Sport

AFLW round-up: Blaithin Mackin maintains winning start with Demons, Bonner helps Crows to soar and Suns shine with Irish trio

Down's Clara Fitzpatrick was one of three Ulster-born players to turn out for Gold Coast Suns in their game with Collingwood
Down's Clara Fitzpatrick was one of three Ulster-born players to turn out for Gold Coast Suns in their game with Collingwood
By AHMER KHOKHAR

Former Armagh football star Blaithin Mackin notched her third consecutive victory of the AFLW season when the Melbourne Demons thrashed the Western Bulldogs 83-41 at Melbourne’s Casey Fields on Saturday. 

The reigning premiers in second are only behind ladder leaders North Melbourne Kangaroos on percentage - a figure based on their total number of 'points for' (PF) compared to a team’s total number of 'points against' (PA) - after three rounds of the new season. 

The All-Star winger, who has only started one game this season, came off the interchange bench to collect 18 disposals (11 kicks & 7 handballs), 5 marks, and three tackles. Mackin also booted a behind for the unbeaten Demons. 

Yvonne Bonner helped the Adelaide Crows to become only the third out of eighteen AFLW teams to maintain a perfect start to the season when the Crows hammered the Essendon Bombers 81-34 at Wigan Oval on Saturday. The Donegal AllStar, an ever present so far this season, kicked two behinds in a match tally of 9 disposals (7 kicks & 2 handballs), 2 marks, and 2 tackles. 

On Sunday, Ulster trio Niamh McLaughlin (Donegal), Clara Fitzpatrick (Down), and Cara McCrossan (Tyrone) were all in action for the Gold Coast Suns in their 2-133 defeat of Collingwood at Victoria Park in Melbourne. The improving Suns have now notched consecutive victories and are up to fourth on the season ladder. 

Former Donegal captain McLaughlin finished the four quarters with 13 disposals (9 kicks & 4 handballs), 1 mark, and 1 tackle. Former Down footballer Fitzpatrick tallied 10 disposals (7 kicks & 3 handballs), 2 marks, and 2 tackles. Tyrone footballer McCrossan made her season debut against the Magpies as the fifth Suns debutant in season 2023. 

Read more:

  • 'My journey has been an eventful one to say the least... but I have learned to take things day by day ' Down's Clara Fitzpatrick on a new chapter in her AFLW story
  • Donegal's Niamh McLaughlin not worried about journey into the unknown ahead of AFLW debut with Gold Coast Suns
  • 'I feel I've earned my spot' Armagh's Amy Mulholland prepares for AFLW season with Fremantle [[ge:irishnews:irishnews:3621563]]  

McCrossan (29) who only started kicking a 'Sherrin' last year when she joined the Casey Demons in the Victorian Football League-a competition for reserve team squads- finished with four disposals (2 kicks & 2 handballs) and 2 tackles in her first ever AFLW game. 

Also on Sunday, the Orchard county’s Amy Mulholland featured for the Fremantle Dockers in their 35-22 defeat of Hawthorn at Fremantle’s Community Bank Oval. The Forkhill woman collected 3 disposals (1 kicks & 2 handballs), and 2 tackles in the visitor’s forward line.  

Incredibly, six of the game's eight goals were kicked by Irish players, but Aine Tighe was the star of the show. The Leitrim footballer booted three goals, took marks 12 marks (five contested) and finished with 20 disposals 

The Dockers are now up to seventh on the season ladder, and as is the case in the men’s AFL draw, only the top eight sides are eligible for finals football. The AFLW finals kick-off in November with the Grand Final scheduled for December 3.

Donegal footballer Tanya Kennedy was also in action on Sunday for the Sydney Swans who were outclassed 87-32 away to the 2022 AFLW runners-up, the Brisbane Lions, at Brighton Homes Arena in Ipswich, Queensland. Robert Emmet's clubwoman Kennedy, produced her best performance of the season to finish with a haul of 19 disposals (8 kicks & 11 handballs), 6 marks, and 3 tackles. 

The Swans in 13th position are one of a logjam of teams with only one win from their first three matches.