WAFLW Round 4 WrapMonday, April 3, 2023 - 2:34 PM - by Chris Pike

TWO of the newer WAFLW teams scored impressive wins over regular powerhouses in Round 4 of the 2023 season while the Grand Finalists from last year continued their strong starts to the new season.

It was a weekend of statements to be made across the WAFLW competition leading into this coming weekend's break over Easter.

In the end, it saw South Fremantle record a first ever victory against Swan Districts, West Perth beat a team it has been in the competition for less time than for the first time, and then Claremont and East Fremantle flexed their muscles once more.

Round 4 of the WAFLW season began on Saturday afternoon with South Fremantle beating Swan Districts for the first ever time in seven attempts, winning 12.8 (80) to 4.3 (27) at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Claremont continued its undefeated start on the back of winning last year's premiership with a commanding performance against Subiaco at Leederville Oval, winning 10.8 (68) to 1.2 (8).

The other two Round 4 matches took place on Sunday starting with West Perth scoring its second ever, and best, WAFLW victory defeating Peel Thunder 7.7 (49) to 2.0 (12) at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium.

The last game of the round took place at Leederville Oval with East Fremantle too good for East Perth, winning 9.13 (67) to 0.1 (1).

After the opening four rounds of the WAFLW season with a break to come over Easter, it's Claremont clear on top of the ladder with a perfect 4-0 record and dominant 307.7 percentage.

South Fremantle sits second having also not lost a game with three wins and a draw with East Fremantle just behind at 3-1.

West Perth (2-2) rounds out the top four ahead of Peel Thunder (2-2), Subiaco (1-2, with a draw), Swan Districts (0-4) and East Perth (0-4).

Meanwhile in Round 4 of the Rogers Cup, it got underway on Saturday with Subiaco defeating Perth 2.3 (15) to 2.2 (14) at Leederville Oval. 

The Lions goals were kicked by Jazmyn Hay and Erin Griggs while the Demons got goals from Isla Harris and Evie Serginson going ever so close to that historic first victory.

Then on Saturday evening, Swan Districts beat South Fremantle 5.6 (36) to 4.6 (30) at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. Sienna Pollard kicked two goals in the win for Swans as did Sienna Simunovich for the Bulldogs.

The other two matches took place on Sunday with West Perth beating Peel Thunder 4.6 (30) to 3.4 (22). Molly Conroy, Chloe Shearing, Elli Van Den Broeke and Chanel Scott all kicked a goal each for the Falcons in the win. Peel's goals came from Shareckah Jones, Mia Van Kleef and Lucy Kane.

The final match of Round 4 saw East Fremantle defeat East Perth 8.6 (54) to 5.10 (40). Grace Freeman, Charli Bidwell and Alicia Blizard all kicked two goals apiece for the Sharks in the victory. Annabel Parkinson kicked three goals for the Royals.

Following the first four rounds of the Rogers Cup season, it's West Perth undefeated on top of the ladder with a perfect 4-0 record ahead of the also unbeaten Claremont who are 3-0.

East Perth is third at 2-2 with East Fremantle (2-2) rounding out the top four ahead of Swan Districts (2-1), Subiaco (2-2), South Fremantle (1-2), Peel Thunder (0-4) and Perth (0-3).

WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 4

SOUTH FREMANTLE 12.8 (80) defeated SWAN DISTRICTS 4.3 (27)

Just how far South Fremantle has come in the 2023 WAFLW season was on show on Saturday with a 53-point victory against Swan Districts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Swan Districts had dominated the first six meetings over the past three seasons with South Fremantle with an average winning margin of 36.5 points, but things have changed significantly in 2023.

South Fremantle entered Saturday's game at Fremantle Community Bank Oval yet to lose in 2023 and Swan Districts had yet to win, and that trend continued in the Round 4 match up.

Aside from Swans having a brief flurry with the opening two goals of the second half, South Fremantle was in control of the contest to end up winning 12.8 (80) to 4.3 (27).

Noa McNaughton produced the dominant performance in front of goal she threatened the previous week. This week from her seven attempts on goal, she kicked five of them from her 15 possessions and seven marks.

Makaela Tuhakaraina also kicked two goals in the win for the Bulldogs as did Zoe Huggett and Casey Byrne.

There were plenty of standout performers in the win for South Fremantle with Charli Wicksteed outstanding with 17 disposals, five marks and three inside-50 entries.

Kahra Sprlyan also finished with 17 touches, Lauren Vecchio 17, Tahlea Mulder 14 and Ariana Hetherington nine to go with nine hit outs and three tackles in the ruck.

Carys D'Addario kicked two goals for Swan Districts with Courtney Zappara and Sarah Wielstra the other goal scorers.

It was tough going as the afternoon unfolded for Swan Districts but that doesn’t mean the effort wasn’t there from the players with captain Jess Cox doing all she could with 21 possessions, five marks, three inside 50s and two tackles.

Emma Nanut also finished with 16 disposals, Jaime Henry 16, Hope Ugle-Hayward 14 and Isabella Edgley 13.

Lauren Quaife had 14 hit outs in the ruck to go with six touches and three tackles with Wielstra adding six possessions, 15 hit outs and her goal.

South Fremantle was attempting to beat Swan Districts for the first ever time with the Bulldogs starting impressively at home with the first five scoring shots in the opening eight minutes of the contest.

That included goals to Noa McNaughton and Casey Byrne before McNaughton added another soon after with the Bulldogs racing out to a 25-point advantage.

Swan Districts did get a goal back thanks to Carys D'Addario shortly before quarter-time, but South Fremantle responded through Ella Ward to be 24 points to the good by the end of the opening term.

South Fremantle wasted no time to pull away further to open the second quarter either with two goals in the space of just over two minutes to Zoe Huggett to see the lead expand to 37 points.

Swans responded with another to last year's Rogers Cup leading goalkicker D'Addario, but it didn’t stop the Bulldogs momentum and another goal to McNaughton saw the home team leading by 38 points at half-time.

Swans did show signs of a fightback to start the third quarter with two quick goals in just over three minutes through Courtney Zappara and Sarah Wielstra, but the black-and-whites couldn’t keep the momentum going.

In fact, Swans would score just the one behind the rest of the game with South Fremantle kicking the last two goals of the third quarter courtesy of McNaughton and Byrne.

Mahaela Tuhakaraina also kicked two goals in the last term for South Fremantle to score the emphatic 53-point win to remain unbeaten still in 2023.
 

SUBIACO 1.2 (8) lost to CLAREMONT 10.8 (68)

Claremont continued its dominant start to the 2023 WAFLW season beating Subiaco by 60 points at Leederville Oval on Saturday.

The Tigers have started their premiership defence in emphatic style and their undefeated run continued on Saturday with a dominant showing against the Lions.

Claremont kicked the opening eight goals of the game with Subiaco's lone major not coming until the fourth quarter with the Tigers winning 10.8 (68) to 1.2 (8).

Adele Arnup kicked another three goals in the win for Claremont as did Eva O'Donnell to go with her 20 possessions, eight marks, four inside-50 entries and two tackles.

Jasmin Stewart was outstanding once more for the Tigers with 28 possessions while Jayme Harken had it 23 times, Matilda Dyke 21 (18 hit outs), Kate Orme 16 and Krstel Petrevski 16.

Subiaco's lone goal of the game was kicked by Lauren Bilaloski with Tarni Golisano racking up 19 possessions, Madison Dodd 16, Olivia Crane 14, Joanne Cregg 12, Hanna Dethlefsen 10 and Eva Popovsky 10 to go with 11 tackles.

Claremont made a flying start at Leederville Oval kicking three goals in the space of four minutes in the first quarter. The goals from Matilda Husband, Jayme Harken and Eva O'Donnell all helped the Tigers to a 19-point lead 11 minutes into the game.

The Tigers were still in front by 18 points at quarter-time before they also managed the only two goals and the only scores of the second term.

Jasmin Stewart and O'Donnell added goals and Claremont went into the half-time break leading by 33 points having held Subiaco to just the one behind in the entire half.

It then took just over two minutes into the second half for the Tigers to kick another through O'Donnell.

She added her fourth of the game minutes later and when Adele Arnup also kicked truly before three quarter-time, Claremont was out to a 54-point advantage having still restricted Subiaco to just the one behind up to that point.

Subiaco broke through for a game from Lauren Bilaloski to start the fourth quarter but Claremont still finished off with late goals to Matilda Dyke and Arnup to claim the 60-point victory.
 

WEST PERTH 7.7 (49) defeated PEEL THUNDER 2.0 (12)

West Perth recorded its second ever WAFLW win on Sunday but first against one of the foundation clubs with a terrific showing to beat Peel Thunder by 37 points.

The Falcons opened the 2023 season winning their first WAFLW game after a winless 2022, but that was against the league's newest team, East Perth.

However, West Perth has continued to show its rapid improvement this season and that translated into a commanding performance to beat the premiers of 2020 and 2021, Peel, at Pentanet Stadium 7.7 (49) to 2.0 (12).

Natasha Spurr and Karry Plummer kicked two goals apiece in the win for West Perth.

Katherine Bennett racked up 26 possessions for the Falcons to go with 26 possessions, seven tackles, five inside 50s and three marks.

Grace Betti also amassed 22 disposals, Megan Norbury 21, Emily Bennett 20, Taylor Ferguson 18, Jeevna Heer 18 and Elissa Price 16 to go with 10 hit outs.

Peel's goals came courtesy of Kira Phillips and Ebonee Hardie.

Kaitlyn Srhoj finished with 18 possessions for the Thunder, Ebony Dowson 18, Ebony Bilcich 18, Krystal Carter 17 and Greta McKinley 15.

West Perth was looking to claim its biggest scalp so far in the WAFLW competition and the Falcons made a dominant start at home on Sunday with the only seven scoring shots of the first quarter.

That included goals to Tia Bergin, Natasha Spurr and Elissa Price and suddenly that win was looking all the more possible with a 22-point lead by quarter-time.

Peel opened up the second quarter with a goal through Ebonee Hardie but West Perth did well to respond thanks to Karry Plummer which saw the Falcons hold a 23-point advantage going into the half-time break.

It was still all West Perth in the third quarter with the home team having the only three scoring shots including a goal to Grace Betti and that saw the Falcons having the win all but sewn up with a 31-point lead by three quarter-time.

West Perth then confirmed the win with a goal to Plummer to open the last term. Peel did manage its second of the game through Kira Phillips but the Falcons responded with a second to Spurr to secure the eventual 37-point win to the delight of their home fans.
 

EAST PERTH 0.1 (1) lost to EAST FREMANTLE 9.13 (67)

East Fremantle put together another emphatic showing on Sunday kicking the only nine goals of the game to defeat East Perth by 66 points at Leederville Oval.

The challenging start to life in the WAFLW competition continued for East Perth on Sunday hosting the team that went through the home and away season in 2022 without losing a game.

The Sharks dominated the game on Sunday not only kicking the only nine goals, but having 22 scoring shots to one along with finishing with 128 more possessions, 40 extra inside-50 entries and taking 28 more marks.

East Fremantle made it a third consecutive victory winning 9.13 (67) to 0.1 (1) against the winless East Perth who has now scored just four goals in the opening four matches.

Chloe Reilly and Anjelique Raison finished the game with two goals apiece for East Fremantle.

Beth Beckett amassed 27 possessions for the Sharks, Ashleigh Gomes 26, Amber Kinnane 20, Sharon Wong 20, Georgie Cleaver 16, Leanne Gubbins 15 and Emmelie Fiedler 13 to go with 24 hit outs.

East Perth captain Jess Valvasori battled hard for 13 possessions and six tackles with Julia Uhe also finishing with 12 touches, Chloe Sauzier 11 and Leah Keating 11.

It took until the 15-minute mark of the contest for the first goal of the game after both teams had some early chances. It was kicked by Beth Beckett which helped East Fremantle to lead by eight points by quarter-time.

It then took only just over a minute of the second quarter for the Sharks to add their second goal of the contest courtesy of Amber Kinnane. The Sharks then closed the half with majors to Ashleigh Gomes and Chloe Reilly.

That saw last year's Grand Finalists to lead by 30 points at half-time having held East Perth to the one behind in the half.

It was another fast start to the third quarter for the Sharks with an early goal to Anjelique Raison. Samara Pluschke added another minutes later and that helped East Fremantle build a 44-point lead at three quarter-time.

It was more of the same from East Fremantle in the last quarter continuing to hold East Perth scoreless. In the meantime, Sharks added goals to Raison, Jae Flynn and Reilly to end up romping to the 66-point victory.