Game Day AFLW - Sunday - Final round before finals - Pies V Adelaide

[Maggie5]

​

2021 AFL WOMEN'S - ROUND 9
Adelaide v Collingwood
Sunday 28 Mar, 12.40pm (AEDT)
Norwood Oval
Watch on Channel Seven

Need this win to cement top two finish.

Bella Smith will get the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd on Sunday having been named in the Pies side to face Adelaide at Norwood Oval.

Growing up on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, Smith went on to play three seasons with Norwood in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) before being drafted to the Pies back in October last year.

The forward made her AFLW debut in the black and white in round one against the Blues and was also part of Pies' sides to claim wins against the Cats and Tigers.

The 19-year-old comes into the team for Sunday's game as the only new inclusion with Kristy Stratton omitted for the match.

Ash Brazill had reserved her spot in the Pies' lineup for this week's round nine match having an impactful return from an ACL injury last weekend.

Brazill didn’t look a step off the pace, finishing with eight disposals in limited game time and will only continue to build heading into the pointy end of the season.

And while there are plenty of big names in the Collingwood backline, there are equally a number of unsung heroes.

While Alana Porter may fly under the radar, there’s no question that she’s one of the Pies’ fiercest competitors. Since her outstanding debut season in 2020, in which she ran out for all seven games, Porter has only improved – her strength in the one-on-one contest and dash from defence has proved a key cog in the Collingwood machine.

Molloy is second on the goal kicking ladder (one behind Vesclo Carlton) so would be nice if she could kick a bag.

The Crows have their eyes on a top-two finish and with the game to be played on their home deck, a significant challenge awaits the Pies in order to secure a preliminary final berth.

Opposition players to watch out for:

No. 10 Ebony Marinoff
No. 13 Erin Phillips
No. 33 Anne Hatchard

 

[TradeDraft]

Massive Game.

Playing for the Minor Premiership and a Home Prelim and Possible Home GF

 

[Maggie5]

Looks like some teams (Melb and Nth) have done us a favour because don't think we can not finish top two but still would like a win.

 

[MooreTreloar]

It’ll come down to Adelaides winning margin as to whether we finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd. That’s if Adelaide win. If we win its 1st.

 

[MooreTreloar]

Also fantastic write up Maggie5

 

[Maggie5]

Am really looking forward to today's game. Go the women, make it a great week-end.

Molloy to kick 3 and win the Coleman equivalent.

 

[keepswimming]

Defence has been great, no one has scored heavily against the girls. Lets hope that continues.
It would be nice to knock off the crows and take some confidence into the finals.
Its gonna be a tight one i feel.
Pies by 5 pts

 

[barrackers]

It’ll come down to Adelaides winning margin as to whether we finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd. That’s if Adelaide win. If we win its 1st.

If the crows win even a low margin will see our percentage drop considerably. The lions for example dropped 23.5% to 195 as a result of a 2 point loss (38-36). For us a 1 point loss would cause our % to fall to around 190 (below BL), so it’s basically impossible for us to finish second.

Pies win or draw - we finish 1st, crows 4th (draw or small margin) or 5th (large margin)

Crows win - we finish 3rd, crows 2nd (small margin) or 1st (large margin)

 

[Mkcaptain]

I'm quietly confident we'll get the win today. I think we'll be much more mentally prepared for this game than what we were against Brisbane.

It will be interesting to see how Bella Smith is used today. She's been showing good signs as a forward in the VFLW. They mustn't have though having the extra runner in Shevlin/Stratton the previous two weeks was worth it.

 

[MooreTreloar]

If the crows win even a low margin will see our percentage drop considerably. The lions for example dropped 23.5% to 195 as a result of a 2 point loss (38-36). For us a 1 point loss would cause our % to fall to around 190 (below BL), so it’s basically impossible for us to finish second.

Pies win or draw - we finish 1st, crows 4th (draw or small margin) or 5th (large margin)

Crows win - we finish 3rd, crows 2nd (small margin) or 1st (large margin)

I think you’re most likely right. Depending on the scores a 1 point loss may be enough though.

 

[Mkcaptain]

Norder looking great early.

 

[barrackers]

I think you’re most likely right. Depending on the scores a 1 point loss may be enough though.

Yep, there's a handful of low or very low scoring games that we can scrape into second with. Anything below these scores with the same margin would see that occur (for example 1 point loss 30-31). The scores are already too high for anything above a 14 point margin.

 

[Mkcaptain]

3 inside 50s isn't anywhere near good enough. Lucky we got that goal to keep us in it on the scoreboard.

 

[jmac70]

Making some poor decisions.

 

[barrackers]

Game is too open for my liking; today we need a low scoring scrap as I suspect we won't be able to gap Adelaide on the scoreboard.

 

[barrackers]

It would be nice if these umps can go 10 seconds without wanting to get their face on tele. Shocking random, nothing calls each way.

 

[Mkcaptain]

Their players just look physically stronger than ours all over the park

 

[MooreTreloar]

Their players just look physically stronger than ours all over the park

Agree, this is quite the reality check for us.

 

[barrackers]

Regardless of what the commentators are trying to sell it seemed that the crows player wanted to play on regardless of whether the 'pies player was there or not. In my way I'll go through you type of thing.

 

[barrackers]

Their players just look physically stronger than ours all over the park

We're not handling their physical pressure either. Might be worthwhile moving the bigger bodied Schleicher up to the middle of the ground.

 

[danielnajdek]

They are just better then us.

 

[Mkcaptain]

That last 30 seconds summed up the first half perfectly. Us putting ourselves under pressure completely unnecessarily.

 

[Markfs]

You know I'm sick of commentators talking about structure and all that crap. Adelaide girls are harder at the contest. They're getting too many players to contests... full stop.

 

[Ulahoopski]

It would be nice if these umps can go 10 seconds without wanting to get their face on tele. Shocking random, nothing calls each way.

Took the words. Umpires THE most influential part of this game. Ridiculous.

 

[Markfs]

Too many undersized players. Too many outside players.