Each week of the 2026 AFLW season, ESPN's Sarah Burt takes a look at what's making news, raising questions, and catching the eye across the competition.
This week's W Files features a look at the all-conquering Kangaroos, the Prespakis sister act, and the Dogs who have some bite.
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North Melbourne - is it actually getting boring?
The Kangaroos smashed St Kilda by 92 points and extended their winning streak to 31 consecutive games. Unsurprised? Yes. Wondering when we will finally see them challenged? Also yes.
The frightening part is that they aren't relying on one player or one way of winning, they just get it done every time. Jas Garner and Ash Riddell dominated the midfield, which is a usual turn of events but this was while Tahlia Randall and Kate Shierlaw combined for nine goals.
They're not relying on a couple of key players, they're coming at their competition from all angles. North had eight players finish the day on or above twenty disposals, Ruby Tripodi and Eilish Sheerin notched seven tackles each, and former captain Emma Kearney had a quieter day by her standards with 24 touches and three marks, so what does that tell you?
On one hand it's amazing to see such great footy being played, but on the other, it sort of feels like the premiership's already been won.
The Bulldogs have some bite
The Bulldogs beat the previously undefeated Sydney Swans by 27 points at Whitten Oval. One of the youngest sides in the league, they held their own and showed a confidence we were begging to see last season. The Bulldogs responded to Sydney kicking four straight by piling on six consecutive goals to close the game.
Rylie Wilcox and Emma McDonald scored three goals each, and both Elle Bennetts and Co-Captain Isabel Pritchard showed why they're so valued in the side. Bulldogs backline coach Callum Brown spoke post-game on Wilcox saying she's "super."
"She's so sharp around the ball and she's got cat-like reflexes when she's near it. You just really saw that today, her ability to make something out of nothing.
"That part of her game is really exciting and she's just such a competitor for us, which is probably not recognised as much.
"She's massive for us."
How good was the sister act?!
One of the best parts about this round was watching the Prespakis sisters sling each other across the field on Sunday afternoon. Geelong's Georgie is the little sister of Bomber Maddy, and their battle in the midfield was equal parts a masterclass in defence and also pretty entertaining. At one point Georgie looked to the umpire, arms outstretched in the forward half, as if to say "Mummmm, she touched me!" - it was good gear.
Aged 23 and 25 respectively, the pair matched up against each other in the midfield and there was no love lost, and looking at their season stats, they're on relatively even footing. Maddy averages 30 disposals a game, while Georgie sits just two behind, but the youngster has her big sister in marks, tackles and clearances. Maddy averages 457 metres gained while Georgie sits at 427.4, and they get almost the same amount of time on ground.
For two players who've come out of the blocks firing this season, it was a treat to see them match up against each other, and no doubt produce some interesting dinner table topics, too.
My favourite stat of the week
Ash Riddell has won 148 disposals this season. The most by any AFLW player across the first four rounds of a season, beating her own record of 147 disposals set across the first four rounds last season. The GOAT continues.
