The Spitfires opened their weekend in style with a nail-biting victory over the Elliott Hawks in the women’s division.
It was an even contest early, with both teams locked at eight points apiece after the first quarter. Elliott gained a narrow advantage in the second, outscoring the Spitfires two goals to one to take a slender one-point lead into halftime. Despite the deficit, the Spitfires created plenty of chances, managing six scoring shots in the quarter.
The third term proved decisive. The Spitfires tightened the screws defensively, keeping Elliott scoreless while adding a goal of their own to build a game-high five-point margin heading into the final quarter. The Hawks had a late opportunity to snatch victory but could only manage a behind, sealing a thrilling five-point win for the Spitfires.
Delaicee Hansen and Asinate Bradbury were standouts in the victory, while Mikeely Fraser, Rachel Baker, and Taneal Croydon each hit the scoreboard.
Despite the narrow loss, Elliott’s Jasmine Bathern continued her impressive start to the season, finishing with two goals.
Canteen Creek sent an early message to the competition with a 42-point win over Jalajirrpa in the second women's match of the round.
The Blues came out firing, slotting two quick goals from six scoring shots in the opening term. However, Jalajirrpa responded with strong defensive pressure, restricting Canteen Creek to just one goal and seven behinds across the second and third quarters.
Despite their resilience, Jalajirrpa couldn’t capitalise on their defensive efforts, as Canteen Creek matched them in intensity at the other end. The pressure finally broke in the final quarter, with the Blues pulling away to kick three goals to Jalajirrpa’s one and seal the victory.
The win was built on a cohesive team performance that firmly positions Canteen Creek as a premiership contender just two weeks into the women’s season.
For Jalajirrpa, Lesteisha Timothy and Nishanaye Thompson stood out with gallant efforts in a tough contest.
Elliott’s men extended their perfect start to the 2025 season with a win over Ali Curung, making it four straight victories.
The Hawks led by five points at quarter-time, suggesting a tightly contested affair. But Elliott quickly dismissed any thought of a finals-like arm wrestle, piling on seven goals to one across the final three quarters to secure a dominant win and reinforce their premiership credentials.
Ali Curung, despite the result, showed plenty of promise. Their 11 scoring shots demonstrated attacking intent and will provide optimism going forward.
Leroy Jones was outstanding for the Hawks, while Jye Bill, Ernest Bush, and Damon Anderson all contributed strongly. Lane Jackson was clinical in front of goal, finishing with four majors.
For Ali Curung, Keanu Ryder and Nigel Small were among the best.
Canteen Creek notched their third win of the season, holding off a late surge from the Spitfires in a tight contest.
The Spitfires burst out of the blocks with two quick goals, while the Blues could only manage four behinds in a shaky start. But momentum shifted in the second term, with Canteen Creek slamming on four goals to take a 13-point lead into halftime.
They continued their ascendancy in the third, extending the margin to 18 points with another two-goal term. The Spitfires responded late, kicking two quick goals in a final-quarter push that brought the game within a single kick. Time, however, was not on their side.
Tyrell Mick led the way for the Blues in a best-on-ground performance, with strong support from Troyston Corbett, Jet Rubuntja, and Dallaston Bob.
For the Spitfires, Lachlan Dunemann worked tirelessly, while captain Damian Bahr Kelly led from the front with two goals.
YDU capped off the weekend’s men’s action with a statement victory, overpowering the Janapurlalki Eagles to claim top spot on the ladder.
Both sides traded early blows, with YDU taking an eight-point lead into quarter-time after kicking two goals to one. The Eagles showed signs of a comeback in the second, but YDU stayed composed, firing in four goals to stretch the lead to 22 points by halftime.
They didn’t let up after the break. Seven more goals to just one from the Eagles blew the margin out to 59 points, underlining YDU’s status as a frontrunner as the season nears its halfway point.
Davin Butcher, Leeson Dickenson, and Andrew Dodd starred for YDU, who look increasingly like the team to beat.
Despite the tough result, the Eagles had positives to take away, with Maclloyd Bostock, Ezekiel Butcher, and Lanceton Campbell standing out and earning praise.