SWFL women’s: Return of Jess Verbrugge inspires Donnybrook to 10-point win over Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault

The return of superstar Jess Verbrugge inspired Donnybrook’s women’s side to a 10-point win over Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault at Boyanup Oval on Sunday. With her WAFLW commitments over for the year after her side East Perth missed out on a finals berth, the two-time Nola Marino medallist was comfortably the best player afield in her first game for the season with her junior club. Playing mostly behind the ball, Verbrugge dominated with her run-and-carry and silky skills while receiving good support from Taneika Handley, Zoe Worsfold and Lacey Holdsworth as the Dons recorded their third victory for the year with a 3.2 (20) to 1.4 (10) win over the Lions. The result sees the two teams trade places on the ladder, with Donnybrook moving up to sixth and the Lions sliding back to seventh. Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault had the ball hemmed inside their attacking half for much of the first term, but it was the hosts who kicked the only goal of the quarter, with Courtney Rowe finishing off an end-to-end transition by skidding a long kick all the way home. A downfield free kick in the second term gave Shelby Humphries the chance to kick the Lions’ first goal of the day but she was only able to push her set shot across the face of goal, before Tally Neil boosted the Dons’ advantage out to two goals only moments before the half-time siren. The game looked all but over when Lara Riley found the major opening in the third term to boost Donnybrook’s advantage beyond three goals at the final break. However the Lions refused to go away in the last, with Arnya Pickston — another State league player back at local level after the end of Peel Thunder’s season — driving them forward several times. A late goal from Pickston was not enough to lift the Lions, who were left to rue some missed opportunities as the Dons held on to secure the four points.