WAFLW Team of the Week – Round 6Tuesday, April 18, 2023 - 9:09 PM - by Chris Pike

THERE were starring performances across the weekend with the WAFLW season resuming after the Easter break and the stars didn’t just come in the winning showings from Subiaco, East Fremantle, Swan Districts and Claremont.

While there were plenty of players who stood out in helping the Lions, Sharks, Swans and Tigers record Round 6 WAFLW victories, there were those shining for East Perth, Peel Thunder, West Perth and South Fremantle as well.

That made the selection of the Round 6 WAFLW Team of the Week once again a challenge with up to 40 players realistically putting themselves in the selection mix.

After the break over Easter, the WAFLW season resumed on Saturday morning with Tarni Golisano starring in her 150th game for Subiaco with the Lions defeating East Perth 8.11 (59) to 0.2 (2) in the battle of Leederville Oval co-tenants.

East Fremantle then continued its strong form with a fourth straight win for the season beating Peel Thunder 7.11 (53) to 3.0 (18) at Mandurah's Lane Group Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The other two Round 6 match ups took place on Sunday afternoon with Swan Districts recording its first win of the 2023 season, beating West Perth 10.12 (72) to 3.3 (21) at Steel Blue Oval on the back of a dominant performance from Taylah Edwards.

The last game of the round then featured two teams yet to losing this season coming into the contest at Revo Fitness Stadium. It was the reigning premiers Claremont who prevailed beating South Fremantle 8.2 (50) to 5.4 (34) to improve to a perfect 5-0 record in their premiership defence.

There were once again plenty of star performances across the four games and here's how the Round 6 Team of the Week came together.

WAFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 6

BACK: Sarah Madden (EP), Claire Ortlepp (C)
HALF-BACK: Ebony Dowson (PT), Isabella Edgley (SD), Kahra Sprlyan (SF)
CENTRE: Tarni Golisano (S), Ashleigh Gomes (EF), Jaime Henry (SD)
HALF-FORWARD: Anjelique Raison (EF), Taylah Edwards (SD), Ella Slocombe (C)
FORWARD: Beth Schilling (S), Ashlee Atkins (EF)
RUCK: Sarah Wielstra (SD), Sharon Wong (EF), Matilda Sergeant (C)
INTERCHANGE: Lily Paterson (SD), Kayla Van Den Heever (WP), Madeleine Scanlon (C), Madison Dodd (S), Tahleah Mulder (SF)

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 6 came together from the weekend's action.

Starting with the back-line and Sarah Madden from East Perth and Claire Ortlepp from Claremont earned the full-back line positions.

While East Perth went goalless in the loss to Subiaco on Saturday morning, the ball was in the Royals' back 50 for a lot of the game and Madden stood tall the best she could to finish the game with 20 possessions, five tackles and three marks.

Ortlepp put together another strong performance in Claremont's defensive unit in the win against South Fremantle on Sunday. She earned selection in the Team of the Week for a third time already this season after collecting 15 possessions and laying three tackles.

The half-back line for Round 6 in the WAFLW Team of the Week consists of Ebony Dowson, Isabella Edgley and Kahra Sprlyan.

Dowson is settling into life nicely as the Thunder captain even though her team suffered another tough loss at the hands of East Fremantle. She still earned selection in the Team of the Week for a third time already in 2023 after picking up 25 possessions and taking two marks.

Meanwhile, Edgley was instrumental in Swan Districts' first win of the season and produced 17 possessions, five marks and three tackles down back for the black-and-whites.

Sprlyan continued her impressive form off half-back as well for South Fremantle against Claremont on Sunday. She finished with 12 disposals and three tackles to be named to the Team of the Week for a second occasion in 2023.

There were plenty players through the midfield who put their hands up for selection across the four games in Round 6, but in the end the on-ball positions went Ashleigh Gomes, Sharon Wong and Matilda Sergeant, with Tarni Golisano and Jaime Henry outside them.

East Fremantle scored a terrific win against Peel with both Gomes and Wong instrumental in that for the Sharks through the middle of the ground. Gomes earned a spot in the Team of the Week for a third time as a result finishing with 28 possessions, seven inside 50s, six tackles and five marks.

Wong also was named for the second time this season with the remarkably consistent Sharks midfielder racking up another 23 disposals to go with five tackles and five entries inside the forward 50.

Claremont also kept its winning form going against South Fremantle with Sergeant producing a standout performance consisting of 17 possessions and two marks for the Tigers.

It was a big morning at Leederville Oval for Subiaco captain Golisano as she celebrated her 150th game for the club. The Lions notched a big win over East Perth and she finished with 29 possessions, six inside 50s, four tackles and a goal.

Swan Districts notched its first win of the season and Henry was instrumental in that result against West Perth with 20 disposals, four marks and four tackles to be named to the Team of the Week a second time in 2023.

The ruck position for Round 6 went the way of Sarah Wielstra from Swan Districts after she put together a performance against the Falcons consisting of 14 touches, three marks, 23 hit outs, five inside-50 entries and a goal.

Across half-forward, those positions went to Anjelique Raison, Taylah Edwards and Ella Slocombe for the Round 6 Team of the Week.

Raison put together another strong showing in East Fremantle's win against Peel by kicking two goals from 16 possessions, seven marks, five inside 50s and three hit outs.

Edwards produced a match-winning performance as Swan Districts broke through to beat West Perth and she ended up with 20 disposals, eight marks, two inside-50 entries and three goals in one of the best individual displays of the season.

Then there was Slocombe who kicked two goals from eight kicks, three inside 50s and two tackles in Claremont's win on Sunday against South Fremantle.

The full-forward line for Round 6 was then made up of Beth Schilling and Ashlee Atkins.

Schilling earned selection in the Team of the Week for a second time so far this season on the back of kicking two goals in Subiaco's win over East Perth from 11 disposals, three marks and two inside-50 entries along with having four hit outs.

Atkins has been building her form nicely through this season at East Fremantle and found a spot in the Team of the Week for the first time having kicked two goals to go with 18 touches, eight marks and six tackles.

The interchange for Round 6 was made up of Lily Paterson, Kayla Van Den Heever, Madeleine Scanlon, Madison Dodd and Tahleah Mulder.

Paterson was another to shine as Swan Districts broke through for a first win of the season by delivering two goals in attack from her 10 possessions.

Van Den Heever battled hard for West Perth in that same game against Swans as well and earned selection thanks to 20 disposals and eight tackles for the Falcons.

Scanlon produced a strong showing for Claremont against South Fremantle to end up with 17 disposals, five marks and two entries inside the forward 50.

Dodd was another standout performer in Subiaco's big win against East Perth and she earned her spot courtesy of 17 possessions, three marks and two tackles.

Then there was South Fremantle's Mulder who gained a place in the Team of the Week for a third time already in 2023 thanks to finishing with 20 possessions, five inside 50s, three tackles and a goal.