WAFLW Team of the Week – Round 10Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - 9:42 PM - by Chris Pike

NOT only did teams make statements in Round 10 of the WAFLW but a host of players continued to star too with Courtney Zappara's six goals for Swan Districts, Casey Byrne's five for South Fremantle and Jayme Harken and Matilda Sergeant again amongst the shining lights for Claremont.

There were plenty of standout performances across the four games in Round 10 of the WAFLW competition on the weekend, and even though it was in a loss Peel captain Ebony Dowson became the first player to be named to the Team of the Week for a sixth time.

Claremont's Jayme Harken was named for a fifth time this season, her teammate Matilda Sergeant along with Swans' Zappara a fourth occasion and then a host of players for a third time along West Perth's Karla Stagg, Swan Districts' Cassie McWilliam and South Fremantle's Trinity Brown the first.

The Round 10 action in the WAFLW got underway on Saturday afternoon with Claremont retaining top spot on the ladder beating Peel Thunder 10.9 (69) to 2.1 (13) at Mandurah's Lane Group Stadium.

Also on Saturday afternoon, South Fremantle scored a thumping 17.8 (110) to 1.0 (6) victory against East Perth to consolidate second position with that victory at Leederville Oval.

Lastly on Saturday at the WACA Ground, third position in the WAFLW went on the line and it was Subiaco defeating East Fremantle 5.4 (34) to 3.6 (24).

The round wrapped up on Sunday afternoon at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium and it was Swan Districts who made it five consecutive wins to break into the top four beating West Perth 10.6 (66) to 2.4 (16).

There were once again plenty of star performances across the four games and here's how the Round 10 Team of the Week came together.

WAFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 10

BACK: Kate Orme (C), Karla Stagg (WP)
HALF-BACK: Olivia Crane (S), Ebony Dowson (PT), Rachel Ortlepp (C)
CENTRE: Jaime Henry (SD), Matilda Sergeant (C), Charli Wicksteed (SF)
HALF-FORWARD: Courtney Zappara (SD), Ella Slocombe (C), Trinity Brown (SF)
FORWARD: Brooke Whyte (C), Anjelique Raison (EF)
FOLLOWERS: Matilda Dyke (C), Ruby Mahony (SD), Jayme Harken (C)
INTERCHANGE: Emily Bennett (WP), Cassie McWilliam (SD), Evie Cowcher (PT), Julia Uhe (EP), Kayley King (SD)

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 10 came together from the weekend's action.

The full-back line in the WAFLW Team of the Week for Round 10 is made up of Claremont's Kate Orme and West Perth's Karla Stagg.

Orme has settled into being an attacking defender for Claremont this season and she was terrific again in the win over Peel with another 20 possessions and four entries inside the forward 50.

Stagg earned a place in the Team of the Week for a first time this season after she fought valiantly down back for West Perth and finished with 12 disposals, three marks and three tackles.

The half-back line features Subiaco's Olivia Crane, Peel Thunder captain Ebony Dowson and Claremont's Rachel Ortlepp.

Crane had a big role to play in the Lions beating the Sharks to improve to third position on the WAFLW ladder. She finished with 17 touches, five tackles and four marks to earn a place in the Team of the Week for a third time in 2023.

Peel might have lost to Claremont on Saturday but captain Dowson did all she could once more. She earned a place in the Team of the Week for a sixth time this season on the back of 27 possessions, four marks and three tackles.

Ortlepp returned to the Claremont side and was named to the Team of the Week for a third time in 2023 after finishing the win against the Thunder with 17 touches, three tackles, two marks and two entries inside the forward 50.

There were no shortage of midfielders again in contention for the Team of the Week. In the end, the on-ball positions are made up of Claremont's Matilda Sergeant and Jayme Harken along with Swan Districts' Ruby Mahony.

Sergeant and Harken were both instrumental in the Tigers' win over the Thunder. Sergeant earned a spot for a fourth time this season with 29 possessions seven marks and four tackles. Harken was named for a fifth time with 29 disposals, seven tackles and five marks.

Mahony has been in blistering form for Swan Districts and instrumental in their five-match winning streak. She earned a place in the Team of the Week for a third time this season finishing with 28 touches, three marks, three inside 50s and two tackles.

Named outside them are Swans' Jaime Henry and South Fremantle's Charli Wicksteed.

Henry earned a place in the Team of the Week for a third time to be a key part of Swans' form reversal. She had another 23 touches, five inside 50s, four marks and three tackles in the win against West Perth.

Wicksteed has burst onto the scene with South Fremantle in the midfield this season. She was named to the Team of the Week for a second time after having another 19 touches and five inside-50 entries against East Perth.

Named in the ruck position for Round 10 is Claremont's Matilda Dyke.

The ruck spot has been hotly contested all season long and Dyke was named to the Team of the Week for a second time after having 29 hit outs to go with 17 possessions and four tackles in Claremont's win over Peel.

The half-forward line consists of Courtney Zappara from Swan Districts, Ella Slocombe from Claremont and South Fremantle's Trinity Brown.

Zappara put in a match-winning performance for Swans against West Perth at Joondalup by kicking six goals from her 16 kicks, four marks and two inside 50s.

Slocombe kicked another two goals in Claremont's win against the Thunder from 12 kicks, seven inside-50 entries and four marks.

Brown delivered her breakout performance of the season for South Fremantle kicking two goals to go with finishing with 17 touches, seven marks and seven tackles.

The two players on the full-forward line Round 10 are Claremont's Brooke Whyte and East Fremantle's Anjelique Raison.

Whyte was named to the Team of the Week for a second time in the past three weeks on the back of kicking two goals for Claremont along with 17 possessions, five marks and five tackles.

Raison kicked East Fremantle's only three goals of the game against Subiaco from her eight kicks and four marks to be named to the Team of the Week for the third time in 2023.

On the interchange for the Round 10 Team of the Week are West Perth's Emily Bennett, Swan Districts' Cassie McWilliam, Peel Thunder's Evie Cowcher, East Perth's Julia Uhe and Swans' Kayley King.

Bennett earned her place in the Team of the Week for a third time this season and second in succession after finishing with 21 touches for the Falcons against the Swans.

In the same game, McWilliam kicked two goals for Swan Districts from 19 possessions and five marks while King earned a place in the Team of the Week for a third time on the back of 20 disposals and seven inside-50 entries.

Cowcher was another Thunder player to fight hard despite the loss to Claremont and ended the game with 22 disposals and six tackles while Julia Uhe did the same for East Perth against South Fremantle to end up with 12 touches, three marks and two tackles.