GSFLW 2024: Bulls cause huge upset, Tigers dominate at home and Sharks make it three victories on the trot

Mt Barker caused a huge upset before Railways went to work at Tigerland and Albany remained undefeated after round three of the Great Southern Football League Women’s competition. A determined Bulls side secured an early boilover in 2024 defeating reigning premiers Royals in a two-point thriller at Retravision Stadium on Friday night. After heading into the final stanza with a 10-point advantage, the Bulls were pushed to the final seconds in their clutch 4.3 (27) to 3.7 (25) victory. The Bulls were unable to hit the scoreboard in the final quarter but held on for victory after the Lions kicked 1.2 in their fruitless comeback. Ruck Georgia Kowald (one goal) was enormous for the visitors while Kaitlin Eades (one) and Lilly Fiegert were also dominant. Bulls Mikayla Balloch and Simone Pantall also converted a major each in their first win of the season. Earlier, the Bulls launched out of the blocks kicking two first-quarter goals while holding the hosts scoreless before the Lions clawed back to level-pegging into the main break. The Bulls then added two straight goals in the third term while the Lions could manage only two minor scores. Lions Megan Green (one goal), Gracie Gibson, Nardia Humphries (one) and Adelaide Crossing were strong contributors. The Tigers overcame two scoreless quarters against a wasteful Denmark-Walpole to win by one straight kick on their home turf on Friday. The Magpies trailed the Tigers by 10 points at the final change but booted 0.4 in the final 15 minutes to go down by an agonising six points. The Tigers inflicted all their damage in the first and third quarters of their 4.3 (27) to 2.9 (21) triumph with skipper Tiarna Delli-Benedetti, Chelsea Geddes, Kathryn Slattery and Maggie Smit all kicking one goal each. Vaghla Hill, Claire McIntyre, Lily Trovato and Wayahpo Manolis were all key contributors to the Tigers’ second successive win. Magpies Megan Ross, Karis Aplin, Lucia Edwards and Grace Dempster competed hard while Rebecca McDonald and Isobelle Venn were their only goalkickers. In the final match of the round, the Sharks crushed North Albany by 33 points at Tigerland to make it three wins on the trot to start the new season. An inaccurate Sharks outfit held the Kangas scoreless in three quarters to cruise to a 5.10 (40) to 1.1 (7) victory at Tigerland. Despite holding their opposition scoreless in the first quarter, goalkicking woes marred the Sharks’ opening quarter as last year’s runners-up booted 1.6 to the first break. The Kangas worked their way back into the contest as both sides booted 1.1 in the second term before the Sharks began to turn the screws after half-time. A 3.3 to nil second half by the Sharks buried any hopes of a spirited comeback from the winless Kangas. Jeanette Gordon, Taiah Curtis, Maddi Miller each kicked one goal and Kate Holt was dominant across the board for the Sharks while Pippa Wilson, Anita Onions, Mabel Markey and Abbie Bootsma toiled hard for the Kangas.