WAFLW Round 2 WrapMonday, February 28, 2022 - 11:53 AM - by Chris Pike

EAST Fremantle opened their 2022 WAFLW season up in perfect fashion with a first up win on Saturday to open Round 2 before Peel Thunder and Claremont both continued their undefeated starts two games in.

East Fremantle made their first appearance of the 2022 WAFLW season on Saturday at home at New Choice Homes Park on Saturday following the opening round bye, and it was a winning start for a Sharks team trying to return to finals action this year.

East Fremantle handed Swan Districts their second straight loss to open the new season with the 6.3 (39) to 4.8 (32) victory.

Peel Thunder is on the hunt for a premiership hat-trick in the WAFLW competition in 2022 and following a stunning win on the siren in the opening round, they kept their winning form going on Saturday back home at Lane Group Stadium.

Following that last gasp win over Subiaco, Peel was able to keep the momentum going on Saturday evening defeating South Fremantle 8.6 (54) to 3.6 (24).

The final game of Round 2 in the WAFLW competition took place on Sunday afternoon at Leederville Oval with Claremont keeping its winning form going and handing Subiaco a second loss already with the 7.11 (53) to 1.2 (8) victory.

Meanwhile in Round 2 of the WAFLW Reserves competition, Swan Districts proved too good beating East Fremantle 9.7 (61) to 0.3 (3) on Saturday at New Choice Homes Park. 

Claremont also proved too strong for Subiaco, winning 16.9 (105) to 0.1 (1) at Leederville Oval on Sunday.

And in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup competition, there were two games on Saturday starting with East Fremantle beating Swan Districts 10.5 (61) to 6.6 (42).

Peel Thunder also won the Grand Final rematch against South Fremantle 7.12 (54) to 4.5 (29) at Lane Group Stadium.

Then on Sunday, Subiaco defeated Claremont 6.5 (41) to 3.4 (22) and West Perth kept its undefeated start going as reigning premiers with a 9.6 (60) to 3.0 (18) win against East Perth at Joondalup's Provident Financial Oval.

WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 2

EAST FREMANTLE 6.3 (39) defeated SWAN DISTRICTS 4.8 (32)

Both East Fremantle and Swan Districts were hunting their first wins of the 2022 WAFLW season when they met at New Choice Homes Park to open Round 2 on Saturday afternoon.

East Fremantle had the opening round bye so this was their first appearance of the new season where they are attempting to return to finals action. 

Swan Districts, meanwhile, had a tough loss to Claremont in the opening round on the back of reaching the Grand Final last year after being the standout team all season to finish on top of the ladder.

Add in the natural rivalry between the two teams that extends back a long time in women's football and including a clash in the first ever WAFLW Grand Final in 2019 and this always loomed as a fascinating contest on East Fremantle's home turf.

It didn’t disappoint either with Swans having the better of the start with five scoring shots to one in the opening quarter. They kicked the only goal of the first quarter to take a nine-point lead into quarter-time.

However, East Fremantle took over in the second term holding Swan Districts scoreless while kicking two goals themselves and to be three points up by half-time.

It was a goal apiece in the third quarter but the black-and-whites also added four behinds to see the visitors on top by the solitary point at three quarter-time.

That set the stage for a big finish and there were a combined five goals kicked in the last quarter, and it was the Sharks who ended up prevailing on the back of kicking three goals to two to win 6.3 (39) to 4.8 (32).

Julia Teakle was the star in attack for East Fremantle kicking three of her team's six goals to go with 13 possessions, four marks and two tackles.

Tayla Bresland, Zipporah Fish and Leanne Gubbins also kicked a goal apiece for the Sharks.

Ashleigh Gomes also finished with 16 possessions and three tackles, Beth Beckett 15 disposals and three tackles, Amber Kinnane 13 touches and seven tackles, and Alex Williams 13 possessions and three marks.

Ashley Sharp, Tyla Fitzgerald, Hope Ugle-Hayward and Abbygail Bushby all kicked a goal apiece for Swan Districts.

Not only did Ugle-Hayward kick a goal but she had 19 possessions, six marks, four tackles and four inside-50 entries in her first game of the season for Swan Districts.

Captain Jess Cox also had 19 disposals and five tackles for Swans, Bianca Webb 15 touches and seven tackles, and Emma Nanut 14 possessions.
 

PEEL THUNDER 8.6 (54) defeated SOUTH FREMANTLE 3.6 (24)

Two winners from the opening round of the 2022 WAFLW season locked horns in Mandurah on Saturday evening with reigning premiers Peel Thunder hosting last year's wooden spooners, South Fremantle.

The Thunder have won the past two WAFLW premierships and the Bulldogs didn’t manage to win a game in their opening two seasons in the competition, but both teams opened up the new seasons with wins.

Peel left it late but ended up beating Subiaco last Saturday night on the siren thanks to a Kira Phillips goal while South Fremantle made history by winning its first ever WAFLW match. The Bulldogs did in style too holding newcomers scoreless at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle was up for the challenge on Saturday evening at Lane Group Stadium as well. Both teams kicked two goals each in the opening quarter but it was the Bulldogs who held a two-point advantage at quarter-time.

Things remained tight in the second term as well with both teams managing a goal each, but the Thunder also put five behinds on the board to head into the half-time break with the narrow three-point edge.

There was just the one goal scored in the third quarter and that went the way of Peel but still at the last break the game was up for grabs with the Thunder just clinging to a six-point advantage.

However, the two-time reigning premiers put their foot down with the game on the line with four goals to one behind in the last quarter to claim the 8.6 (54) to 3.6 (24) victory.

Kate Bartlett was the star up forward for Peel with Kira Phillips well held. Bartlett was on fire kicking five goals from 17 possessions, seven tackles and four inside-50 entries.

Jaide Britton, Bailey Molloy and Jorja Haines all kicked one goal each for the Thunder.

Gracie Fenton finished with 26 possessions and four tackles for Peel, Ebony Dowson 26 disposals, Chloe Wrigley 22 touches and four tackles, Jaide Britton 20 possessions, eight inside 50s and six tackles, and Jade Briggs 18 disposals and five tackles.

Lauren Wafker had another tremendous all-round performance for South Fremantle kicking two goals to go with 11 possessions, 11 hit outs and eight tackles. Noa McNaughton kicked the other goal for the Bulldogs.

Tahlia Holtze produced another impressive performance for South Fremantle with 17 possessions while Casey Byrne finished with 17 disposals and five tackles, Jess Verbrugge 15 touches and four inside-50 entries, and captain Lauren Vecchio 15 possessions and seven tackles.
 

SUBIACO 1.2 (8) lost to CLAREMONT 7.11 (53)

Claremont earned a measure of revenge on Subiaco for ending their season last year with a commanding win on Sunday to close Round 2 at Leederville Oval.

Subiaco and Claremont last met in the first semi-final in the WAFLW competition last year with the Lions prevailing to move onto the preliminary final while ending the season of the Tigers in the process.

This was their first time meeting since then with Subiaco leading Peel virtually all match last Saturday night before losing to Peel with a goal on the siren while Claremont were ultra-impressive in their big first up win against Swan Districts.

There was just one goal scored in the opening quarter at Leederville Oval and that went the way of Claremont who managed to hold an eight-point lead by quarter-time.

Claremont then held Subiaco scoreless in the second term while kicking two goals themselves to be in command at the half-time break leading by 22 points.

It was a goal apiece in the third term but that would prove Subiaco's only major of the contest with Claremont going on to kick the only three goals of the last quarter to end up winning impressively, 7.11 (53) to 1.2 (8).

Katherine Bennett kicked two goals to go with 17 possessions for Claremont with Brooke Whyte also kicking two to go with her 10 disposals, four marks, three tackles and two entries inside the forward 50.

There were plenty of standout performance in the win for the Tigers including Madeleine Scanlon with 17 possessions, Ella Smith 16, Sarah Garstone 14 and Brooke Hongell 13 to go with five tackles.

Subiaco's lone goal came courtesy of Jess Ritchie who also had eight possessions and nine hit outs.

Jayme Harken picked up 22 disposals for the Lions, Maggie MacLachlan 16 and Lara Filocamo 13.