Essendon have marked their historic first AFLW fixture at Windy Hill with a 12-point win over St Kilda, continuing their unbeaten start to the season.
Prolific midfielder Madison Prespakis starred again with a game-high 29 disposals in the Bombers' 6.4 (40) to 4.4 (28) victory on Sunday.
It was Essendon's first game at their spiritual home in a national competition - either men's or women's - since August 1991.
Prespakis continued her hot form, winning 15 contested possessions and five clearances to lead her side to victory.
Georgia Gee (19 touches, one goal), co-captain Bonnie Toogood (17, one), Sophie Alexander (19 disposals) and Brooke Walker (15, six clearances) were also strong contributors for Essendon.
"There hasn't been a game of footy here for so many years and for us to create our own history and get our first win here is incredible," childhood Bombers fan Prespakis told the Seven Network.
"I love the Essendon footy club and this is our home and this is our journey, so I'm really proud to be a part of it."
The Bombers' win came at a cost when co-captain Steph Cain was forced off during the final quarter after her head met the turf in a tackle from Jaimee Lambert.
Cain (13 disposals) also hurt her right shoulder in a physical encounter but was later cleared of serious injury.
Lambert starred for St Kilda with 25 touches, six clearances and a goal, while Tyanna Smith (13 disposals, five clearances) and Georgia Patrikios (15, two) also worked hard.
Essendon were dominant early and grabbed the ascendancy with three straight goals in the opening 10 minutes.
The visitors gradually dragged their way back into the contest, kicking four of the next five majors to level the scores midway through the third quarter.
But the Bombers steadied late in the third term and turned for home 12 points in front.
Neither side managed to score in a hard-fought final period, leaving St Kilda winless from the opening two rounds.
"We put ourselves under pressure again, for the second week in a row, with a really slow start," Saints coach Nick Dal Santo said.
"We've got some work to do. We need to understand why these things are occurring and we need to get to work."
