Essendon claimed the first win over fellow inaugural side Hawthorn in a new chapter of the clubs’ old rivalry with a 26-point win at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
It was a game with plenty of heat and push and shove, along with some fast, contested footy, as the arch rivals went head-to-head at Marvel Stadium.
Maddy Prespakis celebrates a goalCredit:Getty Images
The game was moved to Marvel after being originally scheduled for ETU stadium in Port Melbourne, which sold out within minutes. The fans proved it was a good decision from the AFL as they filled the bottom level of the stadium and were extremely vocal. In the end there were over 12,092 in attendance.
It was a tight game, with Essendon having a slight advantage throughout the arm wrestle before opening things up in the back half of the final quarter as they booted three unanswered goals.
The Dons entered the main break with a 10-point lead, but scores evened up after Hawthorn’s Zoe Barbakos kicked her second during the third term.
Essendon held a six-point advantage at three-quarter-time and the margin was pushed out further as Bonnie Toogood booted her second goal of the evening. Overall, Essendon were the more polished side, boasting more experience and clean skills.
The first major of the game went to Essendon’s Jess Wuetschner, the former Brisbane Lion and two-time club leading goalkicker with a crafty crumbing goal.
Daria Bannister of the Bombers looks to pass in the win over Hawthorn.Credit:AFL Photos
The home side also notched the second goal of the evening, with draftee and explosive forward Paige Scott taking a huge grab in front of goal and slotting the ball through from a set shot. The top-10 pick had a great game, finishing with 16 disposals.
Hawthorn’s first goal was a moment of triumph amid tragedy as debutant Sophie Locke booted her first goal at AFLW level and was playing the game honouring her mother Sarah, who sadly lost her long battle with cancer two weeks ago.
Locke’s father Stu, speaking on ABC radio, said: “We all hoped she’d get the first goal … I said to her today it doesn’t always go the way you want it to go … but today it did.”
Essendon’s forward line had the upper hand over Hawthorn’s defence, especially with the experience of Toogood, Georgia Gee and Wuetschner but the fairly new back line did well, supported by experienced Tegan Cunningham, and put the pressure on, which led to some inaccurate kicks from the home side.
The Hawks’ midfield also didn’t make it easy for the Bombers to drive it up the ground, especially with Maddy Prespakis closely checked by Tilly Lucas-Rodd – the league best and fairest still finishing with 26 disposals and one goal.
Top-10 draft pick Jasmine Fleming was also crucial through the mid for the Hawks, showing plenty of agility and class and registering 11 disposals, 10 of those kicks.
Hawthorn winger Kaitlyn Ashmore imposed herself on the game, taking down Bombers with crunching tackles and showing onfield leadership. Sarah Perkins also had a great game and booted her first goal in Hawthorn colours in the AFLW after previously playing in the club’s VFLW side.
In another piece of history for the game, 16-year-old Emma Stark became the youngest female field umpire to officiate at the highest level.
Essendon next play Carlton at ETU Stadium and Hawthorn will take on St Kilda at Box Hill City Over, both games on Sunday, September 4.
ESSENDON 2.1 3.6 4.9 7.11 (53)
HAWTHORN 1.2 2.2 4.3 4.3 (27)
GOALS
Essendon: Toogood 2, Wuetschner, Scott, Marshall, Prespakis, Alexander.
Hawthorn: Barbakos 2, Locke, Perkins.
BEST
Essendon: Prespakis, Barba, Scott, Toogood, Bannister.
Hawthorn: Ashmore, Cunningham, Barbakos, Fleming, Lucas-Rodd.
CROWD: 12,092 at Marvel Stadium.
Montana Ham is helped from the field.Credit:AFL Photos
SWANS FALL ON DEBUT, HAM HURT
St Kilda have denied Sydney a fairytale AFLW debut as Kate Shierlaw booted four goals to set up a 29-point victory in front of a fervent crowd at North Sydney Oval.
The inaugural Swans rode a wave of emotion and effort to outplay the Saints for much of the opening term, but the visitors impressed after the first change to triumph 8.8 (56) to 4.3 (27) on Saturday.
Sydney’s loss could come at a further cost as No.1 draft pick Montana Ham went to ground and immediately clutched at her knee in the dying stages of the final term and had to be helped from the field. ″She’s in good spirits at the moment,” Swans coach Scott Gowans said.
“We’ll get a scan and have a look at it. It’s a hard one to tell, the way that it happened with the way that the St Kilda player fell across.
“I usually like to get an indication [off the physio] but they couldn’t even give me an indication.″
With the scores tight in the second term, Shierlaw kicked two goals in as many minutes to open up a 21-point lead that the Saints never looked like giving up, despite it being a memorable occasion for the Swans in front of 8264 fans.
The tall forward went on to cause the home side’s defence concerns throughout and was the dominant target on the field.
“Kate’s an interesting player because her workrate never drops off,” Saints coach Nick Dal Santo said. “She puts herself constantly in positions to have an opportunity and tonight she got that reward for effort.″
St Kilda’s prized recruit, Nicola Stevens, made an ideal start for her new club and in her 50th match, kicking truly to open the scoring after only 90 seconds.
ST KILDA 1.2 4.2 6.5 8.8 (56)
SYDNEY 1.1 2.1 3.1 4.3 (27)
GOALS
St Kilda: Shierlaw 4, Xenos 2, Stevens, Matin.
Sydney: Hamilton, Lochland, Privitelli, Skinner.
BEST
St Kilda: White, Shierlaw, McDonald, Patrikios, McKinnon.
Sydney: Ham, Eastman, Tarrant, Steane.
INJURIES
Sydney: Ham (knee).
VENUE: North Sydney Oval.
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