Jump to content

TRADITIONAL RIVALS by Bewitched

Demonland
in Match Reports

Featured Replies

Posted

There is no greater "traditional rivalry" in women's football in the early days of the game at its highest level than that between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. The two clubs virtually single-handedly lifted the profile of the game in recent years to a level where the new national competition under the aegis of the AFLW could even be contemplated.

Melbourne won all of their early exhibition games until the very last one in 2016 when it copped a bit of a hiding so it was fitting that the Demons would finish on top in their first encounter for premiership points yesterday at Whitten Oval. 

And what could be more fitting than for the skipper Daisy Pearce to be the star of the game in her team's 14 point win in the first male/female AFL double header in a game that saw her team go to a 2 - 1 record and enter the top four for the first time in the history of the competition?

It was the Bulldogs that controlled proceedings early but Harriet Cordner from the famous Melbourne family making history with a late goal to put the team within a couple of points at quarter time. It was then Daisy's turn to take over in the midfield and the Demons dominated the second quarter with the wind at their backs. Goals to Deanna Berry and Alyssa Mifsud saw them to a 14 point half time lead, an advantage they held at  the end of the game.

The Bulldogs fought back early in the third quarter but two goals to Mifsud restored the advantage and the team's scored one each in the final term. Full marks to the strong Demon midfield of Daisy Pearce, Karen Paxman and Elise O'Dea who kep their team on top for most of the game and to Mifsud for her three exciting goals.

Melbourne's prospects of contesting the AFLW grand final will be enhanced if it can overcome Carlton at Casey Fields on Saturday.

Melbourne 1.1.7 3.5.23  5.7.37 6.7.43

Western Bulldogs 1.3.9 1.3.9 3.4.22 4.5.29

Goals

Melbourne Mifsud 3 Berry Cordner Hickey

Western Bulldogs Clarkson Gardner McLeod Wildes

Goals

Melbourne  D Pearce Mifsud O'Dea Hickey Paxman Mithen

Western Bulldogs Blackburn Kearney Scott Wildes 

Injuries

Melbourne L Pearce (shin)

Western Bulldogs Nil

Umpires Michael Pell, Ryan Guy, Nathan Toner

Crowd 8,000 (estimate) at the Whitten Oval 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZsxbf_eiEU&sns=em

 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Port Adelaide

    With both sides precariously positioned ahead of the run home to the finals, only one team involved in Sunday’s clash at the Adelaide Oval between the Power and the Demons will remain a contender when it’s over.  On current form, that one team has to be Melbourne which narrowly missed out on defeating the competition’s power house Collingwood on King's Birthday and also recently overpowered both 2024 Grand Finalists. Conversely, Port Adelaide snapped out of a four-game losing streak with a win against the Giants in Canberra. Although they will be rejuvenated following that victory, their performances during that run of losses were sub par and resulted in some embarrassing blow out defeats.

    • 1 reply
    Demonland

  • NON-MFC: Round 14

    Round 14 is upon us and there's plenty at stake across the rest of the competition. As Melbourne heads to Adelaide, it's time to turn our attention to the other matches of the Round. Which teams are you tipping this week? And which results would be most favourable for the Demons’ finals tilt? Follow all the non-Melbourne games here and join the conversation as the ladder continues to take shape.

      • Like
    • 83 replies
    Demonland

  • REPORT: Collingwood

    The media focus on the fiery interaction between Max Gawn and Steven May at the end of the game was unfortunate because it took away the gloss from Melbourne’s performance in winning almost everywhere but on the scoreboard in its Kings Birthday clash with Collingwood at the MCG. It was a real battle reminiscent of the good old days when the rivalry between the two clubs was at its height and a fitting contest to celebrate the 2025 Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher and his superb work to bring the campaign to raise funds for motor neurone disease awareness to the forefront. Notwithstanding the fact that the Magpies snatched a one point victory from his old club, Daniher would be proud of the fact that his Demons fought tooth and nail to win the keenly contested game in front of 77,761 fans.

    • 1 reply
    Demonland

  • PREGAME: Port Adelaide

    The Demons are set to embark on a four-week road trip that takes them across the country, with two games in Adelaide and a clash on the Gold Coast, broken up by a mid-season bye. Next up is a meeting with the inconsistent Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Like
    • 169 replies
    Demonland

  • PODCAST: Collingwood

    I have something on tomorrow night so Podcast will be Wednesday night. The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Wednesday, 11th June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Dees heartbreaking 1 point loss to the Magpies on King's Birthday Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

      • Like
    • 37 replies
    Demonland

  • POSTGAME: Collingwood

    Despite effectively playing against four extra opponents, the Dees controlled much of the match. However, their inaccuracy in front of goal and inability to convert dominance in clearances and inside 50s ultimately cost them dearly, falling to a heartbreaking one-point loss on King’s Birthday.

      • Vomit
      • Shocked
      • Thumb Down
      • Clap
      • Love
      • Like
    • 532 replies
    Demonland
View All