Port Melbourne VFLW 2022 Season

Saturday 10.35am - Port v Casey (9.35am for us Qlders!)

Akayla Peterson and Sophie Locke playing for Port this weekend. So are Stella Reid, Sophie Molan

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Feb 14, 2018
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AFL Club
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Saturday 10.35am - Port v Casey (9.35am for us Qlders!)

Akayla Peterson and Sophie Locke playing for Port this weekend. So are Stella Reid, Sophie Molan

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VFLW 2022 Season Preview – Port Melbourne
THE 2022 VFL Women’s season is almost here, so it is time to take a look at each of the competing teams and see where they sit as another season approaches. Today, Rookie Me Central takes a look at Port Melbourne, who lost in the elimination final in 2021.
Last year was Port Melbourne’s first season in the VFLW after taking over Richmond’s VFLW license and becoming the Tigers’ aligned club.
Although it was the Borough’s first season in the competition, it could not have got off to a much better start. They won their first seven matches to stun the competition. In Round 8 though, they lost to Casey and that is where things started to go downhill.
In the next two matches, they beat Darebin by four goals but then lost to the Saints by 27 points. In the last month of the season they beat the Dees and Roos but lost to the Magpies and Hawks to ultimately finish in third on the ladder. Thise results found the Borough battling the Saints in an elimination final in the first week of the finals, which they lost and their season was done.
They have a new coach in this year. Sean Buncle replaces Lachlan Harris, who went to St Kilda to become an assistant coach with the AFLW side. They also have an extra captain this season, with Claire Dyett sharing duties with last year’s captain Melissa Kuys.
Buncle said that preseason has been going well, but certainly had its challenges because of Covid. He said that although it is quite a big role that he has come into, he has enjoyed every minute of the role.
Reflecting on last season, the captains agreed that it was an exciting but frustrating one.
“Last season was really exciting,” Dyett said. “I think going seven and 0 was such an exciting time. “Even winning Round 1 against North Melbourne was probably one of the coolest days, and just singing out the song was awesome. I think we definitely dipped off to the end of the year which everyone could see but learning experience, get another really good preseason in, get some new people in which is good, but I think we had a really good season to be honest, for a first year program.”
Kuys agreed, and added that no one at the club had thought the season would start as it did.
“I think if we looked back and had a conversation prior to the season starting, we would have never have though we’d be seven and 0, being a new club and obviously everything was new… so developing, united and being on the same page so quickly was pretty exciting for us as a footy club and I think going into this season that is definitely our goal, and to continue to get those wins under our belt, especially at the back end of the season is probably one of our main focuses.”
There are a number of new faces at the Borough this season. Akayla Peterson has come across from Carlton, and is a versatile mid and forward.
Kate Dudley and Bridie Winbanks are both rucks who have come across from Hawthorn and Casey respectively. Hanna Fosbrooke is very quick and has come down from the Northern Territory.
Buncle said the Borough had a few ultimate goals for 2022.
“I think there’s a few ways we want to measure success. One of them is certainly around our culture, so we’re looking to build something that’s going to be sustainable across a long period,” he said.
“We want to win games and we want to do all that sort of stuff and play finals and that’s an expectation of the club, but we want that to be something that we’re building a high performance environment where people feel welcome and want to get the best out of themselves and become a bit of a destination club in that sense over a long period of time.
“Obviously if you’re looking results wise, we expect that we want to continue on with how we started last year and be successful in that right but not just starting off the season really well and tapering off, we want to make sure that we successfully navigate all the challenges of VFL level that happens with obviously there’s a period in the season where you can sign players and things like that.”
Both captains agreed that the ultimate goal is finals and a premiership, but they also want to be more consistent and go one better than they did last year. They were frustrated by how the season ended, and they are hoping to avoid a repeat in 2022.
They had a practice match last weekend against Hawthorn, which although the score line was rather lopsided, all agreed that it was a good “first hit out” and blew out some cobwebs.
They have one final practice match this weekend against Casey, which will be used more to confirm what their Round 1 line up will look like. This will be their last chance to fix up any issues before they face the Dees again in Round 1.
 
Game viewable now on the AFL app - nearly half time Port leading Case 13 to 3
 
Bit surprised someone didn't take a punt on Locke in the draft.
Yes, and we could have listed her when we had the chance too. That said we have no idea as to the career aspirations these girls have when this is just such a part-time thing.
 
Goal on the siren to Casey - Gillard the instigator kicking the centring kick to Dowler.

25 to 15

Molan 14d
Locke 10d

Casey having more of the footy but our defence holding up better - Casey with a sniff though. We have the breeze though
 
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Campbell to mark in front for Casey - shocking kick thank goodness, eventually a behind - Casey by 4
 
Molan clear - kicks to a lone Casey player

This post is for you LotW 🤣
 
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Dowler kicks a goal for Casey after Port player handballs the wrong way, snap kick from 15out - Casey by 10now
 
Game over - Casey from behind 5.5.35 to Port 4.1.25 - 20pt to 0 last qtr by Casey against the breeze. The coach (Buncle) would be furious you would think.

Molan 17d
Locke 15d
Reid 13d

Caveat - I didn't see the 1st qtr.
Molan was ineffective for mine with her mostly on ball game. It's not the lack of disposals, it's what value any of them were.
Locke was quiet good, was kept quiet in the last even though she got thrown on the ball. Burnt a certain goal in the 3rd by running too far.
Reid seemed to be tagged, a couple of classy things but generally not a lot to be that pleased about
Peterson I hardly saw.

Would have been huge help if the boys calling the game use the Port player names, was nearly always referred to as "the Port player", yet seemed to know Casey intimately. There was two of you boys! Still it was a coverage.

Local girls Bromage were good, huge tackler, McWhinney had lots of work to do down back, ouir Ruck, Winbanks was thrashed by Gillard, close to best on ground with Petrevski for Casey.
 
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