A dominant pairing from AFLW-listed Saints Isabella Shannon and Leah Cutting has steered the Southern Saints towards a 38-point victory over the Western Bulldogs.          

Dale Robinson’s women were simply a class above at Victoria University Whitten Oval, comfortably overseeing the home side’s early advantage to seal the 8.10 (58) to 3.2 (20) victory and their second win of the year.

Spearheaded by Shannon (28 disposals, six marks, two goals) and Cutting (25 disposals, 24 hit-outs, five tackles), the Saints established a six-goal lead at the main break which remained unchallenged as the Bulldogs struggled to convert their narrow lead at stoppages.

Thirteen of the visitors’ 18 shots on goal for the game came in the first half, with the Bulldogs mustering five for the game courtesy of a steely backline led by Ebony Nixon (10 disposals, five rebound-50s).

Bulldogs forward Mary Sandral provided the only resistance on the scoreboard with all three of her side’s goals for the morning, while the Saints had eight individual goalkickers of their own.

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Kayla Ripari, Hannah Stuart, Winnie Laing and Shannon all showed their class in the four-goal second term to bolt away from their opposition, with Tahlia Meyer and Amelia Peck the only major beneficiaries after the Dogs galvanised in the second half.

Meyer (18 disposals, five tackles, one goal) was a noticeable presence in the middle alongside Stuart (18 disposals) and Alana Woodward (11 disposals, eight tackles), whose recovery from a hamstring setback will have her gunning for a place in St Kilda’s line-up for the final two weeks.

Cutting’s own return from injury (ribs) similarly has her on track for a potential recall following Rhi Watt’s suspected knee injury on Sunday’s victory against Gold Coast.

The Western Bulldogs kept the pressure on in an attempt to steady the contest, but were ultimately overrun by the fast-finishing Saints outfit as they continue its hunt for its maiden win of 2022.

The Southern Saints will take on Geelong next, with the time, date and venue yet to be determined.

SOUTHERN SAINTS  2.3  6.7  7.7  8.10 (58)
WESTERN BULLDOGS  1.1  1.1  3.2  3.2 (20) 

GOALS
Southern Saints: Shannon 2, De Angelis, Laing, Meyer, Peck, Ripari, Stuart
Western Bulldogs: Sandral 3

BEST
Southern Saints: Shannon, Cutting, Woodward, Peck, De Angelis, Meyer, Stuart
Western Bulldogs: Sandral, Barnes, Morrow, Schneider, Vale, McSweeney, Hunt