A second meeting of the year between last season’s Grand Finalists headlines Round 7 of the Women’s Premier League, with NWG taking on DiamondBacks. In their Round 2 meeting, NWG turned the tables on the defending premiers, with a Wavey Van Dorsselaer goal securing a 1-0 victory after falling 1-0 in the 2025 decider. That result suggests another tight, low-scoring contest could be on the cards. The Bulldogs enter the clash with a five-point buffer at the top of the table and remain a perfect six from six this season, as a clear top three begins to emerge on the ladder.
That third side is OHA, who narrowly avoided an upset last week against Canterbury, holding on for a 1-0 win. Goalkeeper Bobbie Hamlett proved crucial with several key saves to secure all three points. This week, OHA takes on a University side that has suffered 5-0 and 4-0 defeats to the competition’s top two over the past fortnight. University will be searching for a response after earlier in the season showing they could challenge the competition heavyweights more closely.
The final match of the day sees Canterbury take on Derwent, with both sides viewing this as a crucial fixture. Last week was arguably the Lions’ best performance of the season, with Maddi Curtis and Blair Beard continuing their strong form, but they were once again unable to find the back of the net. Their only points so far came in the corresponding Round 2 fixture against Derwent, when they claimed a 2-0 win. Meanwhile, the youthful Strikers outfit knows this matchup presents one of their best opportunities to snare goals,and potentially points, so they will be fired up for the contest.
The Men’s Premier League action begins with NWG taking on DiamondBacks as the Bulldogs search for a bounce-back performance following last week’s 14-3 dismantling at the hands of University. The good news for NWG is the tightness of the competition means they still sit only two points outside second place, but they will need to be significantly more solid defensively if they are to repeat their 3-1 Round 2 victory over DiamondBacks. Cruze Gray was a lone shining light last week, scoring a hat-trick amidst the carnage, and the youngster shapes as a crucial figure again this week. Meanwhile, DiamondBacks will look to Oscar Pritchard and drag flick specialist Tyler McDonald as their major avenues to goal.
Next up, Derwent meets Canterbury in what shapes as a fascinating contest. The Strikers claimed a 2-0 victory in the sides’ previous meeting, but it is the Lions who enter this clash sitting in second place, with key players Vincent Harman and Alex Hogan-Jones in strong form. Jarrod Cunningham has been sharp for the Strikers and looms as the player Canterbury will need to contain if they are to hold onto second spot.
Finally, OHA takes on University in a top-versus-bottom clash, with the Students entering the match in ominous scoring form — a daunting prospect for a Ships side still searching for its first win of the season. The last meeting between the two saw OHA remain competitive for three quarters before being overrun in the final term of an eventual 6-1 defeat. University’s attacking depth was on full display last week, scoring 14 goals despite competition leading scorer Ben Read playing managed minutes and not getting on the scoresheet. Ruben Hoey, Tyson Johnson, and Oscar Sproule all stepped up with hat-tricks, underlining the firepower at the Students’ disposal.
