Game Day AFLW Elimination Final W1, 2025: West Coast vs Carlton Again!

[FKASC]

Snowvember

Not even the free scarf is helping rn

 

[Ochre]

Thought Riggsy was a huge positive out of that game. Didn't always get it right but I loved how much she takes it on.

Wonder if the answer to McGrath v Lakay going forward is actually Lakfer + Riggs

 

[UseR2006]

Just for context on how wet it was out there

Ill do a write up once home.
Scoreline doesn't reflect the effort.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

Proud of this team. Excited for next season

 

[Livin1989]

Just for context on how wet it was out thereView attachment 2472773

Ill do a write up once home.
Scoreline doesn't reflect the effort.

Very much looking forward to it mate. No matter the outcome I am certainly not peeved at our effort, we gave it our all. The green shoots are green indeed and I am filled with pride regardless next year is going to be fun

 

[HoneyBadger35]

A phenomenal game from Roux, a finals tone setting effort. It’s been a joy to watch her discover life down back this season.

Set and forget starting defender for the rest of time, adds such an element of physicality and a seriously old school “I may die doing this, but as long as you don’t get the footy, I win” mentality.

Given we surely want more midfield stints from Rentsch as we progress, having another physicality animal back there is gold.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

A phenomenal game from Roux, a finals tone setting effort. It’s been a joy to watch her discover life down back this season.

Set and forget starting defender for the rest of time, adds such an element of physicality and a seriously old school “I may die doing this, but as long as you don’t get the footy, I win” mentality.

Given we surely want more midfield stints from Rentsch as we progress, having another physicality animal back there is gold.

Schilling going down led to us using Roux and Cleaver down back for exceptional results. Roux should never go forward ever again, she's a rough as guts backman now.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Also if Antonio is keen to go again, I’d be bringing her in. The list spots that were tied up with Hosking, then the mid season disappearance of Drennan, plus the SMac preseason (perhaps we replaced her, I’m not sure?).

There should be empty list spots for a seriously experienced player who might only have one year left but can hopefully add some serious intelligence and coach up the young group. I think we’d be silly not to, in game impact a bonus.

Antonio might not cost us anything if Fremantle are going to drop her anyway, I'd be happy to have her in for a season or two more. Quality player. But then, if it cost us even a late pick, I'd rather take a shot at Alira Fotu, who's a local crazy talent, but isn't high on anyone's list because she's committed to the Lynx, and her footy's suffered because of it. Maybe we can get her to change her mind - Conti was 'basketball first' when she started too. The upside if we pulled that off would be ridiculous, while Antonio's contribution will be marginal.

Gotta make decisions on SMac, Drennan - good players, but there's only 30 spots and it's getting tight. Can't afford to have spots consumed with players who aren't doing anything. Hosking, obviously, then Hooker's gone... four free spots right there, wouldn't surprise me if there's a few more.

I'm a little worried that the player we should REALLY be after in the draft will be just out of our reach - Scarlett Johnson or Maggie Johnston, RookieMe has them at 13 and 15, but it's deceptive because there's four players above them who'll all go to Gold Coast. So in reality, if RookeMe's right, they'd effectively be going at 10 and 12, and there's lots of teams who'd love to have them. Be nice to see if we can trade a few spots higher, to make sure we get one of them.

Here's SJ - she could play wing AND help Rentsch in defence, allowing Rentsch to go into the midfield more. SJ's another level to the Britton/Bushby/Westerns, as you can see.

 

[JADED]

North likely to win it all,
but can you imagine a run to the grand final from where we were?

Away to Carlton @ Ikon
Away to Hawks @ Ikon
Then either away to Brisbane or back to Melb.
Then Melb for the 4th week running to get pumped by North in the grand final.

Finals series would be like another seasons worth of travel alone.

 

[UseR2006]

Ok Review time.

Positives:

• Being a part of the Guard of Honour as the girls ran out was a really cool experience. Highly recommend, maybe not when it's pissing down with rain though
• Effort was 100% Girls went hard and couldn't fault their effort for the match.
• Ella Roberts is a damn machine. That girl is going to win multiple Brownlow's (or the AFLW equivalent).
• Just making finals after the Prior shitshow is incredible and I'm super proud of this team.
• Roux launching herself like a weapon at Dursma.
• Daisys post match presser. Full of hope and joy while acknowledging the faults and where we need to improve. She is a godsend for this club and they need to lock her away with a new deal immediately.

Things to work on:

• The way the girls approach a loose ball needs to be addressed. Often times they'll slow up and stop/fumble the ball which gives the oppo time to shut them down. Was happening over and over again. I don't think it's nerves but it occurs way to often in the dry and it's every time in the wet.
• Handballing, Missed handballs, making poor decisions on when to handball, trying to do long handballs in the wet with a heavy ball instead of a kick. Just a truck load of handballing work needs to be done in the offseason.
• Keeping feet at the contest, we get pushed off the ball way too easily at the moment.

Negatives:

• The torrential rain - It can F right off.
• The umpires - Holy Shit was it bad. Live the crowd were utterly staggered and giving the umps hell from the stands, even blues supporters were shocked at how appalling the umpiring was. the standard for AFLW is not good but today they dug a hole 6ft deep and put the umpiring in it. That first Qtr alone should have had AFL house calling up the umpiring dept to be like "WTF is this". Multiple times there was a HtB call where the player had disposed of the ball correctly with a kick or handball and had been called. There was a Lasso kick on the wing that was just completely missed despite 2 umpires watching the ball go out. Too many errors to even count.

• B Smith Hammy, such a shame for them to go down early in the day.
• IKON Park. Ehhhh, Kinda Shit? Was easy to get to, Even undercover there is little protection from the rain.
• Cheersquad putting the banner up too early in the wind and it getting shredded pre-match.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Ella Roberts with 30 disposals and a goal did well. Not sure she had many teammates who put in a similar effort

 

[bUCKET__]

positives

• Ella obviously
• Lu getting back out and contributing well, heart in mouth seeing her getting assessed
• Daggers is such a gem. Unexpected favourite player for me. In our best today, was very clean and got separation a few times.
• The effort was there, hunted hard when we didn't have the ball. Tackled well and really shouldve been rewarded more when the ball was just thrown out by Blues players.
• We almost matched them in i50s, suprisingly. Outside the third quarter we were up to the standard.
• I just like seeing Gibbo flying the flag. She's a campaigner but she's our campaigner.
• Our best players again so young. So exciting for the future.

negatives

• The defensive group had a really poor game. Goals came from missed tackles, ball watching, being out-marked in slippery conditions, and most damning letting the ball pop out the back far too often. Zakfer, Cleaver and Roux have had good seasons, but they'll be disappointed.
• We had no answer for the clearance dominance again. Carlton have a good young core, but would've liked to see more from Bella who was quiet.
• Agree with others that our hesitation over the ball and skill in the wet (or even when the pressure is up, more generally) is a big area of improvement.
• Beaten on the outside and on the spread. We've seen good teams move the ball against us easily this year, which is papered over a bit when the defence have been solid.

Lots of learning to be had here, proud of the girls for their season

 

[Sausageman]

Positives- Ella outstanding! Tackling pressure from the whole side. Great cameos from Britton, Daggers and Riggsy.

Negatives- I think we under utilised Wakfer in the ruck. Way too fumbly from most the team (been an issue all year), especially key playmakers like Rensch and Bella. Didn’t get much out of Cleaver.

Overall very proud of the girls and can’t wait for off-season changes and 2026 season!

 

[jatz14]

North likely to win it all,
but can you imagine a run to the grand final from where we were?

Away to Carlton @ Ikon
Away to Hawks @ Ikon
Then either away to Brisbane or back to Melb.
Then Melb for the 4th week running to get pumped by North in the grand final.

Finals series would be like another seasons worth of travel alone.

Honestly think we would have beaten Hawthorn.