New chapters of old rivalries
Marnie Vinall
Maddy Prespakis and the Bombers celebrate with fans after their win.Credit:AFL Photos
Opening the season on Thursday night at Ikon park, Collingwood recorded another win over their arch-rivals Carlton, this time by 18 points. The two sides opened the historic first season with all 18 AFL clubs in the competition, five-and-a-half years after they ran out for the first AFLW game. It was the seventh time the two have met, each previously claiming three wins – Carlton the first three, and Collingwood the next three. But the Pies have now taken the lead, tilting the ledger in their favour. Then, in front of over 12,000 fans at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, Essendon took bragging rights over Hawthorn in a new chapter of one of the game’s fiercest feuds. The 26-point victory included plenty of feeling across the four quarters, both in meaning as the sides ran out for the first time, and in heat as the arch-rivals went head-to-head. There was a significant scuffle at the close of the first term as plenty of push and shove was put on display. There was also plenty of fire in the Western Bulldogs’ seven-point victory over Greater Western Sydney on Sunday afternoon at Ikon Park, where a genuine rivalry is developing between the sides. In a particularly heated moment in the third term, GWS’ Tait Mackrill and Dogs captain Ellie Blackburn collided with tensions then boiling over and Mackrill dragged off to cool down.
Melbourne are the team to beat – followed closely by the Lions
Marnie Vinall
There were a lot of statement wins over the course of the round, but none more so than Melbourne’s 18-point victory over reigning premiers Adelaide in the grand final re-match at Glenelg on Friday night. The Demons flew across the border with a point to prove after falling short in the premiership decider in April, this time getting an upper hand over the Crows. In front of Adelaide’s home crowd, Melbourne denied the Crows the ability to gain control, beating them in contested and uncontested possessions and finding an advantage through increased pressure. After the game, Demons captain Daisy Pearce said she was “really proud” of her team’s effort. “We all understand our roles in defence a lot better and that helps put us in positions we can all play when we win the ball back,” said Pearce. “In the grand final I thought our effort was really good, we were up for the fight but we probably fed their intercept game with the way we moved the ball, whereas tonight we challenged them a bit more, made them move.” And in beating last year’s premiers, Melbourne have stamped their claim as the team to beat. However, Brisbane also made themselves heard with a mighty roar, claiming a 49-point win over Fremantle on Sunday at the Gabba. The two sides lost in last season’s preliminary finals and had redemption in mind, but it was the Lions with a far more dominant display, winning the possessions, tackles, clearances, marks and inside 50s. The side’s main suspects in front of goal brought their kicking boots, with Greta Bodey, Courtney Hodder, Jesse Wardlaw and Orla O’Dwyer also notching two goals each. Melbourne and Brisbane meet in round four at Casey Fields on Sunday, September 18.
Montana Ham had to be helped off the ground against the Saints.Credit:AFL Photos
Injury concerns, No.1 draft pick cleared of ACL injury
Marnie Vinall
Sydney fans were out in numbers for the inaugural team’s first game on Saturday afternoon at North Sydney Oval, but it was St Kilda who claimed a 29-point win, much to the credit of Kate Shierlaw who booted four goals. The Swans also emerged with concerns over No.1 draft pick Montana Ham, who was helped off the field in the dying stages of the final term with a knee injury after an awkward smothering collision from an opposition player. The 18-year-old went to ground clutching her knee and clearly in pain and limped off assisted by trainers as she was unable to put weight on her leg. Sydney coach Scott Gowans confirmed after the game that Ham would get scans to determine the extent of the injury, saying “we know it’s a knee”. Much to the relief of Swans and AFLW fans alike, the club confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the young player had not done an ACL. In other news out of the match, Georgia Patrikios had a great return game for the Saints after being sidelined in season seven due to the vaccination policy. The onballer led her team’s disposal count at 18 and was pivotal in winning the ball. Unfortunately, also on Sunday, Brisbane’s Lily Postlethwaite went down with what looked like a serious knee injury in the clash with Fremantle. It was the young player’s first game back in 553 days after suffering an ACL injury in round four last year. Things are also looking concerning for Geelong’s Rachel Kearns, who was given the green whistle after appearing to suffer a serious shoulder/collarbone injury after a driving tackle from Richmond’s Beth Lynch.
Milestone marvels: plenty of debutants and 50-gamers
Marnie Vinall
There were a slew of debutants on the weekend as four inaugural teams recruited plenty of young guns and existing clubs picked up draftees and recruited newbies to replace players lost to expansion sides. Fremantle were one of those, with five debutants in their clash with Brisbane on Sunday afternoon. Sydney had 11 first-gamers in their clash with St Kilda, including co-captain Lauren Szigeti, who had 10 kicks, two marks and two tackles, while Hawthorn’s list had a dozen debutants on it, including top-10 draft pick, midfielder Jasmine Fleming. The agile onballer finished with 12 disposals, 11 of those kicks, and three tackles. And another impressive debutante for the Hawks was Zoe Barbakos, who booted two goals. It was Hawthorn forward Sophie Locke’s first AFLW game, and she took to the field in honour of her mother Sarah, who tragically lost her long battle with cancer two weeks ago. In an emotion-filled moment, Locke kicked the first goal in Hawthorn AFLW history and ignited the brown and gold cheer squad. The weekend also featured a plethora of 50-gamers, a significant testament to experience and commitment in the competition. Port Adelaide’s Justine Mules gave the inaugural side its first lead with a snap 20 metres out and Carlton’s Darcy Vescio, the first AFLW player to 50 goals, booted an important goal in the Blues’ opener with Collingwood. Others who celebrated the milestone included Kaitlyn Ashmore, Shannon Campbell, Jasmine Garner, Tayla Harris, Anne Hatchard, Emma Kearney, Jaimee Lambert, Gabby O’Sullivan, Shelley Scott and Nicola Stevens.
Darcy Vescio kicks a goal in their 50th game, against Collingwood in round one.Credit:AFL Photos
West Coast may be turning a corner
Marnie Vinall
It’s incredibly early to be making big statements about the ladder, but the West Coast Eagles sent a message to the competition that they wouldn’t simply be going back-to-back as wooden spooners after an impressive win over Port Adelaide. The Eagles flew home with a 12-point win at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday against the expansion side. The quality of football and moments of genuine class throughout the game suggest West Coast may finally be at a turning point after three disappointing seasons since entering the competition. Last season they notched just one win, and in their first two seasons managed only three victories. The weekend’s win was their second in their past 13 games, but things could be more fruitful moving forward, especially with a myriad of changes since season six. They recruited 15 new players, including midfielder Krstel Petrevski from Melbourne, former Crow and Saint Jess Sedunary and plenty of young guns, such as 19-year-old Isabella Lewis, who finished the game on Saturday with 16 disposals, one mark and six tackles. West Coast next play Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, which is another winnable game after the Suns were held to just two goals against North Melbourne in the opening round.
The tackle in which Rachel Kearns appeared to suffer a significant injury.Credit:Seven Network
Match report: Geelong prevail in the battle of the cats
Sarah Burt
Geelong recorded an impressive come-from-behind win in a genuine arm wrestle at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with superstar Georgie Prespakis booting a goal with just 50 seconds to go to seize the lead from a devastated Richmond cohort.
It was the final game of round one and both these sides had a clear goal to improve for season seven, given they sat 11th and 12th at the conclusion of last season.
Richmond were without star skipper Katie Brennan, who is still recovering from a foot operation, but after two pre-season wins over Fremantle and Hawthorn, the Tigers went in confident.
After an off-season shake-up they were two new-look sides – Geelong with four debutants including Mia Skinner, former West Coast Eagle Mikayla Bowen, and former Demons Jackie Parry and Shelley Scott (in her 50th AFLW game).
The Tigers unveiled five players including two AFLW debutants Eilish Sheerin and Katelyn Cox while former Cat Steph Williams was up against her former side as she pulled on the yellow and black for the first time, alongside former Blue Grace Egan and former Giant Libby Graham.
The Cats dominated territory at the start, controlling in clearances and contested possessions, but it was Tiger Gabby Seymour with her second AFLW major who opened the goal count for the day.
Cat Rachel Kearns went down in agony with a right shoulder injury and was rushed off the field with a suspected AC joint injury.
Sheerin had a day out in defence early on, with seven disposals and three inside 50s in the first term alone.
The Cats had more inside 50s on the board but couldn’t get through Richmond’s strong defence in the second.
Inaccuracy riddled Richmond as Courtney Wakefield missed two chances at goal, followed by their best first year player last season, Amelia Yassir. They managed to keep the Cats to just two points down the other end though, thanks to the defensive efforts of Bec Miller.
Stand-in Richmond Captain Sarah Hosking led the disposals at half-time with 16, while teammate Monique Conti had 13 but the Cats had managed to keep her to just six kicks, less damaging than her usual form.
Prespakis booted her first AFLW goal in the third, there was a surge of momentum from the Cats, snatching 13 inside 50s to three for the quarter, while Nina Morrison and Meg McDonald were prolific in their physical pressure but the home side just couldn’t capitalise.
Conti fired up, recording 13 handballs and 19 disposals by three-quarter time for the Tigers, but they couldn’t find the big sticks, remaining just two points up into the final term.
Mikayla Bowen, Meghan McDonald, and Georgie Prespakis celebrate on the final siren.Credit:AFL Photos
It was kick-to-kick in the final term, the midfielders continuing their heavy workload of the day. Sheerin continued her clinical debut for the Tigers with 19 disposals, five marks and four tackles on the siren.
Prespakis came in at the eleventh hour to boot her second for the afternoon, taking the lead for the first time since the opening term and putting them four points up with 50 seconds to go.
The star of the day, Prespakis said “to get the win one for the girls is just amazing.”
“It’s so great to start us off in that way … it means the absolute world, it just gives us that confidence for the season to be able to get one on the board – we just absolutely love winning and it’s an amazing feeling.”
In Sunday’s other games, the Western Bulldogs reaped the benefits of a firing new-look forward line to kick-start their season with a seven-point win over GWS, 6.5 (41) to 5.4 (34), and in Brisbane the Lions proved far too strong for Fremantle, winning 11.10 (76) to 4.3 (27). The Lions’ own forward line feasted on a lopsided inside-50 count (45-17) as winger Orla O’Dwyer dominated with two goals and 20 touches.
GEELONG 0.1 0.2 1.2 2.3 (15)
RICHMOND 1.0 1.4 1.4 1.5 (11)
GOALS
Geelong: Prespakis (2).
Richmond: Seymour.
BEST
Geelong: Morrison, Prespakis, Webster, Bowen, Fuller.
Richmond: Conti, Egan, Hosking, Sheerin, Seymour, Kelly.
INJURIES
Geelong: Kearns (right shoulder)
With AAP
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
