GSFLW 2026: Albany suffer first loss of the season, Royals stay in hunt for top four & Mt Barker win close one

Railways handed Albany their first loss of the 2026 Great Southern Football League Women’s season as the Tigers prevailed by 15 points on Friday night. Three goals in the first half set up the Tigers’ fifth win of the season, as they held off a strong challenge from the Sharks in the second half at Tigerland. Madison Dallimore kicked two goals for the home side and youngster Georgia Whitelaw also booted a major as the Tigers made it three wins on the trot. The result also reversed the result of the Tigers’ 28-point loss to the Sharks in round four. The Tigers kicked the only goal of the first half and led by 21 points at the long break. The visitors fought hard in the second half, booting the only major and keeping the Tigers to just three behinds but they suffered their first defeat of the year. Ksharna Coyne, Piper Scorza, Whitelaw and Hannah Tweedie were strong contributors for the Tigers in the 3.12 (30) to 2.3 (15) win. The Sharks were best served by Ellie Puls, Aleisha Scanlon, Mikala Bower (one goal) and Shannon Hanning while Alice Jones also kicked a goal. In the later game at Tigerland in round seven, Royals recorded a thumping 68-point win over North Albany. The Lions kept their finals hopes alive with a percentage boosting triumph, 11.9 (75) to 1.1 (7). Gracie Gibson starred with five goals, taking her career tally to more than 100, and Joslyn Pass was the other major goalkicker with two. Gibson, Nardia Humphries, Chanel-Rose Jetta (one goal) and Serenity Hardy were among the Lions’ best players. The Kangas conceded six goals in the first half and were never able to recover despite the best efforts of MacKenzie Sutherland, Monette Davies, Amelia Deutschmann and Jolene Olde. The Lions sit two games adrift of the fourth-placed Mt Barker heading into the final three rounds of the regular season. At McLean Park, Mt Barker emerged winners over Denmark-Walpole in a low-scoring affair as two goals in the second term proved the difference. The Magpies kicked their sole goal in the first quarter but the Bulls had snatched a six-point lead by half time. No goals were kicked in the last half as the Bulls prevailed by eight points, 2.6 (18) to 1.4 (10). Tajah Griffiths and Sophie Richards kicked a goal each for the visitors while teammates Kiahn Perry, Charlotte Ballard, Megan Nekel and Zoe Kestel were outstanding. The home side tried hard to get back into the contest in the second half with Alyce Burton, Brittany Finigan and Megan Ross winning plenty of the ball while Esme MacDonald booted their early major. Round eight will be a triple header at Retravision Stadium on Saturday starting with Royals and Denmark-Walpole at noon. Albany and Mt Barker square off at 2.45pm before North Albany and Railways do battle at 5.30pm. In round seven of the youth girls competition, North Albany handed Royals their first loss as the Kangas won by 28 points. Denmark-Walpole held Mt Barker scoreless in a 72-point result while Railways downed Albany by 13 points in a close contest.