Optus WAFLW Round 3 WrapMonday, May 20, 2019 - 11:01 AM - by Chris Pike

IT was Round 3 in the 2019 Optus WAFL Women's Premiership Season on Sunday with East Fremantle stamping its authority with a big win over Swan Districts while Claremont won a thriller over Peel Thunder.

With Subiaco sitting out with the bye in Round 3 of the WAFLW season having won its opening two matches against Swan Districts and East Fremantle, it was a chance for the other four teams to make an early statement in the competition.

Both matches took place on Sunday afternoon with Claremont and Peel Thunder playing out the thriller at Claremont Oval. In the end, the Tigers just managed to prevail 5.5 (35) to 5.2 (32) over the Thunder on home soil.

It wasn’t quite as close at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park with last year's WA Women's Football League premiers, East Fremantle, proving too strong for Swan Districts winning 10.8 (68) to 1.1 (7).

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That means that after three rounds of the WAFLW season, Subiaco remains the only undefeated team in the competition with a perfect 2-0 record while East Fremantle improved to 2-1 with its big win on Sunday.

Claremont is now 1-1 after its first win of the season while Swan Districts is 1-2 and Peel Thunder 0-2.

Both Round 4 matches in the WAFLW competition will take place this Saturday starting with a 9.15am bouncedown at Claremont Oval with Claremont taking on Subiaco.

Then at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval from 12.15pm, Swan Districts will take on Peel Thunder.

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EAST FREMANTLE 10.8 (68) defeated SWAN DISTRICTS 1.1 (7)

East Fremantle produced its most dominant performance of the WAFLW season on Sunday afternoon beating Swan Districts by 61 points on home soil at New Choice Homes Park.

East Fremantle came into the game having recorded a win against Peel Thunder and a loss to Subiaco to open the 2019 WAFLW season while Swan Districts had also opened the new season with a loss to the Lions and a win over Claremont.

It took a while for both teams to get going at New Choice Homes Park on Sunday with East Fremantle kicking the only goal of the first quarter with Swans going scoreless in the opening term.

It was East Fremantle's turn to go scoreless in the second quarter with Swan Districts managing just the one goal with scores all locked up at half-time.

But it would be a dominant showing from the Sharks in the second half. The Black Ducks didn’t manage a score at all in the second half with East Fremantle kicking five goals in the third quarter, and another four in the final term.

That saw the Sharks claim the 10.8 (68) to 1.1 (7) victory over Swan Districts.

Roxanne Roux kicked another three goals for East Fremantle with Katherine Dann, Katelyn Catalano and Gabby O'Sullivan all kicking two goals apiece.

Kim Bowey, Ashton Hill, Julie-Anne Norrish, Dann, Katrina Tinson and O'Sullivan were all tremendous throughout the afternoon for the Sharks.

Bronwyn Hansen was the lone goal scorer for Swan Districts in the second quarter.

Fiona Boucher fought valiantly down back against the tide for Swans with Mikayla Hyde, Shanae Davison, Naomi Baker and Brianna Hyde others who battled hard.

CLAREMONT 5.5 (35) defeated PEEL THUNDER 5.2 (32)

The thriller of Round 3 in the WAFLW took place at Claremont Oval with Claremont holding on for a three-point victory over Peel Thunder despite going scoreless in the last quarter.

Both Claremont and Peel were attempting to win its first game in the WAFLW competition with the Tigers having started the season with a bye and then a loss to Swan Districts.

Peel had opened its campaign with losses to East Fremantle and Swan Districts meaning both teams would be throwing everything at getting the win at Claremont Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Thunder made a terrific start away from home kicking three goals to one in the first term to go into quarter-time with a 12-point advantage.

Peel only managed the one behind in the second term, though, with the Tigers kicking three goals to lead by those six points at the half-time interval.

It was one goal apiece in the third term and then despite Peel kicking the only goal of the final quarter and keeping Claremont goalless, it was the Tigers who held on for the 5.5 (35) to 5.2 (32) victory.

Brooke Whyte kicked two goals for Claremont with Chloe Metcalf, Jasmin Stewart and Allana Dickie booting one apiece.

Tayla Bresland was outstanding for Peel kicking four goals while Bailey Molloy was the other goal scorer for the Thunder.

Courtney Rowley, Shannon Whale, Abby Barnden, Greta McKinley and Sarah Verrier were other players to impress with the Thunder.