (16) to the Cats’ 1.3 (9) win in a tough scrap at Kardinia Park.
She was well supported by Alicia Eva, with 18 touches, Elle Bennetts, 18, and Rebecca Beeson, 15, as the Giants withstood a sustained challenge from a Geelong outfit desperate to break through for the first win of the season.
The Giants, who are now 4-4 and still in touch with the ladder’s top six, would have won by far more without the stout defence of Cats backs Maddy McMahon, Meg McDonald and Madeline Keryk.
GWS will play seventh-placed Carlton in the last week of the regular season.
AAP/ABC
