AFLW 2024 Best 21

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toenail63 said:
“Seymour's athleticism can now be used across other lines – potentially in defence should Eilish Sheerin be released into the middle”.

Looks like another of the piece of the puzzle for our best 21 come round 1 is playing out. i.e Eilish Sheeran as an onballer.

Round 3: Port Melbourne 5.2.32 def Williamstown 1.3.9

View attachment 1953032

For anyone who didn’t get a win with their easter egg haul this year then this win should put a massive smile on your face. Unleashing Eilish into the middle. Yeah baby! I do get that we will lose her run and carry from defence and that this will require some adjustment but the trade off could be huge. Eilish starred on the weekend, gaining clearances at will, exploding from contest and generally just being a nightmare for the Oppo mids. She had a match high 11 clearances but she also hit many contests without gaining a possession giving her teammates support in numbers at the contest. She was great defensively as you’d expect but also in attack, gaining the most meters gained and inside 50’s. I have no doubt Sheeran will get the 10 coach’s votes from this game. She was BOG by a long way and looked every bit a AFLW class mid. Her game was right up there with the other star mids that have so far been played in numbers by the Hawks this VFLW season who have all dominated, i.e Emily Bates, Jaz Fleming, Eliza West. No wonder Hawks currently sit atop the ladder with an average of 1352%

Sheerin finished with around 80-85% game time with 24 Disposals, 11 Clearances, 6 Tackles and 3 marks and should have had a goal if she had taken a couple more steps to steady from 35m out after breaking away from a contest and having a clear shot on a slight angle. Port’s Ava Seton had another great game and will be in the coach’s votes for a third consecutive week with her 20 disposals, 7 Tackles and 4 clearances but her performance was overshadowed by a rampaging Sheerin.

Isabel Bacon continues to fit into Port’s back seven rotation and is continuing to play an important role where she is accountable over the oppo’s quickest forward, but she also works off them to impact further up the ground or drop back to intercept or protect the goal-line, learning this role with a strong Port backline that has only conceded 4 goals in 3 games. Yesterday’s only goal against came from back to back 50’s (100m penalty).

Stella Reid is playing less at clearances and more the role we expect with Richmond and using her strengths of finding space high up on the wing as an outlet or playing a third key forward and she has been good in this role.

Mackenzie Ford has been playing a similar role to Cox, forward and also around the contest higher up the ground and she is a little bit off it at the moment, but she's also had some really good moments. If she can get cleaner when she gets herself into outside space then she will become a real headache for oppo teams, but for now her natural defensive focus will keep her in games and the rest will come in time as she has the talent. Bacon similarly.

Charlie Wicksteed also had midfield time off the bench, providing clean skills and disposals, getting into space as an outlet and hitting up targets, playing to her strengths as an outside mid.

Unfortunately Ally Dallaway got hit pretty hard in a contest early in the first quarter and came off shortly after in obvious discomfort. I’m not sure what injury she has but she copped it on the shoulder, possibly an AC joint? Hopefully it's not a bad one.

Katelyn Cox did not play this week.

players stats - avg per game.

Sheerin. 24 Disposals, 11 Clearances, 6 Tackles and 3 Marks
Reid. 14 Disposals, 4 Tackles and 4 Marks (1.3 goals avg)
Cox. 12 Disposals and 9 Tackles (1 goal avg)
Bacon. 11 Disposals, 4 Tackles and 3 Marks
Wicksteed. 9 Disposals, 6 Marks and 2 Tackles
Ford. 6 Disposals and 7 Tackles
Click to expand...

great write up toenail63, much appreciated.
keep writing the fantastic reviews whenever you can!

I'm a supporter of the Borough VFLW, ever since them taking over our license.
they're very accommodating when our AFLW girls play with them, playing them in positions that we'd like them to play.

you mentioned Ava Seton, others to keep an eye on are:
Bianca Lyne 19yo KPD/Ruck. Played ruck in the 2023 U/18's, not tall enough for that position in the AFLW hence didn't get drafted. With her height, aerial ability and closing speed she's going to build her game in defense.
Madeleine Patterson 26yo 187cm KPF Very tall, but she’s a great runner, great at ground level, picked up from Yarraville-Seddon.
1st year in the VFLW system, didn't play/try out for U/18's. Has KP height but moves like a mid.
 
toenail63 said:
“Seymour's athleticism can now be used across other lines – potentially in defence should Eilish Sheerin be released into the middle”.

Looks like another of the piece of the puzzle for our best 21 come round 1 is playing out. i.e Eilish Sheeran as an onballer.

Round 3: Port Melbourne 5.2.32 def Williamstown 1.3.9

View attachment 1953032

For anyone who didn’t get a win with their easter egg haul this year then this win should put a massive smile on your face. Unleashing Eilish into the middle. Yeah baby! I do get that we will lose her run and carry from defence and that this will require some adjustment but the trade off could be huge. Eilish starred on the weekend, gaining clearances at will, exploding from contest and generally just being a nightmare for the Oppo mids. She had a match high 11 clearances but she also hit many contests without gaining a possession giving her teammates support in numbers at the contest. She was great defensively as you’d expect but also in attack, gaining the most meters gained and inside 50’s. I have no doubt Sheeran will get the 10 coach’s votes from this game. She was BOG by a long way and looked every bit a AFLW class mid. Her game was right up there with the other star mids that have so far been played in numbers by the Hawks this VFLW season who have all dominated, i.e Emily Bates, Jaz Fleming, Eliza West. No wonder Hawks currently sit atop the ladder with an average of 1352%

Sheerin finished with around 80-85% game time with 24 Disposals, 11 Clearances, 6 Tackles and 3 marks and should have had a goal if she had taken a couple more steps to steady from 35m out after breaking away from a contest and having a clear shot on a slight angle. Port’s Ava Seton had another great game and will be in the coach’s votes for a third consecutive week with her 20 disposals, 7 Tackles and 4 clearances but her performance was overshadowed by a rampaging Sheerin.

Isabel Bacon continues to fit into Port’s back seven rotation and is continuing to play an important role where she is accountable over the oppo’s quickest forward, but she also works off them to impact further up the ground or drop back to intercept or protect the goal-line, learning this role with a strong Port backline that has only conceded 4 goals in 3 games. Yesterday’s only goal against came from back to back 50’s (100m penalty).

Stella Reid is playing less at clearances and more the role we expect with Richmond and using her strengths of finding space high up on the wing as an outlet or playing a third key forward and she has been good in this role.

Mackenzie Ford has been playing a similar role to Cox, forward and also around the contest higher up the ground and she is a little bit off it at the moment, but she's also had some really good moments. If she can get cleaner when she gets herself into outside space then she will become a real headache for oppo teams, but for now her natural defensive focus will keep her in games and the rest will come in time as she has the talent. Bacon similarly.

Charlie Wicksteed also had midfield time off the bench, providing clean skills and disposals, getting into space as an outlet and hitting up targets, playing to her strengths as an outside mid.

Unfortunately Ally Dallaway got hit pretty hard in a contest early in the first quarter and came off shortly after in obvious discomfort. I’m not sure what injury she has but she copped it on the shoulder, possibly an AC joint? Hopefully it's not a bad one.

Katelyn Cox did not play this week.

players stats - avg per game.

Sheerin. 24 Disposals, 11 Clearances, 6 Tackles and 3 Marks
Reid. 14 Disposals, 4 Tackles and 4 Marks (1.3 goals avg)
Cox. 12 Disposals and 9 Tackles (1 goal avg)
Bacon. 11 Disposals, 4 Tackles and 3 Marks
Wicksteed. 9 Disposals, 6 Marks and 2 Tackles
Ford. 6 Disposals and 7 Tackles
Click to expand...
Not even sure why Eilish is even playing VFLW. There are others in our AFLW side, or not even in the side, that would benefit more than Eilish. It's a bit like Garry Ablett Jnr having a run in the VFL....... The others are all good. If fit, Charley Ryan should be there too, making a statement. But she is not.
 
Phar Ace said:
Not even sure why Eilish is even playing VFLW. There are others in our AFLW side, or not even in the side, that would benefit more than Eilish. It's a bit like Garry Ablett Jnr having a run in the VFL....... The others are all good. If fit, Charley Ryan should be there too, making a statement. But she is not.
Click to expand...

yeah agree on Sheerin Phar Ace
her and Conti, Egan, Brennan and a few more senior players wouldn't need a VFLW run you'd think.

not really sure how the Tigers and Port collaboration works.
whether Port asks for certain players to for example fill voids in the team (mids, backs, forwards) and Tigers give those players.
or
Tigers give Port a list of players they want to play and Port plays them.

like toenail63 said Box Hill Hawks have played Hawthorns AFLW top line players Emily Bates, Jaz Fleming etc.
by my count they've played 10 - 11 AFLW girls per game in 3 rounds so far.

Port has been playing 4 - 6 of our girls per game.
early days, R3 with 11 games plus finals to go, the U/23's on our list, if fit, will play a couple of games this VFLW season.
 

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Stan Judkins said:
they're very accommodating when our AFLW girls play with them, playing them in positions that we'd like them to play.
Click to expand...
It will be great that if like our mens program we end up drafting players from Port. They look like they are well coached, and for a team that has only been around for a short time and have already won a flag it will definitely become a destination club.

I have noticed Patterson this year, she looks like a great pick up by Port. it's unique to see a 187cm ruck/forward that can play like a ruck rover.

With Lyne, hopefully she can get some inspiration from Gab Seymour, living proof that you don't have to be tall to play ruck in the AFLW.
 
Phar Ace said:
Not even sure why Eilish is even playing VFLW
Click to expand...

I was a bit surprised to see her line up on Saturday as she is an All Australian and it's not like we haven't seen her play, which when it happened was not coincidentally our biggest ever win. It shows what 2 x All Australians in your midfield can do. If anything Eilish playing VFLW confirmed to me that this is the plan for AFLW going forward.

Dallaway and Wicksteed both played and I agree would benefit more.

It must be frustrating for Charley Ryan. Do we know if she is injury free? I feel we need to fast track her development after missing so much footy.
 
toenail63 said:
I was a bit surprised to see her line up on Saturday as she is an All Australian and it's not like we haven't seen her play, which when it happened was not coincidentally our biggest ever win. It shows what 2 x All Australians in your midfield can do. If anything Eilish playing VFLW confirmed to me that this is the plan for AFLW going forward.

Dallaway and Wicksteed both played and I agree would benefit more.

It must be frustrating for Charley Ryan. Do we know if she is injury free? I feel we need to fast track her development after missing so much footy.
Click to expand...

yeah, confirmed for me as well, Sheerin playing midfield this coming season.
was drafted after a stellar season as a mid in NSW, so not really a new position for her.

watched the Dallaway incident yes, she got hit in the shoulder region but played on.
then not long after was involved in another tackling incident again, but grabbed at her arm and ran off, didn't return.
don't think it's serious.

Charley Ryan, from what I've seen has been training and isn't injured but can't discount a niggle.
guessing she'll be given a run sooner rather than later, if fit.

just my thoughts on the VFLW season so far, it seems like some AFLW clubs are using it as a match fitness thing.
as the 2 seasons don't overlap, clubs look like they're using the early rounds as practice games.
Hawthorn certainly is, they've been loading up Box Hill with 10 or so players.
Emily Bates is a big a name and she's played 2 games so far.

I'd be very, very surprised if our big names play, but i wouldn't totally dismiss this from happening.
 
Stan Judkins said:
just my thoughts on the VFLW season so far, it seems like some AFLW clubs are using it as a match fitness thing.
as the 2 seasons don't overlap, clubs look like they're using the early rounds as practice games.
Click to expand...
Yes this wouldn’t surprise me, it would be advantageous to do this when not in comp. There would also have to be some alignment in players coaching like you said in your previous post re collaboration. In Netball I’ve seen the unusual situation of this happening even down to Association level. We had National league players like Mi Mi and Dwan (Qld Firebirds) who also ran through state league teams the Wildcats and Jets, (they were allocated to these teams) not only turn up and play A Grade Association comp but also train with the Association clubs. We had former International players coaching at club who were also employees of Netball Queensland who are Firebirds licensee's. There was obvious communication between all to not work at cross purposes.
 
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toenail63 said:
Loading up best describes it. Swans fielded at least a dozen listed and train ons against Bulldogs, although they won't be playing in VFLW finals I'm not sure all involved with the VFLW clubs would be happy seeing this.
Click to expand...

yes, when i saw the team line - ups, i straight away thought a belting is on the cards here and it was sure enough.

Borough play GWS R6, be interesting to see how many AFLW players are going to be listed by both clubs.
would love for Port to load up with 10 of our AFLW girls and make a game of it.

the fixture re - NSW teams is unfair as basically they're playing against a team of AFLW players.
Sydney is going to destroy everyone from R3 - R7, except for Box Hill in R6 if they keep loading up AFLW players.

the finals is where the true VFLW season will start as it's too close to AFLW season and like last year no AFLW players are going to be risked.
Borough's list is stronger this season and injuries aside would be in my opinion the best side so far (without AFLW players)
 
Stan Judkins said:
the finals is where the true VFLW season will start as it's too close to AFLW season and like last year no AFLW players are going to be risked.
Click to expand...

Spot on with all of that Stan.

I agree that clubs aren't likely to risk players, only depth players are likely to play from May onwards with the official start of AFLW pre-season the 3rd June. The last thing a club needs is to have a bunch of players sore or with niggles, or worse an injury. In an 11 round comp you need to be fit and firing come Rd1 and having an uninterrupted pre season could be the difference in a team making or missing the finals.

You would think that the Borough will be favourites for their R14 clash with Box Hill as they play on 23rd June. Box Hill have recruited well but not enough you'd think to catch Port, who've also recruited well.
 

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toenail63 said:
If anything I'd like to see Woods and Peck play purely just to see where they would line up on the field.
Click to expand...
Yeah, both have come on well, they both played a number of VFLW games last season pre the AFLW season as well - in the first 9 rounds or so. It easily helped their development.
 
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Phar Ace said:
Not even sure why Eilish is even playing VFLW. There are others in our AFLW side, or not even in the side, that would benefit more than Eilish. It's a bit like Garry Ablett Jnr having a run in the VFL....... The others are all good. If fit, Charley Ryan should be there too, making a statement. But she is not.
Click to expand...
Yea eilish is bloody AA staggering she’d run the gauntlet at vflw, good to see Reid on the improvement curve and bacon showing a bit too
 
Bojangles17 said:
Yea eilish is bloody AA staggering she’d run the gauntlet at vflw, good to see Reid on the improvement curve and bacon showing a bit too
Click to expand...
Yeah, watched the 1st Qtr and at that level Reid showed up well - definitely above that level. Bacon was handy, but by no means a standout, other than her hand skills.
 
Stan Judkins said:
to be fair Hawthorn put up Emily Bates and Sydney is basically putting out their AFLW team, GWS also.
Click to expand...
Where does that end - bit of one upsmanship happening.
 
Phar Ace said:
Yeah, watched the 1st Qtr and at that level Reid showed up well - definitely above that level. Bacon was handy, but by no means a standout, other than her hand skills.
Click to expand...

yes watched the whole game, Sheerin stood out big time.

truthfully didn't notice Bacon, Ford, Dallaway or Wicksteed.

Reid was noticeable, good leading patterns, marked a few on the lead, getting decent number of disposals per game, kicking goals, can't ask much more from her, well above this level.
 
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Stan Judkins said:
Casey too good on their home deck, 8.4.52 def Port 4.5.29

GWS flogged Saints by 62 points

Sydney destroyed North by 89
Click to expand...

Saw a few aflw premiership players out there for Casey so not too much to read into in the loss.

Reid and Wicksteed were the standouts for me. Reid just seems to dominate her opponent at this level, hope she can bring it up to the seniors.

Wicksteed played inside a bit and got a few clearances and some real good kicks. Has a good mind for it. Weirdly though like in the aflw she did seem to spend about half the game on the bench.
 
Eraser said:
Saw a few aflw premiership players out there for Casey so not too much to read into in the loss.

Reid and Wicksteed were the standouts for me. Reid just seems to dominate her opponent at this level, hope she can bring it up to the seniors.

Wicksteed played inside a bit and got a few clearances and some real good kicks. Has a good mind for it. Weirdly though like in the aflw she did seem to spend about half the game on the bench.
Click to expand...

Hope Charlie Wicksteed can build her tank - felt we were a better side for the most part when she was on the ground - maybe these VFLW games help, but won't happen sitting on the pine.
 
Bojangles17 said:
Yea eilish is bloody AA staggering she’d run the gauntlet at vflw, good to see Reid on the improvement curve and bacon showing a bit too
Click to expand...
Yeah why risk her now, it's not worth the unnecessary risk by playing any of our A-graders, I think that Eilish might be the first and last to play, a few other AFLW teams seem to be taking another view entirely.

Reid has been good without being brilliant but looks to be trending up finally and her first half against Casey was impressive as she was everywhere. She could have had two goals to half time as well as both of her attempts were unluckily touched on the line. She'd busted a gut though so this might have taken a bit off her kicks as she usually gets good distance on that left of hers.
 
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