Game Day AFLW R1 2019 - Crows vs Dogs @Norwood (2/2/19)

[Bicks]

Same old same old.

No lowering the eyes to look for an option up forward just bomb it forward and hope, meanwhile the oppo defenders have a feast marking unopposed or setting up for the easy spoil.

 

[robboaustralia]

Does it have to be high scoring? Can't we just enjoy the contest? Two teams cracking in hard is entertaining. Sure the goal kicking was frustrating but I enjoyed the contest. It took me back to Ian Perrie kicking for goal and Brent Reilly doing the kick ins.

 

[John Who]

Out of curiosity what are people's emotions watching an entire game of aflw?
Frustration ? Optimism? I imagine it's like a 0-0 draw in soccer where you wished you had done something better with that time?

Nope. Loving it! Everything apart from the girls kicking for goals - gives me palpitations and then frustrations when a sure goal results in a behind..

 

[Thetrader15]

Maybe.

I do wonder whether they should adapt structurally to deal with the shorter kick range- perhaps a smaller ground with reduced numbers to avoid congestion would produce a better spectacle (in my subjective view).

Having said that, the product is selling- people are attending, people are tuning in- which are pretty good indicators that my concern about the quality of the games isnt widely shared. I just wonder about the long term prospects of the league if it continues about this level. There needs to be more scoring. I'm not sure if people who attend a game where their team scores one goal will keep coming back year after year. But I might be wrong.

All due respect but it's already 16 aside.
If they keep investing rather than making another game to compete with it they are half a chance of getting better

 

[finn]

Id think about using Randall up forward. Can read the play, mark and kick.

 

[hey shorty]

Nope. Loving it! Everything apart from the girls kicking for goals - gives me palpitations and then frustrations when a sure goal results in a behind..

Do you get the same feelings during the half time Auskick game ??

 

[feenix67]

I think scorpus is right - you won't see a lift in skills and scoring until teams are filled with girls who have played 10 years of footy.

In the meantime, you can admire their courage and determination and take the game for what it is, or you can switch off and wait another 7 years.

So rather than lament what the game lacks, we can just praise the girls who are blazing the trail for the next generation and hope the AFL keeps backing them in.

 

[hey shorty]

I think scorpus is right - you won't see a lift in skills and scoring until teams are filled with girls who have played 10 years of footy.

In the meantime, you can admire their courage and determination and take the game for watching it is, or you can switch off and wait another 7 years.

So rather than lament what the game lacks, we can just praise the girls who are blazing the trail for the next generation and hope the AFL keeps backing them in.

You can already see it, SANFLW juniors are at a higher standard than the league.

Mind you, my missus has been training with a side and shes never played before bar a few kick and catch sessions with me, and shes as good as most of the girls in her side.

 

[Southerntakeover]

I think scorpus is right - you won't see a lift in skills and scoring until teams are filled with girls who have played 10 years of footy.

In the meantime, you can admire their courage and determination and take the game for what it is, or you can switch off and wait another 7 years.

So rather than lament what the game lacks, we can just praise the girls who are blazing the trail for the next generation and hope the AFL keeps backing them in.

Maybe. I just wonder if good will is really going to carry the sport for a decade until they can produce an entertaining product.

 

[John Who]

Do you get the same feelings during the half time Auskick game ??

I’m focusing on the endeavours rather than the outcome. I think that’s the main difference between the yay-sayers and the nay-sayers.

 

[Houston]

Maybe. I just wonder if good will is really going to carry the sport for a decade until they can produce an entertaining product.

If the WNBA is anything to go by it probably won't be. Still think more investment in grass roots for a few years before kicking things off would have been better than rushing this into stadiums and onto TV.

 

[hey shorty]

I’m focusing on the endeavours rather than the outcome. I think that’s the main difference between the yay-sayers and the nay-sayers.

I somewhat agree

The endeavour is great and 3 or 4 girls in each team are class..... but that doesnt mean it deserves a national audience.

 

[Pea Nut]

I watched the game but wouldn't say I'm invested in the result. If I was a coach though, I wouldn't have been happy. So many stupid mistakes. Are these girls that play footy actual footy fans ?? There is a lot you can pick up just watching the game, some have absolutely zero feel for the game. Also, if the coaches know that they can't stop the players hack kicking the ball forward without thought, set up for this. There is zero point in playing an 18 man press, or 16 in this case, if you're gonna win the footy and kick it directly to the opposition. Coach as if you are coaching Div 5 ammos, not an AFL side.

 

[Ozzie]

My 2 cents worth. The overall standard is getting much better. The difference between the 1st year and tonight's game was very noticable. We just have to be patient and think of it as learning your trade.

 

[Southerntakeover]

The thing is: I'm happy to be patient with a lot of the standard.

I just think it would be easier to overlook some of skill issues etc if it occured in a context where they were scoring more. That's in part why I think they'd do well to create a circumstance in which players can score more.

If you can create an entertaining enough product now, then you can allow the generational development to occur, as players raised in proper systems come through. And there's nothing that says you couldnt adjust back in due course- more players and larger grounds.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Does it have to be high scoring? Can't we just enjoy the contest? Two teams cracking in hard is entertaining. Sure the goal kicking was frustrating but I enjoyed the contest. It took me back to Ian Perrie kicking for goal and Brent Reilly doing the kick ins.

As a rule, I think people are entitled to enjoy whatever they do enjoy. My comment is more that I don't find games with a total of three goals enjoyable.

It might well be that in the end the AFL and the AFL-W will develop as entirely different sports, and that AFL-W will develop more like soccer scorelines. If that's the case, and that's what its fan base wants etc, then so be it. No skin of my nose. I'll probably casually want the AFC to do well, and I'll want women's sports to succeed in general. I just don't think I'll watch it that regularly- it's not really what I find entertaining- but that's just me. I can't get into soccer for similar reasons.

 

[Firewalker]

I wouldn't go aflx grounds necessarily, but since most struggle to kick 40 m it wouldn't hurt to cut each third of the ground down by 10 m

Distance kicking is fine most can kick 40 now, they just struggle dramatically when posts are involved which a lot of footballers do really, it just seems women players are having a harder time correcting a lot of their issues with this facet of the game.

Quick Review:

I personally loved Doc having Randall, Rajcic and Forth all in the backlines when the ball wasn’t going past halfway, you don’t want 3 of your best players going near the ball, also the playing with no key forwards tactic is something that could really take off and it was good of Jenna McCormick to not play tonight to get herself right for Brisbane Roar’s semi-final.

The only new player that lasted past quarter time was Jess Foley, felt sorry for Chloe Sheer having to play the totally unfamiliar role for her of full forward in her first ever game, relying on her and Eloise Jones, two 19 year olds to try to kick a winning score no matter what their talent is just not going to happen. The inexperience certainly showed and wasn’t helped by Marinoff and Randall being the only experienced players to play at least near their level, Phillips was tagged by Lamb when she was in the middle and can’t hit that next level in the midfield anymore, she needed to play permanent forward especially in the team that was selected.

• Forward & defensive structures looked muddled and there is no connection at all between the forward line and midfield, they had no idea where to deliver the ball and couldn’t deal at all with the Bulldogs’ flooding tactics.

​

• The defence looked like they had put absolutely no thought into Brennan who was the Dogs only avenue to goal as she was just allowed run up the ground and back into the 50 like an unregistered dog in the first half.

• There looked to be no plan at all to stop the Dogs strengths, as all the Bulldogs did last year was simply rely on dropping back in defence and taking uncontested marks from bombed forward 50 entries (think Geelong against Adelaide in the AFL 2014-17) and like that Adelaide team this Adelaide team just allowed them to do it again.

Positive is after all those glaring self inflicted issues the team still dominated possession and field position for a lot of the game against the defending premiers, made them look totally toothless at stages and only lost due to an abysmal forward line & crap goalkicking.

The teams inexperience and forward line issues will hold them back and will most likely be what cost them a finals spot, as for all the visible improvements made to fitness, kicking skills, handballing skills, ability to switch play ect. they don’t look to have made any gains in their ability to fix last years glaring scoring issues.

My Votes

3. Marinoff
2. J.Foley
1. Randall

 

[mattymac]

Distance kicking is fine most can kick 40+ now, they just struggle dramatically when posts are involved which a lot of footballers do really, it just seems women players are having a harder time correcting a lot of their issues with this facet of the game.

Quick Review:

I personally loved Doc having Randall, Rajcic and Forth all in the backlines when the ball wasn’t going past halfway, you don’t want 3 of your best players going near the ball, also the playing with no key forwards tactic is something that could really take off and it was good of Jenna McCormick to not play tonight to get herself right for Brisbane Roar’s semi-final.

The only new player that lasted past quarter time was Jess Foley, felt sorry for Chloe Sheer having to play the totally unfamiliar role for her of full forward in her first ever game, relying on her and Eloise Jones, two 19 year olds to try to kick a winning score no matter what their talent is just not going to happen. The inexperience certainly showed and wasn’t helped by Marinoff and Randall being the only experienced players to play at least near their level, Phillips was tagged by Lamb when she was in the middle and can’t hit that next level in the midfield anymore, she needed to play permanent forward especially in the team that was selected.

• Forward & defensive structures looked muddled and there is no connection at all between the forward line and midfield, they had no idea where to deliver the ball and couldn’t deal at all with the Bulldogs’ flooding tactics.

​

• The defence looked like they had put absolutely no thought into Brennan who was the Dogs only avenue to goal as she was just allowed run up the ground and back into the 50 like an unregistered dog in the first half.

• There looked to be no plan at all to stop the Dogs strengths, as all the Bulldogs did last year was simply rely on dropping back in defence and taking uncontested marks from bombed forward 50 entries (think Geelong against Adelaide in the AFL 2014-17) and like that Adelaide team this Adelaide team just allowed them to do it again.

Positive is after all those glaring self inflicted issues the team still dominated possession and field position for a lot of the game against the defending premiers, made them look totally toothless at stages and only lost due to an abysmal forward line & crap goalkicking.

The teams inexperience and forward line issues will hold them back and will most likely be what cost them a finals spot, as for all the visible improvements made to fitness, kicking skills, handballing skills, ability to switch play ect. they don’t look to have made any gains in their ability to fix last years glaring scoring issues.

My Votes

3. Marinoff
2. J.Foley
1. Randall

Distance kicking would be fine if the ground was ~20% shorter. Same reason we don't make kids play on full size grounds... it would be an excrement low scoring spectacle and hard to watch unless you are related or in some other way heavily invested

 

[mattymac]

*extremely

 

[Scorpus]

One thing I am a bit surprised about is our (and other teams) use of the most highly skilled players.

In a competition with a generally low skill level, it's crucial to have players with the best skills in the center and in the forward line.

The best ball winners need to be giving it to the best kicks who then distribute to strong targets with finishing ability. Since almost every player in the competition has the scrappy, defensive, tackiling skills nailed down, there is no reason to waste talented players in defence where those skills won't be seen. Considering most teams use a heavy defensive flood there is no reason for a teams best kick or best mark to play in defence. Half the players can't get their hands near it in the air right now.

I'd consider a structural change with Randall playing as a forward. She's dominant in the air where pretty much no other player is, she would clean up down there and has good skills and a good tank to provide options. Given the current state of Phillips I would also use her there for the same reasons.

Then in the midfield I'd be relying on our juniors as much as possible. Marinoff, Scheer and Jones. With these players having seen junior pathways, their skills are much better than most. Having players like Jones in the forward line is wasting them, they're relying on less skilled players to distribute accurately to them, which just isn't going to happen. And less experienced players aren't going to be as comfortable executing shots at goal, compounding the issue. Anyone who is a skilled distributor should be playing maximum midfield time.

So I think we'd look elite with Randall and Philips in the forward line, and with Marinoff and other young guns in the center. Our best skilled players distributing to senior heads with elite overhead skills. Most other teams don't have the ability to unleash that combination.

Then fill out the rest of the team with less skilled players, especially in defence where at this point you really only need scrappers

 

[mistylake]

Out of curiosity what are people's emotions watching an entire game of aflw?
Frustration ? Optimism? I imagine it's like a 0-0 draw in soccer where you wished you had done something better with that time?

Frustration mostly. I’m so used to AFL I kind of expect similar. They are fairly hard at it which helps keep it interesting and it was close so anything can happen. Nearly did.

 

[cmndstab]

Not sure if I'm in the minority, but I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Disappointing to end up on the wrong side of the ledger, especially given the opportunities we had, but I thought it was good fun to watch. The throw-in 10m in rule works well, I think.

Great to see Marinoff return to her 2017 form, and of course Randall was excellent as always. I really like Jess Foley too, pity she's already 35. Chloe Scheer is going to be a gun. Phillips quiet by her lofty standards but still a quality game. I liked Mules' endeavour, she's got some real potential if she can develop a bit more composure with the ball.

Sadly, that seems to be an issue across the board for our team. We have lots of players who can get to the ball well, but don't seem to have a plan for disposing it beyond "just belt it forward", whether or not it's to a teammate's advantage, or if there is even a teammate there at all.

 

[mattymac]

Not sure if I'm in the minority, but I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Disappointing to end up on the wrong side of the ledger, especially given the opportunities we had, but I thought it was good fun to watch.

It's fun to a certain extent. Like after being starved of football for months then watching the U12s lose a game after kicking 1 goal 10 behinds to a team that kicked 2 goals.

Won't be in a rush to front up for the next display though.

 

[diligaf473]

One thing I am a bit surprised about is our (and other teams) use of the most highly skilled players.

In a competition with a generally low skill level, it's crucial to have players with the best skills in the center and in the forward line.

The best ball winners need to be giving it to the best kicks who then distribute to strong targets with finishing ability. Since almost every player in the competition has the scrappy, defensive, tackiling skills nailed down, there is no reason to waste talented players in defence where those skills won't be seen. Considering most teams use a heavy defensive flood there is no reason for a teams best kick or best mark to play in defence. Half the players can't get their hands near it in the air right now.

I'd consider a structural change with Randall playing as a forward. She's dominant in the air where pretty much no other player is, she would clean up down there and has good skills and a good tank to provide options. Given the current state of Phillips I would also use her there for the same reasons.

Then in the midfield I'd be relying on our juniors as much as possible. Marinoff, Scheer and Jones. With these players having seen junior pathways, their skills are much better than most. Having players like Jones in the forward line is wasting them, they're relying on less skilled players to distribute accurately to them, which just isn't going to happen. And less experienced players aren't going to be as comfortable executing shots at goal, compounding the issue. Anyone who is a skilled distributor should be playing maximum midfield time.

So I think we'd look elite with Randall and Philips in the forward line, and with Marinoff and other young guns in the center. Our best skilled players distributing to senior heads with elite overhead skills. Most other teams don't have the ability to unleash that combination.

Then fill out the rest of the team with less skilled players, especially in defence where at this point you really only need scrappers

Totally agree with loading the midfield and forward line with the best players. We do this with the junior teams I’ve been involved with. Kids love kicking goals and you give yourself a chance of kicking a winning score. The risk is the game turns into a shootout but we back ourselves to win more ball in the middle and kick more goals than the opposition. The strugglers/scrappers play in the backline and learn the game from there with only one gun in the backline helping out.

 

[John Who]

I don't think that was ever really plausible.

Despite the number of behinds, we didnt actually have that many good scoring opportunities. A lot of scrub snaps under pressure etc.

Agree that 11 goals 1 is likely implausible. However, on the game I watched last night, the inaccuracy was more an anomaly where in an average game, it was more probable to see a score around 6 goals 6, or 5 goals 7 (with the same scoring shots).