ST KILDA 1.2 4.2 6.5 8.8 (56) d. SYDNEY 1.1 2.1 3.1 4.3 (27)
The only downside was the result as the Sydney Swans made their AFLW debut at North Sydney Oval in front of a buoyant crowd of more than 8000 on Saturday.
Six years after the AFLW was founded, the Swans
joined Essendon, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide in the final expansion, which means all 18 AFL clubs are now represented in the women’s league.
Sarah Skinner is congratulated by teammates after kicking a goal for the Swans.Credit:Getty
The AFL has committed to reaching equal representation and participation of girls and women by the end of the decade.
Ahead of the first game, the Swans had amassed about 5000 members, shooting them to the top of the AFLW in membership numbers. By the end of the game, their memberships had approached 7000.
Key forward Rebecca Privitelli made history by kicking the Swans’ first goal in the seventh minute.
Bella Smith followed that up with a behindbefore St Kilda rallied to make the scoreline 1.1 (7) to 1.2 (8) at the first break.
Coming off a free kick and Erin McKinnon on the ruck, midfielder Nicola Xenos spiralled the ball into goal for St Kilda early in the second quarter. A downfield free kick sailed directly into goal from Bridie Kennedy, closely followed by a goal from Kate Shierlaw.
The Swans struggled to get deep inside 50 entries, and the Saints pulled away until a sharp kick by Sydney’s Brooke Lochland brought them back to a 13-point margin in the 17th minute.
At half-time, 18-year-old top Swans draft pick and midfielder Montana Ham had landed four tackles, while high-profile recruit Lauren Szigeti had executed eight disposals.
St Kilda’s Tarni White had made six tackles and Molly McDonald had 11 disposals and five marks.
Montana Ham fights for possession against St Kilda. Credit:Getty
St Kilda had landed 39 tackles to the Swan’s 22, 94 disposals to 84 and 11 free kicks to eight. The teams were close to even on clearances, inside 50s and contested possessions.
Despite Cynthia Hamilton fumbling a mark contested by St Kilda’s defender, a quick recovery and kick in front of goal got Swans fans fired up in celebration at their fourth goal of the game. St Kilda’s Shierlaw was quick to convert a free quick into her third goal of the game, leaving the Saints with a 22-point lead at the end of the third quarter.
Shierlaw was back on her scoring streak in the fourth quarter, slotting in her fourth goal. A creative kick by Xenos took the Saints to 53 points, but a free kick taken by debutante Sarah Skinner bought the Swans another six points.
The Swans come together on full-time at North Sydney Oval.Credit:Getty
After kicking a ball that rebounded off the goal post, Montana Ham hit the ground following an innocuous contact with a Saints player. Escorted off the field to applause, Ham’s injury was the only one in the game.
The match was the first AFLW game to be played at North Sydney Oval.
For 11 of the Swans players, the match was also their first in the AFLW. St Kilda, which came 13th out of 14 teams on the ladder last season, lost key players in the off-season but also gave debuts to players.
While the roaring crowd might be hard to beat, the Swans have ample room to grow.
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