WAFLW Round 5 WrapMonday, March 21, 2022 - 11:06 AM - by Chris Pike

CLAREMONT recorded another big win to maintain top spot, East Fremantle remains the lone undefeated team and Swan Districts won their Grand Final rematch to make up the Round 5 WAFLW action on Sunday.

All three Round 5 matches of the 2022 WAFLW season took place on Sunday beginning at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. The league-leading Claremont maintained their hold on top position with another commanding win, beating South Fremantle 8.9 (57) to 2.4 (16).

East Fremantle then remained undefeated after four games and ensured West Perth is still looking for a first ever WAFLW win with the 12.16 (88) to 1.0 (6) victory at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park.

It was then time for the Grand Final rematch from last year with Swan Districts hosting Peel Thunder at Steel Blue Oval, and Swans were able to reverse the result from 2021 with the 7.8 (50) to 5.3 (33) victory on home turf.

Following the opening five rounds of the 2022 WAFLW season, Claremont remains on top of the ladder with a 4-1 record on the back of their massive percentage of 456.7.

East Fremantle remains the only undefeated team remaining to sit in second spot at 4-0 ahead of Swan Districts (3-2) who have now won three straight and reigning premiers Peel Thunder (2-2).

South Fremantle (1-3) sits in fifth position in front of Subiaco (1-3) and West Perth (0-4).

Meanwhile in the two WAFLW Reserves match ups for Round 5, Subiaco defeated Peel Thunder 7.9 (51) to 3.2 (20) at Leederville Oval and East Fremantle won a thriller 5.6 (36) to 4.8 (32) against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval.

And in Round 5 of the Youth Girls Rogers Cup, South Fremantle won a cracking contest 8.7 (55) to 8.5 (53) against Claremont at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

East Fremantle also defeated West Perth 6.4 (40) to 4.5 (29) at New Choice Homes Park and Peel Thunder beat Swan Districts 9.6 (60) to 1.1 (7).

WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 5

SOUTH FREMANTLE 2.4 (16) lost to CLAREMONT 8.9 (57)

The big Sunday of action in the WAFLW competition for Round 5 started at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle playing host to Claremont.

The Bulldogs were back on home turf having already won their first ever WAFLW game this season and being decidedly more competitive while Claremont were out to maintain their hold on top spot on the ladder after three big wins so far in 2022.

South Fremantle actually got off to a good start on home turf on Sunday morning looking for a first ever win against Claremont. 

The Bulldogs had two scoring shots to one in the opening quarter, but only managed two behinds while the Tigers kicked a goal from their one attempt to lead by four points at the end of the first term.

Claremont then managed to work their way on top a little more in the second quarter with six scoring shots to one. However, it was just a goal apiece with South Fremantle getting its first goal of the contest.

The Tigers kicked away further in the third quarter with three goals to one from the Bulldogs, and then Claremont added three more goals in the final term while holding South Fremantle scoreless to take away from the port the 8.9 (57) to 2.4 (16) victory.

Brooke Whyte had a big game for Claremont kicking three goals to go with 17 touches, six marks and two entries inside the forward 50.

Mikayla Western, Katherine Bennett, Kate Orme, Eva Campo and Tayla Thorogood all kicked a goal each as well for the Tigers.

As well as kicking that goal, Orme amassed 26 possessions for Claremont, Western 20, Madeleine Scanlon 18, Sasha Goranova 17, Emily Elkington 17, Sarah Viney 17 and Matilda Dyke 16 to go with 13 hit outs.

South Fremantle's goals came courtesy of Ella Ward and Mia Whitelaw.

Liusaidh Gilchrist gathered 18 possessions for the Bulldogs, Kiara Templeman 16, Zoe Wakfer 13 and Molly O'Hehir while it was Lauren Wakfer who again was the standout with 14 disposals, 18 hit outs, eight tackles, four inside 50s and two marks.

EAST FREMANTLE 12.16 (88) defeated WEST PERTH 1.0 (6)

It was the only undefeated and winless teams in the WAFLW competition locking horns at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park on Sunday.

The Sharks have started the 2022 season on fire after missing finals last year scoring wins against Swan Districts, Claremont and Peel Thunder coming into Sunday's clash with West Perth.

The Falcons are new to life in WAFLW this year and haven’t had the easiest starts against South Fremantle, Swan Districts and Claremont coming into Sunday's game with East Fremantle.

East Fremantle was determined to make an early statement of its intentions to remain the last remaining undefeated team in the competition. They showed their wares in the first quarter with four goals while holding West Perth scoreless.

The Sharks carried on in the second quarter as well with another three goals to head into half-time leading by 47 points having kept the Falcons scoreless.

West Perth didn’t want to scoreless for their third game already in their first WAFLW season and managed their second ever goal in the third quarter courtesy of Chanel Scott.

The problem was East Fremantle kicked another four themselves to head into three quarter-time leading by 69 points.

There was just the one goal kicked between both teams in the last quarter which went to East Fremantle who also kicked seven behinds before going on to remain unbeaten with the 12.16 (88) to 1.0 (6) win over West Perth.

Amber Kinnane was the only East Fremantle to player to kick multiple goals booting two to go with 16 possessions, four tackles, four inside-50 entries and three marks.

Hayley O'Donnell, Georgie Cleaver, Sharon Wong, Georgia Bett, Doma Fedele, Julia Teakle, Larissa Versaci, Mylee Leitch, Jae Flynn and Marni Alston all kicked a goal each as well for the Sharks.

Versaci finished with 27 possessions, six marks and six tackles as well while Ashleigh Gomes racked up 26 disposals, Wong 22, Beth Beckett 21, Cleaver 21, Leitch 17, Bett 16 and Amaranti 16.

Chanel Scott kicked West Perth's goal while Jess Roper gathered 20 possessions, Karla Stagg 20 and Jaymee Duke 17.
 

SWAN DISTRICTS 7.8 (50) defeated PEEL THUNDER 5.3 (33)

Without question the game of the round was last up on Sunday in Round 5 of the WAFLW with the first Grand Final rematch of 2022 between Swan Districts and Peel Thunder.

Swans only lost three times in all of the 2021 season but each of those were against the Thunder including both the second semi-final and Grand Final with Peel going on to make it back-to-back premierships.

The Thunder then had a good start to their quest for a premiership hat-trick with wins against Subiaco and South Fremantle but they have since lost to East Fremantle coming into Sunday's Grand Final rematch at Steel Blue Oval.

Swans made a slow start to 2022 with losses to Claremont and East Fremantle but came into Sunday's match up on the back of wins against West Perth and Subiaco.

On the back of winning their last two games and motivated to make up for that Grand Final loss last year, Swan Districts came out strongly on Sunday with eight scoring shots to one in the first quarter.

Swans converted two of those shots into goals and were leading the Thunder by 17 points at quarter-time.

Both teams then kicked a goal each in the second term and that saw Swan Districts still hold a 16-point advantage at the half-time break.

Peel put themselves right back into the contest in the third quarter, though, with three goals to just one from Swans and as a result the reigning premiers only trailed by six points by three quarter-time.

The game was right on the line heading into the final term but it was Swan Districts who finished the better with three goals to one from Peel to run out 7.8 (50) to 5.3 (33) winners.

Ashley Sharp produced another impressive performance in attack in the win for Swan Districts kicking three goals from eight kicks and four tackles.

Taylah Edwards, Hope Ugle-Hayward, Abbygail Bushby and Aimee Ralph also kicked a goal each for the black-and-whites.

As well as kicking a goal, Bushby racked up 27 possessions, six inside-50 entries, five marks and four tackles for Swan Districts.

Emma Nanut also finished with 18 disposals, captain Jess Cox 18, Ruby Mahony 17 and Ugle-Hayward 15 to go with her goal.

Kate Bartlett kicked another two goals to continue her impressive form for Peel while Kira Phillips kicked two goals as well. Chloe Wrigley was the other goal scorer for the Thunder.

Ebony Dowson continued her strong form for the Thunder collating another 24 possessions while Ebony Bilcich had it 15 times for Peel, Cassie Davidson 14, Krystal Carter 13 and Jade Briggs 13.