Demons Maintain Unbeaten Streak Despite Gall Injury After Carlton Win
Melbourne have the ladder to themselves and a headache they didn’t want.
The Demons are the AFLW’s last unbeaten side after six rounds, hammering Carlton by 34 points at a blustery Casey Fields – 8.10 (58) to 3.6 (24) – in a performance that screamed premiership intent. But the mood shifted sharply when star forward Georgia Gall hobbled off in the third term with an ankle injury.
On the back of Hawthorn’s shock win over reigning premiers North Melbourne on Friday night, Melbourne ran out knowing exactly what was on the line. Beat the Blues and top spot was theirs, along with a pristine 6-0 record.
They did it with authority.
Carlton came to play early. The Blues were bold and combative in the first half, matching Melbourne’s pressure and refusing to be blown away. Their contest work kept the Demons honest, and at the main break the game still had a pulse.
Then the third quarter arrived.
Melbourne ripped the game open with four unanswered goals in a devastating burst that turned a tight contest into a procession. The Demons swarmed around the ball, locked Carlton in their defensive half and finally made their dominance count on the scoreboard.
Olivia Purcell was at the heart of it. The midfielder racked up 26 disposals and nailed two crucial goals during that surge, driving Melbourne forward again and again. Tyla Hanks was everywhere too, collecting 32 touches and adding a goal of her own as the Demons’ engine room overwhelmed the Blues.
The price was Gall. As Melbourne turned the screws, the forward went down in the third quarter and limped from the field, leaving the Demons to juggle their forward structure and wait on scans that could shape the rest of their season.
Carlton, now 4-2 after back-to-back defeats, saw their top-four push take a dent. Midfielder Claudia Whitfort fought to keep them afloat with 24 disposals, working tirelessly through the middle, but the Blues simply couldn’t go with Melbourne once the tempo lifted.
The final term brought a moment to savour for the home fans. Jorja Livingstone capped her debut with a goal, a neat finish that underlined the Demons’ depth on a day when their stars – and their system – again looked a class above.
Melbourne walk away unbeaten, on top of the ladder and humming. Whether they stay there may depend on how serious Gall’s ankle proves to be.
Moloney magic as Cats torch Pies for fifth straight win
Over at Victoria Park, Geelong flicked the switch and left Collingwood in their wake.
The Cats made it five wins on the bounce with a 14.6 (90) to 7.7 (49) demolition of the winless Magpies, a result that tightened their grip on a top-eight spot and showcased an attack humming with confidence.
For a few nervous minutes, though, Geelong were wobbling.
Collingwood, still hunting their first win of the season, refused to roll over. Minutes after half-time, the Magpies dragged themselves level and injected real tension into the contest. The home crowd found its voice. The Cats suddenly had a game on their hands.
That was as good as it got for Collingwood.
Geelong responded with a brutal, free-flowing third quarter that yielded six goals and a 31-point lead by the final change. The visitors sliced through the Magpies with sharp ball movement and relentless run from midfield, turning an even contest into a blowout in less than half an hour.
Aishling Moloney supplied the moment everyone will be talking about. Stationed around halfway, she launched the ball long, watched it skid, bounce, and then keep tumbling forward before it finally crossed the line. A freakish, long-range major that will sit comfortably in any goal-of-the-year conversation.
The Cats didn’t let up.
In the last quarter they tightened the screws completely, holding Collingwood goalless to close out a 41-point win and underline just how dangerous they’ve become over the past month.
Their midfield brigade drove the rout. Nina Morrison gathered 30 disposals, Mikayla Bowen added 29, and Georgie Prespakis dominated at the coalface with 12 clearances. With that sort of supply, the forwards feasted: Moloney finished with three goals, Chloe Scheer with four.
For Collingwood, now 0-6, it was another harsh lesson in a season that refuses to turn. Yet there was at least one bright spark. Half-forward Olivia Lewis, a late call-up on Saturday morning after Bri Davey fell ill, marked her AFLW debut with a goal. The former Super Netball player from Melbourne Mavericks made her first game in black and white count with a clean finish and a moment she will not forget.
Geelong march on, building form and belief with every week. Collingwood are still searching for a circuit-breaker. How long they have to wait could define their entire campaign.
