Adelaide thrash Port in first AFLW Showdown

Established AFLW powerhouse Adelaide underlined who’s boss in the city of churches with a thumping 60-point thrashing of Port in the first AFLW Showdown.

Port were held goalless for the first time this season in the 8.15 (63) to 0.3 (3) victory.

Chelsea Randall was imperious for the Crows, scoring three goals and recording a game-high 27 possessions to be awarded the inaugural Showdown medal.

Crows legend Erin Phillips was tagged by Sarah Allen in what was her first outing against her former side, but still managed 14 disposals.

In the only negative for the Crows, powerful forward McKenzie Dowrick suffered a possibly serious right knee injury, forcing her from the field in the third quarter.

On the back of last week’s 96-point demolition of GWS, Adelaide have now outscored their opponents 23.22 to 0.4 across their last eight quarters.

Randall, Ebony Marinoff (24, one goal) and Anne Hatchard (23, one goal) were far too strong for their less experienced Power opponents.

Port teenager Alex Ballard again defended grandly on the last line, while captain Erin Phillips battled valiantly but forlornly against her former side.

Virtually from the word go, Adelaide dominated, showing far more slickness and firepower in attack.

Randall scored the first-ever AFLW goal between the two teams, finishing neatly after expertly sharking Caitlin Gould’s forward stoppage tap inside the first three minutes.

Moments later, the Crows skipper nailed her second and celebrated by raising both arms aloft and grabbing her jumper in jubilation, as she steered Adelaide to a 14-point quarter-time lead.

In the second period, Hatchard marked strongly and score a goal, and Randall did likewise to nail her third before Ash Woodward slotted a six-pointer after the half-time siren to push the Crows clear by 35 points.

There was more of the same after the main break.

Marinoff secured the first centre clearance of the third period and finished off her good work by snapping a major inside the opening 40 seconds, Adelaide going from strength to strength.

Ex-Crow Ange Foley missed a chance to slot Port’s sole goal after the three-quarter-time bell.

Hawthorn win nail-biter in Frankston

A second-quarter masterclass from Hawthorn veteran Jess Duffin has inspired the Hawks to a second thrilling come-from-behind AFLW victory in as many weeks.

Hawthorn looked home against West Coast when Irish dual-code star Áine McDonagh kicked her first career goal midway through the final term on Friday night to put the hosts up by eight points.

But a magnificent Aimee Schmidt set shot from the boundary line shortly after got the Eagles back within two.

It ensured a tense finish to the match in Frankston but the Hawks hung on to win 6.8 (44) to 6.5 (41).

Hawthorn slipped 18 points behind in the first quarter but, just as they did against Sydney last week when they trailed by four goals, fought back admirably.

And it was the inspired decision to move Duffin up forward in the second term which proved decisive.

She hadn’t kicked a goal for more than three years, but she booted three of her team’s four majors for the period to put them up by eight points at the long break, from where they were able to keep the Eagles at bay.

After losing their first four AFLW games, the Hawks have now won back-to-back matches and the expansion club are just one win outside the top eight.

The win was soured, though, by the report of key forward Tegan Cunningham whose name went in the book in the last quarter for engaging in rough conduct with West Coast’s Charlotte Thomas courtesy of a late bump.

After quarter time, Hawthorn’s pressure was outstanding, and they comprehensively out-tackled West Coast 83-58, while also enjoying a sizeable advantage in inside 50s (30-21).

Duffin had 12 disposals to go with her three majors. Aileen Gilroy also played a key role for the Hawks with 15 touches (10 contested) and 10 tackles, as did captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd with 14 disposals, six tackles and a goal.

Lucas-Rodd’s opposite number Emma Swanson was outstanding for the Eagles with 28 touches (14 contested), seven clearances and a goal, while Isabella Lewis (10 tackles) also tried hard with 24 touches (18 contested), nine clearances and a goal.

The visitors made the most of the strong breeze in the first quarter, kicking the opening three goals in just nine minutes.

After Duffin single-handedly turned the tide in the second term, as the Hawks registered all 15 inside 50s for the quarter, the momentum shifted back West Coast’s way in the third, and a clever Jaide Britton goal levelled the scores.

But despite having the breeze at their backs, a couple of missed set shots from Swanson and Kate Bartlett prevented them from wresting back the lead.

AAP/ABC