Round seven of the 2026 AFLW season delivered drama at both ends of the ladder, with Collingwood recording their maiden win of the season against GWS at Victoria Park, while St Kilda's winless campaign reached new depths as the Saints squandered a 15-point half-time lead against Gold Coast to lose by 30 points on Sunday afternoon.
St Kilda's winless season hits rock bottom
The Saints arrived at People First Stadium showing genuine promise. Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw was in career-best form, booting four of her five goals for the match in the opening half as St Kilda built a 15-point advantage at the main break. It looked, briefly, like the breakthrough win the club had been desperately chasing.
But the second half belonged entirely to Gold Coast. The Suns surged back into the contest with four third-quarter goals to reclaim the lead, and from there they never looked back. Gold Coast kicked eight goals to one after half-time, ultimately running out 10.9 (69) to 6.3 (39) winners — a 30-point margin that flattered neither side's first half nor disguised just how heavy the collapse was.
Suns midfielder Charlie Rowbottom was the standout performer across the ground, posting a game-high 38 disposals as her side completed the turnaround. Dekota Baron added a memorable running goal in the closing stages to seal the result.
"I'm so rapt with the girls and their fightback," Rowbottom said after the match. "The Saints came out really hot and I'm so happy we won the arm wrestle. We just came back to basics, came back to working for each other."
For St Kilda, Serene Watson led the side's possession count with 25 touches, while Georgia Patrikios gathered 22. But the statistics that matter most paint a damning picture: the Saints remain winless at 0-7, rooted to the bottom of the AFLW ladder with the least points scored and the most conceded of any club in the competition. Gold Coast, by contrast, sit comfortably in fifth with a 5-2 record.
The Suns also suffered a setback of their own, losing Annabel Kievit to a suspected knee injury in the second half — a sour note on what was otherwise a commanding afternoon for the home side.
Collingwood finally break through against GWS
Earlier on Sunday, Collingwood put an end to their own prolonged drought, grinding out a hard-fought 4.10 (34) to 3.7 (25) victory over GWS in a low-scoring encounter at Victoria Park — the Magpies' historic home ground.
It was not a performance that will be remembered for its fluency. Collingwood struggled with inaccuracy in front of goal throughout the contest, and the Giants led by margins of one, four and seven points at the end of the first three quarters respectively. The Magpies appeared destined for yet another defeat heading into the final change.
But the last quarter told a very different story. Collingwood dominated the term, finishing the match with 18 more inside 50s and 16 more contested possessions than their opponents. That pressure eventually told, and the Magpies ran out nine-point winners.
The win moves Collingwood to 1-6, level with GWS on the season ledger. Essendon and St Kilda remain the only two clubs yet to register a win in 2026.
Fremantle surge into top eight with clinical Adelaide dismantling
In the other Sunday afternoon fixture, Fremantle produced a statement performance to defeat Adelaide at Unley Oval, 9.6 (60) to 5.5 (35), surging into the top eight in the process.
The Dockers were electric from the opening bounce, outscoring the Crows 28 points to nil in the first quarter and building a lead of as many as 45 points during the contest. Forward Eden Zanker was particularly influential, kicking two goals in the opening half to help set the platform.
"From the get-go, we were playing the footy we knew we are capable of," Dockers coach Lisa Webb said after the final siren.
Adelaide showed some resilience, kicking three straight goals either side of the last change to apply momentary pressure, but the deficit never fell below 25 points. Fremantle, now sitting at 4-3 for the season, held firm to secure a result that also carried some historic significance — it was the Dockers' first win over Adelaide in their past seven AFLW meetings, ending a run that had seen the Crows hold a 9-1 record in the fixture beforehand.
North Melbourne, Sydney and the rest of round seven
Elsewhere across the round, North Melbourne produced a grand-final-eve performance to defeat Melbourne, bouncing back from illness within the playing group — captain Jasmine Garner compared the week to "COVID days" — after flu swept through the side. Despite trailing early, the Kangaroos recovered from a three-goal deficit at quarter-time to claim a convincing victory.
"I'm just really proud of the group. The hunger was there, the drive was there. That was a bloody great win," Garner said.
In Sydney, the Swans extended their top-four position with a 5.7 (37) to 3.5 (23) defeat of Brisbane. The Lions stayed competitive through three quarters — trailing by just a point at the final change — but Cynthia Hamilton's early goal in the last term broke the deadlock decisively, and Sydney ran out 14-point winners. Brisbane's record slipped to a difficult 2-5.
Round eight gets underway on Thursday 1 October, with St Kilda next facing the Western Bulldogs on Saturday 3 October, and Collingwood hosting Melbourne the following Sunday.
