By Evan Tudor
Round 6 of Airport Toyota Premier Division opens at Town Centre Recreation Reserve when Caroline Springs welcomes Oak Park.
The Lakers head into this clash after a hard-fought 12-point win over Moonee Valley that kept their unbeaten record intact.
At a 4-0 record, they sit second on the ladder, narrowly missing the top spot due to percentage.
Oak Park enters this clash after its bye, but it was a 28-point victory over the Sharks for the Roos when we last saw them in action.
The blue and white outfit is currently placed fifth on the ladder and is looking to work its way up.
The Lakers will be hard to get past in Saturday's contest with a strong defence line led by captain Caitlin Pretty.
With one of the strongest defensive lines in the league, the Lakers’ backline boast strong marking skills that hinder opposition from scoring.
The black, gold, white, and blue display serious talent in front of the big sticks with Jacinta Kondis (who kicked four last weekend), Taya Meiers, and Mira Diab (who found two last Saturday).
It’ll take a team effort from Oak Park to stop them, but the Roos have what it takes to throw it all down in front of a tough opposition.
Tayah Kelly and Jorja Elisseou both scored double in their Hillside encounter two weeks back and join Ellie Huggard, who’s been named the Kangas’ best on three occasions.
If the trio can join the entire side in bringing their all to enemy territory, then a cracking contest looms.
Joe Brown Oval will host its first women’s top flight contest for the season when Keilor and Moonee Valley face off.
The Blues yet again enter this match as a winless side and are in desperate need of picking up the four points.
They were subject to a 71-point defeat to Maribyrnong Park last Saturday and were prevented from putting a major on the scoreboard, something they’ll look to amend this weekend.
The Giovanni Castello-coached Keilor displays some positive signs of consistency, with Olivia Castello, Megan Neill, and Laura Wright all having great starts to the year.
And if Emilly and Kaitlyn O’Keefe and Wright can make their way back into selection for Saturday’s game, then it may ignite an upward trend for Keilor.
Moonee Valley was gallant in defeat last weekend as it went down to Caroline Springs by two straight kicks.
The Fog’s Nadia Valenti has made an appearance on the goal sheet in all matches this season, with a three-goal day out last weekend highlighting her as the leading scorer at Ormond Park.
Charlotte D’Ambrosiso has also been among the action with four goals this season, with Kate Maxwell also one of the on-field standouts.
Resting seventh on the table with a 1-3 record, Moonee Valley hasn’t tasted victory since the opening round of the season.
While the Fog will get an opportunity to do so on Saturday, will this encounter be the one where a win-thirsty Keilor side finally gets to sing the song?
It’ll be a battle of premiers at Lebanon Reserve as last year’s Division One champions Strathmore welcomes the reigning top flight premiers Hillside.
With both sides coming into this one after heavy losses, it sets up a must-win clash between two outfits who have a finals ticket on their wish list.
The Sharks have fallen to eighth on the table and haven’t been on the right side of the scoreboard since Round 1, despite the positive impacts from Krissy Trang, Kiara Rigg, Annalise Wilkie, and goalkicking asset Caitlin Sargent, who didn’t feature in last weekend’s line-up.
The teal, white, and black were held to just one goal last weekend and will be hoping for more on Saturday, especially if Sargent can make it past selection.
It’s an unwanted start to the season for the defending champions, and the Chris Daley-coached side will be eager to turn things around promptly.
Strathmore experienced its second loss of the year at the hands of ladder-leaders Aberfeldie with a heavy 71-point defeat.
Also held to just one goal, the Mores gave it their all against the Two Blues but were simply overwhelmed.
Captain Elosie Egglestone picked up a division-leading fifth best-on naming with key contributors in Talia Motta and Edith Kavanagh having a great start to the year.
After an undefeated run in Division One last year, the Mores have had a strong start to their top flight tenure, with losses only providing good footballing experience and knowledge of areas to improve on.
With Hillside in dire need of putting another win on the board and Strathmore looking to solidify its Premier Division position, this year’s battle of the premiers is gearing up to be a must watch.
The round closes off at Walsh Oval with an intriguing clash between Maribyrnong Park and Aberfeldie.
After both the Lions and Two Blues remarkably both recorded 71-point victories last weekend, this weekend’s encounter is setting up to become a super Saturday.
With the Lions on the rise off the back of strong signings, the positives of the presence of Tegan Matthews have truly been felt, with the star ball magnet slotting 10 majors across the opening four games of the season.
Matthews found the big sticks four times in last weekend’s win over Keilor, and Saturday’s encounter with the Two Blues provides a mouthwatering opportunity to go head to head with Abers spearhead Moana Hope.
Hope has the ability to play effectively across all areas on the field, but she has shone in front of goals, with 15 majors coming off her boot so far in 2026.
Emily Smith has been another Two Blue to watch with nine season goals, and a flurry of Marby players proving ability to match her efforts.
Amelia Wright has conjured the most best-on appearances for Aberfeldie with four, with Maddy Hall also having some serious impacts at Clifton Park.
The Lions have shown that they can stand strong against any opposition and are never fazed by anyone.
Zoe Dullard has been impressive in the defensive lines at Walsh Oval, contributing to the side’s efforts in holding Keilor goalless last weekend.
With both sides promoting compelling reasons to walk away winners in this one, Saturday’s battle between the ladder leaders and sixth position rising Lions should be a great game.
By Jake Reeves & Michelle Dunstan
Keilor Park will face Gisborne to kick off proceedings in Round 5 at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve in the morning slot.
It has been a bright start to the Devils' 2026 campaign and are off the back of a 72-point demolition job of Taylors Lakes away from home.
Gisborne has not been in dominant form but continue to bank premiership points as it starts to move closer to the mid point of the season.
Maisy Crowther, Amy O’Kelly, and Marie Napoli were all seen as the best in a hard-fought victory last time out and look to replicate their form on Saturday for the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, it has been an incredible start for Keilor Park’s Georgia O’Donovan’s season as she has nailed 15 goals in her four matches so far this year, and is one Gisborne needs to put time into to come home with the victory.
The second of the morning games on Saturday sees the Sunbury Lions host Roxburgh Park at Clarke Oval.
It has been a tough start for Roxy who are still yet to come out victorious but are showing some promising signs that the win is on the way.
It's a similar story for the Lions, but they have found themselves a victory three weeks ago against Taylors Lakes in a thrilling affair at Lionheart Rsserve.
So, this is set to be an evenly matched game where both teams can snatch their first and second win, respectively.
Karla Tentonello has been a clear standout for the Lions and has received best player honours in all four games this season. Teammates Jorja McKenna and Hayley Parke have also had hot starts in their personal campaigns for Sunbury.
Haylea Cooke, Laura Temiz, and Emily Prouse all played well on a challenging afternoon for Roxy last weekend.
Burnside Heights will travel to Vic Foster Reserve to take on the undefeated Craigieburn on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears are starting to hit promising form after making it back-to-back wins last week and holding the Sunbury Kangaroos scoreless in an eight-goal clinic.
While for Craigieburn, it has been as good a start they could have asked for, sitting 4-0 and one of the clear finals contenders.
The Eagles were a class above in last weekend’s 30-point win over the Sunbury Lions.
Caitlin Starc and Kaylee Allen both have started incredibly well and have been big contributors to the Eagles success so far this season.
Aarzu Mavi has been Burnside’s best in the initial stages of the 2026 campaign and has earned a best player in all four games and is on track to have her best season of her career.
East Sunbury and Taylors Lakes will look to get back on the winner's list when they face off at John McMahon Recreation Reserve.
The Thunder lost to Tullamarine last time out and sits in sixth spot, a game behind those above them.
The Lions are still searching for a first win after a tough start to 2026.
Ruby Taranto has been a strong contributor for East Sunbury after returning to the club with eight majors to her name.
She'll be one to stop along with Mariam Habib, Chantelle Harding, and Rhianna Kirk who have each been named in the best in two of their four games.
Taylors Lakes has struggled with numbers this season but in their two best games, Stef Valerio, Rebecca Foggie, Sarah Jamieson, and Charlie Goodwin have stepped up and will need to again here if the Lions are a chance.
Willowbrook Reserve will play host to Westmeadows and Coburg Districts to close out Round 5 of Airport Toyota Division One.
Westmeadows is undefeated and sitting on top of the ladder, while Coburg Districts is eighth with one win on the board.
The last time out for the Tigers was an 89-point win against Roxburgh Park, Danielle Linton (four goals) leading the scoring.
Linton won't be the only target for Districts defenders with league leading goal scorer Courteney Munn a force in front of goal with 16 majors, and Sarah Wright contributing three last week.
Coburg Districts lost a heartbreaker last time out against Gisborne, two points the margin in a wayward display.
Zoe Manning and Sarah Docherty have been standouts for the Lions and will look to lead from the front on Saturday.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
CAROLINE SPRINGS v OAK PARK
Saturday 1:50pm at Town Centre Recreation Reserve
KEILOR v MOONEE VALLEY
Saturday 1:50pm at Joe Brown Oval
STRATHMORE v HILLSIDE
Saturday 1:50pm at Lebanon Reserve
MARIBYRNONG PARK v ABERFELDIE
Saturday 1:50pm at Walsh Oval
KEILOR PARK v GISBORNE
Saturday 10:00am at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve
SUNBURY LIONS v ROXBURGH PARK
Saturday 10:00am at Clarke Oval
CRAIGIEBURN v BURNSIDE HEIGHTS
Saturday 11:50am at Vic Foster Reserve
EAST SUNBURY v TAYLORS LAKES
Saturday 11:50am at John McMahon Recreation Reserve
WESTMEADOWS v COBURG DISTRICTS
Saturday 11:50am at Willowbrook Reserve
