This weekend in the WAFLW, the fight for top spot ramped up with a shock loss to Subiaco and a strong win to Claremont, while East Fremantle celebrated a veteran’s milestone with a huge win over Perth. 

Here is all the action from Round 16. 

EAST PERTH 1.3 (9) def by. CLAREMONT 14.8 (92)

Claremont has gotten back on track with a confident 83-point win over East Perth at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

The visitors came into this match-up hungry after two shock back-to-back losses that saw them tumble out of top spot. Now, they sit in second, only on percentage. 

Claremont were switched on from the word go, booting five goals in the first term and didn’t look back. They controlled the ball all day, finishing with 60 more disposals than their opponents. 

Midfielder Mackenzie Webb was most impressive, finishing on 25 disposals and seven tackles. Sarah Viney also played well, finishing on 22 disposals and eight tackles. 

Forward duo Jacinta Valentini and Savannah Muir-Thompson kicked three goals each, while Bec Anderson and Hannah Seaborn had two. 

Summer Mollross (18 disposals, 8 tackles) and Hayley O’Donnell (14 disposals) were two welcome inclusions for the Royals and stood out all day. 

Sara Elly (15 disposals, 7 tackles) also played well; meanwhile, Taylor Drummond kicked their only goal. 

SWAN DISTRICTS 12.10 (82) def. PEEL THUNDER 2.2 (14)

Swan Districts’ wealth of experience prevailed in a comprehensive 68-point lashing against an inexperienced Peel Thunder side on Saturday afternoon. 

The win puts Swan Districts within touching distance of a top-two finish, only six points behind Claremont and Subiaco, who have had a rough past four weeks. 

Swan Districts quickly pounced during the first half at Steel Blue Oval, piling on eight goals in the first half, while keeping Peel goalless and unable to stem the bleeding. 

Taylah Edwards has all but secured her second consecutive leading goalkicker award, booting three goals, as did Summer Yarran. 

In the middle, Jaime Henry was unstoppable, with 37 disposals, seven inside 50s and a goal, while Summer Ajduk also played well to finish on 23 disposals.

Peel’s two goals were kicked by Caitlin Shales and Chloe Wrigley, who was also her side’s most prolific player in the loss with 29 disposals and 10 tackles. 

Captain Ebony Dowson (22 disposals, five marks) showed her experience, while Ebony Bilcich (20 disposals, three marks)  and Giaan Evans (19 disposals, 7 marks) also played well. 

SUBIACO 3.9 (27) def by. WEST PERTH 4.5 (29)

The top two continues being shaken up, with West Perth shooting true to beat provisional minor premiers Subiaco by two points at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. 

It was a loss Subiaco couldn’t afford to have, with Claremont breathing down their neck, only sitting ahead of them on percentage. For West Perth, this win keeps their finals hopes alive. 

Both sides traded blows on the scoreboard, but it was inaccuracy that cost Subiaco the lead when it mattered, kicking 3.9 to West Perth’s 4.5. 

Taylor Ferguson (25 disposals, marks) and Megan Norbury (15 disposals, 7 tackles) were sensational, as was Kayla van den Heever, who had 20 disposals, six tackles and a goal. 

Madison Dodd (22 disposals, 4 tackles) and Emily Bennett (15 disposals, six tackles) also played well, while Amy Fortescue booted two goals. 

Subiaco’s Charlotte Newland had a career-best performance, notching up 18 disposals and eight tackles, while Paige Sheppard led her side with 29 disposals and seven marks. 

She had her usual support from Lisa Steane (29 disposals, 9 tackles) and Krstel Petrevski (22 disposals, five tackles). Eva Popovsky was also firm up forward on 15 disposals and a goal. 

PERTH 3.1 (19) def by. EAST FREMANTLE 10.4 (64)

East Fremantle continue to charge into finals contention after putting an accurate Perth side away by 35 points at Mineral Resources Park. 

High on confidence from last weekend’s win, Perth took the fight to East Fremantle, but the visitors’ class showed in the first term, where they held the home side scoreless. 

It was going to be a tough ask for Perth to bounce back from the quarter-time deficit, but to Perth’s credit, they shot accurately to keep the scoreboard turning over. 

For East Fremantle, Chloe Reilly was unstoppable up forward, snapping up a three-goal haul, while veteran Larissa Versaci celebrated her 100-game milestone with two goals. Angelique Raison also kicked two. 

Through the middle, Natasha Entwistle (28 disposals, nine tackles) and Noa McNaughton (17 disposals, 6 tackles) were critical, while Madison Evans (15 disposals, 6 marks) was rock solid down back. 

Isabella Shannon was Perth’s most outstanding player, winning 30 disposals and laying an impressive 10 tackles, while Taya Strickland was responsible for two of Perth’s goals. 

Other notable performances were given by Holly Britton (31 disposals, 7 marks) and Jorja Haines (18 disposals, one goal). 

South Fremantle had the bye this week.

IMAGE: Perth FC