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Gold Coast have beaten Richmond by a point in a thriller on the siren, capping a dramatic match that featured a scuffle between former teammates.
The incident broke out in the first quarter after ex-Sun Courtney Jones kicked Richmond’s second goal of the game within the first two minutes, prompting her former teammate Daisy D’Arcy to run over and shove Jones.
It devolved into a melee involving multiple players from both teams, and set the tone for a fiery afternoon.
The drama continued all the way to the final siren. Shannon Danckert, in her first game as a Tiger after being delisted by the Suns, looked to have kicked the match-winner for Richmond. But the Suns squared things up before their captain Tara Bohanna marked and kicked the winning point, the siren sounding as the ball crossed the line.
The Suns were goalless at quarter-time and trailed by seven points at the long break, but came home strongest to win 5.6 (36) to 5.5 (35) and stay in the top eight.
“She’s a beautiful kick. She’s arguably one of our best kicks,” Suns coach Cameron Joyce said about Bohanna after the match.
“I was a bit worried about the distance – heavy legs at the end of a game of footy. But at the same time, she went back and took the responsibility. She was able to execute even though it was a point, but that was all that was needed.”
Charlie Rowbottom (31 disposals, five clearances) and Claudia Whitford (25, six) were the shining lights for Gold Coast as Lucy Single performed a successful tagging job on Richmond star Monique Conti (22 possessions).
The moment: Tara Bohanna unloads on the final siren.Credit: Getty Images
Vivien Saad also stood up in defence for the Suns, collecting a game-high nine intercept possessions including a spectacular flying mark against Tigers captain Katie Brennan.
Prized Tigers recruit Caitlin Greiser kicked the opening goal of the game after the quarter-time siren.
Richmond’s former Gold Coast player Courtney Jones struck first in the second quarter, before shoving former teammate Daisy D’arcy to spark a skirmish between the two sides.
Jones was traded in a straight swap for Maddy Brancatisano in the offseason, having requested a trade after her younger sister was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Shannon Danckert also faced her former side after being delisted by the Suns last season, with Richmond forced to name the train-on player for the match amid a growing injury crisis.
The Suns led by five points at three-quarter-time after back-to-back goals from Alana Gee and Georgia Clayden flipped the script on the Tigers.
But the arm wrestle continued well into the fourth term with both sides lacking shooting composure.
Danckert grabbed a mark just in front of goal to rip the lead back for the Tigers but a rushed behind for the Suns quickly leveled scores before Bohanna sealed the win.
Gold Coast (4-2) return home for a Queensland derby against the fourth-placed Brisbane Lions, while Richmond (3-3) take on sixth-placed Essendon next round. – With AAP
GOLD COAST 0.1 2.1 5.3 5.6 (36)
RICHMOND 1.0 3.2 4.4 5.5 (35)
GOALS
Gold Coast: McLaughlin, Stanton, Bohanna, Gee, Clayden.
Richmond: Greiser, Jones, Reid, Brennan, Danckert.
Geelong’s Zali Friswell is tackled in Essendon’s win.Credit: Getty Images
Bombers conquer Cats in Prespakis showdown
Essendon have pulled off a sensational come-from-behind win over Geelong by 10 points to return to the top eight.
Left with a sour taste in their mouths after a 20-point loss to Collingwood last round, the Bombers overcame a scoreless start to win at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval on Sunday.
The sixth-round win provided Essendon midfield star Maddy Prespakis with family bragging rights over younger sister Georgie in their second AFLW skirmish.
Prespakis also celebrated her 50th game in style with 33 disposals and six clearances as she arm-wrestled Georgie (26, 10) for dominance in the midfield.
“Maddy’s got a great ability of being able to step up every week. She shoulders a lot for us,” Essendon coach Natalie Wood said after the match.
“What Maddy and I spoke to the whole group about was a team effort. It was going to take a team effort today and Maddy set the tone for us.”
The younger Prespakis, in her 25th game, kicked the game’s first goal but was denied by the umpires who argued – without an AFLW score review system – the ball was touched.
The ever-prolific Chloe Scheer broke through twice to give the Cats a 14-point lead while the hosts were scoreless at quarter-time.
A desperate Essendon went to work in the second term, leading contested possessions 14 to four for the term and generating three of the first four inside 50s.
Madison Prespakis of the Bombers and Georgie Prespakis of the Cats pose with family members after the game.Credit: Getty Images
With a minute left on the clock and only three behinds on the scoreboard, Amber Clarke snapped the ball towards goal.
Although the ball looked sure to spray across the face, it somehow bounced backward to go through the posts and give the Bombers a much-needed six points.
Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood then cut the margin to one point to kickstart the second half and bring herself within three goals of 50 career majors.
With scores level at three quarter-time, Georgia Nanscawen (24 disposals, six clearances) worked diligently to put the ball back in Bomber hands, before Daria Bannister kicked truly to put Essendon into the lead. She was backed by another from Clarke that sealed the win.
Geelong (4-2) return home to host 10th-placed Fremantle next round while Essendon (3-3) face eighth-placed Richmond. – AAP
ESSENDON 0.0 1.3 2.5 4.5 (29)
GEELONG 2.2 2.3 2.5 2.7 (19)
GOALS
Essendon: Clarke 2, Toogood, Bannister.
Geelong: Scheer 2.
Alice O’Loughlin of the Kangaroos celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty Images
Stars on song as North crush Dockers
Ball magnets Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner have fired North Melbourne into second spot on the AFLW ladder with starring roles in a 45-point belting of Fremantle.
Riddell (37 disposals, six clearances) and Garner (30, three) were dominant figures in the midfield throughout the Kangaroos’ victory at Fremantle Oval on Sunday.
Jenna Bruton (27, four) and Mia King (21, six) also shone, while Tahlia Randall (five goals) and Kate Shierlaw (two) benefited from their teammates’ control around the contest.
Bruton became the 16th player in AFLW history to reach 1000 career disposals and matched King with a game-high 11 tackles.
It was a disappointing result for Fremantle, who would have moved into the top eight with a win.
Defender Emma O’Driscoll (28 disposals) was the Dockers’ best in a losing cause, as the home side managed just 0.2 to North’s 6.1 after half-time.
Aine Tighe gave Fremantle a great start with the opening goal inside two minutes but North Melbourne controlled proceedings throughout the first half.
The visitors dominated inside 50s (25-10) and disposals (149-118) to half-time and would have led by more than 10 points if not for wasteful kicking at times in front of goal.
Shierlaw and Randall led the way with two majors each to that point as Riddell (20 touches), Garner (19) and Bruton (16) ran amok in the midfield.
Randall’s third goal and another from Tess Craven increased North’s lead to 22 points by the final change, with the Dockers held scoreless in the third quarter.
It got ugly in the last quarter as Shierlaw assisted Randall’s fourth goal and blew the margin out to 27 points.
Randall completed the rout with her fifth major on the final siren. – AAP
NORTH MELBOURNE1.5 4.5 6.5 10.6 (66)
FREMANTLE 1.1 3.1 3.1 3.3 (21)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Randall 5, Shierlaw 2, Craven, Eddey, O’Loughlin.
Fremantle: Antonio, Lally, Tighe.
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