Women's Footy AFLW Round 7 - Fremantle V North Melbourne - Fremantle Oval. Saturday 16 Mar 2019, 4:10pm

wayToGo_

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 24, 2015
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LAST TIME THEY MET

The clubs have never met but North's extreme poaching in the off season means most of their players have played in games against Fremantle before. Most of those games we lost so I might just leave it there...

WHAT'S CHANGED?

North exists. Fremantle aren't s**t.

TEAMS

Fremantle (edited to reflect real positions)

B T.Bresland 5, P.Seth 18
HB A.Stannett 24, E.Antonio 12, E.Gooch 8
C H.Miller 19, K.Donnellan 15, S.Cain 20
HF A.Atkins K.Gibson 21, S.Duffy 6
F G.Houghton 27, A.Sharp 1
FOL P.Laurie 11, D.Hooker 17, K.Bowers 2
I/C A.Janz 30, L.Mascall 14, G.O'Sullivan 22, M.Caulfield 10, M.Sergeant 23
Emg L.Pugh 32, K.Grieve 13

In: K.Gibson
Out: A.Williams (injury)

North Melbourne

B: J.Grierson 19 D.Hardiman 31 J.Trend 21
HB: J.Duffin 27 T.Randall 16 B.Gibson 18
C: E.Kearney 9
HF: K.Gillespie-Jones 5 J.Garner 25 S.Abbatangelo 1
F: D.Bannister 2 M.Hope 23 K.Ashmore 10
Foll: E.King 60 J.Stanton 17 J.Bruton 35
I/C: T.Mesiti 3 E.King 4 A.Drennan 8 D.Bateman 11 N.Bresnehan 12
Emerg: E.Humphries 6 B.Lynch 20

In: N.Bresnehan
Out: B.Lynch

ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION

In case you haven't read one of the dozen articles out there getting way too overly excited about the final round deciding the fate for all 4 top teams in Conference A... If... Fremantle wins, we play finals. Fremantle loses, we don't play finals. North wins, they play finals. North loses, they don't play finals. If Melbourne beat Erin Phillips by a lot then they might squeeze into the top 2. They won't, Erin Phillips will finish top of the Conference A ladder. The winners will then each play a team from Conference B in the first final. Nobody cares who it is, both Conference A teams will beat them comfortably (like a training day before the big dance) and then play in the Grand Final the following week. So win this week and we'll likely be up against Erin Phillips in the Grand Final. Failing her getting injured, Erin Phillips is almost a shoo-in for the premiership. Hence this round is really a playoff for whoever becomes her bitch in a couple of weeks time. I'd still like it to be us.

North have star players spread across the field, from King in the ruck who can push forward and kick goals, to Kearney and Bruton in the middle and Duffin down back. Like Fremantle, they have the players to win the ball at the source and turn it into scores quickly. Starting the season very strongly, North have been in a bit of a downward trajectory of late but that means nothing come Saturday.

Fremantle on the other hand, started cautiously, built into a steam train for a couple of weeks, lulled a bit, and have been on an upward trajectory the past couple of weeks. Bowers has been incredible - leading the competition for ranking points, tackles, pressure points, as well as being top five for kicks (4th), score assists (4th) and metres gained (5th). Hooker has been equally impressive topping the competition for clearances and groundball gets, as well as being top five for ranking points (3rd), contested possessions (2nd), tackles (3rd) and pressure points (3rd). Donnellan looked more comfortable last week directing from behind the ball, whilst Miller has started to build into the form we know she is capable of (she is 4th for inside 50s).

Last week we saw Antonio head into defence when Alex Williams went down injured and given we've only brought Gibson in I think it's likely we'll see Antonio back starting at her preferred CHB position on the weekend. The question will be whether the forward line can function without her? Her move forward to start the season was a genius one but the forward line is now full of confidence and we saw last week could still score well without either her or Gibson there. The key may be Houghton showing some of the incredible skill and speed she showed last week but for a full game. If the midfield can bring the pressure, and work the ball to the outside for plenty of i50s, Houghton and her fleet of smalls should be capable of putting on plenty of scoreboard pressure. They'll want to make sure they bring their accurate goal kicking boots that they clearly left at home last week.

The risk here, like all our games really, is if we can't control North's midfield led by an extremely dominant ruck in King (Laurie and Janz will have their work cut out for them) then even with the bolstering by Antonio the dam wall will likely break and North will be all over us at the other end. If King is on fire and we can't contain her, this game could be a rough ride.

Backing the girls in as per usual, especially at home... Fremantle by 2 goals.
 
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arsesmart

Premiership Player
Sep 25, 2018
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Given North's cobbled-together status, I'd be thinking that it's much harder for them to hold it together when the real heat is applied at the now present whip cracking time. Freo feels more welded together in the forge like. Hopefully, that's something to pile on top of the home ground advantage (although it's easier coming this way than going that way). I'm sure he is, but Cooper should be working their resolve in their cohesion hard this week.

Also, other than for selfish reasons, it'd be brilliant for the excitement of the round if Melbourne got a hold of Adelaide to start the round too.
 

stax on the mull

Norm Smith Medallist
Dec 26, 2010
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Even though she's not a major stats winner, the Geelong game was the best game I've seen O'Sullivan play across that half forward to wing role, in terms of putting on pressure and then getting the ball on to advantage. Did some really good things that got the ball deep in our forward line.
 
Apr 25, 2011
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Not a final, but it is. Possibly the only Freo final this year (female or male team), so worth watching every heart wringing moment of agony and every "YES!" moment.

But would be extremely happy to have a final that is not a final, followed by a final that is a real one, then the final - final and a winners are grinners badge.
 
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wayToGo_

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Oct 24, 2015
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This is pretty cool... pity they don't get to wear Cookie's new jumper though.



In case you didn't know, like the men's, we have the most indigenous players of any club as well: Alicia Janz, Cassie Davidson, Gemma Houghton, Ebony Dowson, Jasmine Stewart. 5 of 13 across the AFLW.
 

Cesoir

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Feb 11, 2019
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I've got some bargain basement tickets for the hospital wing, going at $30 a pop. If you don't fancy paying that you could try the official channels and get them for free.
I'll have a couple if they're still available thanks. Just PM me your bank details (including password) and I'll put the $60 in for you. Promise.
 
Apr 7, 2010
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All AFLW games are FREE still
cheers, should be a pretty good turnout I reckon.

I've got some bargain basement tickets for the hospital wing, going at $30 a pop. If you don't fancy paying that you could try the official channels and get them for free.

You arsesmart
 

arsesmart

Premiership Player
Sep 25, 2018
3,789
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Fremantle
I'll have a couple if they're still available thanks. Just PM me your bank details (including password) and I'll put the $60 in for you. Promise.
Is that you Prince Idi Cesoir royal Sheikh of Djibouti? You should already have my bank details. Oh and when's that $10 million for safe keeping coming through?
 
May 13, 2014
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how much is entry? Seems a good opportunity to get down for my first AFLW match
do it!! I had a great day at the game last week. The standard of footy has gone up so much, and you'd expect a great game out of two of the better teams in the comp.

I so hope we win this. After a couple of years of not knowing how to footy, the Freo girls really deserve a finals spot this year.
 
Apr 25, 2011
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the Freo girls really deserve a finals spot this year.

RE: Conference system... It needs a Melbourne team to get the rough end of the pineapple, if we get the rough end, no one will care. We need to win this game for the sake of the whole competition - no pressure girls. If we can't win the game, the onus is on North Melbourne to lose it :think:
 

wayToGo_

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 24, 2015
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I’m lead to believe that if they do that regardless of the result in our match, we play finals.
No, if Melbourne win and we lose they will have better percentage (as they already do) and we will miss out. If they win by less than 27, they miss out, North is through (best percentage). If Melbourne beat Adelaide and we draw our game then they both miss out, and North and us get through. If they draw their game then North will get through.

The ideal scenario is probably Melbourne beating Adelaide by more than 26 (can't see that happening), and us beating North. Then it's us and Melb into the finals.
 

wayToGo_

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 24, 2015
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HT Adl 34 - 0 Mel

Adelaide would be dominating anyway but Melbourne could't buy a free for most of that quarter. Love the girl who charges with head down rugby style, gets tackled and no HtB. Then a throw a few second later, play on. Fend off, tackled, no htb.
 
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