Photo: Solstice Digital
The North West Football League are back at the top of the mountain of Tasmanian women’s football, taking out the 2024 Women’s Statewide All-Stars Series with a pair of thrilling wins. A last-gasp goal saw them sneak past the Northern Tasmanian Football Association in the series opener, before they took down the reigning champions from the SFL to seal the title.
It’s the NWFL’s third time lifting the trophy, having won the inaugural series in 2021 before following up with another victory in 2022. This year’s edition was by far the closest in its history, with the decisive wins from the North West coming by a combined margin of just four points.
Full replays of every game are available on the AFL Tasmania YouTube channel.
Game 1
NWFL 6.4 (40) def. NTFA 5.8 (38)
Goals
NWFL: Shania Saward 2, Amy Bissett, Chloe Haines, Nikki Ellis, Amarli Johnson
NTFA: Alice Robinson 3, Jaslyn Freestone, Ava Curtis
Best
NWFL: Olivia Smith, Georgia Purton, Libby Haines, Jess Whelan, Joherty Revell, Shania Saward
NTFA: Georgia Hill, Alice Robinson, Kelsie Hill, Sophie Farrow, Sophie Ranken, Macenzi Lloyd
Click here to watch the full game.
The series kicked off on home soil for the NWFL as they welcomed the NTFA to Penguin’s Dial Park, and they made a fast start with the first two goals of the day. The NTFA hit back and opened their account after a strong mark and goal from Ava Curtis, and they levelled the scores early in the second term with their second major.
That set the tone for a back-and forth encounter, as the NWFL once again skipped away to a two-goal buffer thanks to some Amy Bissett magic from long range and an equally impressive finish out of the ruck from Amarli Johnson. When Shania Saward slammed through their third straight goal shortly before half time, it looked more and more likely that they would run away with the game and build on their 18-point buffer at the break.
The NTFA were able to respond once again, though, thanks in large part to the brilliance of Alice Robinson. She kicked her first goal of the day within five minutes of the restart, her second just five minutes later, and her third in a row midway through the final term to give her side the lead. With momentum on their side, it looked like they would storm home for a remarkable win.
Enter Shania Saward, who pulled down a strong contested mark inside 50 and kicked truly to put the NWFL back in front with four minutes to play. They were able to hold their nerve from there, coming away with a last-gasp win and setting up a huge clash with the SFL a week later.
Game 2
NWFL 7.4 (46) def. SFL 6.8 (44)
Goals
NWFL: Amy Bissett 2, Olivia Smith, Emilie Saward, Chloe Haines, Taya Parker, Danielle Dunstone
SFL: Brieanna Barwick 2, Georgie Bailey 2, Jemma Webster, Jenna Farrow
Best
NWFL: Ellie Poke, Lucah Conkie, Jess Whelan, Olivia Smith, Emilie Saward, Libby Haines
SFL: Angelica Clark, Brieanna Barwick, Jemma Webster, Jenna Farrow, Molly Mitchell, Agnes Sakina
Click here to watch the full game.
The NWFL travelled south to North Hobart Oval with a chance to seal the title, and they had the perfect start thanks to a stunning inside-out goal from Amy Bissett and an Olivia Smith major inside the first eight minutes. They added a third goal before quarter time, and with the SFL held goalless, they took a commanding 17-point lead into the first break.
That left the Southerners facing an uphill battle, but they slowly chipped away at the deficit. Brieanna Barwick opened their account midway through the second, and while that was the only goal in the quarter, they kicked the first of the second half to pull within four points. All of their work was brought undone in a swift response from the North West, though, with two goals in the space of two minutes kicking off a run of four straight majors and pushing the margin out once again.
The rollercoaster would continue, though, with SFL goals from Georgie Bailey and Jenna Farrow late in the quarter giving them a glimmer of hope. Trailing by 15 at the final change, they kept the NWFL scoreless and booted two goals of their own, but the North West held on in the dying moments to clam a memorable win and secure the All-Stars Series title.
Game 3
NTFA 6.1 (31) def. SFL 3.5 (23)
Goals
NTFA: Alice Robinson 2, Liana Freestone, Jenna Griffiths, Jaslyn Freestone, Monique Dufty
SFL: Georgie Bailey 2, Jamie Symons
Best
NTFA: Kelsie Hill, Sophie Ranken, Emily Mckinnell, Jenna Griffiths, Sophie Farrow, Georgia Hill
SFL: Brieanna Barwick, Angelica Clark, Jamie Symons, Mikayla Absolom, Grace White, Jenna Farrow
Click here to watch the full game.
The trophy might have already been on its way to the north west coast, but there was still plenty to play for in the final game of the series. In the age-old rivalry between the north and the south, it was the NTFA that struck first, with goals to Alice Robinson and Liana Freestone helping them to skip away early. They would be the only majors in the first term, but they continued to press and kicked the first two goals of the second to lead by 20 points at the main break.
After being held goalless across the first half, the SFL regrouped and came out firing, with a strong mark and goal from Georgie Bailey ending their drought and a tidy finish from Jamie Symons making it two goals inside four minutes of the restart. That brought the margin back to eight, but the NTFA found a quick response when Robinson burst through a stoppage close to goal and kicked her second.
The south continued to push hard early in the fourth, but when Jenna Griffiths goalled and pushed the lead out to 20, they were left with a mountain to climb. They were able to make some ground late, but it proved to be too little, too late, with the NTFA claiming their first win over the SFL in the series’ history.