A team that prides itself on high pressure, high intensity football - Port Adelaide had a number of memorable tackle in its inaugural season. Image: AFL Photos.

FROM the very beginning of pre-season, senior coach Lauren Arnell set an expectation for her team to play a high-pressure, contested brand of football.

Much to the delight of Port Adelaide fans, this meant tackles galore, every time the AFLW side took to the field.

We’ve picked five of our favourite tackles from Season 7.

5. Justine Mules – Round 8

Port Adelaide applied plenty of pressure throughout its Pride Round home game against North Melbourne, with pocket-rocket Justine Mules pulling off one of the tackles of the season. Coming from nowhere, the speedy midfielder accelerated toward Kangaroo Erika O’Shea, taking the defender down and forcing the ball out of play.

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Mules puts the jets on to lay crunching tackle | PTV

Justine Mules kills the ball by laying a great tackle on North Melbourne's Erika O'Shea.

4. Ebony O’Dea – Round 10

It’s hard to pick just one favourite tackle from Ebony O’Dea. The popular player has been quoted saying she “loves it when her bones rattle” on the footy field, and her tackle on Essendon’s Ashleigh van Loon showed her doing just that. Van Loon got hold of a loose ball, but O’Dea had her wrapped up almost instantly. When van Loon attempted to scoop the ball up again, O’Dea took her down a second time, much to the delight of the vocal Alberton crowd.

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Play of the Day: Round 10 | PTV

Ebony O'Dea takes out Round 10 Play of the Day with her high effort double tackle.

3. Maria Moloney – Round 6

Maria Moloney was one of Port Adelaide’s most prolific tacklers in Season 7, and the midfielder showed no fear when it came to taking on her opponents. Her Round 6 tackle on Adelaide’s Brooke Tonon was a Showdown highlight for the 27-year-old. Moloney trapped Tonon between herself and Indy Tahau, taking the Crow to the ground and earning a free kick just outside 50.

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Moloney stops Tonon in her tracks with ripping tackle | PTV

Maria Moloney puts the Crow in a straightjacket and earns the free kick.

2. Sarah Goodwin – Round 4

South Australia’s number two draft pick Sarah Goodwin had her first AFLW opportunity in Round 4 and didn’t waste time making her presence known. In the Power’s 66-point win over Sydney, Goodwin chased down opponent Lisa Steane, pinning her arms beside her and winning a free kick in the process. Goodwin’s brilliant tackle resulted in a Britt Perry goal, right on the quarter-time siren.

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Goodwin's stellar run down tackle leaves Swan stunned | PTV

Sarah Goodwin's run down effort in the dying seconds leads to a Britt Perry goal.

1. Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap – Round 7

Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap has leg speed like no other, and it definitely showed with this fierce tackle in Frankston. In the 19-year-old’s debut AFLW appearance, she was hot on the heels of Hawthorn’s Tahlia Fellows before tugging her jumper and wrapping her up in a perfectly executed tackle. The swift defender finished her four games with 12 tackles, but none were more memorable than this one.

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Play of the Day: Round 7 | PTV

Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap's run down tackle on debut takes out the Round 7 Play of the Day.

Special mentions:

It wouldn’t be a complete list without Jacqui Yorston, who led the side with 80 tackles for the season. Yorston frequently gave her opponents grief, and her Round 6 tackle on Crow Rachelle Martin was no exception. Kate Surman showed tackling excellence in Round 9 against St Kilda’s Hannah Priest, while Sydney’s Bridie Kennedy felt the full force of an Abbey Dowrick chase-down in Round 4.

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Surman's sensational tackle stops snap on goal | PTV

Kate Surman stops a snap on goal with a terrific lunging effort.