Melbourne Demons March to 6-0 Despite Georgia Gall's Injury
Melbourne have the ladder to themselves.
Six rounds in, six wins banked, and a 34-point dismantling of Carlton at a windswept Casey Fields to underline exactly why the Demons now look like the team to beat in AFLW.
The 8.10 (58) to 3.6 (24) victory was as authoritative as the scoreline suggests, built on a brutal third-quarter burst that blew the game apart. Yet the mood was tempered the moment Georgia Gall hobbled from the field in the third term with an ankle injury, a cloud over an otherwise emphatic afternoon.
The stakes were clear before the first bounce. A day after Hawthorn stunned reigning premiers North Melbourne, Melbourne knew a win would not just keep their perfect record intact but launch them into outright top spot. Carlton, 4-1 coming in, arrived with their own top-four ambitions and played like it early.
The Blues were bold in the opening half. They hunted, harassed and stayed in the fight, refusing to let Melbourne dictate terms for long stretches. Every time the Demons threatened to slip away, Carlton found a contest win or a scrambling clearance to hang on.
Then the dam wall broke.
Melbourne piled on four unanswered goals in a devastating third quarter, ripping the contest from Carlton’s grasp in a handful of minutes. The pressure finally told, and at the heart of it all was Olivia Purcell.
The midfielder turned the game with a commanding burst, racking up disposals at will and driving the ball forward with purpose. She finished with 26 touches and two goals, her influence stamped all over the decisive period.
Tyla Hanks was just as relentless. With 32 disposals and a goal, she controlled the tempo and repeatedly put Melbourne on the front foot. But it was during this surge that Gall went down, limping from the field and casting a shadow over the Demons’ dominance.
The final term brought a moment to savour as Jorja Livingstone marked her debut with a goal, capping a day that showcased Melbourne’s depth as much as their polish.
For Carlton, it’s now back-to-back losses and a reality check for their top-four push. Claudia Whitfort fought to keep them afloat, gathering 24 disposals and working tirelessly through the middle, but the Blues simply couldn’t match Melbourne’s sustained pressure and class when the game opened up.
The Demons walk away unbeaten and on top. Whether they stay there may depend on how serious Gall’s ankle proves to be.
Cats catch fire with five on the trot
If Melbourne are the benchmark, Geelong are charging hard in the rear-view mirror.
At Victoria Park, the Cats survived a scare, then tore Collingwood apart with a third-quarter blitz of their own, storming to a 14.6 (90) to 7.7 (49) win and a fifth straight victory.
Geelong knew what was on the line. A win would tighten their grip on a spot inside the top eight. Collingwood, winless at 0-5, had little but pride to play for, yet they refused to roll over.
Minutes after half-time, the Magpies dragged the scores level and sent a jolt through the contest. For a brief moment, an upset flickered into view.
Geelong’s response was ruthless.
The Cats flicked the switch and unleashed an electrifying third quarter, slamming on six goals to seize a 31-point lead by the final change. The football was fast, fearless and utterly overwhelming.
Aishling Moloney produced the highlight that will live longest. From around halfway, she launched a long, hopeful bomb that turned into something spectacular as the ball skidded, bounced and kept on bouncing, eventually trickling through for a goal-of-the-year contender. It was audacious. It was lucky. It was exactly the kind of moment that sums up a team riding a wave of confidence.
Moloney finished with three goals, while Chloe Scheer went one better with four majors as Geelong’s forward line cashed in on the midfield’s dominance.
Inside the contest, the Cats’ engine room went to work. Nina Morrison gathered 30 disposals, Mikayla Bowen added 29, and Georgie Prespakis racked up 12 clearances, repeatedly dragging the ball out of congestion and setting up scoring chains. Once Geelong found their rhythm, Collingwood simply couldn’t slow them down.
The final quarter was all control. Geelong tightened the screws, kept the Magpies goalless and closed out a professional, high-scoring performance that underlined their rise as a genuine force this season.
Collingwood, still without a win at 0-6, at least found 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. Only months ago she was with Super Netball’s Melbourne Mavericks. Now she has a major next to her name in black and white.
For the Cats, the question now is simple: with five wins on the bounce and their stars humming, just how far can this surge carry them?
