WAFLW Team of the Week – Round 4Tuesday, April 4, 2023 - 10:45 PM - by Chris Pike

THERE were plenty of impressive performances from individuals throughout Round 4 of the 2023 WAFLW season once more on the weekend with spots in the Team of the Week hotly sought after.

In the wins for South Fremantle, Claremont, West Perth and East Fremantle, plenty of players put their hands up for selection after starring roles in their teams winning.

However, even in losses for Swan Districts, Subiaco, Peel Thunder and East Perth, there were strong contributions made, and in the end seven of the eight teams are all represented in the Round 4 Team of the Week.

The Round 4 action began on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle breaking through for a first ever win against Swan Districts, winning 12.8 (80) to 4.3 (27).

The other game on Saturday saw Claremont continue its undefeated start to its premiership defence with a 10.8 (68) to 1.2 (8) victory at the expense of Subiaco.

The other two Round 4 matches took place on Sunday with West Perth beating Peel Thunder for the first time with their best ever WAFLW victory, prevailing 7.7 (49) to 2.0 (12) at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium.

The final match of the round took place at Leederville Oval with East Fremantle proving too strong for East Perth, winning 9.13 (67) to 0.1 (1).

There were once again plenty of star performances across the four games and here's how the Round 4 Team of the Week came together.

WAFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 4
BACK: Brooke Hongell (WP), Taya Chambers (EF)    
HALF-BACK: Ebony Dowson (PT), Kloe Bassett (SF), Kahra Sprlyan (SF)
CENTRE: Charli Wicksteed (SF), Beth Beckett (EF), Ashleigh Gomes (EF)
HALF-FORWARD: Noa McNaughton (SF), Chloe Reilly (EF), Krystal Carter (PT)
FORWARD: Grace Betti (WP), Adele Arnup (C)
RUCK: Matilda Dyke (C), Katherine Bennett (WP), Jasmin Stewart (C)
INTERCHANGE: Jess Cox (SD), Greta McKinley (PT), Julia Uhe (EP), Makaela Tuhakaraina (SF), Rachel Ortlepp (C)

Each week of the WAFLW season during 2023, we will be selecting a Team of the Week and here's how the side for Round 4 came together from the weekend's action.

Starting with the full-back line and it was West Perth's Brooke Hongell and East Fremantle's Taya Chambers earning selections for their performances in wins for their respective teams.

Hongell earned selection for a second consecutive week for the Falcons and finished the win against Peel with 12 possessions and four tackles. 

Chambers was also named for the second straight week after having nine disposals and two marks in a strong defensive performance in the win against East Perth.

The half-back line is then made up of Peel Thunder captain Ebony Dowson along with South Fremantle pair Kloe Bassett and Kahra Sprlyan.

Dowson earned selection in the Team of the Week for the first time since Round 1 on the back of delivering 18 possessions and seven tackles despite the Thunder's loss in Joondalup at the hands of West Perth.

South Fremantle beat Swan Districts for the first time in seven attempts with Sprlyan and Bassett both impressive. The former finished with 17 possessions and two marks, and the latter 10 disposals and an inside-50 entry.

There were a whole host of midfielders putting themselves in contention for selection for Round 4 and there was plenty unlucky to miss out.

But in the end, it was East Fremantle's Beth Beckett, West Perth's Katherine Bennett and Claremont's Jasmin Stewart in the on-ball spots with South Fremantle's Charli Wicksteed and Shark Ashleigh Gomes alongside them.

Beckett earned her first selection in the Team of the Week on the back of 27 possessions, seven inside 50s, five marks, two tackles and a goal in the win against East Perth. Gomes also had 26 disposals, eight inside 50s, three marks and a goal for the Sharks.

Wicksteed delivered 17 touches, five marks and three inside-50 entries for South Fremantle with Bennett amassing 26 touches, seven tackles and five inside 50s as she settles into life at West Perth after playing in Claremont's premiership in 2022.

Stewart has now been drafted into the AFLW again by Port Adelaide and the midfield dynamo was brilliant on Saturday for Claremont in the win against Subiaco with 28 possessions, five inside 50s and a goal.

The ruck position for Round 4 goes to Claremont's Matilda Dyke after she produced 21 disposals, 18 hit outs, eight marks, four tackles and a goal in a dominant performance for the Tigers against the Lions.

The half-forward in the Round 4 Team of the Week features South Fremantle's Noa McNaughton, East Fremantle's Chloe Reilly and Peel Thunder's Krystal Carter.

McNaughton has been in dangerous form for the Bulldogs and after kicking 1.4 last week, but she kicking five goals in Saturday's win against Swan Districts from 15 touches, seven marks and four inside-50 entries.

Reilly kicked two goals in the Sharks win over the Royals from her 12 disposals and three tackles with Carter working tirelessly for the Thunder against the Falcons with 17 possessions and five tackles.

The two players named in the full-forward line are West Perth's Grace Betti and Claremont's Adele Arnup.

Betti continued her outstanding form so far this season for the Falcons to be named to the Team of the Week for a second occasion. She finished Sunday's win over Peel with 22 possessions, five marks and a goal.

Arnup was instrumental in keeping Claremont undefeated as well with another three goals from five kicks and four marks.

The interchange for the Round 4 Team of the Week consists of Swan Districts' Jess Cox, Peel Thunder's Greta McKinley, East Perth's Julia Uhe, South Fremantle's Makaela Tuhakaraina and Claremont's Rachel Ortlepp.

It was a tough loss for Swan Districts to South Fremantle but captain Cox finished with 21 touches, five marks, three inside 50s and two tackles.

Peel also suffered a loss to West Perth but McKinley put in a strong showing made up of 15 disposals and five tackles while Uhe battled hard in defence for East Perth with 12 disposals and three tackles.

Tuhakaraina was named to the Team of the Week for a second time this season having kicked two goals for South Fremantle from eight kicks and two inside-50 entries.

Then there was Claremont defender Ortlepp named for a second time this season and she finished with 11 possessions, three marks and two tackles.