Fremantle have announced themselves as genuine AFLW premiership contenders after Kiara Bowers starred in a commanding 30-point win over Adelaide at Norwood Oval.

In hot conditions on Sunday, the Dockers overcame a scoreless first quarter to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games and hand the Crows their first loss of the season with a 7.1 (43) to 1.7 (13) win.

The streak extends all the way back to their last loss in March 2019, in a preliminary final against Carlton.

The victory was an emphatic statement according to coach Trent Cooper, who feels his side has been sold short in some quarters.

“We’ve probably been questioned as to whether we can play our brand of footy against good teams,” Cooper said.

“Adelaide are clearly a good team, so we were really pleased that we stood up to the pressure that they applied, kept applying our pressure and managed to score well.

“We’ve been doing it for a while but we haven’t maybe got the respect sometimes that we thought that the girls deserved.

“But today it is a big statement against a really good side.”

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Bowers led the way in typically physical manner, with 13 tackles to go with her 23 possessions.

She had plenty of support with Hayley Miller prominent with 15 touches and Ashley Sharp and Gemma Houghton kicking two goals apiece.

For the Crows, Ebony Marinoff continued her fine season with 23 disposals and Anne Hatchard gathered 21 possessions.

Adelaide was without skipper Chelsea Randall, who was ruled out with a concussion, but it was a poor performance from a side that has its own premiership aspirations.

Collingwood also remains unbeaten this season after accounting for struggling Richmond by 17 points.

The Magpies inflicted more pain on the Tigers, as they led from start to finish at Punt Road on Sunday to run out winners 7.6 (48) to 4.7 (31).

AAP



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