Essendon, Gold Coast win as St Kilda suffer record-low AFLW score
Essendon rallied to beat GWS 43-35 for its first AFLW win of the season, while Gold Coast defeated Brisbane 40-20 to claim its first Q-Clash victory. St Kilda remained winless after scoring just one point against the Western Bulldogs, its lowest AFLW total.
Essendon secured its first win of the AFLW season with a 43-35 comeback victory over GWS, while Gold Coast beat Brisbane to claim its first Q-Clash win. St Kilda remained winless after producing the lowest score in its AFLW history. The Bombers recovered from a 25-point deficit against the Giants at Henson Park.
GWS scored five of the first six goals, but Essendon lifted its pressure and restricted the Giants to a single point in the second half. Madison Prespakis was central to the turnaround. She collected 35 disposals and five clearances overall, including 13 disposals, six contested possessions, three clearances and a goal in the third quarter.
Daria Bannister and Emily Gough scored the goals that put Essendon ahead and secured the win. Essendon captain Bonnie Toogood praised the team’s resilience after a difficult opening half. The result eased pressure on coach Natalie Wood, while the defeat left GWS with a damaging loss after its strong start.
Gold Coast defeated Brisbane 5.10 (40) to 3.2 (20) in Brisbane. The Lions led by two points at the final change, but the Suns scored 22 unanswered points in the last quarter. Havana Harris kicked two goals as Gold Coast recorded its first victory in the Q-Clash and its sixth win of the season.
St Kilda managed only one behind in a 31-1 loss to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat. The Saints’ point came in the final 90 seconds, leaving them as the league’s only winless team and giving them their lowest AFLW score. The Bulldogs won despite difficult conditions, including rain and wind, with Rylie Wilcox, Sarah Hartwig and Cleo Buttifant kicking their goals.
Isabelle Pritchard had 35 disposals and six clearances. The Bulldogs finished with 3.13, while St Kilda’s attack failed to score a goal.
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