Women's Footy AFLW Bulldogs - 2022 Round 1 vs Demons

Summary from today's AFLW announcements...

Season 2021/22 will start in early December and run through until a week before R1 of the men's competition in March.

Increase to 10 home and away rounds, finals remain at 3 weeks.

2 new teams admitted in season 2022/23, remaining 2 in season 2023/24.

Personally I'm looking forward to seeing how a full AFLW season plays out with no interference of any men's games. Of course in the long run I'm still in favour of a full 23 week home and away season running concurrently to the men's competition, but I understand the reasoning for the Dec-Mar timing in the short term.

For those concerned about the summer heat, it won't be drastically different to what the first five seasons were.

Average maximum temperature for December-March over the past 30 years...

Melbourne
26.7 (Feb-Mar: 26.4*)

Adelaide
28.4 (Feb-Mar: 28.2*)

Perth
30.4 (Feb-Mar: 30.6*)

Sydney
26.3 (Feb-Mar: 26.2*)

Brisbane
29.9 (Feb-Mar: 29.7*)

*94% of all AFLW matches have been played in February/March.
As long as the games are played at night the heat will be a minimal factor.

If the AFLW is ever to build its own brand it should never try and run concurrently with the Men but expand deeper in to the offseason starting the week after AFL Grand Final to the week before round 1. This would allow for 17 H&H rounds and 3 weeks of finals. Run concurrently and the brand will never grow
 

Pugz89

Brownlow Medallist
Jun 29, 2015
11,153
12,829
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Our pick 4 in the VIC pool at the draft has been bumped back to pick 6 with 2 priority picks handed to Geelong at 4 & 5.
It's a bit frustrating but probably in the best interests of the competition.

https://womens.afl/news/72212?fbclid=IwAR2qg8uLuA9_sC5kLW0XTLQ23iQQlgIKXmzeSyLV7UP1UgXTRn-LtzN_FV0
It's a joke. GC also handed two picks and for clubs who've been in for two years and who raided clubs already for players, to push our picks back is deplorable. I'm getting sick of this s**t and it's turning me away from the comp.
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,587
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I think it’s fair enough for the Suns, Cats and Eagles but I’m surprised with the Saints and Tigers.

However it shouldn’t matter, Brisbane got raided about as badly as we did and still won a premiership. No expansion club has even made it to a grand final. Until we get all 18 teams this is going to keep happening, which is why I’m all for getting the teams in sooner rather than later as then and only then can we start equalising the competition.

I also don’t think us getting pushed down to pick 6 is much of a issue as I think we’ll trading it out as we don’t need any more 18-20 years olds. We have just about the youngest list and really need some mature players for balance. If we can get 1-2 more to help Ellie and Kirsty in the centre we will be going deep into finals.
 

Pugz89

Brownlow Medallist
Jun 29, 2015
11,153
12,829
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I think it’s fair enough for the Suns, Cats and Eagles but I’m surprised with the Saints and Tigers.

However it shouldn’t matter, Brisbane got raided about as badly as we did and still won a premiership. No expansion club has even made it to a grand final. Until we get all 18 teams this is going to keep happening, which is why I’m all for getting the teams in sooner rather than later as then and only then can we start equalising the competition.

I also don’t think us getting pushed down to pick 6 is much of a issue as I think we’ll trading it out as we don’t need any more 18-20 years olds. We have just about the youngest list and really need some mature players for balance. If we can get 1-2 more to help Ellie and Kirsty in the centre we will be going deep into finals.
The difference with us and Brisbane though is they're a two-team state, we're an eight-team state. Far easier to top up with quality when there's only one other picking from the same pool.
I think it's a big part of why there's only been one Vic premiership team in six years. The depth of talent just isn't able to satisfy so many teams yet.
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,587
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Expanded stats from yesterday's VFLW match...

Disposal Efficiency
WB: 46%
ES: 42%

Kicking Efficiency
WB: 37%
ES: 35%

Hitouts/To Advantage
24/10 - Tessari
21/2 - Ruedin

Hitouts To Advantage

WB: 12
ES: 4

First Possessions
WB: 38
ES: 31

Clearances/Centre Clearances
WB: 25/4

ES: 33/2

Contested Marks
WB: 3
ES: 3

Marks Inside 50
WB: 4
ES: 4

Defensive 50 Intercept Marks
WB: 3
ES: 3

Score Launches
2 - Strahan
1 - Georgostathis, Pritchard, Tessari, Gogos, Ruedin, Hartwig

Inside 50 Efficiency
WB: 32%
ES: 27%

Shots At Goal
WB: 9 (44%)

ES: 7 (14%)

Ranking Points
176 - Gogos
168 - Pritchard
143 - Tessari
140 - Fitzgerald
129 - Friend
127 - Strahan
124 - Dojiok
105 - Georgostathis
83 - Ruedin
83 - Meier
79 - Hartwig
66 - Betts
63 - Scott
57 - Gutknecht
51 - Hards
48 - Morrison
36 - Vale
31 - Grant
21 - Wright
17 - Gamble
12 - McLeod

Free Kick Summary
Screen Shot 2021-05-16 at 3.14.24 pm.png


Score Sources
Screen Shot 2021-05-16 at 3.14.34 pm.png
 

TBOW

Premiership Player
Aug 9, 2012
3,191
3,860
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
AFLW trade preview is up on AFL.COM

https://womens.afl/news/72471

It doesn't say a lot about us other than-

The path is not as straightforward for fellow Giant Elle Bennetts, with a second player (perhaps via a third club) potentially needing to be involved to get the winger and Victorian to the Western Bulldogs.

Dogs ruck Kim Rennie wishes to be traded to North Melbourne, while Kangaroos tall Kate Gillespie-Jones is exploring her options elsewhere.


And-

The Western Bulldogs were keen to attract a senior player in return for draft picks, but the plan was scuttled after the AFL made a decision on priority picks.

The Dogs have been pushed from pick Nos. 4 and 12 to 6 and 16, and with a comparatively shallow Victorian draft pool this year, those selections are not as valuable as they may have been in other years.

Picks 1-5 are unable to be traded by the clubs holding them in return for the priority picks given to those clubs, meaning the Bulldogs are unable to rise any higher in the draft order and hold the first tradeable selection with pick No.6.


That last part is particularly disappointing, particularly when for the last two years we have really been around the mark of the teams getting the extra picks.

I have no idea who the senior player we were hoping to pry loose may have been, but I can only assume it is someone under contract if we feel we can not organise a trade with the picks we have.

It looks like we will have to settle for Bennetts being our immediate impact player and hope that someone like Stella Reid can come in and have a Fitzy-like impact in her first year.
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,587
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I can understand Rennie moving on after Moody became our #1 ruck this year. Marshall can be our backup ruck but I imagine we'll draft a rookie as well.
 

TBOW

Premiership Player
Aug 9, 2012
3,191
3,860
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I can understand Rennie moving on after Moody became our #1 ruck this year. Marshall can be our backup ruck but I imagine we'll draft a rookie as well.
No idea which way she is leaning - but Georgia Campbell could be that rookie ruck.
Currently she can nominate either us or Melbourne as a father-daughter.
Possibly a bit undersized as a ruck but apparently very athletic.
 
Bit devo that Rennie wants to move on, she had a great year
She is a genuine first ruck who was played out of position all season with Moody in the team. King can play forward for North and ruck less. It's a shame, but it makes sense, by definition you can only have one first ruck per team, and something footy teams at all levels have had to deal with for a long time!
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,587
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
She is a genuine first ruck who was played out of position all season with Moody in the team. King can play forward for North and ruck less. It's a shame, but it makes sense, by definition you can only have one first ruck per team, and something footy teams at all levels have had to deal with for a long time!

True, we certainly got the best out of her and will always be a premiership player for us. However if we were only to keep one of Moody or Rennie at this point I'd be keeping Moody, younger, slightly taller and really came into her own this season.
 

jatz14

Brownlow Medallist
Dec 13, 2011
11,368
16,074
WA
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Perth Glory W-League
All clubs have equal opportunity to trade for the Suns picks so if the Dogs send them a very good player they can keep 2 picks in the top 8 Vic picks.
No they don't. It's really only of significant value to Vic clubs. Precisely because it bumps them up the Vic draft order, and other clubs down. Which trading picks shouldn't do.



On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

TBOW

Premiership Player
Aug 9, 2012
3,191
3,860
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
All clubs have equal opportunity to trade for the Suns picks so if the Dogs send them a very good player they can keep 2 picks in the top 8 Vic picks.
I think you have misunderstood the point of my post.

The priority picks that the AFL handed out to assist struggling clubs has significantly impacted a club that has over the past 2 seasons performed at a similar level to the clubs that were assisted.

I think we are all accepting that there are a lot of teething issues getting this competition established, but as one of the clubs that pioneered women's football we seem to be the club constantly on the wrong side of the ledger.
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,587
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I think you have misunderstood the point of my post.

The priority picks that the AFL handed out to assist struggling clubs has significantly impacted a club that has over the past 2 seasons performed at a similar level to the clubs that were assisted.

I think we are all accepting that there are a lot of teething issues getting this competition established, but as one of the clubs that pioneered women's football we seem to be the club constantly on the wrong side of the ledger.

There is no doubt when just looking at wins and losses we were poor last year and average this year but overall we've been significantly better than Gold Coast, St. Kilda, Richmond and West Coast over the past two seasons. If you look at the numbers we are miles ahead of Gold Coast and West Coast.

Gold Coast didn't win a game this year and consistently lost by 10+ goals in a match that lasts 80 minutes and West Coast also lost 4 games by 38+ points. We've only lost 1 game by over by 38 points in 2021 and 0 in 2020.

Richmond, GWS, St. Kilda, Geelong, Gold Coast and West Coast all had fewer inside 50s than us over the past two seasons, our efficiency is what's cost us. If we'd kicked straighter in the West Coast game last year and St. Kilda and North Melbourne games this year we would've won.

We've also had a horrundus run with fixturing, as an example we've yet to play Gold Coast while Brisbane and Fremantle have played them twice. I still maintain this is the main reason the AFLW is somewhat compromised.

It was expected that there would be a lot of player movement over the initial 5-10 year period of the competition and the need for priority picks is understandable as well but what is unacceptable is not playing each other at least once per season.

Our list is pretty much set for the next 5+ years and we really only need to add more 1-2 more experieced players which I still think this is achievable during the trade period and even if it's not there are a couple of mature age recruits playing in the VFLW and SANFLW that I would love to draft this year.
 

TBOW

Premiership Player
Aug 9, 2012
3,191
3,860
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
There is no doubt when just looking at wins and losses we were poor last year and average this year but overall we've been significantly better than Gold Coast, St. Kilda, Richmond and West Coast over the past two seasons. If you look at the numbers we are miles ahead of Gold Coast and West Coast.

Gold Coast didn't win a game this year and consistently lost by 10+ goals in a match that lasts 80 minutes and West Coast also lost 4 games by 38+ points. We've only lost 1 game by over by 38 points in 2021 and 0 in 2020.

Richmond, GWS, St. Kilda, Geelong, Gold Coast and West Coast all had fewer inside 50s than us over the past two seasons, our efficiency is what's cost us. If we'd kicked straighter in the West Coast game last year and St. Kilda and North Melbourne games this year we would've won.

We've also had a horrundus run with fixturing, as an example we've yet to play Gold Coast while Brisbane and Fremantle have played them twice. I still maintain this is the main reason the AFLW is somewhat compromised.

It was expected that there would be a lot of player movement over the initial 5-10 year period of the competition and the need for priority picks is understandable as well but what is unacceptable is not playing each other at least once per season.

Our list is pretty much set for the next 5+ years and we really only need to add more 1-2 more experieced players which I still think this is achievable during the trade period and even if it's not there are a couple of mature age recruits playing in the VFLW and SANFLW that I would love to draft this year.
You are probably right that we are a level above those teams but I am not sure how significant that gap is.
You yourself pointed out that we had the least disposals in the competition this year, and if you were to evaluate our wins you could probably argue that Ellie dragged us over the line in just about all of them.

I think our kicking efficiency was far improved this year and of the games you mentioned, we had 1 more scoring shot than St.Kilda and 1 less than North. Meanwhile Melbourne had twice as many scoring shots as us and managed to lose - so I don't think efficiency was a huge factor in our ladder position.

Richmond really started to click in the second part of this year and St.Kilda beat us. Geelong had their best mid out all year and their second best out for half. Imagine how we would perform without Lamb and Blackburn.

As far as the interstate teams go they can only really be as talented as their draft zone allows so loading them up with additional picks isn't really going to help them out.

I take your point on the fixturing and player movement in these foundation years, but I just wish there was more transparency when the AFL made decisions that advantage some clubs at the expense of others - or just more transparency on everything to be honest. It always feels like they are operating in the shadows.
 

TheTassieHawk

Team Captain
Oct 12, 2019
509
374
AFL Club
Hawthorn
I think you have misunderstood the point of my post.

The priority picks that the AFL handed out to assist struggling clubs has significantly impacted a club that has over the past 2 seasons performed at a similar level to the clubs that were assisted.

I think we are all accepting that there are a lot of teething issues getting this competition established, but as one of the clubs that pioneered women's football we seem to be the club constantly on the wrong side of the ledger.

I certainly understood it but hold a different opinion. On every club board their are posters who believe concessions are too much and point to the impact on their club.

There is no solution that keeps everyone happy but not giving out concessions at all or something late in the draft has the potential to create a 3 tiered comp which is not ideal.

I think the thing to keep in mind is that expansion will have a much greater impact on the Dogs and other Vic clubs than these concessions and the key part to that working well is the stronger clubs giving up more players and better quality ones than the weaker ones.
 
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