AFLW round 7: All the latest news and updates from Sunday’s games

Another Ebony Marinoff masterclass was the feature of a commanding Adelaide win against GWS, the Crows finding their attacking mojo to kick their highest score of the season and inflict a 64-point drubbing on the Giants at Henson Park.

Danielle Ponter and Caitlin Gould led the charge with three majors apiece, Matthew Clarke’s side finishing with nine goalkickers in a dominant display on Sunday.

Marinoff continued her stellar season with a jaw-dropping performance, the three-time premiership superstar finishing with a career personal-best 41 possessions, 17 tackles and 12 clearances.

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She had plenty of willing helpers, Anne Hatchard and Niamh Kelly also influential on the ball, and Jess Allan finishing with 48 hitouts.

The percentage-boosting result moved Adelaide back into the top four with a 6-2 record, while GWS slipped to a fifth defeat in a row.

The Crows were playing their fourth game in 15 days, but showed no signs of fatigue, piling on 11 goals in a row before the Giants booted two consolation goals.

OPENING ONSLAUGHT

Kicking against a stiff breeze, the Giants barely made it into their forward half in the opening 10 minutes, let alone their attacking 50, Adelaide with the first 11 inside 50s of the match.

After comfortably winning their opening four games of the season, the Crows hit a rough patch, losing two of their past three going into the GWS clash, with their inefficiency in attack a key factor.

And so it was again early, despite Stevie-Lee Thompson finding the middle with just 30 seconds on the clock.

Adelaide was unable to capitalise on that territorial dominance, GWS unable to muster a score, but defending well to repel repeated attacks and restrict the visitors to one major in the first quarter.

PONTER PASSES 75

The Giants found some rhythm in attack in the second term, Maddie Brazendale and Zarlie Goldsworthy finding the middle, but Ponter equalled that tally off her own boot as the visitors made their move.

Adelaide’s two-time leading goalkicker brought up her 75th career goal after she took a diving mark and coolly slotted her set shot from a tricky angle.

The major took her past Richmond’s Katie Brennan into outright second spot on the AFLW all-time goalkickers’ list, behind Melbourne’s Kate Hore.

Ponter edged closer to the Demons’ star, who has 78 career goals, when she took another diving mark late in the term and put her side up by 26 points at the main break with her second, and added a third in the final term.

In a pleasing turnaround for Clarke, Adelaide’s first-half score of 6.3 eclipsed its totals for its past three matches.

DEMONS KEEP ON ROLLING

Melbourne has kept it finals hopes alive with a mouthwatering 14-point win over St Kilda on Sunday to lift to 16 points for the season behind three sides above them (8th to 10th), including the Saints who also sit on the same number of points.

In an entertaining afternoon of footy in stunning conditions at RSEA Park, the Dees got off to a flying start, kicking the opening three goals before withstanding a fightback from the Saints to score their fourth win of the season.

The Dees shot out to a game-high 19-point lead in the second term before the Saints fired back to cut the margin to two points in the third, although the Dees scored two goals in the finish to secure the victory away from home.

Dees midfielder Eliza McNamara was influential with a game-high 31 disposals and eight inside 50s while teammate Tyla Hanks were superb with a whopping 12 clearances and 22 touches. Key forward Jesse Wardlaw was threatening for the Saints with three goals and four marks.

The 5.0 (30) to 6.8 (44) result caps off a brilliant week seven for the Dees who improve their record to 4-4 after defeating premiership fancies Adelaide on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Saints are 4-4 and hang on to eighth spot by percentage.

A TUG OF WAR

An inspiring tackle from Saints forward Ashleigh Richards in the middle of the ground early in the second term led to the Saints to their first goal of the game through Jesse Wardlaw soon after.

Although, just as fans thought the Saints were getting back into the game after the Dees fired through the first three goals, the Dees responded with a stunning Sinead Goldrick major on the run from 40 metres out.

Saints’ J’Noemi Anderson then exceeded Goldrick’s exhibits, taking a brave mark running back with the flight to set up a Wardlaw goal soon after.

SLEEPY DEES

In a game where goals are a premium, being accountable on the goal line is essential.

Ensuring a plus-one in any aerial contest just a few metres away from goals to make sure the ball gets rushed over the line or goes to ground is a must.

The Dees fell short in this area late in the second term to hand a goal to the Saints and keep them in it.

Saints key forward Jesse Wardlaw marked almost uncontested just two metres away from the goal line and snapped accurately to score her second major of the term.

“The Dees fell asleep it felt like,” Theo Doropoulos said in commentary.

The Saints deficit was cut to 13 points from the goal just before half time as the home side went into the break 14 points down.

Early in the third term, the Dees had similar scenarios occur, although not as bad, with Darcy Guttridge and Ashleigh Richards’ shots from deep going the distance only narrowly as it just flew over Melbourne defenders on the goal line.

PURCELL’S RETURN

It was a sweet moment when Dees midfielder-forward Olivia Purcell put through a goal in the third term in her comeback game from a facial fracture.

The 24-year-old was out for almost two months after suffering the injury in a pre-season practice game in August.

Her goal to extend the Dees margin to eight points was crucial after the Saints had the momentum with three goals in a row.

“It was good fun,” Purcell said post game.

“I don’t normally kick goals so I will take that one, but just loving getting the win and being back with the girls.”

ROOS CONTINUE SMILING AFTER PERFECT START

North Melbourne’s brilliant season continues after a strong 10-goal win over Sydney on Sunday to maintain its undefeated run and lift to top spot on the ladder at the end of week seven.

The Roos percentage also rises to a stellar 313.1 as Darren Crocker’s side produced another top-class defensive display, holding the Swans to 27 points in their seventh win of the season at North Hobart Oval.

At the attacking end, the Roos were superb, notching their highest score of the campaign as a stellar five goals were scored in the opening term before four in each of the last two quarters to win 14.3 (87) to 4.3 (27).

The Swans whose season is all but over following the loss were in it for good parts of the game winning inside 50s (32-31) but were frustrated by a stubborn Roos defence that capitalised on their chances when going forward.

Jasmine Garner was instrumental for the Roos with three goals and 25 disposals while midfield teammate Ash Riddell had a game-high 30 touches. Sofia Hurley was best for the Swans with a team-high 23 touches in the midfield and game-high 15 tackles.

The Roos win came at a cost, however, with defender Erika O’Shea going down with a right ankle injury in the final term. Swans defender Julie O’Sullivan was also withdrawn from the game with an elbow injury in the second term.

HIGH-SCORING START

It was a thrilling start to the game with eight goals kicked in the opening term in one of the highest scoring quarters of the season.

Both sides went goal-for-goal for the first six majors before the Roos scored two in the final two minutes to take a 12-point lead at the first break.

Swans tall Lexi Hamilton scored two goals while Montana Ham had the Swans’ other major in the term. The Roos had five different goal scorers in Bella Eddey, Jasmine Garner, Alice O’Loughlin, Tahlia Randall and Kate Shierlaw.

“Three goals to two has been the final score in some games recently, we’ve got it in five minutes,” Jason Bennett said after the fifth goal in eight minutes on commentary.

“It’s what the competition needs,” he continued later in the term.

“This feels like the sort of balance we want, it’s tough and tight on the inside but teams are able to get it out to the outside and then use it.

“Scott Gowans and Darren Crocker are two coaches who are very much in the camp that we want to play attacking footy, interesting, free-flowing football that is entertaining for the fans to watch.

“They are both committed to that and so far we are seeing that in this opening term.”

In another remarkable aspect to the quarter, both sides were pinpoint accurate in front of goal, registering no behinds as the scoreline read 5.0 (30) to 3.0 (18).

GARNER STARS

Roos midfielder Jasmine Garner had a brilliant first half to help get her side to a 20-point advantage at half time.

The six-time All Australian had a game-high 15 disposals, five clearances, two goals and a goal assist to the main break.

It continues another top-notch season for the leading midfielder who is chasing her first league best and fairest.

SWANS MISS CHANCES

The Swans had eight inside 50s in a row from midway through the second term to the start of the third but didn’t register a goal in a period of missed opportunities.

Further frustration mounted for the visitors when North’s Tahlia Randall scored a snap goal with the Roos’ first inside 50 back.

Despite the Swans proving they could match it with the Roos, the home side piled on another three goals to finish the third term, extending their lead to 41 points.