A TOUGH contest until the end, the Blues fell short to a late-surging Bulldogs side by six points at Whitten Oval. 

Mimi Hill stood out in her second contest for the Blues, while youngsters Grace Egan, Georgia Gee and Maddy Prespakis gave a valiant efforts throughout a tight four-quarter hit-out. 

Here's how the game played out in the Pride Round clash: 

Quarter 1: 

It was a tight contest from the get go, with both sides struggling to keep the ball in their forward 50. Elise O’Dea slotted her first goal as a ‘Bagger after a clean chain starting with Darcy Vescio in the centre. Kerryn Harrington’s pressure across half-back kept the Bulldogs searching for options while Maddy Prespakis brought the heat through the middle. The Bulldogs were unable to capitalise on their forward 50 entries early, but kept the likes of Charlotte Wilson and Jess Edwards very busy with their attempts. 

Quarter 2: 

The Blues came out of the gate fast, with plenty of possessions in the forward 50 resulting in a goal for skipper Katie Loynes. It wasn’t long after that Georgia Gee joined the party with a snag of her own before the Bulldogs started to gain some forward territory. The Bulldogs put two majors on the board with the pressure mounting on Carlton’s backline. Jess Hosking and Al Downie made an impact in the defensive 50, attempting to stem the Bulldogs' surge. Second-gamer Mimi Hill saw plenty of the ball, racking up 12 disposals in the first half with Prespakis gathering 11. 

Quarter 3:

The Bulldogs came out firing, scoring a goal in the first minute of the quarter. The Blues responded quickly, with Tayla Harris kicking her first of the game after a perfect set from Breann Moody. There was plenty of back and forth, with each team struggling to keep the ball locked down. Prespakis dominated at stoppages while Egan and Nat Plane were tackling machines at both ends. A long range goal from Harris wrapped up the quarter with the Blues leading by 10 points. 

Quarter 4: 

It was another quick start for the Dogs, with their first goal for the quarter coming in the first minute. The Blues put on the pressure through the midfield, but the Bulldogs moved quickly and piled on another two goals in the first half of the quarter. Carlton struggled to keep the ball in their forward 50 with inaccuracy in front of goal costly. The Bulldogs out-marked Carlton's forwards and despite their best efforts, they were unable to make up the six-point deficit.  

Moment of the match:

We always say it, but there really is nothing like your first goal in Navy Blue. Elise O'Dea slotted her first goal early in the opening quarter in just her second game for the Blues, adding to her complete performance around the ground. 

Three things from the game:

1. Mimi Hill is settling into AFLW life artfully, racking up disposals all over the ground and making a massive impact in just her second AFLW game. Hill's performance will definitely put her in contention for a Rising Star nomination this week. 

2. The Blues forward line is starting to click. After a slow start last week, Carlton fired from the get go, with Tayla Harris' overhead marking and Darcy Vescio's clean hands giving them plenty of scoring opportunities. 

3. You can't pigeon hole Jess Hosking. Last week, the defender-turned-forward was in full attack, while this week she caused chaos all over the ground. Her midfield pressure was a force to be reckoned with, as she gathered 16 disposals and bounced around from end to end.  

Match Summary

WESTERN BULLDOGS    0.4     2.4     3.6    6.6    (42)
CARLTON                     1.0     3.3.    5.4     5.6    (36)

GOALS
Harris (2), Gee, Loynes, O'Dea. 

BEST
Prespakis, Gee, Hill, Harris, Hosking