Ice in her veins. The Clutch Queen.
Georgie Prespakis produced a clutch moment that Jamie Elliott would be proud of when she converted a set shot in the dying stages of the match to win the game for the Cats.
She was electric in her debut season, but all signs point towards her taking another step forward in Season 7.
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The Calder Cannons product played all ten matches last season, becoming an established member of Geelong’s on-ball brigade.
She averaged 13.3 disposals and 6.8 tackles but if her performance against the Tigers is anything to go by, those numbers will skyrocket in Season 7.
She finished with 16 disposals, eight tackles and Geelong’s only two goals.
She provided one of the highlights of the round when teammates flocked towards her after she booted her first AFLW goal in the third term and then again when she kicked the matchwinner.
What makes Prespakis so outstanding for a youngster is her calmness and composure around the contest.
The long-sleeved superstar is fast becoming one of the most exciting midfielders in the competition and is forming a formidable midfield trio alongside Nina Morrison (23 disposals) and Amy McDonald (24 disposals).
DEBUTANT DELIGHTS
Richmond debutant Eilish Sheerin was perhaps the most damaging player in the first term.
The rebounding half back amassed seven disposals and three inside 50s and was the catalyst for Richmond’s transition from defence to attack.
Sheerin finished the match with 19 disposals, five marks and four tackles in what looks to be a big tick for Richmond’s recruiting department.
The 29-year-old was drafted with pick 58 after her scintillating performances in the AFL Sydney competition over a number of years.
Sheerin was overlooked in the 2020 draft after suffering an ACL injury but her body of work since saw the Tigers take a chance on the dashing half back at the most recent draft.
Her elite athleticism and versatility are set to be crucial assets in Richmond’s push up the ladder this season.
RICHMOND’S MIDFIELD MIX
Richmond have been crying out for a support cast for superstar Monique Conti for several seasons now and they are certainly on their way towards establishing that.
The Tigers recruited Grace Egan from Carlton over the off-season, and she had an immediate impact in her Tigers debut, amassing 17 disposals.
Highly touted youngster Ellie McKenzie (15 touches) is developing nicely and has all the attributes of a budding superstar, whilst Sarah Hosking looks set to have an outstanding season too after tearing up the track in the preseason.
Hosking had 16 possessions to half time and finished with 22, along with seven marks and seven tackles.
“We are getting that continuity and building that depth in our midfield,” said Hosking at half time.
With the likes of Meg Macdonald waiting in the wings as well, the Tigers have a plethora of options to choose from through the midfield in Season 7.
BOWEN’S ON FIRE
Mikayla Bowen made the move from the West Coast Eagles over the off-season and looms as an astute pickup for the Cats in Season 7.
In the third term, an impressive chase down tackle on Tigers gun Sarah Hosking ignited the Cats, who turned up the heat on the Tigers thereafter.
Bowen’s willingness to take the game on seemed to turn the tide for the Cats, who struggled to energise the ball in the first half.
Alongside intercept queen Meg McDonald, Bowen’s 16 touches on the wing helped the Cats to force repeat entries and ultimately break down the Tigers tight defence.
CATS 0.1, 0.2, 1.2, 2.3 (15)
TIGERS 1.0, 1.4, 1.4, 1.5 (11)
BOLCH’S BEST: Cats: Prespakis, Morrison, M. McDonald, A. McDonald.
Tigers: S. Hosking, Sheerin, Seymour, Conti.
GOALS: Geelong: Prespakis 2. Richmond: Seymour.
INJURIES: Cats: Kearns (shoulder). Tigers: nil.
UMPIRES Heffernan, Dore, Compton-Robins.
VENUE GMHBA Stadium.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTES
3 G. Prespakis (GEEL)
2 N. Morrison (GEEL)
1 S. Hosking (RICH)
BONE-CRUNCHING MOMENT SUMS UP DOGS’ TOUGH WIN
When GWS Giants defenders fall asleep on Sunday night, they’ll see a blonde ponytail and taped shoulders, such was the immense pressure of Gabby Newton in the Dogs’ seven-point round one win.
After missing season six following a dual-shoulder reconstruction, former No.1 draft pick Newton filled the gap left by defector Bonnie Toogood with aplomb.
While the Northern Knights product doesn’t yet have the same impact in the air, her work at ground level is elite.
It was highlighted by a bone-crunching tackle in the second quarter – in which Newton kicked two goals – at the top of the Dogs’ goalsquare.
With Georgina Fowler wheeling around and about to rebound for the Giants, Newton flew in from nowhere to lay the perfect tackle and catch the Giant cold.
The 20-year-old went back and gave the Bulldogs a massive lift with her first goal in the big time, before adding a second just minutes later.
Newton finished with 12 touches, nine tackles and two goals.
CORA THE SCORER
Cora Staunton continues to prove age is just a number, kicking her 50th AFLW goal of her career.
The star Irish import, who kicked 18 goals and missed the league’s goalkicking award by just one major in season six, was at it again for the Giants.
The 40-year-old kicked two memorable goals at key moments for GWS.
In the first quarter Staunton used her experience and size to get rid of Isabella Grant – who is half Staunton’s age at just 20 – collect the footy, run around the boundary onto her right foot and kick the goal.
Not satisfied, Staunton outdid herself with a silky snap in the second quarter to keep the Giants within touching distance of the Bulldogs.
Staunton ran onto the ball in the forward pocket, about 40m from goal and running towards the boundary line. She snapped across her body, judging the kick to perfection as it bent along the grass and through for the goal of the day.
HOLY MACKRILL
Tait Mackrill is bound to come under MRO scrutiny after a swinging arm narrowly missed the head of Bulldogs’ skipper Ellie Blackburn.
A spicy opening half had the tension at Ikon Park high, but in a moment of madness tempers boiled over as proceedings turned unsavoury.
A vicious Blackburn tackle on Mackrill clearly got under the Giant’s skin and with the Bulldog lying on her back a swinging arm from Mackrill appeared to narrowly miss Blackburn’s head.
The fist instead came down on Backburn’s chest, which might save her from suspension.
The distasteful feud carried on as just minutes later Mackrill took an unsuspecting Blackburn out off the ball with a heavy hip and shoulder, which resulted in a 50m penalty.
SPICY TACKLE
Pepa Randall is set to come under MRO scrutiny for a sling tackle in the opening quarter of a ferocious contest at Ikon Park.
The contest was hot early with fierce tackling pressure a feature of both sides’ games, but an overzealous moment looks set to sideline the 26-year-old for a week.
The Dogs got off to a hot start through All-Australian Kirsty Lamb, and with Richelle Cranston bearing down on goal halfway through the first quarter the Giants needed someone to make a statement.
Unfortunately for Randall, her tackle on Cranston was a textbook, two-motion sling to the ground.
It left the Dogs’ forward sprawled on the turf holding her head, but she was able to get up and take her kick.
However, under the strict interpretation of potential to cause injury, Randall looks set to miss the Giants’ clash with Brisbane next week.
SCOREBOARD
BULLDOGS 1.0, 3.2, 5.4, 6.5 (41)
GIANTS 1.1, 2.1, 3.4, 5.4 (34)
MOTTERSHEAD’S BEST
Bulldogs: Newton, Blackburn, Brown, Lamb, Cranston, Pritchard.
Giants: Parker, Staunton, Mackrill, Stack, Dallaway.
GOALS
Bulldogs: Newton 2, Moody 2, Lamb, Cranston.
Giants: Staunton 3, Doyle, Parker.
INJURIES
Bulldogs: Nil.
Giants: Nil.
LIONS’ HUGE STATEMENT WIN OVER FREO
The AFLW has the full complement of 18 teams in its seventh season with four new shiny expansion clubs but the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Brisbane has been an AFLW heavyweight since day one and the tried and tested star power at the Lions got the job done yet again at the Gabba on Sunday.
The Lions started their quest for a second flag with a 49-point victory over Fremantle with ball magnets Emily Bates, Alexandra Anderson and Isabel Dawes in the thick of the action while excitement machines Courtney Hodder, Jesse Wardlaw, Orla O’Dwyer and Greta Bodey kicked two goals each.
Brisbane’s enviable depth was on show as was the understanding built by having a large and established playing core.
Brisbane flexed its muscles in the second term with three unanswered goals to set-up a 19-point halftime buffer that came on the back of a 23-7 advantage in inside 50 entries.
The Lions were briefly challenged in the third term but senior coach Craig Starcevich urged Brisbane to “maintain the rage” at the last change and they did just that, kicking away to their third-highest AFLW total ever.
ANXIOUS THWAITE
Brisbane’s Lily Postlethwaite was playing for first AFLW match in 553 days after suffering an ACL injury in Round 4, 2021. She missed the club’s premiership tilt in 2021 and all of the 2022 season.
However, her comeback was short-lived as she left the field in the first quarter after crashing to the turf awkwardly following a contest for a ground ball. She was assisted from the field by trainers and went straight down into Brisbane’s rooms.
Postlethwaite – who worked her way back into the AFLW after starring for Maroochydore in the QAFLW – will go for scans to assess the severity of the injury.
FREO WOE
The Dockers already had their backs to the wall with an under-strength line-up courtesy of injuries and off-season departures ensuring five debutants were blooded against Brisbane.
Fremantle then lost Jessica Low (concussion) and Janelle Cuthbertson (broken nose) after a sickening head clash.
But the visitors did not throw in the towel after Brisbane kicked six-straight goals across the second term and start of the third quarter.
The Dockers hit back hard with three unanswered goals to Megan Kauffman, Hayley Miller and Aine Tighe to make a game of it again. However, Brisbane re-asserted their authority on the contest soon enough to put the visitors to the sword.
BODEY, YOU BEAUTY!
Normally, you associate Goal of the Year contenders with Brisbane’s Courtney Hodder. But it was her Lions teammate Greta Bodey who produced the showstopper. With the Dockers pressing hard late in the third term, Brisbane needed to arrest Freo’s momentum.
The settler was a stunner from Bodey who kicked a beautiful running banana kick from deep inside Brisbane’s forward pocket. With no angle to work near the boundary line, Bodey’s perfectly executed shot sailed through the posts where most of the 3,421 spectators were assembled.
SCOREBOARD
LIONS 1.1 4.3 8.7 11.10 (76)
DOCKERS 1.1 1.2 4.2 4.3 (27)
GOALS
LIONS: Wardlaw 2, O’Dwyer 2, Bodey 2, Hodder 2, C. Svarc, Smith, Conway
DOCKERS: Mulholland, Tighe, Kauffman, Miller
BEST
LIONS: O’Dwyer, Bates, Anderson, Dawes, Bodey, Wardlaw, Hodder
DOCKERS: Bowers, Miller, O’Driscoll, Runnalls, Tighe
VOTES
3: Orla O’Dwyer
2: Emily Bates
1: Isabel Dawes
