Dons captain cops hefty ban for dangerous tackle; crushing blow for Dees star: What you might have missed

Unless Essendon successfully challenge the ban at the tribunal, Toogood will miss Friday night’s Dreamtime match against Richmond at TIO Stadium, and the following Sunday’s game against Geelong at Windy Hill.

The Bombers sit 2-0 with Toogood averaging two goals and five marks per game. But a suspension will wipe out a significant chunk of the Bomber’s home-and-away season.

Port Adelaide’s Sachi Syme can accept a $250 fine for striking North Melbourne’s Alice O’Loughlin.

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“She put a mountain of work into her footy over the pre-season, and we all got a glimpse of the impact she was set to have in the opening rounds.

“Liv has had her fair share of injury concerns in recent years, which makes this news even tougher to take. She is as resilient as they come though, and we know she will tackle this next challenge with the utmost professionalism.

“We’ll wrap our arms around Liv as she prepares to undergo surgery and starts to work through her rehab.”

It’s the latest in an unfortunate string of injuries for Purcell who tore her right ACL in 2021 and suffered a serious facial injury in 2024.

Molloy’s efforts put her alongside her now-forward line coach Brooke Lochland in the record books. Molloy played a starring role in her long-awaited return to AFLW last week, firing four goals on return from a knee reconstruction.

In Saturday’s post-match press conference, Gowans said Molloy was a superstar. “She’s just building into her game,” he said. “What she’s done over her rehab is been able to get really strong so she’s at a new level of fitness.”

The co-captain’s seven goals on Saturday propelled Sydney to an 82-point win over Gold Coast.

Hawks coach takes aim at holding the ball

The Hawks triumphed by eight points over the Blues on Saturday evening, but much of the match commentary was devoted to examining a new AFLW interpretation of the holding the ball rule. Of the 42 free kicks paid in the match, half were for holding the ball.

Last month the AFLW announced the stricter umpire interpretations around holding the ball in an effort to create more free-flowing football.

Hawks coach Daniel Webster said he understood umpires wanted to get the ball moving however he said it “had gone a little bit too far one way”.

“I kind of understand what the AFL are trying to do with it, and understand that umpiring is very difficult,” he said in a post-match interview.

“I don’t like it when the ball-carrier is not getting rewarded, when the tackler is now getting rewarded. I really don’t like that.”

Moloney’s no-look goal

Geelong suffered a 38-point loss against Adelaide on Sunday, but at least Cats fans got to see a goal of the year contender from Irishwoman Aishling Moloney.

Last season’s AFLW leading goalkicker received a handball from Kate Surman and dodged a tackle by Sarah Goodwin, before whacking the ball over her right boot and sending the ball of her head.

“I don’t even think she looked at the goals,” Fox Footy commentators laughed.

The Cats dominated field position for most of the day, but Adelaide came from the clouds to break their AFLW duck with a savage seven-goal fourth-quarter.

Six goals, 30 touches: Garner stars again

North Melbourne captain Jasmine Garner has produced one of the best individual AFLW performances of all-time in the reigning premiers’ 72-point demolition of Port Adelaide.

Garner kicked a career-best six goals from 30 disposals as the Kangaroos unveiled their premiership flag at Arden Street on Sunday before posting a dominant 13.9 (87) to 2.3 (15) victory.

The 31-year-old’s stunning first half included four goals from 16 touches, eight contested possessions and eight score involvements.

Eloise Jones goaled twice – the first crumbing at Randall’s feet to give the Crows their first lead at the eight-minute mark of the fourth, then the second after receiving a handball from Randall.

Randall then converted a free kick, before marking on the lead and coolly slotting her third.

Danielle Ponter added her second, then Caitlin Gould iced it with a goal after the full-time siren.

Few saw the violent response coming after the hosts were under the pump early.

Aish Moloney picked off an errant Chelsea Biddell kick with the first goal, a minute in, before adding another before quarter-time - an early goal-of-the-year contender.

Harangued in the south-eastern pocket, the Irish forward’s response to Adelaide’s defensive pressure was to unfurl a party trick – snapping successfully over her head with the goals to her back.

With Nina Morrison’s line-breaking run, Rebecca Webster’s smart hands in traffic, and engine-room leaders Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald strong at the contest, Geelong looked primed and ready to beat the Crows for the first time in their AFLW history.

The Cats dominated field position for most of the day and contest from quarter-time onwards, but were left to rue errant goal-kicking as they went goalless from the fourth minute of the second term and gave Adelaide a sniff, which they capitalised on spectacularly.

“It’s about time I turned up and did something. You can have a rubbish game and come in in the end and still get your moment in footy. So, [I’m] very happy.

“We needed that (win) and it’s only gonna make us stronger.”

The Bombers have now won their first two games, but this victory did come at a cost, with Van De Huevel suffering a knee injury in the second term.

Essendon midfielders Georgia Nanscawen (24 disposals), Amy Gaylor (22) and Maddy Prespakis (22) starred while skipper Bonnie Toogood (2.3) had her moments.

Eagles gun Ella Roberts (21 disposals) and veteran Emma Swanson (20) were excellent, while Kayla Dalgleish kicked two goals.

Toogood drew first blood inside the opening minute, before Abbygail Bushby levelled the scores following a 50-metre penalty just before quarter-time.

Dalgleish put West Coast in front midway through the second term, and they led by five at halftime.

Toogood missed two consecutive golden chances but then nailed her most difficult shot of the quarter to deliver a four-point lead.

Gee nudged Essendon out to a 10-point lead early in the final term, before Dalgleish responded with a running goal.

Essendon spurned big chances and the visitors made them pay, with Kellie Gibson strolling into an open goal to deliver the lead.

But Gee and Alexander’s late combination saved the day.

The Bombers now face Richmond in Darwin next Friday, while West Coast (1-1) play St Kilda at RSEA Park on Saturday.
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Garner’s six-goal haul was just one short of the record-equalling seven kicked by Sydney’s Chloe Molloy against Gold Coast a day earlier.

The 31-year-old’s stunning first half included four goals from 16 touches, eight contested possessions and eight score involvements.

“I’m pretty lucky,” Garner told Seven at half-time.

“I’ve got such a great midfield and team around me. They allow me to get forward and get on the end of a few.”

North Melbourne had no shortage of stars, with Garner and fellow midfielder Ash Riddell at the top of the list.

Riddell tallied a career-best 43 disposals, seven clearances and a goal, and was full of praise for first-year captain Garner.

“I love playing with her. She’s one of my best mates and it’s nice to see her go forward and kick a few snags,” Riddell told Seven.

“She’s so humble and an amazing leader, so we love playing footy with her.”

Garner stunned Port Adelaide with two early goals and Irish newcomer Amy Gavin Mangan capped a busy debut quarter with her first major.

The Kangaroos opened up a 35-0 lead during the second term before Gemma Houghton eventually found a reply for the Power.

But Houghton’s long-range goal was the visitors’ only score of the first half and they trailed by 43 points at the main break.

Port showed fight after the main break, and Houghton added a second major, but the damage had been done.

Garner kicked her sixth goal with more than three minutes left on the clock but didn’t seek to match the AFLW record, sitting out the remainder of the match on the bench.

Abbey Dowrick (19 disposals), Matilda Scholz (16), Ashleigh Woodland (15) and Houghton fought hard for the visitors, who slipped to 0-2 for the season.

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