North Melbourne were rocked by a “ridiculous” jumper clash early against the Western Bulldogs, but it didn’t stop the reigning AFLW champions from marching to a 30th straight win.
The Roos overcame what was described as a “farcical” uniform clash that left players struggling to spot a teammate to run out 11.4 (70) to 3.5 (23) winners in Launceston.
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They kicked nine of the game’s final 10 goals to ensure their incredible win streak rolled on.
“The Roos had to get down and dirty to win number 30,” Fox Footy’s Kelli Underwood said.
But the upset was brewing early when the Roos, who hadn’t lost a match in almost three years, were uncharacteristically guilty of turnovers as coach Darren Crocker conceded the jumper clash was playing a part.
“The girls are saying that,” he said.
“It’s been a little bit difficult but anyway, that’s something for us to improve going forward.”
“So even the coach, the great Darren Crocker has admitted it’s a real issue for these two teams today,” Fox Footy’s Kelli Underwood said.
“There’s little surprise there players are challenged by it,” Daniel Harford added in commentary.
The jumper clash was caused by the two teams wearing their Indigenous Round jumpers – both teams in blue and white tops, but made harder by the fact they were all in blue shorts and blue socks.
The only difference was a patch of red on the Dogs’ player jumpers.
“The blue shorts as well! Unhelpful,” Harford said.
“And blue socks as well! Wear some white socks or some red socks! It’s a bit tricky (to see which team is which),” Chyloe Kurdas added.
Underwood described the situation as “ridiculous” and warned you wouldn’t see such an obvious clash in the men’s game.
“Goodness me,” she said.
“Obviously wearing their Indigenous jumpers … (but) this is ridiculous.”
The Roos-Dogs AFLW match has been marred by a ‘ridiculous’ jumper clash.Source: FOX SPORTS
Harford questioned how the clash could have been approved by the AFL in the lead up to the UTAS contest.
“This goes to the AFL during the week,” the former AFLW coach said.
“I’ve seen the sheets the AFL send out, looking at who is going to wear what.
“Surely they look at this and go – we have a problem here.”
“They are literally giving it each other because they are confused by these jumpers,” Underwood added.
“Especially under pressure too – you’ve got so much white on each jumper and white really catches your eye as it moves past,” Kurdas replied.
“It’s very hard to pick out the red in amongst the white and blue across both jumpers.”
The situation was so comical, Underwood called for someone to run out training bibs in the hopes of helping players.
“Can we get some bibs? Surely someone’s got orange bibs out there?” she said.
“The pink and green training bibs that all have got. Could drop a few of those around?” Harford suggested.
“Maybe a jumper change at half time,” Kurdas added.
“Brad Johnson is worried, he’s just text me – what’s going on with these jumpers?” Harford shared of the Bulldogs’ great’s message.
“It wouldn’t happen in men’s footy,” Underwood replied.
“They are ALL Kangaroos jumpers.”
The Roos-Dogs AFLW match has been marred by a ‘ridiculous’ jumper clash.Source: FOX SPORTS
The jumper clash proved a distraction to the Bulldogs’ bid to become the first AFLW team to defeat the Kangaroos since December 2023.
Speaking after the win, Roos star Kate Shierlaw conceded it was tough to spot a teammate given the uniform bungle.
“To be honest, it was really challenging,” she told Fox Footy.
“(But) the same thing for the Bulldogs, so it wasn’t any different for them as well.”
‘OUTSTANDING’: SWANS KEEP ROLLING AFTER TURBULENT FORTNIGHT AS SURPRISE DEBUTANT SHINES
David Gavin — NCA NewsWire
The Swans remain undefeated after their first three matches of the new AFLW campaign, breaking their winless drought in Coffs Harbour and continuing St Kilda’s woes to start the season.
After a first quarter in which Sydney failed to register a point, the Swans wrestled back momentum led by Montana Ham, the in-demand Zippy Fish and tower of strength Ally Morphett in the ruck, to gain enough territory for five goals and record a 23-point win, 5.8 (38) to 1.9 (15).
Nearly two weeks on, after scandal rocked the club to its foundations, the AFLW team are showing no sign that will affect their campaign going forward with consecutive wins of more than 20 points since news broke.
In contrast, St Kilda had just three shots less than the Swans during the match but could only convert one of their 10, and it took until the final quarter to post their first goal and remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder, winless.
Sofia Hurley of the Swans. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The match was the Swans’ third AFLW match at C.ex Coffs International Stadium, after losses to Richmond in 2024 and Essendon in the final game of last year, which ultimately cost them a spot in the finals.
In a match where territory was at a premium, the pivotal moment came from the best on ground, when Ham slotted a long-range goal from just inside the 50 arc on the third quarter siren, perfectly set up by a side-stepping Fish, playing up the ground, due to the nature of the match. The goal giving the Swans’ an 18-point buffer that would be too much for the costly Saints to reel in.
Reigning Rising Star winner, Fish, who is reportedly in the sights of the all-conquering North Melbourne for next season, finished with 25 disposals while Ham had 27, four clearances and a goal.
After claiming back-to-back perfect 10s from the coaches, Morphett had 21 hitouts, three contested marks and 10 disposals. The Swans now have three wins with North Melbourne, at the top of the ladder, albeit temporarily.
And a Swans’ debutant certainly made her presence felt.
Emma Juneja of the Swans. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Swans’ debutant Emma Juneja looked at home on the main stage, finding plenty of the ball, especially in the first half with six intercepts and 10 disposals just two less than her game’s leader by half-time in regard to the disposal count, Montana Ham. The 20-year-old finished with 18 as one of the Swans’ best.
Signed as a replacement player for the 2026, after eight VFLW games for the Box Hill Hawks last season, Juneja was the fourth Sydney Swans Academy graduate to debut for the club this season, following the debuts of Maddie Quinn, Imogen Brown and Molly Thomas.
“She was outstanding, Em,” said coach Colin O’Riordan “The way she works on her craft every single week, and then to deliver a performance like that is probably just a reflection of the (hard work she puts in), Monday to Friday.”
“Delighted that she and her whole family were here today.”
Up until the final quarter of St Kilda’s clash against Sydney, the Saints had gone five quarters without a goal, including a goalless two quarters in the heavy 85-point defeat to Geelong last week.
After star forward, Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw, missed three opportunities in the final quarter alone, failing to capitalize on the territorial advantage her side had regained to start the last term, until Darcy Guttridge eventually broke the drought.
‘WE’VE SEEN IT COMING’: CROWS RESURRECT SEASON … AS EAGLES’ FINALS HOPES TEETER
Meg Saultry — NCA NewsWire
Kuwarna has resurrected its AFLW campaign and opened its Ryan Davis-era with a gritty 17-point win over Waalitj Marawar, who now face an uphill battle to play finals amid a horror 0-3 start.
The round 3 clash was must-win for both clubs, last year’s finalists going 0-2 in the opening two rounds.
But it was the Crows’ hot second quarter which broke open the game to hold a handy 25-point lead at half time, before holding firm in the face of an Eagles’ comeback in the final term, 9.6 (60) to 6.7 (43).
The win marked Davis’ first in charge after taking over from two-time premiership mentor Matthew Clarke, while the pressure now mounts in Eagles coach Daisy Pearce’s third year in charge, considering her side face a near impossible task to make finals in a shortened 12-game season off the back of last year’s historic finals appearance.
Davis was elated post-match to celebrate his and the team’s first win, confident it had been coming.
Ryan Davis and Jemmika Douglas of the Crows. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“We’ve seen really good moments and passages over the last couple weeks but to put it together for a good chunk today was really pleasing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pearce pointed to a “10-15 minute patch” in the second quarter when her team’s intensity around the ball “wasn’t up to the level”.
“It’s a good reminder you switch off for 10-15 minutes against a quality outfit… that they make you pay,” she said.
The footballer hall of famer praised her side’s improved team defence and didn’t rule out making a run to finals in 2026 despite a 0-3 start.
“I believe in this group, the equation is still the same, you need to win six or seven games to get yourself in finals,” she said.
“There is no point casting too far ahead.”
It was a red-hot contested battle early at Unley Oval on Saturday afternoon, as the Eagles lamented two 50-metre penalties that led to Crows goals.
And despite leveling by quarter time, the Eagles had no answers for the Crows’ midfield trio of Ebony Marinoff, Sarah Goodwin and ruck Sarah Allen who led their side’s attack forward – Marinoff topping off another best on ground performance (26 disposals, 15 tackles and 563 metres gained) with an electric snap out of a stoppage to mark just her 18th goal in a storied 110-game career.
“She put her head in the trough and got that contest, West Coast are a fantastic contested side… we didn’t feel like we nailed it last week (against Carlton) but today we brought the pressure… she really led from the front in that regard,” Davis said of his captain Marinoff.
Hannah Munyard of the Crows tackled by Ella Roberts of the Eagles. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
As Bella Lewis stepped up for Waalitj Marawar, the Crows limited the impact of Lewis’ teammate Ella Roberts in the opening half when the game was there to be won.
The gun midfielder had 11 first half touches but not her usual impact, bar a great running goal assist to Amy Franklin, before doubling down on her tackling efforts in the third in a bid to keep her side in it.
She was electric in the last term, finishing with 26 touches and seven clearances, but it was too late for the Eagles to pull off a comeback.
It was a fitting way to open Indigenous Round for Kuwarna when second-gamer and Barkindji and Gniyampaa woman Jemmika Douglas snapped a superb goal from the pocket to the delight of teammates.
First coming through Richmond’s Indigenous Next Generation Academy, Douglas was taken by the Crows as a replacement player from North Melbourne’s VFLW premiership ranks when veteran Chelsea Randall called time on her career due to concussion.
And Douglas’ goal came moments after fellow first-year Chloe Bown – who boasts a different background to Douglas as a highly touted top 5 pick – kicked her first at AFLW level after winning a contested grab in the goal square in validation to the rave pre-season reviews on the Victorian.