Source : ABC NEWS
Melbourne has steamed past an injury-ravaged Brisbane by 56 points to claim a perfect 3-0 start to the AFLW season.
Elsewhere, Port Adelaide lost star forward Indy Tahau to a suspected serious knee injury, overshadowing a thrilling four-point win over GWS in Canberra.
Brisbane grabbed the first goal but the Demons were unstoppable from there, kicking the next 12 and going on to hand the Lions their heaviest AFLW defeat, a 14.5 (89) to 4.9 (33) shellacking at Casey Fields.
Liv Purcell (31 disposals) continued her magnificent form along with Tyla Hanks (24 disposals, eight tackles and a goal), while Kate Hore (24) was prolific, and Tahlia Gillard (11 intercepts) led an impressive defence.
Ryleigh Wotherspoon (three goals, eight tackles), Georgia Gall (two), Mia Austin (two) and Megan Fitzsimon (two) hit the scoreboard.
Lions Marlow Graham (concussion) and Neesa Dooley (collarbone) were both hurt in the first quarter.
Then Belle Dawes (right shoulder) and Ruby Svarc (concussion) were worse for wear after colliding with each other.
Dawes played through pain and finished with 24 disposals and a goal, while Orla O’Dwyer (21) was strong.
Sophie Conway (left knee) and Eleanor Hartill (foot) also played through issues.
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Tahau, who previously tore her left ACL, was helped off with a right knee injury late in the third quarter of Port Adelaide’s 7.10 (52) to 8.0 (48) victory at Manuka Oval.
It was a tight contest all day and Port led by nine at three-quarter time before Brodee Mowbray goaled twice to put GWS in front.
GWS led until the death, when Port’s Matilda Scholz took a terrific intercept mark to create a late attack that ended with Lauren Young marking and kicking the winner with seconds left.
Scholz (30 hit-outs, 24 disposals) was dominant, while Piper Window kicked three goals.
Alyce Parker (21 disposals) was busy for GWS (1-2), who shared the goals around.
Aine McDonagh (left) kicked another three goals in a strong start to the Irishwoman’s season, in Hawthorn’s win over the Pies. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Michael Willson)
At Victoria Park, Hawthorn won their second game of the season, with a 28-point victory over Collingwood.
It was a close game in the opening quarter, with the Hawks leading by eight points at the first change.
They then went on with it, however, kicking 6.3 to 2.7 in the final three terms.
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A four-goal-to-one third quarter made the difference, with Jasmine Fleming kicking one of the goals of the day with a brilliant right-foot finish from deep in the pocket.
Aine McDonagh, who last week surpassed Cora Staunton as the most prolific AFLW goal-kicker from Ireland with three goals against Port Adelaide, repeated the dose with another three majors against the Pies to take her career haul to 59.
Ruck Lucy Wales had another big game for Hawthorn, with 23 disposals, 22 hit-outs, nine marks, five tackles and four score involvements.
For the Pies, there were no multiple goal-kickers, with majors to Ruby Schleicher, Ash Centra and Dominique Carbone.
A five-goal final quarter from the Suns was not enough, as Gold Coast fell seven points short against Geelong at Carrara.
The Suns led by two points at quarter time, and four at the long break before a three-goal-to-one third term gave Geelong the break.
Gold Coast came home with 5.1, but the Cats kicked 4.1 to hold on to win 10.4 (64) to 8.9 (57).
Charlie Rowbottom had 39 disposals in a losing cause, while Havana Harris kicked three for the Suns – including the final goal of the game on the siren.
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Ava Usher and Alannah Welsh both booted two for the home side.
Geelong’s Georgie Prespakis had 33 disposals and eight clearances, while Chloe Scheer kicked three and Ava Murray two for the visitors, who lost Emma Kilpatrick with a dislocated shoulder and Piper Dunlop with a knee injury.
AAP/ABC
