It's been six years since the Masters Games were last held in Alice Springs. The event returned this year with lower numbers, but fans hope it will come back stronger.

Between Auckland FC's first-up win over Brisbane, and the Sydney derby featuring the debuts of Juan Mata and Douglas Costa, 50,000 fans turn up across two A-League Men games either side of the Tasman.

Giants AFLW coach Cam Bernasconi says the players experienced a "difficult week" following the recent behaviour of the men's squad.

In the space of just over an hour, Ciaron Maher caps off a remarkable day by adding a Caulfield Cup win to a triumph in The Everest, as Bella Nipotina and Duke De Sessa both salute.

Hawthorn is set to feature in its first AFLW finals campaign after defeating GWS by 37 points, while Fremantle keeps bragging rights in the west with a 23-point defeat of the Eagles.