Hawthorn has taken home a 30-point victory at Windy Hill, marking the first over Essendon in its AFLW history.
The Bombers are now staring down the barrel of nine straight losses to end the season, while the 7.14 (56) to 3.8 (26) victory marks Hawthorn’s ninth for the season.
Essendon controlled the contest early but was unable to capitalise on the aerial dominance it found in the absence of key Hawk Lucy Wales.
Structurally, positioning players behind the contest allowed the Bombers to find the ball, but struggle to then convert this into scoring chances.
Hawthorn was fast and efficient with ball in hand while Essendon succumbed to over possession – often taking too long to complete its build up.
The Hawks are known for their ability to move the ball quickly, and this exposed Essendon’s slack defence of leading lanes – an issue which was evident in last week’s loss to Brisbane.
Despite this, Essendon defender Amy Gaylor once again stood tall with 21 disposals and three marks.
Goals were hard to come by for both sides, but were met with an instant reply on multiple occasions, resulting in a first half arm wrestle.
“I don’t think our work rate was up to scratch,” said Hawthorn Head Coach Daniel Webster.
Greta Bodey usually strikes truly, but three missed opportunities contributed to her side’s 10 behinds from 12 scoring shots to half time.
She eventually made amends, kicking two crucial third term goals which began to open the floodgates.
Both goal assists came from Aine McDonagh, who saved the day in her own right with both of the Hawks’ first half goals, keeping them in the contest.
The Irish star became the equal-quickest AFLW player to eclipse the 50 goal milestone following one more major in the final term.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Natalie Wood’s Bombers, who showed moments of brilliance when they did take the game on, but their inability to score has become a worrying trend.
Star Bomber Bonnie Toogood was strong with 18 disposals, but missed key chances to convert, finishing with four behinds.
GOOD AINE
One snap is never enough for McDonagh, so it was no surprise when she slotted her second of the day – an impressive snap from the pocket in the second term.
The star forward’s day wasn’t done though, with one more snap in the fourth quarter becoming her third for the day and 50th AFLW goal.
She became one of the quickest to kick 50 goals in the competition, hitting the milestone from only 41 AFLW games.
The starring performance comes as her future remains in the air ahead of the AFLW trade period.
MYRIAD OF MILESTONES
Inaugural player Georgia Gee and teammate Sophie Alexander both celebrated their 75th game milestone – but one celebration wasn’t enough for Gee, who eclipsed another record in game.
Celebrating in style, she broke her previous disposal record of 22 – finishing the day with 24 disposals, five marks and three clearances.
EXON’S NEW COLOURS
Nat Exon suited up for her first game in the brown and gold, making her only the eighth player to feature for four AFLW clubs.
She was unable to convert a goal to top off her Hawthorn debut, but impacted with four clearances from nine disposals.
Swans’ crucial win over Eagles soured by superstar injury
– Lachlan McKirdy
A three-goal haul from the returning Rebecca Privitelli has inspired the Swans to a crucial victory over West Coast at Henson Park to keep their finals hopes alive.
Sydney needed to win each of their final two matches to ensure they finished in the top eight, but things got off to the worst possible start when livewire forward Cynthia Hamilton suffered an ankle injury in the early exchanges and was immediately ruled out of the game.
The rest of the Swans forward line lifted to pick up the slack, with Privitelli, who was playing her first AFLW match in a month, kicking the side’s first major of the day.
Holly Cooper continued her breakout year with a goal of her own to help the hosts capitalise on their momentum.
West Coast has been one of the big improvers in 2025, with the Daisy Pearce-coached side hunting their own finals berth. And it was clear they wouldn’t die wondering, with enormous pressure around the ball leading to their first goal of the day through Kayla Dalgleish.
For large patches of the first half, the Eagles were dominating proceedings on the back of their ferocity around the contest. But inaccuracy in front of goal would come back to haunt them, with six straight behinds across the second and third terms squandering any chance of putting some scoreboard pressure on the Swans.
Sydney responded as they have all year with some quick goals on the counter, kicking three unanswered majors in the third term to extend their lead to 23 points. Privitelli kicked truly for her third of the day, while a stunning solo effort from Cooper gave the hosts all the momentum.
West Coast threatened to come back in the final term, but some solid, resolute defence from the Swans, in particular the likes of Alice Mitchell and Ash Van Loon, saw the Swans hold on for a 17-point victory.
NO RISKING ROBERTS
Both sides on Saturday afternoon desperately needed a win for their finals aspirations, but with their season potentially on the line, the Eagles were dealt a hammer blow just before the first bounce with Ella Roberts ruled out through a hamstring concern.
The 20-year-old has already cemented her status as one of the most exciting players in the competition, and with 20+ disposals in all but one of the Eagles’ matches this year, has been the heartbeat of their midfield.
While Isabella Lewis and Charlotte Thomas both saw plenty of the ball, the Swans were able to gain an advantage around the stoppages, particularly with centre clearances.
The Eagles will be hoping Roberts will be fit to return for their must-win match against Carlton next week, with a loss potentially ending their season.
PRIV’S STARRING HAND
It has been a tough year for 30-year-old key forward Rebecca Privitelli, who has been in and out of the Swans’ side this year, but her return inspired a massive win for her team.
Privitelli had only played three games in 2025 and was yet to kick a goal, with Scott Gowans often mixing up his forward line to create more mobility ahead of the ball.
But with Caitlin Reid dropping out of the side, Privitelli kicked three crucial goals, including her 50th career goal in the AFLW. It’s a great sign for the Swans, who will be hoping a firing Privitelli could be an X-Factor for a potential finals campaign.