The Gunnedah Poochettes recorded their first win of the North West women’s AFL season as they downed the Tamworth Kangaroos on Tamworth soil last Saturday.
Following a creditable 10-point loss to Inverell in the season-opening round a week earlier, the Poochettes were strengthened by the return of a few players as they beat the Kangaroos 7.3.45 to 3.1.19.
The first quarter was tight as Gunnedah landed two goals while Tamworth nabbed one goal and one behind.
The Poochettes kicked 2.1.13 to 1.0.6 in the second term to secure a handy two-goal lead at half-time, before keeping the Kangaroos scoreless in the third term while kicking one goal and two behinds.
Both sides kicked accurately in the final term as Gunnedah booted two majors to Tamworth’s one.
Amy Clark and Braie Devine landed two goals each for the victors while Leah Schofield, Abbey Ruttley and skipper Alexa Walker kicked one each.
Jordan Donnelly, Mikayla Jackson and Paige McMullen booted one major each for the beaten team.
Ruttley, Walker, Zoe Palmer, Macey Carlyon, Laura Ewington and Elyshia Beaumont were among the best performers for the winning side.
Gunnedah coach John Woolaston said the Poochettes put in four consistent quarters of football, although they never really took control of the match as they were “outnumbered in contests at times”.
“We limited their forward 50 entries and shots at goal,” Woolaston said.
Woolaston credited Ewington for providing counterattack and taking intercept marks at the back, while debutante Beaumont played at
fullback and in the ruck.
The Poochettes have their first home game of the season this Saturday as they take on the New England Nomads, who had defeats by 89 and 46 points in the first two rounds.
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