Amber Clarke stretchered off after ugly collision, full schedule, draw, how to watch – MASHAHER

A nightmare collision has sidelined Essendon’s best player and a teenage gun and set in motion a calamitous opening round 64-21 loss to Fremantle on Saturday.

Young forward Amber Clarke ran into the path of an oncoming Bonnie Toogood as the Bombers co-captain steamed towards a high ball inside Essendon’s forward 50 early in the second quarter of the Windy Hill clash.

The pair appeared to clash heads before Clarke’s head sickeningly hit the ground left her knocked out cold.

The 19-year-old was stretchered off the field, while Toogood, who limped from the field and was in tears on the sidelines, was assessed in the rooms and ruled out of the game with ice on her right knee.

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Bombers coach Natalie Wood said the reigning best and fairest was “devastated” not to be able to lead the side after suffering the knock.

“Bonnie copped a pretty heavy knock to her knee – we’ll get that scanned and see how that comes up,” Wood said after the game.

Trailing by eight points at the time of the collision, Fremantle raced away with four consecutive goals as Toogood’s opponent, veteran recruit Ash Brazill, dictated play after being freed up as an intercept defender.

Wood did not deny the heavy collision had badly affected the Bombers on the field.

“We’re still three seasons in, and those moments – they’re big. We heard that collision from the sidelines, and that jolts everyone,” she said.

Demoted skipper responds

If Hayley Miller felt any disappointment when she was surprisingly demoted to the joint vice-captaincy for an injured Ange Stannett, it is not showing in her football.

Miller led from the front during the Dockers’ second-quarter surge, tackling relentlessly and engineering two goals, which included a clever toe-poke across the face to set up Aine Tighe.

Tighe (3.1) is already forming a potent combination with West Coast recruit Aisling McCarthy, who was the Dockers’ best with 23 disposals and two goals in a superb club debut.

Bannister’s ACL comeback

Daria Bannister has endured an incredibly luckless run with injury but on Saturday again bounced back with a determined performance.

Just like she did on return from an ACL for North Melbourne in 2019, Bannister kicked the opening goal of the game before a clever banana gave the Bombers their second before halftime.

Razor sharp call

Bannister’s goal came through a theatrical piece of officiating from the not-so-retired Ray Chamberlain, who will be mentoring younger umpires during the AFLW season.

With no fewer than four Essendon forwards crowding her – but not shaping to tackle – near the goal line, an intimidated Dockers defender backed over the line after a few seconds of hesitation, and was pinged for a deliberate rushed behind.

‘Ruthless’ Dockers eye Crows upset

Piling on another five unanswered goals with the breeze in the final term, Lisa Webb’s Fremantle flexed its muscles in a promising start after two consecutive seasons missing finals.

It comes ahead of a big clash against powerhouse Adelaide in Perth next Sunday.

“They were just ruthless, and it’s something that we pride ourselves on, consistency over four quarters,” Webb said.

“We’ve still got a lot to improve on, but it was a pleasing start.”

— Edward Bourke

GIANT SECOND HALF NULLIFIES BULLDOG BITE

It was a clinical performance from GWS young gun Zarlie Goldsworthy who kicked four goals to help the home-town Giants secure a record-breaking 63-point victory and start the 2024 season on a high.

Goldsworthy was everywhere in the Giants’ forward line and found plenty of the ball to finish with 18 disposals and seven score involvements.

The 19-year-old, who secured the Rising Star award last season, already sits second on the club’s all-time goalkicking leaderboard and looks set for a huge 2024 season.

Goldsworthy said her individual performance gave her a “lot of confidence” and was hopeful she could continue the fine form into the rest of the season.

“I think we were down in the contested possession (early), so we wanted to come out and really hunt the ball and I think we did that,” she said.

The game opened up in the third quarter and it was the Orange Tsunami which swept through Canberra to take a huge 44-point lead into the final break, which they extended in the last to snap a five-game losing streak at Manuka Oval.

Dazzling O’Dowd dominating on debut

It couldn’t have been a more perfect start for the Giants as Irish debutant Eilish O’Dowd produced one of the greatest plays in AFLW history, with just her first touch in the league.

Just 15 seconds is all it took for O’Dowd to prove that she is going to be an issue for opposition teams this season. But that wasn’t the first bounce she took on the day or the first goal she kicked.

The 24-year-old, who didn’t know how to hold a Sherrin at her first training session, streamed out of the middle in the first play of the game after winning the hitout, took a bounce and ran to 30m before kicking it truly for the fastest AFLW goal in history.

It took a moment for the crowd to comprehend exactly what they were witnessing as she produced an early Goal of the Year contender, showcasing her burst and speed from the stoppage. She added a second goal with a beautiful kick on the run from the pocket later in the game and despite an ankle concern, she appeared to be okay after returning to the field.

O’Dowd offers a point of difference in the ruck with the ability to ultimately become an extra midfielder and you can expect her to produce many more exciting moments this season.

Parker vs Blackburn

The two midfield bulls of Alyce Parker and Ellie Blackburn went head-to-head on Saturday at Canberra leading the way for their respective sides in the engine room, neither willing to take a backwards step.

Parker came to play in her 50th game and set the tone for her side around the stoppage with 29 disposals, one goal and seven clearances. While she wasn’t able to use it as well as she would’ve liked in the first, she put together a huge third term which helped Giants race away to an unassailable lead.

Blackburn was the only Bulldogs player who was able to get her hands on the football collecting 25 disposals (20 contested) and eight tackles. While she no longer holds the label of captain, she still led from the front and won any contested ball that bounced her way.

Grigg a tackling machine

Elaine Grigg only managed three disposals but showcased her tackling pressure and tenacity around the football with a game-high nine tackles.

Grigg was drafted with pick No.6 in the 2023 National Draft and is an electric player who attacks the football with speed and courage. And despite just three disposals, you couldn’t question her effort and intensity around the contest with 21 pressure acts to her name.

It was clear that Grigg had settled into football at the top level when she was rewarded for a chase-down tackle in the first half, before kicking inside 50 and finding new recruit Analea McKee who took a strong contested mark and kicked truly for the team’s only goal of the day.

Other highly touted youngsters in Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner (one disposal), Brooke Barwick (two disposals) struggled to get into the game, while Cleo Buttifant had seven disposals.

Efficiency woes for the Dogs

You only have to look at the efficiency in which the Western Bulldogs used the football to see one of the key areas where the game got away from the visitors.

The Bulldogs won the hitouts easily and only just fell short in clearances (22-26), but it was their ball-use, particularly inside 50 that hurt them the most. This was evident in the second quarter where they had all the play but couldn’t put any of their dominance on the scoreboard.

Using the ball at 23 per cent inside 50 is never going to equate to significant scoreboard damage but it was a double-edged sword which also led to GWS getting their intercepting game going and starting many of their attacking chains from defence.

Western Bulldogs also went at a poor efficiency of 55 per cent around the ground, almost getting doubled in the disposal count.

— Blair Burns

SAINTS START FINALS QUEST WITH TRIUMPH OVER SUNS

Jesse Wardlaw led the way for the Saints with two goals as they sent a message to the rest of the competition, thumping the Suns and showing they have what it takes to play finals in 2024.

The Nick Dal Santo-led Saints outfit which narrowly missed finals last season by percentage ran away to a huge 54-point victory to hand the Suns a slow start to their finals defence.

St Kilda have never played finals in their history but players like Wardlaw are out to change that this year as the 24-year-old set the tone from the start of the game and inspired her teammates to play with great belief.

Wardlaw was by far the best player on the ground in the first quarter which had all of the Gold Coast players and coaches scratching their heads, just trying to come up with a way to nullify her dominance.

The key forward kicked the first of the game when she grabbed the ball out of the ruck and snapped a great goal on the run. But it wasn’t just her ability to kick goals that impressed but her strong hands leading up at the ball and her beautiful ball use inside 50.

The former Brisbane Lion is a premiership player, All-Australian and won the AFLW leading goalkicker award in 2022, but she is ready to help take St Kilda to their first ever finals appearance in 2024.

Wardlaw finished with 17 disposals, two goals, eight marks and nine score involvements in a strong first outing of the season. She is one of the most exciting players in the league and you can expect her to kick plenty more goals this season.

Suns trio shine

The midfield trio of Charlie Rowbottom, Claudia Whitfort and Lucy Single battled hard and were strong in the stoppages combining for most of the team’s clearances but were no match for the Saints with Jaimee Lambert (17 disposals, one goal) leading the way.

The Suns were unable to put their clearance dominance on the scoreboard and apart from this midfield trio and a strong cameo from Lauren Bella (eight disposals, 32 hitouts), the side didn’t have a whole heap of other contributors.

We know Charlie Rowbottom is a superstar, a contested midfielder who is a tackling machine, but the Suns star needed some players to help her on the outside.

Despite being paid some very close attention from St Kilda’s Olivia Vesely, the 21-year-old had no trouble finding the ball around the contest and finished the game with 27 disposals, 10 tackles and five clearances.

Reigning club best and fairest winner Whitfort was impactful when she got the football with 20 disposals and had a game-high nine clearances.

Discipline in defence

St Kilda held off a Suns resurgence in the third term as the home side dominated the territory battle and fired the ball inside 50 (14-3), but the Saints’ defence held up incredibly well under significant pressure.

The game was played at the Suns’ end, but the likes of Molly McDonald (19 disposals), Paige Trudgeon (15 disposals, 10 intercept possessions) and Grace Kelly (12 disposals) made the task difficult as they absorbed the onslaught of inside 50s to keep the Suns goalless for the term.

On the flip side, Gold Coast kicked 0.4 for the quarter and a number of goals went begging. If they had managed to convert the way they should have, the third quarter could’ve been exactly what the Suns needed to get right back in the game.

Suns’ slow start

It was the early dominance from St Kilda which set them up for a massive round 1 victory as they kicked four unanswered goals in the first quarter to dictate the game and despite a second-quarter fightback, the Saints came home strong.

The most disappointing thing about the Suns’ slow start was the way they conceded their goals, commonly appearing to be without great fight or effort. The Saints moved the ball too quickly for the Suns who couldn’t manage to nail their defensive structure early in the game.

Having lost more than 100 games of experience over the off-season, starting well will be crucial for the Suns and the only player that seemed to start well was Rowbottom, without enough help from her teammates.

On the other side of the ledger, the Saints will take some huge positives out of the way they moved the ball through the corridor and with great speed early in the game. Not to mention their second half blitz which turned a solid win into a huge victory.

— Blair Burns

DEMONS WIN THRILLER AGAINST CATS

Melbourne held on in a thriller to enact revenge on Geelong with a nail biting two-point win at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.

The Cats had the Dees at an arm’s length for most of the night, but the visitors just didn’t let up, hitting the front in the 21st minute of the third quarter before playing the fourth quarter mostly on their own terms.

An Eden Zanker goal early in the fourth looked to put the game to bed, before Paxy Paxman gave away a crucial free kick in front of goal in the final minute, with Jackie Parry converting to make it a two point game.

With 45 seconds left, it wasn’t enough time though for the Cats, as the Dees held on to beat the team which booted them out of finals in 2023.

Demon does it all

Geelong looked in control early, their uncontested marking and disposal efficiency a cut above the Dees to race out to a 14 point lead, though the latter needed just two minutes and some Kate Hore magic to evaporate that margin..

The reigning league goalkicker played both midfield and forward, and wriggled free on the lead to mark and slot the Dees first before quickly following up with her second less than a minute later, easily sidestepping Cats defender Georgie Rankin in the left pocket to run into an open goal.

Hore was soon back up around the centre bounce and stoppage, but would find her way back in attack for a third in the third quarter, a one-handed grab after breaking off from Chantal Emonson giving her another chance to go back and slot a goal.

Cats’ mids dominate

Question marks loom over Geelong’s ruck stocks after the retirement of Erin Hoare, with Kate Darby getting the main job on Lauren Pearce, with Gabbi Featherton chopping out as a second option.

The Dees easily won the hit outs 39-21, but the Cats’ midfield trio of Amy McDonald, Georgie Prespakis and Nina Morrison put up an almighty effort to even up the contest.

The Cats were able to get their running game going, leading handball receives 43-30, while Prespakis looks poised to take her game to another level in 2024, her strength to break away from opponents and her class with ball in hand a step above.

Irish flair

In what was a fairly contested second quarter, it was Irishwoman and Cat Rachel Kearns who broke the stalemate to give the Cats back their lead with a brilliant snap.

The Irish contingent across both sides was strong, with Cats’ debutant Kate Kenny showing some exciting glimpses, and along with Aisling Moloney tried to push the Cats into attack any chance they got. Kenny celebrated a goal on debut, swooping on an advantage paid to get boot to ball in the goal square.

Meanwhile, Melbourne talent Sinead Goldrick was strong coming off the bench, with her tackle intensity and pressure evident, while Blaithin Mackin was the Dees’ leading disposal getter with 25 touches.

First quarter

Without injured Chloe Scheer as their traditional key forward, the Cats tended to utilise their pace and crafty ballwinners up forward, Morrison kicking the first of the night with a snap off the boot, before 50-gamer Mikayla Bowen got their second and celebrated with a shimmy.

Though credit must go to teammate Jackie Parry too, for finding both teammates with the handpass, who got on the end of her first to open the third quarter, with a forward 50 tackle earning her a clear cut set shot on goal.

— Edward Bourke

CROWS SUPERSTAR STANDS OUT IN WIN OVER PORT

New season, same Ebony Marinoff, the Adelaide superstar taking out the Showdown Medal with a scintillating display at Alberton Oval as the Crows fought out a gritty win against a dogged Port Adelaide.

In the third AFLW Showdown between the archrivals, and the first at Port’s spiritual home, Adelaide leapt out of the blocks early, but was made to work hard by Lauren Arnell’s charges, who will take a lot away from the performance.

It was the closest margin of the three Showdowns, but the Crows maintained their perfect record with the 14-point victory.

Adelaide’s lead was just 10 points early in the last term when former Crow Ash Saint booted her first goal in her 50th AFLW game, but Eloise Jones, who threatened to take mark of the year on several occasions, seized her moment.

The star forward caught Cheyenne Hammond holding the ball with her seventh tackle of the night and slotted her second goal to give her side breathing room.

Alarm bells

A siren began wailing somewhere in the Fos Williams Family Stand as the players ran onto the ground and, while it turned out to be a false alarm, the alarm bells kept ringing for the Power in the first quarter.

Retired Port and Crows legend Erin Phillips tossed the coin and new Adelaide co-captain Marinoff chose to take first use of a stiff breeze blowing towards the city end.

The visitors registered the first five inside 50s in a hot start to the match, with Brooke Tonon kicking her first AFLW goal in her 18th game.

Anne Hatchard was a key contributor to her side’s early onslaught around the ball and she hit the scoreboard with 30 seconds left in the opening term to give Adelaide a 12-point buffer at the first break.

Goody goes great

Shineah Goody enjoyed a stellar start to her AFLW career with five touches in the first quarter and a sensational goal in the second.

The first-gamer gave a glimpse of her bright future when she received a handball without breaking stride in full flight, ran inside 50 and stroked home a superb goal.

The youngster finished with 15 possessions to be high among her side’s best players.

Argy bargy

It wouldn’t be a Showdown without some intensity and physicality and there was a bit of both in an entertaining first half.

Combative Crow Jess Waterhouse knocked Ebony O’Dea to the ground not once, but twice, in the same passage of play to let Hatchard make a play on a loose ball in the first quarter, with the pair sharing a heated tussle throughout.

Hatchard was bowled over off the ball in the second term leading to a shot at goal by Zoe Prowse from the downfield free kick.

It was one of four free kicks Port, undisciplined at times, gave away inside 50.

Against the grain

Adelaide had the first 11 inside 50s of the third quarter, but managed just one goal, to Chelsea Biddell, for all that territorial dominance.

The Power made the Crows pay for their forward inefficiency the first time it went inside 50 for the term, Abbey Dowrick getting on the end of a sweeping fast break against the grain to make it a 10-point game heading into a tense final term.

Adelaide went inside attacking 50 14 times to the Power’s three in the third, but finished strongly despite giving up use of the breeze.

— Jason Phelan