St Kilda have kicked just a single point, the club’s lowest ever score in an AFLW match, as the Western Bulldogs scored a 30-point victory in Ballarat.
Incredibly, the Saints only managed the behind in the final 90 seconds of the game in a horror afternoon for the winless club.
The Bulldogs were barely better in tough conditions in Ballarat, with sideways rain and winds limiting the hosts to just three goals 13 on a day were accuracy in front of goal suffered.
Rylie Wilcox, Sarah Hartwig and Cleo Buttifant scored the goals for the Bulldogs, while Isabelle Pritchard (35 disposals, six clearances) was outstanding in the testing, cold conditions.
For the Saints, only Ashleigh Richards’s point spared the cellar dwellers the ignominy of a bagel.
Earlier, star midfielder Madison Prespakis steered battling Essendon to an eight-point comeback victory over GWS for its first win of the season.
Essendon recorded its first win of the 2026 AFLW season. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Mark Metcalfe)
The Giants got out to a game-high 25-point lead at the start of the third quarter and appeared on track for a second win of the season, before Prespakis kicked into overdrive and the Bombers lifted their pressure.
The star on-baller racked up 13 disposals, six contested possessions, three clearances and a goal in the third term to put Essendon on her back and inspire a terrific 6.7 (43) to 5.5 (35) comeback at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon.
“Genuinely just so proud of the resilience of the group,” skipper Bonnie Toogood told Fox Sports.
“And it’s been a challenging season, I suppose, and the persistence through adversity, particularly today.
“The first half wasn’t what we were planning on, but to come out in the third like we did and just big moments by individuals — bloody inspiring.”
The victory relieves some pressure on Bombers coach Natalie Wood and leaves St Kilda as the league’s only winless team.
It was a devastating loss for Cam Bernasconi’s Giants, who kicked five of the first six goals then only scored one point in a second half where they were completely overwhelmed by Essendon’s manic pressure.
Madison Prespakis was sensational, with 13 disposals, six contested possessions, three clearances and a goal as the Bombers came from behind. (Getty Images: Jason McCawley)
Essendon had trailed by just four points at the final change when star forward Toogood gave the Bombers a massive rev-up at the huddle.
“I’m passionate and emotional all the time — it could be the Italian in me,” Toogood said.
“They were on the back foot … I was like, ‘We’ve got ’em — lean into that, we’ve got them, our football is working.'”
Essendon hit the front when it went from end to end and Daria Bannister tumbled home a long-range goal.
Then Emily Gough kicked a terrific checkside from a forward-50 stoppage that sealed victory.
Prespakis finished with a mammoth 35 disposals and five clearances, and she was well supported by Maddi Gay (21 disposals) and Georgia Gee (15), along with ruck Steph Wales (20 disposals, 14 hitouts, eight clearances).
Later, the Gold Coast Suns finally secured their first victory over the Brisbane Lions, winning a fiery Q-Clash by 20 points in Brisbane.
Havana Harris kicked two as the Suns won their first Q-Clash. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)
Meara Girvan may have cause for concern after pinning the arms of Cathy Svarc in a tackle during the first quarter, while Charlotte Mullins was penalised for high contact on Niamh McLaughlin later in the game.
The Lions led by two points at the final change but failed to kick another point as the Suns booted three in the final term to win 5.10 (40) to 3.2 (20).
Havana Harris kicked two for the Suns, who recorded their sixth win of the season to sit fourth on the ladder.
In Saturday’s final fixture, Port Adelaide ended a four-match losing run by winning the Showdown against Adelaide in front of a record crowd of 5,441 fans at Alberton Oval.
Port Adelaide completed a second Showdown victory in a row at Alberton Oval. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos)
The Power joined the Crows on 12 competition points thanks to a 5.6 (36) to 2.10 (22) victory.
Port (3-5) had five different goal kickers in the opening three quarters to open up a 34-7 advantage, but failed to hit the target in the fourth.
After going goalless for three terms, Caitlin Gould and Teah Charlton kicked straight for some respectability on the scoreboard for Adelaide (3-5).
AAP/ABC
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