Melbourne's inaugural match against Port Adelaide

The undefeated Demons venture across the continent to the spiritual home of the Port Adelaide Football Club on Saturday afternoon for the inaugural match for premiership points between these long-historied clubs.

Alberton Oval will however, be a ground familiar to our players following a practice match there last year. We lost both the game and Liv Purcell, who missed 7 home and away matches after suffering facial fractures in the dying moments of the game.

Demons coach Mick Stinear will test his wits against Port’s Lauren Arnell this week. Lauren has an impressive women’s CV. She was the first former AFLW player to become a senior coach and won nine premierships playing during the incredibly successful Darebin Falcons era. With 36 games of AFLW, her last game a Brisbane premiership, so we can expect her to challenge the Demons brains trust.

Ideal footy conditions are forecast —17 degrees, overcast skies, and a light breeze—expect a brutal, physical game.

So long as we switch on and match their intensity, our ruthlessly efficient and tall timbered forward line will severely test the defensive capabilities of Port Adelaide at their home.

The Match-up

The Demons have four straight wins and sit second on the ladder, and while the Power have been competitive, their only win was against the struggling Suns.

Port players to watch include their talented ruck Matilda Scholz, secret-weapon half-back Molly Brooksby and genuine young gun Shineah Goody. Throw in tough cookies Abby Dowrick and Kirsty Lamb and forward craft talent in Gemma Houghton and ex-Dee Ash Woodland and expect this is to be a hard-hitting away encounter.

Melbourne starts favourites ($1.20) but there’s no room for complacency.

Selection this week

News that Goldrick and Gillard are 1-2 weeks away is heartwarming. Could it be that the rehab bad juju is finally lifting?

No changes this week other than our name.

Port has made one forced change, bringing back the experienced Kirsty Lamb from injury.

Meggs’ musings

As predicted, last week the all-conquering North Melbourne has broken Melbourne’s longest winning streak (14 games, R5 2022-R5 2023) to have 15 wins on the trot since R3 2024 and still going. Which team will be the first to defeat the Kangas?

This week Kate Hore surpasses Lily Mithen’s record for most games in the Red and Blue (82), noting the perennial Paxy Paxman trails Kate by just one game. Our skipper is having a stellar season, has been a matchwinner and leads the competition all-time goalkicking with 88 goals. Running out of superlatives.

Vice-captain Tyla Hanks is starring this season too with 32 AFLWPA Coaches Award votes, to sit equal second, 3 votes shy of North’s ball-magnet Ash Riddell.

Apart from Hore’s expected games tally record, three Demons will reach their own games milestones on Saturday. Tayla Harris will be playing her 75th game overall while Megan Fitzsimon celebrates 50 games and father/daughter Georgia Campbell will reach 25 games played. Congratulations all and yet another reason why Meggs is looking forward to switching on the telly to watch the Dees win from the couch 😊.

C’mon Dees!

Tip: Melbourne by 16. Expect a hard-fought win in hostile territory.

THE GAME

Round 5: Melbourne v Port Adelaide on Saturday 13 September 2025 at 3:05pm (AEST) at Alberton Oval, Adelaide – Kaurna

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall: Melbourne 0 wins | Port Adelaide 0 wins
At Alberton Oval: Melbourne 0 wins | Port Adelaide 0 wins
Coaches: Stinear 0 wins | Arnell 0 wins

MEDIA COVERAGE

Foxtel, Kayo AFL Live Official App

THIS WEEK’S TEAMS

MELBOURNE

FB [28] Saraid Taylor [32] Gabrielle Colvin
HB [11] Molly O'Hehir [19] Laela Ebert [13] Maeve Chaplin
C [22] Eliza McNamara [5] Tyla Hanks [4] Paxy Paxman
HF [24] Megan Fitzsimon [6] Alyssa Bannan [7] Tayla Harris
FF [29] Eden Zanker [9] Georgia Gall
FOL [15] Lauren Pearce [10] Kate Hore [30] Shelley Heath
I/C [1] Georgia Campbell [12] Ryleigh Wotherspoon [20] Maggie Mahony [33] Lily Johnson [43] Jemma Rigoni
EMG [3] Alyssia Pisano [14] Amelia Dethridge [35] Mekah Morrissy*

NO CHANGE

*Top-up player

PORT ADELAIDE

FB [20] Sachi Syme [21] Amelia Borg
HB [12] Ella Heads [30] Teagan Germech [6] Molly Brooksby
C [16] Shineah Goody [5] Abby Dowrick [17] Ella Boag
HF [1] Justine Mules-Robinson [32] Jasmin Sowden [27] Gemma Houghton
FF [8] Ashleigh Woodland [10] Indy Tahu
FOL [29] Matilda Scholz [35] Kirsty Lamb [9] Maria Moloney
I/C [2] Ebony O’Dea [3] Jasmine Evans [31] Chloe Gaunt [44] Katelyn Pope [23] Alissa Brook
EMG [7] Lily Paterson [13] Jasmin Stewart [19] Coby Morgan

IN Jasmine Evans, Kirsty Lamb

OUT Lily Paterson (omitted), Cheyenne Hammond (injured)

Injury List: Round 5

Melbourne

Tahlia Gillard — knee / 1 - 2 weeks
Sinéad Goldrick — shoulder / 1 - 2 weeks
Denby Taylor foot — foot / 2 - 3 weeks
Sarah Lampard — calf / 3 - 4 weeks
Grace Beasley — knee / 5 - 7 weeks
Blaithin Mackin — knee / 6 - 8 weeks
Olivia Purcell — knee / Season
Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive
Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

Port Adelaide

Jemima Charity — knee / TBC
Lauren Young — concussion / 1 week
Janelle Cuthbertson — foot / 1-3 weeks
Piper Window — ankle / 1-3 weeks
Julia Teakle — foot / 2-4 weeks
Cheyenne Hammond — finger / 3-5 weeks
Caitlin Wendland — knee /Season

Congratulations to the players celebrating milestones today.

The AFLW team is all we have left on the park in 2025 so let’s appreciate our unbeaten team continuing their winning streak.

Go Dees!