Melbourne’s Eden Zanker has denied West Coast coach Daisy Pearce a happy return to her old club, snagging five goals in the Demons’ 51-point win over the Eagles.
Pearce, arguably Melbourne’s most iconic AFLW name and a premiership captain in 2022, coached against her former club for the first time in Sunday’s match at Casey Fields.
But Zanker, who kicked five goals in the opening half while clunking nine marks, stood in her ex-teammate’s way as the Demons battered the Eagles around the ball to win 10.14 (74) to 3.5 (23).
It was an important response for Melbourne, who lost to Port Adelaide last week.
With Lauren Pearce (20 hit-outs, 15 disposals, six clearances) on top in the ruck, Melbourne midfielders Tyla Hanks (18 disposals) and Eliza McNamara (24 disposals) were prolific.
Skipper Kate Hore kicked two goals from 16 disposals, while Tayla Harris (two goals, one assist) was important in the air.
Roberts (19 disposals, 11 tackles, five clearances) was excellent, with support from Charlie Thomas (25 disposals) and Abbygail Bushby (23 disposals, four clearances).
Eagles co-captain Bella Lewis struggled with a hip pointer injury suffered in the first quarter and was eventually ruled out in the third term.
Melbourne set up the victory with a dynamic first quarter, in which they kicked four unanswered goals.
Hore, then Harris, teed up Zanker for the opening two majors before both forwards hit the scoreboard themselves, leaving the Eagles in early trouble.
Zanker snagged the opening three majors of the second quarter to threaten the AFLW record of seven goals, held by Brooke Lochland and Chloe Molloy.
Melbourne led by 46 points at half-time and added another three unanswered goals in the third term, leading by a match-high 68 at the start of the fourth quarter.
But the Eagles closed the match out well, holding Melbourne goalless in the last term while majors to Sarah Lakay, Kayla Dalgleish and Lauren Wakfer made the margin more respectable.
The second-placed Demons (5-1 win-loss record) next host Gold Coast on Friday, while eighth-placed West Coast (3-3) take on GWS at home next Sunday.
Crows pull off great escape
The Adelaide Crows avoided one of the upsets of the season after Anne Hatchard kicked three final-quarter goals to lead her side to a 16-point win over the Gold Coast Suns in Carrara.
Gold Coast entered the match with a 1-4 record and nursing a woeful percentage (45.1 per cent), but they looked set for victory after beginning the fourth quarter with a 15-point lead.
The Crows had kicked just a single goal up until that stage, but they added six majors to one in a dominant final term to secure the 7.8 (50) to 5.4 (34) win.
Hatchard was crucial in the final-quarter blitz, with her three-goal heroics breaking Gold Coast’s spirits.
The 27-year-old kicked her first two goals via marks and she wheeled around to nail her third late in the match to seal the win.
Anne Hatchard stepped up for the Crows in the final quarter against the Suns. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Russell Freeman)
“The first three quarters weren’t ideal, we just couldn’t quite get it done,” Crows forward Eloise Jones said.
“It was really good to see we opened up in the fourth.
“He (coach Matthew Clarke) lit a flame underneath us and just said go and get it done and thankfully we did.”
The win improved the Crows’ return to 4-2 through six rounds, while Gold Coast’s finals hopes are all but over after slumping to 1-5.
Crows veteran Ebony Marinoff was crucial with 32 disposals, eight tackles and a goal.
Her teammate Sarah Goodwin racked up 27 disposals and nine clearances.
The Suns were well led by Niamh McLaughlin (30 disposals), Charlie Rowbottom (29 disposals, 12 tackles, seven clearances, one goal) and defender Meara Girvan (28 disposals, 10 marks).
The Suns fielded a young side featuring five teenagers and the youthful exuberance was on show early as the home side’s aggressive mindset paid dividends.
Gold Coast kicked two goals to one in the first quarter, and Suns forward Havana Harris registered the only goal of the second term.
The Crows created plenty of chances in the first half but did not finish them off.
Their hesitancy in front of goal was summed up early in the third quarter when Hatchard took a strong mark on the behind line and then rushed to play on instead of going back and snapping the goal.
Giants post derby win over Swans
Zarlie Goldsworthy ended her goal-scoring drought to help GWS prevail by seven points in a see-sawing affair over cross-town rivals Sydney and claim its first derby win in three years.
With the scores level at 6.5 (41) early in the final quarter, Brodie Mowbray kicked the match-winner to fire the Giants to a 7.7 (49) to 6.6 (42) win in front of 7,171 spectators at Henson Park.
The result gave the Giants their first derby win since the Swans’ inaugural season in 2022.
It is also the first time the Giants have posted back-to-back victories since 2021 after defeating the Western Bulldogs last week.
The Giants earned bragging rights in Sydney with their defeat of the Swans. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Matt King)
The Swans, who were early finals favourites, have lost two consecutive matches.
Goldsworthy (one goal, 31 disposals) played a starring role for the Giants after a quiet start to the season, while forward Tarni Evans (one goal) and defender Cambridge McCormick were also busy.
But the Giants will be sweating on the fitness of Irish forward Grace Kos, who suffered an elbow injury after a contest with Swans players Montana Ham and Tanya Kennedy in the third quarter.
Kennedy led the way for the Swans with 25 disposals and nine clearances and half-back Zippy Fish’s star continued to rise with two goals.
Mowbray also finished with two majors.
GWS started the better side, but it was Sydney who took a one-point lead at quarter-time.
Madison Brazendale opened proceedings for the Giants as the two sides traded the lead, before a wayward shot at goal by Lexi Hamilton gave the Swans the edge.
The hosts could only take a seven-point lead at half-time despite slamming through three straight goals, including Fish’s second major.
Goldsworthy began the second quarter with her first major of the season after going goalless across the opening five matches.
Georgia Garnett looked to have suffered an arm injury after copping friendly fire from teammate Kaitlyn Srhoj in the third quarter, but she shook off the concern and slotted the goal that pushed GWS ahead by five points at the final break.
It was Swans star Cynthia Hamilton who levelled the scores before Mowbray found the sealer.
Lions prevail over Bulldogs
The Brisbane Lions overcame slippery conditions to defeat the Western Bulldogs by 25 points and give their finals hopes a boost.
Taylor Smith and Neasa Dooley kicked two goals apiece as the Lions flaunted their experience to claim a hard-earned 6.11 (47) to 3.4 (22) victory at Whitten Oval.
Taylor Smith bagged a double for the victorious Lions. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Michael Willson)
The two-time premiership side square the ledger at 3-3 at the halfway mark of the AFLW season and move from 11th to seventh at the end of the round.
But the Lions will be without Charlotte Mullins for at least one week after the young forward was concussed in a tackle from Dominique Carruthers in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs (1-5) have now recorded four consecutive losses.
Both inaugural AFLW teams, the Bulldogs last beat the Lions in the 2018 grand final.
Ally Anderson (26 disposals, three clearances) stood tall as the contest turned into a slog amid rain, helped by Sophie Conway (one goal, 19 disposals).
The Lions outclassed the Bulldogs to take 35 to 23 forward entries, but lost the clearance count 24 to 19.
Louise Stephenson kicked two goals for the Bulldogs, while Riley Wilcox (19 disposals, three clearances) saw plenty of the ball.
Lions forward Dooley kicked the only goal in a tight opening term, but her side should have gained more scoreboard reward from territory dominance.
The Lions could only take a six-point lead into the first break despite seven forward entries to three.
Ellie Gavalas sensationally dribbled the ball home from outside the 50-metre arc to score the first Bulldogs goal in the second quarter.
But the Lions built their buffer to 16 points through an after-the-siren goal from Smith, before the rain began to pour in the second half.
Injury-hit Saints run down Tigers
Richmond is still seeking its first win of the season after coughing up a three-quarter time lead during a seven-point loss to St Kilda.
The Tigers led by seven points at the final change at Moorabbin, but the Saints made the most of a strong breeze by kicking three goals to one in the last quarter to secure the 6.7 (43) to 5.6 (36) win.
Sunday’s result left Richmond on the bottom of the ladder nursing a 0-6 record, while St Kilda improved to 3-3.
The Saints have now registered two wins on the trot, but they were left counting the cost.
J’Noemi Anderson was assisted from the field after suffering an injury in the Saints’ win. (Getty Images)
J’Noemi Anderson suffered a suspected ankle injury when her left leg bent horrifically under the weight of her opponent Isabel Bacon early in the final quarter.
Saints winger Molly McDonald suffered a similar injury in the third term when her leg twisted in a tackle.
Serene Watson led the possession count for St Kilda with 28 disposals, while Jaimee Lambert (25 disposals, seven clearances) and Ashleigh Richards (17 disposals, seven tackles, three clearances, one goal) were also major contributors.
Ellie McKenzie was Richmond’s best with 25 disposals, seven clearances and two goals.
AAP