Premier League Round 2 Review

In the Women's Premier League competition, NWG exacted some revenge for last year's grand final defeat, with a single goal enough to secure the victory, just as it was in the 2025 decider. This time, however, it was the Bulldogs who came out on top, thanks to a goal early in the second quarter from Wavey Van Dorsselaer. The Bulldogs had the better of the scoring looks in what proved a cagey affair, securing the 1-0 win that demonstrated that once again this season, it's a razor-thin margin between the pair. 

In other results, Canterbury claimed their first win of the season, eventually overcoming Derwent 2-0. After knocking on the door throughout the first quarter, the Lions took the lead when Maddi Curtis was on hand to bundle one home from close range early in the second term. Curtis would then turn provider on the stroke of three-quarters time, producing a sublime run and chipped pass over the keeper that Alice Maddock dispatched to double her side's lead.

Whilst OHA continued their strong start to the season, scoring a 2-0 win over University. Sofie McLeod scored the game's opening goal in the final second of the first half, just beating the buzzer to give her side a deserved lead to take into the sheds. University started to test out the Ships defence and create some scoring looks in the third quarter, but a clever penalty corner variation saw Taylor Brooks give her side a nice buffer to take into the final quarter, and that is how the score would remain.

In the Men's competition, North West Graduates bounced back from last weekend's opening day defeat with an impressive 3-1 win over DiamondBacks in a rematch of last season's Preliminary final. Once again, the Bulldogs proved too strong, as goals from Harvey Bessel, Oli Stebbings and Angus Cooper saw them overcome an early deficit after Will Oliver had given the DiamondBacks an early lead with a thumping opening strike.

Elsewhere, University continued to start their premiership defence in blistering touch, with 2025's competition top goalscorer, Ben Read, scoring four times in a 6-1 victory over OHA. The first half was an open-end to-end affair, but chances were a premium. As the game wore on, the defending Premiers began to turn the screws, and their firepower eventually proved too much, as they turned a gamee that was 2-0 with 90 seconds remaining in the third quarter, into an emphatic 6-1 final scoreline. 

Finally, Derwent scored a big win in their bid to return to finals action, as they downed Canterbury 2-0. After a tight opening term, Jacob Rugless opened the scoring in spectacular fashion with a clever diving deflection early in the second quarter.  Derwent would have the better of the scoring chances throughout the match. Still, it took till the final quarter for a second goal that would ultimately seal the contest to arrive, as Kurt Budgeon produced a classy finish from close range on the rebound from a penalty corner, elevating the ball up over the keeper.