Optus WAFLW Round 5 WrapSunday, August 16, 2020 - 8:30 PM - by Chris Pike

THIS weekend saw the best set of three matches this Optus WAFL Women's Premiership Season and the end results were tight wins for Subiaco and East Fremantle, and South Fremantle putting in its most competitive performance.

It was Round 5 of the 2020 WAFLW season and that means there are now just two weeks remaining in this shortened campaign before the finals series begins so every game is taking on extra significance all of a sudden.

Now what it means after the way Round 5 played out, all of a sudden Subiaco is in prime position to claim a second consecutive minor premiership in the WAFLW competition.

Then there is just one game separating the next four teams with the reality that one of them will have to miss finals action once Round 7 has concluded in a fortnights' time.

Round 5 got underway on Saturday evening at Mandurah's David Grays Arena and it was a cracking contest between the top two teams in the competition. In the end, it was Subiaco who remained undefeated beating Peel 6.5 (41) to 5.2 (32).

The other two matches of the round took place on Sunday afternoon starting with Swan Districts not having things all their own way in an 8.8 (56) to 2.2 (14) victory against South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The game that then ensured five teams are fighting over the four finals spots took place at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park with the Sharks claiming a thriller against Claremont 3.6 (24) to 3.5 (23).

Those results mean that Subiaco (5-0) has cleared out on top of the WAFLW ladder while also having a massive percentage edge over their rivals.

Peel Thunder (3-2) remains in second position on percentage ahead of Swan Districts (3-2) and then it's only percentage that separates the fourth placed Claremont (2-3) and fifth placed East Fremantle (2-3).

South Fremantle is still last and winless but the Bulldogs are showing better competitiveness each week.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 5

PEEL THUNDER 5.2 (32) lost to SUBIACO 6.5 (41)

Saturday night saw the top two teams in the WAFL Women's competition over the opening four weeks clash and it was a contest that didn’t disappoint with Subiaco just managing to overcome Peel Thunder by nine points.

The teams finished first and last at the end of the 2019 WAFLW home and away season with Subiaco claiming the minor premiership before then just falling short of reaching the Grand Final by losing to Swan Districts in the preliminary final.

Coming off of that, Subiaco has now started the 2020 delayed and shortened season so far going through undefeated after wins against Claremont, East Fremantle, Swan Districts and South Fremantle.

Peel, meanwhile, has been the great surprise packet of this WAFLW season after finishing last and at times struggling to remain competitive in 2019.

That has changed drastically so far in 2020 with the Thunder coming into Saturday night's game with wins against South Fremantle, East Fremantle and Claremont since a Round 1 defeat by just a goal to Swan Districts.

So the stage was set for an exciting contest under lights on Saturday night at Mandurah's David Grays Arena, and little separated the Thunder and Lions as the game wore on.

It was one goal apiece in the first quarter with Peel up by a point at quarter-time before Subiaco did narrowly pull away in the second term with two goals to one to lead by seven points at the half-time interval.

It was Peel's turn to change things around in the third term and the home side kicked away with three goals to one and that was enough for the Thunder to be on top to the tune of five points by three quarter-time.

But Subiaco was going to the scoring end in the last quarter and the Lions took advantage with two goals to nil to win 6.5 (41) to 5.2 (32) to remain undefeated in 2020 and all but secure a second straight minor premiership in the WAFLW.

Aimee Schmidt kicked two goals for Subiaco with Lara Filocamo, Claudia Langley, Maggie MacLachlan and Lindal Rohde the other goal scorers.

Lions skipper Hayley Miller was best afield with Jayme Harken, Jessica Ritchie, Filocamo and Tayla Thorogood the other players to have impressive games.

Jade Briggs managed to kick two goals for Peel with Krystal Carter, Kate Bartlett and Kira Phillips booting one apiece.

Sarah Verrier, Briggs, Abby Barnden, Courtney Rowley and Ebony Dowson were among the standout performers for the Thunder.
 

SOUTH FREMANTLE 2.2 (14) lost to SWAN DISTRICTS 8.8 (56)

South Fremantle's female football teams were back on home turf at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday to host Swan Districts, and in the WAFLW encounter, it was the most competitive performance yet that the Bulldogs have delivered.

After going scoreless in their opening two matches against East Fremantle and Peel Thunder, South Fremantle broke through for its first ever WAFLW goal in Round 3 against Claremont before then backing up last Saturday against Subiaco by kicking multiple goals for the first time in a match.

Now the Bulldogs kept their improved form rolling on Sunday by kicking a goal in each half against Swan Districts, and also having a player make history by kicking multiple goals in a WAFLW match for the first ever time.

While there were better signs from South Fremantle on Sunday, it was still a strong win in the end for Swan Districts as the Grand Finalists from last year maintained a position inside the top four as the race for the finals heats up with just the two rounds of the home and away season remaining.

Swan Districts kicked two goals to one in the opening quarter to lead by eight points at quarter-time before the visitors added another two goals to one behind in the second quarter to head into the half-time interval leading by 20 points.

South Fremantle managed its second goal of the game during the third quarter and with Swan Districts only managing one goal as well, their lead only narrowly grew to 22 points by three quarter-time.

Swans then kicked three goals and held the Bulldogs scoreless in the final quarter to come away from Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the 8.8 (56) to 2.2 (14) victory.

Defender-turned-forward Fiona Boucher continues to enjoy her move into attack for Swan Districts in 2020 by kicking three goals in Sunday's win.

Tara Stribley, Courtney Lindgren, Stephanie Graskoski, Mikayla Morrison and Chanel Jetta were the other goal scorers for Swans.

Stribley, Sarah Wielstra, Mikayla Hyde, Graskoski and Emma Nanut were all among the strongest performers in the win for Swans.

Poppy Stockwell was brought into the South Fremantle team after an impressive six-goal performance last Friday night in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup contest against Subiaco at Leederville Oval.

She brought that form with her into a WAFLW debut too on Sunday afternoon by kicking South Fremantle's two goals for the game and becoming the first Bulldogs player in the competition to kick multiple goals in a game.

Mim Strom has been a significant inclusion for South Fremantle the last two weeks and she got her first chance to play against the team she helped to the WAFLW Grand Final last year before the Bulldogs entered the competition.

She had a strong game in the ruck on Sunday for South Fremantle with Tara Garlett, Breanne Spencer, Lauren Vecchio and Stockwell among the other best performers on the day for the Bulldogs.
 

EAST FREMANTLE 3.6 (24) defeated CLAREMONT 3.5 (23)

By winning by a solitary point on Sunday afternoon to close Round 5 in the WAFLW competition, East Fremantle has ensured that the fight for a top four finish with two rounds remaining is going to be a tantalising one.

East Fremantle hosted Claremont at New Choice Homes Park on Sunday afternoon in the final game of Round 5 and a win for the Tigers could very well have meant the top four was set with just two weeks remaining.

However, the difference from the result going one away or another is stark and the fact that East Fremantle beat Claremont 3.6 (24) to 3.5 (23) means that all of a sudden precious little separates Peel, Swan Districts, Claremont and East Fremantle in the fight for the last three finals spots.

East Fremantle now sits on a 2-3 record coming off last year's premiership to only be percentage behind Claremont who are in fourth spot also with a 2-3 record with two games remaining.

Neither team managed a goal in the opening quarter with two behinds kicked apiece before East Fremantle got the only goal of the first half in the second term to go into the half-time break leading by seven points.

Claremont then managed to kick two goals to get on the board in the third quarter. East Fremantle managed to add one themselves with the Tigers up by a point at three quarter-time.

It set the stage for a thrilling finish and with the Sharks and Tigers kicking a goal apiece in the last quarter, it was East Fremantle who got the win thanks to their three behinds to one and that saw them win by a point to keep their premiership defence alive.

Kahra Sprylan kicked two goals for East Fremantle and Stephanie Sparke one.

Ruby Schleicher, Sharon Wong, Philipa Seth, Gabby O'Sullivan and Ashleigh Gomes were other standout players on the day for the Sharks.

Claremont's three goals came courtesy of Marley Simmons, Mhicca Carter and Amy Franklin.

Laura Pugh, Brooke Hongell, Bella Lewis, Franklin and Samantha Barnett were all strong contributors for the Tigers.