Dees deliver Lions’ greatest AFLW defeat, Port star’s cruel injury blow

Melbourne has steamed past an injury-ravaged Brisbane by 56 points to claim a perfect 3-0 start to the AFLW season.

Elsewhere, Port Adelaide lost star forward Indy Tahau to a suspected serious knee injury, overshadowing a thrilling four-point win over GWS in Canberra, while Richmond, Carlton, Hawthorn and Geelong all claimed victories on a busy day across the league.

Brisbane grabbed the first goal but the Demons were unstoppable from there, kicking the next 12 and going on to hand the Lions their heaviest AFLW defeat, a 14.5 (89) to 4.9 (33) shellacking at Casey Fields.

Liv Purcell (31 disposals) continued her magnificent form along with Tyla Hanks (24 disposals, eight tackles and a goal), while Kate Hore (24) was prolific, and Tahlia Gillard (11 intercepts) led an impressive defence.

Ryleigh Wotherspoon (three goals, eight tackles), Georgia Gall (two), Mia Austin (two) and Megan Fitzsimon (two) hit the scoreboard.

Lions Marlow Graham (concussion) and Neesa Dooley (collarbone) were both hurt in the first quarter.

Then Belle Dawes (right shoulder) and Ruby Svarc (concussion) were worse for wear after colliding with each other.

Dawes played through pain and finished with 24 disposals and a goal, while Orla O’Dwyer (21) was strong.

Sophie Conway (left knee) and Eleanor Hartill (foot) also played through issues.

Tahau, who previously tore her left ACL, was helped off with a right knee injury late in the third quarter of Port Adelaide’s 7.10 (52) to 8.0 (48) victory at Manuka Oval.

It was a tight contest all day and Port led by nine at three-quarter time before Brodee Mowbray goaled twice to put GWS in front.

GWS led until the death, when Port’s Matilda Scholz took a terrific intercept mark to create a late attack that ended with Lauren Young marking and kicking the winner with seconds left.

Scholz (30 hit-outs, 24 disposals) was dominant, while Piper Window kicked three goals.

Alyce Parker (21 disposals) was busy for GWS (1-2), who shared the goals around.

At Victoria Park, Hawthorn won their second game of the season, with a 28-point victory over Collingwood.

It was a close game in the opening quarter, with the Hawks leading by eight points at the first change.

They then went on with it, however, kicking 6.3 to 2.7 in the final three terms.

A four-goal-to-one third quarter made the difference, with Jasmine Fleming kicking one of the goals of the day with a brilliant right-foot finish from deep in the pocket.

Aine McDonagh, who last week surpassed Cora Staunton as the most prolific AFLW goal-kicker from Ireland with three goals against Port Adelaide, repeated the dose with another three majors against the Pies to take her career haul to 59.

Ruck Lucy Wales had another big game for Hawthorn, with 23 disposals, 22 hit-outs, nine marks, five tackles and four score involvements. 

For the Pies, there were no multiple goal-kickers, with majors to Ruby Schleicher, Ash Centra and Dominique Carbone.

A five-goal final quarter from the Suns was not enough, as Gold Coast fell seven points short against Geelong at Carrara.

The Suns led by two points at quarter time, and four at the long break before a three-goal-to-one third term gave Geelong the break.

Gold Coast came home with 5.1, but the Cats kicked 4.1 to hold on to win 10.4 (64) to 8.9 (57).

Charlie Rowbottom had 39 disposals in a losing cause, while Havana Harris kicked three for the Suns – including the final goal of the game on the siren.

Ava Usher and Alannah Welsh both booted two for the home side.

Geelong’s Georgie Prespakis had 33 disposals and eight clearances, while Chloe Scheer kicked three and Ava Murray two for the visitors, who lost Emma Kilpatrick with a dislocated shoulder and Piper Dunlop with a knee injury.

At Cockburn ARC Oval in Perth, it was a tale of the breeze and who dealt with it better, as Carlton beat Fremantle by six points to remain undefeated.

The Blues had the advantage of the wind in the first quarter, kicking 3.2 to no score.

Then, in the second term, Fremantle turned it right around, booting 4.3 to no score kicking to the Remembrance Avenue end.

The home side had an injury blow in the first half as Irish player Aisling McCarthy went off with a knee injury. She spent a long time on the sidelines being assessed before coming back on the field in the third quarter.

The third term was tighter, with Fremantle keeping the Blues to just 2.2 while unable to score themselves, leaving the visitors with a seven-point lead.

Erone Fitzpatrick and Sophie McKay combined down the left for Carlton in the final term with Fitzpatrick’s kick from 50 trickling through for the first point of the day at the open end.

Hayley Miller drilled a great set shot from the right forward pocket for Fremantle, but Mimi Hill’s checkside kick on the run with seven minutes on the clock gave Carlton the edge and Fitzpatrick was on the end of a counter move to seal the win near the end.

Gabby O’Sullivan managed a late goal for the Dockers, and then the Wharfie Time bells sounded at the oval, but the Blues hung on, 7.6 (48) to 6.6 (42).

Carlton’s win means there are still four unbeaten teams remaining in the AFLW: North Melbourne, Melbourne, the Blues and Sydney.

In the final fixture of Indigenous Round, the Dreamtime game in Darwin, Richmond left it late to compete an enthralling five-point win over Essendon.

Caitlin Greiser kicked the game’s decisive goal in the dying embers of the final quarter, securing a 5.8 (38) to 4.9 (33) for the Tigers and condemning the Bombers to a third consecutive loss to start the season.

That came after Essendon had surged to a 14-point lead at half-time.

Midfielder Monique Conti was amongst the best for the Tigers, finishing with 29 disposals and a goal, while Greiser booted three majors in Richmond’s first AFLW win in the Top End.

AAP/ABC

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