By Evan Tudor
Hillside will look for a much-needed return to form when it welcomes Essendon Doutta Stars to Shark Park as Round 5 gets underway on Saturday morning.
With both sides entering this clash after losses and placed on the ladder at sixth and fourth respectively, it’s shaping up to be a must watch for Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day on Streamer.
After winning their opening game of the season, the Sharks have lost their past two contests and were held scoreless for all but three minutes in last weekend’s clash with the Roos.
The Sharks will look to return to the football field playing their own brand of footy; fast, fierce, and physical, in an attempt to topple the Stars.
Hillside’s Kiara Rigg, Annalise Wilkie, Hannah Ibrahim, and Krissy Trang have all had breakout performances with the squad displaying fine talent from full forward to full back.
Caitlin Sargent leads the goalkicking at Shark Park with a bag of four majors in Round 2's defeat giving us some insight into how dangerous she can be.
The Stars were very strong in last weekend’s defeat to Caroline Springs but just couldn’t get past the Lakers’ backline.
That is an area of focus that they should hone in on ahead of their travel on the Calder.
Douttas led for most of the match until the lead was taken from them in the last quarter.
Some of their key standouts were Harmony Mitsos, Ada Pizzinga, and Mia Tully, who kicked all three of her side’s majors and has now bagged eight across her past two games.
The Stars boast an ability to move the ball fast down the field with tremendous handball skill, often directing play towards Tully inside 50.
If the navy blue and gold are able to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead of them, then an important win may be on the cards.
The reigning premiers will go full throttle as they look to break their losing streak.
The ladder leader Aberfeldie welcomes Strathmore to Aberfeldie Park for a top three clash on Saturday afternoon.
The Two Blues are on a three-game winning streak and have their sights on making it four with a win in this game.
So far, they’ve knocked off Oak Park, Moonee Valley, and Keilor, all in elegant fashion and show no signs of slowing down.
Abers has one of the most impressive lists in this Premier Division season with talents stretching from goal to goal that have all played a role in delivering some magnificent results for the team.
Moana Hope and Emily Smith have combined for 17 goals across four matches and will look to add more to the tally on Saturday.
Among the list of is one of the Two Blues’ focal points in former AFLW talents in Jess Duffin and Tahni Nestor. Duffin has had an impactful start to the year while Nestor was named their best last weekend.
This Aberfeldie squad poses as a great threat to Strathmore who could finish this round as high as first.
The Mores’ captain Eloise Egglestone has been unstoppable in her return season to the club and has been named Strathmore’s best in all four contests.
Strathmore knows how to be a handful against any opponent and have significantly improved on its first-quarter performances, scoring 3.3 (21) to nil in the opening 20 minutes of last Saturday's match with Moonee Valley.
As a team, Strathmore works together to overrun opposition with strong ball movement and turnovers, with Talia Motta and Milla Murphy also impressing in the first quarter of this season.
Overall, Saturday’s match poses as one of the weekend’s best, as two strong sides with fascinating line-ups will go head-to-head in a potential early finals preview.
Maribyrnong Park will get its chance to show any improvements made after its bye week when it travels to Green Gully Reserve for a meeting with Keilor.
After a strong recruitment blitz in the off-season that included the signing of Tegan Matthews who faces off with her old side in this game, the Lions were able to pick up a drought-breaking win against Hillside in Round 2’s high-scoring affair.
Marby showed encouraging signs in that match that looked to re-route them to more wins in season 2026.
The Lions’ ability to make the most of clearances, turnovers, and turn them into goals was supreme, with efficient ball movement down field an amazing strength.
But it all made an unwanted 180-degree turn from there as the Lions tasted a sour 99-point defeat to the Stars seven days later.
It’s a result like this that Maribyrnong Park knows all too well, with the Lions back after their bye week, now seeking a second win of the season against the winless Keilor.
It’s been a difficult start to 2026 for the Blues after an optimistic pre-season, with margins of defeat only getting larger week by week.
The Blues show some promising talent through the likes of Laura Wright and Olivia Castello who have been named the club’s best on three occasions each.
But it’s going to take the rest of the Blues to step up in unity as they continue to search for their maiden win.
It’s not an impossible task that awaits either side, but it is one that’ll require the 100 per cent effort from all players from full forward to full back.
Round 5 concludes at Ormond Park as Moonee Valley and Caroline Springs battle it out.
Caroline Springs enters this clash placed second on the top flight table, while it’s an eighth-place spot for Moonee Valley, with the Fog looking to rise.
Moonee Valley has stuck together and given it their all during its period of three-straight losses, with determination and commitment highlighting the team’s desire for that elusive win.
The Fog has a chance of doing something big on Saturday, defeating the undefeated Caroline Springs, but the black and white will have to give it all that they’ve got.
Playing-coach Rhiannon Busch has been one of the Fog’s strengths, always stepping up and leading the way in times of uncertainty.
The Valley’s Nadia Valenti has struck straight through the big sticks for three consecutive weeks and will enter Saturday’s match looking to continue the streak.
But if she wishes to do so, she’ll have to get through the Lakers’ strong and composed defensive line.
The backline of Caroline Springs in last weekend’s victory was stellar, with Caitlin Pretty playing cool and calm with her strong marking, effective ball pick-ups, and effective clearing kicks.
The Lakers can get the ball down the field within a flash, thanks to players like Kyla Tracey who stood out at Buckley Park, and assisted by Jacinta Kondis who also secured two majors.
Will it be Caroline Springs who remains undefeated, or will Moonee Valley find a much-needed win? Let’s find out on Saturday.
By Jake Reeves
Week two of the split round kicks off when hosts Roxburgh Park take on Westmeadows in the morning slot on Saturday at Lakeside Reserve.
Roxy just fell short of Gisborne by seven points a couple of weeks ago, but still sit winless heading into the Round 4 clash.
It was the complete opposite for the Tigers, who had a mammoth win over Tullamarine and have a had a perfect start to the new campaign.
An incredible first month of the season from Courteney Munn, who has a mammoth 14 goals on her tally after the first three games, and she has kicked five and eight goals in the last two.
Along with Munn, teammates Ella-Rose Johnson-Schollick and Georgia Betros have both had hot starts to the season and have been a huge part of the Tigers success early in the campaign.
Roxy superstar Awatea Poutini has been a standout throughout the first month and is crucial in her side being competitive against Westmeadows on Saturday morning.
Burnside Heights is set to play host to the Sunbury Kangaroos in a Saturday afternoon clash at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve.
Both sides are heading into this clash sitting on the same side of the ledger with two wins and one loss.
The Bears' strong final term led them to victory a fortnight ago against Coburg Districts by 18 points.
While the fast-starting Sunbury Kangaroos fell short of East Sunbury in a scrappy affair that same evening.
An awesome start to the new campaign by Aarzu Mavi, who has received best player honors in every single game for the Bears so far this season.
Nat Dunne and Georgia Marinier will both be at the top of the Bears whiteboard as they have both been on fire in this competition with their ability to hit the scoreboard having a huge influence for the Kangaroos.
Keilor Park is on the road and set to face the winless Taylors Lakes in a must-win game for the home side at Lionheart Reserve on Saturday afternoon.
The Devils have had a bright start to the season and have conjured a percentage of 430 after the first few matches of the season.
While for Taylors Lakes, it has been a completely different story as they have had a challenging start to its campaign, currently sitting 0-3 and needing to change things around.
Georgia O’Donovan has hit form early in the season, kicking 11 majors in the opening three games of this season and has been their best player so far.
While it’s been the usual suspects for the Lions with superstar midfielder Courteney McCormack and teammate Stella Hoye still dominating despite a tough start for the Lions to start 2026.
The Devils will go in as favourites, but can the Lions show signs of improvement?
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
HILLSIDE v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
🎥 Streamer
Saturday 10:35am at Hillside Recreation Reserve
KEILOR v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 1:50pm at Green Gully Reserve
MOONEE VALLEY v CAROLINE SPRINGS
Saturday 1:50pm at Ormond Park
ABERFELDIE v STRATHMORE
Saturday 2:05pm at Aberfeldie Park West
ROXBURGH PARK v WESTMEADOWS
Saturday 10:00am at Lakeside Reserve
BURNSIDE HEIGHTS v SUNBURY KANGAROOS
Saturday 11:50am at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve
TAYLORS LAKES v KEILOR PARK
Saturday 11:50am at Lionheart Reserve
