Autopsy AFLW Collingwood v Melbourne; Good and Bad and occasionally Fugly

[PerfectFooty]

Can confirm that it's a ump training ground. Umpires are sourced from the AFL academy - they're in training, wouldn't even umpire VFL, more like TAC Cup.

Wasn't there an AFL umpire on hand last night too though?

 

[LeverPuller]

Wasn't there an AFL umpire on hand last night too though?

Not sure about past night but that's the general standard across the AFLW

 

[Oscarman]

Thought our girl Katherine Smith was good again last night.

 

[TheCount]

Can confirm that it's a ump training ground. Umpires are sourced from the AFL academy - they're in training, wouldn't even umpire VFL, more like TAC Cup.

Yeah, State League fringe umpires and below with a focus on females. Most are pretty good considering, but they'll always be inconsistent and get more than a few wrong. Because of the exposure you'd probably want a bit better quality, but realistically, it'd be a waste of time for umpires that are any better.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

I started watching at 7-25 so I had a good time.

 

[TheCount]

Yeah, State League fringe umpires and below with a focus on females. Most are pretty good considering, but they'll always be inconsistent and get more than a few wrong. Because of the exposure you'd probably want a bit better quality, but realistically, it'd be a waste of time for umpires that are any better.

And now I've said that, one of the umpires in Freo v Bris game has done a WAFL GF and been an AFL rookie

 

[PerfectFooty]

Better news people, for those who hate the AFL's ill designed website, all matches seem to be going up on youtube under "Womens AFL" (Worth giving a sub!)

Links in the replay thread have been updated to include the Youtube ones for both Rounds 1 and 2

The AFL links will be kept in case someone actually prefers to use the AFL website

 

[Dory_77]

Was down in Melbourne for the weekend and headed along with my mate I was staying with as he goes for the 'pies. Really good game overall. Ordinary first half where our skills and forward set up let us down a lot. We could get to halfway/forward 50 a bit but going inside we were rubbish. 2nd half seemed a lot sharper with skills and movement and the tackling and pressure was really good.

Was also behind Phillips when she snapped that goal @deemy. The atmosphere in the 2nd half from the Melbourne fans was fantastic, although the lighting at the ground was pretty s**t. Did it switch off, or drop to about 50% at one stage? Regardless, you could barely see the other side of the field with it. Was nice to have a 'suburban footy' experience again though; something quaint and comforting about it.

On the umpiring, it did seem pretty rusty. I didn't think there was that much of a bias (a few calls we should've got weren't called, but there were a few against us that were let go too, so it went each way). Kinda difficult for the umps too if they haven't umpired any women's games at other levels before. Would there be a higher threshold re what is required to call HTB, incorrect disposal etc. for a female player? I.e. they're presumed to be worse than blokes so are given more leeway with getting rid of the ball/have a longer time for prior (also noticed some very 15m kicks given as marks)? I dunno, although I didn't think it was that much of an issue overall. That said, it seems the contact below the knees rule hasn't been enforced very strictly in AFLW; there was a lot of scrambling for the ball on the deck that was risking legs, knees and necks that wasn't pulled up at all. Like the league more broadly though I expect it'll be much a much clearer, better, standard in a few years time.

Hope Downie is ok.

 

[Decimation]

Does anyone else look at Emma Humphries and think it could be Clarry's sister?

 

[Proper Gander]

Does anyone else look at Emma Humphries and think it could be Clarry's sister?

Sort of, yeah. I didn't think about it at the time because I was distracted by the girl who sort of looks like Brayshaw.

 

[ponsdale]

From the couch:

Good:
- The confidence of the team in each other when things started to click in the 3rd
- The speed of Phillips
- Smith's tackling
- Mithen just finds the ball
- Paxman's fantastic drive
- Downie's control through the middle

Bad:
- Too tentative in the 1st and 2nd quarters

Fugly:
- My wife noted that I was into the game when I was hurling abuse at the umpiring in the second quarter
- Substandard lighting that wouldn't stay on

 

[Proper Gander]

What I've noticed with all the matches to date is the enormous gap between best and worst play - often with the same player visiting both polar extremes. Now I think about it, this is clearly because the league is in its infancy so I'm not sure why I was surprised really.

 

[Djcjdees]

Was down in Melbourne for the weekend and headed along with my mate I was staying with as he goes for the 'pies. Really good game overall. Ordinary first half where our skills and forward set up let us down a lot. We could get to halfway/forward 50 a bit but going inside we were rubbish. 2nd half seemed a lot sharper with skills and movement and the tackling and pressure was really good.

Was also behind Phillips when she snapped that goal @deemy. The atmosphere in the 2nd half from the Melbourne fans was fantastic, although the lighting at the ground was pretty s**t. Did it switch off, or drop to about 50% at one stage? Regardless, you could barely see the other side of the field with it. Was nice to have a 'suburban footy' experience again though; something quaint and comforting about it.

On the umpiring, it did seem pretty rusty. I didn't think there was that much of a bias (a few calls we should've got weren't called, but there were a few against us that were let go too, so it went each way). Kinda difficult for the umps too if they haven't umpired any women's games at other levels before. Would there be a higher threshold re what is required to call HTB, incorrect disposal etc. for a female player? I.e. they're presumed to be worse than blokes so are given more leeway with getting rid of the ball/have a longer time for prior (also noticed some very 15m kicks given as marks)? I dunno, although I didn't think it was that much of an issue overall. That said, it seems the contact below the knees rule hasn't been enforced very strictly in AFLW; there was a lot of scrambling for the ball on the deck that was risking legs, knees and necks that wasn't pulled up at all. Like the league more broadly though I expect it'll be much a much clearer, better, standard in a few years time.

Hope Downie is ok.

Pretty much agree with all of this.

I thought the same about us last week. We moved it from defence really well, we just had no finishing skills up front. Then the lions kicked a couple and we panicked a bit.

Once we got our game going and actually finished off some chances the other night, we looked miles better than pretty much any of the teams I've seen. Our run and gun was excellent. Our defence in the second half was the best I've seen out of any game. Brisbane's last night against Freo was also outstanding at times.

On HTB, they definitely have a lower threshold. The problem is (as with the men) though, that lower threshold leads to some umps seemingly randomly plucking out HTB decisions that leave you asking 'well if that one is, the 40 other no-calls were.' The instances of this happening will likely decline once handballing/bouncing/marking skills improve and the ball is on the ground less. I've got the feeling a few times during the different games that umpires are paying some frees purely to clear the ball if it's been a particularly scrappy bit.

I feel a bit for Daisy. Looks like she is playing with huge expectation on her shoulders. Don't get me wrong, she's great, but I feel like she is trying to do a bit too much at times. Like she thinks she's expected to or something. Reminds me a bit of Jones (for different reasons) early on in his career. Just took 2 steps too many every time he got the ball. It isn't as stark with Daisy, but it leads to kicks off her boot being smothered more often than not, as she tries to beat another player. She'll take her game to another level when she sorts that out.

 

[Canary]

I was at the Fremantle game yesterday afternoon and Brisbane's defence was stoic. To be fair, Fremantle's attack was rather ordinary - as was ours last Sunday. Against the more potent attacks (Carlton and Adelaide) I think Brisbane will run into some trouble but their defense had excellent positioning and it seemed they always had a swarm of players whenever the ball entered their defensive 50 and should account for Collingwood's Mo-centric attack. If we bring the intensity and decision making of the second half I think we should have the Bulldogs' measure on Saturday. If Downie is unavailable that will hurt (and I have no idea if we have a suitable replacement, but we will at least have Cranston back) but Patterson really stood up on Saturday and our defence in general was probably our most consistent line, so if we can get on top in the midfield battle and convert our opportunities it should be a good game.

 

[VitalDread]

I went down to the game on saturday night, rippa of a contest as a neutral supporter though i was in favor of Melbourne winning the game overall.
The skills from both sides has increase in such a short time, really glad the umps allow some holding the balls go since some of the players can't actually preform one under pressure which keeps the game going.
Love seeing daisy in the forward line, feel like she has that x factor to break away from her defender than be a beast in the midfield.

 

[VitalDread]

also you guys will lose both games on saturday fyi

 

[d33my]

Dogs - Dees in the AFLW might have some heat to it. Avenging the loss of last time etc.

NFI what to expect in the AFLM. Hard to believe it's this weekend actually.

 

[TheCount]

also you guys will lose both games on saturday fyi

This is where you lost me!

 

[Proper Gander]

If we win a double header do we get to count that as two in a row?

 

[VitalDread]

This is where you lost me!

sorry had to take off my casey glasses haha

 

[TheCount]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2017-02-14/downie-de-bortoli-out-for-season

Meg Downie and Stephanie De Bortoli done for the rest of the AFLW season.

Downie is out with a hamstring, which I thought at the time she'd done a 'string, but obviously went on to have a bit more of a pressing issue a second later.

 

[Canary]

 

[Proper Gander]

She looks good.

Looks as though she is related to Gus