Round seven of the AFLW season featured Carlton star forward Darcy Vescio going down back, Richmond looking to make their maiden finals and plenty of moments for the highlight reels. Here’s what we learnt.
Star Melbourne forward Tayla Harris is known for crashing packs and taking contested marks but she took her aerial dominance to a new level on Sunday with a one-handed grab that will surely be a contender for mark of the year.
The 25-year-old has been shortlisted for mark of year five times, and she made it look easy as she attempted to improve that record to six during the Demons’ 64-point win over the Western Bulldogs.
Tayla Harris
Round seven produced plenty of individual efforts for the highlights reels.
Brisbane’s Ruby Svarc’s incredible effort to run almost the length of the ground and follow up with a chase-down tackle in the goal square was hailed as one of the plays of the year – men’s or women’s.
Jess Dal Pos celebrates a miraculous goal. Credit:Getty Images
The 29-year-old forward sprinted from half-back, passed the ball to teammate Greta Bodey near the 50m arc and kept on running. Her tackle was rewarded with a free kick, and she converted the goal.
On Friday night, Carlton’s Jess Dal Pos put her submission in for goal of the year with a miraculous snap under pressure late in the third quarter to extend her side’s lead. Blues skipper Kerryn Peterson kicked deep within 50, Dal Pos cleanly gathered the ball and then snapped it around her body. She told Fox Footy she’s staying consistent with one goal a season – but at least she makes a show of the ones she kicks.
‘Trust the club’s doing the right thing’: Dons shut out CEO turmoil
Essendon’s AFLW players were not affected by the controversy surrounding former chief executive Andrew Thorburn, co-captain Steph Cain said after the Bombers were overrun by Geelong in the last quarter at Warrnambool on Sunday.
Essendon have once again been in the headlines over the past week, following Thorburn’s resignation when the club asked him to choose between the job and his role as chair of the City on the Hill church. While there has been a reluctance from AFLW players to talk publicly about the issue, Cain said on Sunday the women’s team had not let outside issues distract them.
Essendon’s Maddy Prespakis had the ball on a string in Warrnambool.Credit:Getty Images
“We’re peak in season and we’ve got the opportunity to focus on us and trust that the club’s doing the right thing, which we do,” Cain told The Age.
Cain’s sentiments echo co-captain Bonnie Toogood’s remarks when the club was in headlines for pursuing Alastair Clarkson to potentially replace then senior men’s coach Ben Rutten.
“It hasn’t affected us in any way,” said Toogood. “Us girls are on task and working hard at training and there’s such a good vibe among each other because it’s obviously getting down to the business end of having to play. So, it hasn’t affected us at all.”
Cain did, however, emphasise the importance of inclusion for AFLW, ahead of Pride Round, which is next weekend.
“It’s such a special game and being able to include everyone and get people around women’s football is something that, you know, a lot of people get up and about for,” she said.
“You also want to have an inclusive workplace that makes you feel like you belong and you feel comfortable with. You can get your best out of yourself when you feel included.
The Bombers were right in the game against Geelong up to three-quarter time, with scores level, but an elite fourth quarter from Cats forward Chloe Scheer put it out of reach. Scheer finished with three goals, 13 disposals and eight marks.
For Essendon, Maddy Prespakis was phenomenal with 37 disposals, 10 clearances and four tackles.
Cain said the team wanted to start turning the close losses into wins.
“After last week, having two inside 50s to half time, that was a real focus for us to win those contested possessions and really good our forward a good look,” she said. “And I thought we did that up until three quarter time and unfortunately we just couldn’t finish the job to get the four-quarter effort done.”
Bulldogs beaten like never before in Hampson-Hardeman Cup
Melbourne retained the Hampson-Hardeman Cup after a thorough 64-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs at Casey Fields on Sunday and keeping the Bulldogs to just one goal.
It was the largest victory in the history of the cup, which is named after women’s footy pioneers Barb Hampson and Lisa Hardeman and was established at the inaugural exhibition match at the MCG in 2013.
Sinead Goldrick charges forward for the Demons.Credit:Getty Images
Melbourne have claimed the coveted trophy nine times, the Western Bulldogs just four, and the win keeps Melbourne in strong contention for a top-two finish come finals.
All the top-four sides – Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Collingwood – are equal on points, with percentage determining positioning.
The Demons have a healthy 201.2 percentage but even more impressive is Adelaide on 233.3 and Brisbane on 259.3.
Daisy Pearce accepts the cup from Lisa Hardeman.Credit:Getty Images
The Dees were lethal at the coalface and ferocious in attack, beating the Dogs in almost every statistic, including winning the inside 50s count by 28 and bringing the pressure with more than three times the number of tackles laid.
Alyssa Bannan had a day out with three goals, while Harris and Eden Zanker each booted two. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, struggled to create opportunities to goal and when they did, the Melbourne defence were ready to shut them down.
The Magpies, meantime, overcame their own wastefulness to ease past GWS by 32 points and consolidate their top-four spot in skipper Steph Chiocci’s 50th AFLW game.
The Magpies dominated from the outset, smashing the Giants around the contest, but their inaccuracy kept the match alive until they kicked away in the second half to prevail 6.10 (46) to 2.2 (14).
Darcy the defender
Two-time leading goalkicker Darcy Vescio couldn’t be found in their usual spot in Carlton’s forward line on Friday night after a positional switch saw the first player to 50 career goals take on a new defending role.
Vescio had an immediate impact down back in the Blues’ 27-point win over St Kilda at RSEA Park, finishing the evening with 10 intercepts, 15 disposals, 10 of those contested, six rebound 50s, three inside 50s and two score involvements.
Carlton coach Daniel Harford said he “loved” Vescio’s work in defence and said they had been thinking about putting them down there for a while.
“Darc probably hasn’t had the year they would’ve liked to have had impact-wise in the forward half: in fairness, none of our forward players have because the ball hasn’t been there very often,” said Harford.
“They’re such a creative player and a great reader of the ball. We thought it might be able to get them in the game a bit and we could benefit from that. We saw the results of that.”
Richmond on track for maiden finals appearance
Richmond are looking on track to make a maiden finals appearance after claiming their fifth win on the trot with a 19-point victory over West Coast on Friday night.
Last season, the Tigers finished in the bottom four. This season’s hot streak has put them well in contention for a top-four finish in their fourth AFLW season.
The addition of Grace Egan from Carlton has elevated Richmond’s midfield to elite, joined by best and fairest favourite Monique Conti, 2020 No.1 draft pick Ellie McKenzie and Meg Macdonald, who was dominant around stoppages against the Eagles.
Egan, 22, was also important on Friday with two late goals, and finished with 18 disposals and seven tackles.
Eilish Sheerin has been another handy recruit to the Tigers, who joined the club in between the seasons and has been a great addition to the backline with high pressure and clean hands, and is leading the competition for intercept possessions and is second for metres gained.
She also booted her first AFLW goal on the weekend and finished with team-high 22 disposals and three tackles.
