Race for a top four spot wide open as teams surge toward finals

The ladder is heating up more every week, with plenty of teams on equal points vying for spots and some only outside the top four on percentage; with each round also becoming more unexpected as teams’ stage big upsets. Hampton and Therry are tied on 24 points sitting in fourth and fifth respectively, whilst Whitefriars and Power House are just below but only one win behind on points.

Glen Eira/Old McKinnon are putting together a good case are going to be hard to beat for the minor premiership, solidifying their hold on first place with a 40-point victory over Richmond Central. It was another strong four quarter performance, holding Richmond to just five behinds for the entire game, their highest score two behinds in the final quarter.

The Gryphs were accurate in front of goals, kicking 7.3 and managing at least one goal per quarter. Captain Gemma Strangio led from the front once again, whilst Madeline Box was also strong, as was Aleesha Whittle with a goal.

On a tough day for Richmond, it was Claire Kirwan, Isabella Rao and Georgia Harris who carried their team.

Next up, Richmond will travel to play Power House whilst the Gryphs are set to host Old Haileybury.

Oakleigh suffered an unexpected loss in a low scoring affair against Power House, who continued their recent strong form. It is the second week in a row that Power House have shocked the competition with an upset win, having now defeated fifth and third place on the ladder in consecutive weeks.

It was an ugly low scoring affair, with both teams just kicking a singular goal for the entirety of the match. Power House were wayward in front of goal, but their seven behinds were ultimately the difference.

Oakleigh got going early, kicking 1.2 in the first quarter to keep Power House scoreless. However, Oakleigh failed to register another score, whilst strangely enough Power House’s winning goal did not come until the final quarter.

Grace Read kicked Power House’s only goal for the game, whilst Daisy Bird was Oakleigh’s singular goal scorer. Zoe Uwland was strong alongside Emma Doorley, with Sienna Bernardo and Ruby Ford also strong competitors for Oakleigh.

Power House will look to continue their strong run of form when they host Richmond Central on Saturday morning, whilst Oakleigh will host the Monash Blues on Saturday afternoon in a tough matchup.

Hampton Rovers were defeated by 26 points on the weekend, a shock upset at the hands of Whitefriars. The loss leaves their position in fourth sitting in a precarious spot, as they are now just one game ahead of seventh place.

For the first half, it was a pretty evenly matched game as Whitefriars only took a five-point lead into the main change. However, they looked a different side after half time with an aggressive attack on the ball that saw them take a 19-point lead into three quarter-time. They also held the Rovers scoreless for the entire third quarter and allowed them just a singular goal in the fourth, making this a great performance all round.

Meave Bohanna and Annalise Vine were dominant in front of goals, kicking three goals each whilst Caitlin Money and Sophie Smith also had a good day out. Madeline Pearson registered two goals for the Rovers.

Next up, Whitefriars will be searching for another win when they take on Parkdale at Gerry Green Reserve. The Rovers will hope to bounce back against a tough opposition in Therry Penola, a game which has massive repercussions for their top four hopes.

Monash Blues recorded another demolition win as we have seen so many times this season, this time defeating Old Haileybury by 71 points. Old Haileybury recorded just two behinds for the game, proving how hard the Blues are to stop when they are on a roll.

Accuracy proved to be a difficulty for the Blues and is something they can improve on as they head toward the pointy end of the competition, as they registered 19 behinds and could have piled on a much bigger margin. An impressive fourth quarter was the highlight of the game, as they kicked 5.6.

Hannah Konstanty recorded her biggest goal haul for the year, with a four-goal bag to take her tally to 15. It is also the fourth consecutive week she has been listed amongst the best players. Emily Conroy was best on, having now been in the best players for eight consecutive weeks as she pieces together a highly impressive season.

Zahra Clavarino was important on a tough day for Old Haileybury.

It doesn’t get easier for Old Haileybury next week, as they will play Glen Eira at Packer Park. The Blues will travel to face Oakleigh on Saturday afternoon.

With the Rovers falling over against Whitefriars, Therry Penola now find themselves out of the top four by 0.22% after a big win over Parkdale Vultures on Saturday. The Vultures found themselves the victim of another large loss, kicking just two behinds in the first quarter whilst the Lions piled on 47 points. It was a much-improved effort from the Vultures in the third quarter as they kicked 2.2. However, they did not register another score for the remainder of the match.

It was a full four quarter performance from the Lions, as they went on to kick another five goals in the second half. Abbey Duggan took her goal tally to 23 for the year after she kicked four goals to be included in the best, whilst Ruby O’Halloran was best on with a five-goal haul.

Next up, Therry will host the Rovers in a game which will have massive repercussions for the top four. The Vultures will host Whitefriars as they continue to search for their first win.