CARLTON have snagged their first win of the 2024 season in the dying seconds of the game, with Maddy Guerin snapping the ball from 25 metres to get the Blues up by just one point over the Suns.
 
Battling with hot and gusty conditions at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena, both teams showed their physicality early in the contest.

Forward Keeley Skepper got the Blues on the board kicking an early goal as her defender closed in on a tackle. Marianna Anthony backed it up with her own goal, with young defender Lulu Beatty hitting her with a classy inside 50 entry.
 
The Suns quickly came back with two goals of their own, showing signs early that the game was going to be a back-and-forth affair.
 
Co-vice captains Mimi Hill (23 disposals, six intercepts) and Abbie McKay (24 disposals, five clearances) impressed early in the middle, with Guerin also setting the tone with her pressure (seven tackles).

00:37

AFLW W2 | Plenty of pepper in this Skepper opener

Keeley Skepper manages to squeeze through the game’s first goal after a frantic scramble for the footy.

The ruck duo of Jess Good and Breann Moody worked well for the midfielders, who outworked the Suns in the clearance, as well as providing their height at both ends of the ground for intercepting. 
 
Gold Coast started to bring the intensity in the second quarter, with the Carlton defenders under the pump, however, the Suns struggled to capitalise on their momentum, with the Blues able to move the ball in quick sequence to their forward 50.
 
First-gamer Tarni Brown showed off her exciting speed throughout the day, while winger Dayna Finn also showed her pressure at both ends of the ground.
 
The heat looked to take a toll in the third quarter, with neither team able to convert in front of goal. Hill and Guerin gave their forwards plenty of opportunities with repeat entries, but the Suns were able to cut off the ball movement in their back half. 

00:33

AFLW W2 | Set the Moody: Brea’s back-with-the-flight pluck

Breann Moody reels in an impressive mark in the goal square and makes no mistake with the finish.

The Blues didn't ever look like giving up, as shown by their rampant pressure with 17 tackles inside 50 to the Suns' nine. 

Carlton's defence was set up well behind the ball, with Harriet Cordner, Gen Lawson-Tavan and Gab Pound combining for 21 intercept possessions as Gold Coast charged forward. 

A late goal from the home side saw the Blues trailing by five points, but the likes of B. Moody and Hill used their experience to get the ball forward quickly, landing in the lap of Guerin who slotted the impressive sealer - determined by the new score assistance technology. 

01:41

AFLW W2 | ‘Score Assist’ confirms dramatic late goal

The Blues hit the front deep into the final term as Madeleine Guerin’s slick effort is ticked off by new smart ball technology.

Match summary

GOLD COAST    2.0       4.5       4.6       5.8 (38)
CARLTON      2.2       4.4       4.7       5.9 (39)

GOALS
Carlton: Skepper, Anthony, Austin, B.Moody, Guerin

BEST
Carlton: Hill, McKay, Sherar, Finn, Cordner, Guerin

00:23

AFLW W2 | Team song

Watch the Blues celebrate their week two win