Round 12 WAFLW Match Report

Swan Districts moved a game clear in a top four WAFLW position with Emily McGuire kicking four goals in Saturday's hard fought 11-point victory over South Fremantle at Steel Blue Oval.

It always loomed as a potentially season-defining match up with fourth position going on the line between the two teams, and it was either side of half-time where Swan Districts took control.

Swans kicked the last three goals of the first half and then the first two of the second half to open up a match-winning advantage, and to end up claiming the 8.8 (56) to 7.3 (45) victory.

The victory improves Swan Districts to fourth position on the WAFLW ladder with a 5-5 record to be a game clear in that spot with four rounds of the home and away season remaining.

Emily McGuire provided a strong target in attack all afternoon for Swan Districts to end up kicking four goals from her seven kicks and two marks.

Naomi Baker had a tremendous afternoon for Swans finishing with 23 possessions, six marks, five inside-50 entries and three tackles.

Lily Paterson continued her standout form in the midfield as well for the black-and-whites with 22 disposals, five tackles and four marks while Kayley King also had 21 touches, six tackles and a goal.

There were plenty more strong contributors to the win as well with Brianna Hyde finishing with 17 possessions and eight tackles, Carys D'Addario 16 disposals and eight tackles, and Indiana West had it 15 times, Emma Humphries 13, Luka Davis 12, Megan Carron 11 and Lauren Quaife 11 to go with 15 hit outs.

The first goal of the crucial match up went the way of Swan Districts when Emily McGuire kicked truly at the seven-minute mark but soon after South Fremantle responded courtesy of Zoe Huggett.

Molly O'Hehir added another just two minutes later for the Bulldogs but then just before quarter-time it was a goal to Kayley King for Swan Districts that brought scores back level at the first break.

It only took four minutes into the second quarter for the Bulldogs to reclaim the lead with a second goal courtesy of Huggett. She kicked a third just minutes later and that saw South Fremantle with all the momentum an 11-point advantage midway through the second term.

However, Swan Districts hit back impressively to close the opening half starting with a goal to Taylah Edwards before McGuire then added two more in quick succession to see the black-and-whites having turned that 11-point deficit into a nine-point lead at the main break.

Swans kept the momentum going to start the second half and it was McGuire proving the difference in attack. She kicked her fourth goal a minute into the third quarter before Emma Humphries added another and it was five consecutive goals for the black-and-whites.

That pushed the home team out to a 22-point lead before South Fremantle stayed in touch thanks to a goal from Jasmine Bazeley.

Swan Districts quickly answered through Hope Ugle-Hayward but the Bulldogs did remain within striking distance on three quarter-time with Huggett kicking a fourth goal of the afternoon with the margin back to 16 points.

Poppy Stockwell then kicked the first goal of the last quarter to bring South Fremantle back within 11 points at the 11-minute mark, but that would prove the only goal for either team in the final term with Swan Districts going on to score the 11-point home victory.

The Swan Districts Rogers Cup team was also in action on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval but it was a defeat at the hands of Perth 8.6 (54) to 4.4 (28).

Madison Fisher kicked two of the four goals for Swans with the others coming from Grace Hirst and Riley Hall.

Swan Districts now sits in fifth position on the Rogers Cup ladder with a 6-5 record on the season but only percentage still behind the fourth placed South Fremantle.