AFLW round one: Saints have plenty to Crow about; Hawks get ‘statement’ revenge over Lions

Youth-inspired St Kilda have romped to one of the best wins of their short AFLW history, stunning powerhouse Adelaide by 22 points for a perfect start to the season.

The Saints hadn’t beaten Adelaide since they entered the competition in 2020.

But Nick Dal Santo’s charges smashed the Crows around the ball as they claimed a 6.5 (41) to 2.7 (19) win at RSEA Park.

“Just incredibly proud of our group,” skipper Hannah Priest told Fox Sports.

“We’ve worked so hard … and then to come out here and play a Saints brand of football that we’ve been working on, I’m just really proud.”

Adelaide’s Hannah Munyard was carried off after suffering a seemingly serious left ankle injury in the dying moments of the third quarter.

Munyard’s teammate Zoe Prowse was able to play on after an ankle concern in the second term.

Tyanna Smith (24 disposals, seven clearances, 447 metres gained) was magnificent for St Kilda, with support from Georgia Patrikios (27 disposals) and Rebecca Ott (six clearances), while Paige Trudgeon was busy down back.

Debutant Zoe Besanko kicked two goals, while fellow draftee Ella Forbes and young recruit Charlotte Baskaran impressed, with Priest hailing the youngsters’ work ethic over pre-season.

“I don’t think they missed a training session, to be honest,” Priest said.

“So deserving, and you can clearly see that they’re ready to make their mark on the competition.”

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With five minutes left on the clock, Brisbane’s Dakota Davidson had a chance to squash an unusual pattern plaguing the two-time premiers.

The Lions stretched their streak of opening round losses to three on the trot in front of their home crowd in Springfield, Queensland.

The Lions were down by a goal and Davidson – who clinched their 70th career goal earlier in the game – had a chance level the scores. The tall forward lined up and fired but came up short and hit the post, with audible dismayed groans from the home crowd in Brighton Homes arena.

As the clock ticked down, the Lions tried again to score, but only managed behinds as a determined Hawthorn held on to win by four points.

While the opening round curse continues for Brisbane, it’s not all bad news for the Lions. They made the grand final in both 2023 and 2024 when they lost those first matches.

Meanwhile for the Hawks, it was redemption – albeit at the start of the season.

In a post-match interview, Hawk Tilly Lucas-Rodd told Fox Footy they wanted to make a statement after last year’s loss to the Lions in the first week of finals. The Hawks, who had the double chance, proceeded to lose their semi-final against Port Adelaide by one point.

They said a fourth-quarter huddle and pep talk from coach Daniel Webster and encouragement from captain Emily Bates helped them pile on the pressure.

“I think we just tried to take that energy and be really fired from the start of the last quarter,” Lucas-Rodd said.

The Hawks struggled to convert in the first quarter, rushing through several behinds and fumbling goal opportunities.

Lion Taylor Smith was first on the scoreboard with a goal, countered quickly by Hawks forward Greta Bodey, who sidestepped Nat Grider to slot one perfectly.

A rough contest between Lion Sophie Conway and Hawthorn’s Lucy Wales left them both bleeding and sent off the field for medical attention during the second term.

The Hawks upped the momentum to lead by nine points at half-time.

The Hawks continued to power through, aided by Aine McDonagh, however their pace was interrupted by a nasty crunch on Jasmine Flemming who got tangled up in a tackle, and limped off field clutching her right knee. The midfielder returned after having her leg strapped.

A sensational long-range kick by Ellie Hampson breathed life back into the Lions in the fourth quarter, reducing the margin to seven points. Davidson tried to level the scores, but only managed a behind. Brisbane’s Charlie Mullins fired a goal with less than two minutes on the clock, however her snap was touched off the boot, and reduced to a point.

The Hawks managed to hold on with efforts from Emily Everist, Eliza West (25 disposals) and Lucas-Rodd, to win 4.9 (33) 3.11 (29).

Essendon’s new AFLW era has started, with a quartet of debutants firing the Bombers to a 56-point win over GWS.

Unveiling five new faces at Manuka Oval on Saturday, the Bombers slammed through seven straight goals to set up a 13.7 (85) to 3.11 (29) victory – their highest ever score in the AFLW.

A two-goal haul by Bombers co-captain Bonnie Toogood was matched by draftee Holly Ridewood and ex-Port forward Maggie MacLachlan.

Last year’s No.9 pick Grace Belloni and former GWS player Courtney Murphy kicked a goal apiece, while fellow draftee Taya Chambers made her debut in defence.

Maddy Prespakis (one goal, 26 disposals, seven clearances) was also busy for Essendon in the engine room, taking advantage of GWS stalwart Alyce Parker’s absence.

Parker was leading the Giants with 15 disposals and five clearances before an ankle injury forced her out at halftime.

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A midfield masterclass from Ash Riddell and a third-quarter blitz from Irish debutant Blaithin Bogue has fired North Melbourne to a 30-point win over Geelong.

The Cats threatened to cause a round-one boilover against the defending premiers after closing the margin to six points with one quarter remaining in Saturday’s match.

Heavy rain greeted the players for the start of the final quarter, and it made Gaelic star Bogue feel right at home.

The 25-year-old, North’s first debutant since 2023, produced an opportunistic 20m soccer goal from around her body to get things going.

A clever kick forward by Bogue set up Bella Eddey for the next goal, giving North an 18-point lead.

And it was effectively game over a few minutes later when Bogue took a mark in the goal square before running on to kick truly from point-blank range, sealing the 8.3 (51) to 3.3 (21) win at GMHBA Stadium.

Riddell was also influential, racking up a game-high 28 disposals and eight clearances in a superb effort as North slammed home five goals to one in a dominant final quarter.

“It was great. The first three quarters were tough, but we knew we just had to keep fighting until the end,” Bogue told Fox Sports.

“I honestly was just in the right place at the right time (for the goals).

“The first one, the ball was just there and I just had to put the boot on it, because they put so much pressure on you if you try to bend down for the ball. I was just happy I got it away.”

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Collingwood’s No.1 draft pick Ash Centra had an eye-catching moment on Thursday night when she showed some exquisite skill with a bounce between her legs. There are a few accomplished footballers getting around trying to match or better her feat. How would you rate Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell’s effort?

Super Saturday just became even more super, with AFLW round 1 resuming at GMHBA Stadium, where Geelong take on the reigning premiers North Melbourne from 3.35pm. For the Roos, former captain Emma Kearney is out with a calf and Jas Garner has taken the reins as skipper.

Later this afternoon, the Bombers play GWS in Canberra, and tonight the Western Bulldogs host Melbourne at Whitten Oval.

A quick recap of Friday night footy, which featured a resurgent champ (Chloe Molloy with four goals for the Swans in her comeback from an ACL), and a teenager announcing her herself with 25 touches (Zippy Fish, also for the Swans). Here are the results from the round so far. Check back in for news, more results and big moments.

Chloe Molloy played a starring role in her long-awaited return to the AFLW, firing Sydney to a 20-point win over Richmond.

Swans co-captain Molloy slotted four goals on return from a knee reconstruction as debutant Zippy Fish lived up to the hype in the 8.10 (58) to 5.8 (38) win at North Sydney Oval on Friday night.

It was star forward Molloy’s first match since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament at training in September 2024 – just one game into last season.

The 26-year-old picked up where she left off, combining well with maturing midfielder Montana Ham (18 disposals, six score involvements) in front of 4126 fans.

Fish, drafted with pick No.5 last year, lived up to her name flaunting her blistering pace from half-back. She finished with 25 disposals and nine intercept possessions.

She missed the record for possessions on debut by just one. Remember the name.

Monique Conti was Richmond’s shining light with 32 touches, as Caitlin Greiser and Rebecca Miller led the way on the scoreboard with two goals each.

Molloy and Greiser had faced off in an early goalscoring shootout as the Swans started the more daring side.

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Greiser opened the scoring with a long bomb from the 50m arc before Molloy responded with her first goal to help set up a two-point lead at quarter-time.

Molloy slotted her second after a laser kick from Ham but Greiser – mentored by Carlton icon and Tigers specialist coach Brendan Fevola – responded to keep the home side at bay.

Sydney wrestled back momentum when young gun Cynthia Hamilton, after overcoming a pre-season knee injury, sold candy not once but twice to build a nine-point lead at the main break.

Molloy used her body well to outmanoeuvre Tigers defender Katelyn Cox and kick her third goal, before Sydney broke away when Holly Cooper slotted two goals in the third quarter.

Richmond, who made the finals last season, will look to bounce back when they host the Western Bulldogs next weekend, while Sydney take on Gold Coast.
– AAP