Women's Footy Crows AFLW Season 2023 Pre Season Discussion

[Firewalker]

I'm sure Jones can play forward but she seems so useful on the wing. I guess we need forward targets.

I think why I’ve been such a proponent of the move even from last season was even though she was a very good winger, she did help the defence a lot by tracking back and provided a good target for the outlet kick but given the contested nature of a lot of the games she was just being wasted there. Can also point to the trend in the game that’s probably developed a bit more of a prevalence in the women’s game of needing to have your most talented/natural footballers ahead of the ball, same reason why the Randall move last season was a good one.

It’s probably also happened now as Clarke knows that forward line has lost 2 of its 3 most naturally talented forward players in Phillips and Saint née Woodland in the last 12 months, so he desperately needs more talent in that part of the ground. Quite intriguing though that the Jones/Thompson wing partnership was a strong reason for the Premiership run in 2022 1.0 but now both players have been moved from the that position.

 

[cmndstab]

I'm still a proponent of playing Randall in the backlines. She's great anywhere she goes, of course, but she can completely stifle a quality forward and most sides only have one or two of them. Between her, Biddell and Allan we should be able to stop most forward lines from kicking any kind of decent score.

Still, all three of our premierships have been won with very difficult gamestyles. From the bullocking, contested style of scramble the ball forwards at all costs in 2017, to the isolate Phillips or Scheer in the forward line and then have Thompson and Ponter running back into space towards goal in 2019, to the full-on defensive style of 2022. I guess it's not beyond the realm of possibility to reinvent ourselves again.

Edit: Apropos of nothing, here's a random trivia question for you. From our three premierships there is only one guernsey number which has been worn in all three grand finals but each time by a different player. Which one is it? No cheating!

 

[radiojake]

Edit: Apropos of nothing, here's a random trivia question for you. From our three premierships there is only one guernsey number which has been worn in all three grand finals but each time by a different player. Which one is it? No cheating!

I had the 2017 and 2022 players - totally had to cheat and there is no way i would have remembered the 2019 player

won't spoil it for others yet

 

[Firewalker]

Edit: Apropos of nothing, here's a random trivia question for you. From our three premierships there is only one guernsey number which has been worn in all three grand finals but each time by a different player. Which one is it? No cheating!

Bit easy for some… Redgum

I had the 2017 and 2022 players - totally had to cheat and there is no way i would have remembered the 2019 player

won't spoil it for others yet

I remember seeing her tie for the Ammos best and fairest with Scheer when the wraps of an up and coming teenage phenom Chloe Scheer were hugely prominent and thought she must be one very good player as well…

Then thought she was going to start the trend of all the SA players moving to Victoria instead of playing for the Crows, was solid for that year but always thought she played like she didn’t really want to play at that level.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I made my guess, checked. Nup, different players wore it in 2017 and 19, but the new person in that guernsey didn't play in the GF in 2022

Then as I'm cheating to find out the answer, for half a second I was about to say, no, that's the same player, she just got married. But then I found the answer.

Intersting - Across all 5 premierships (mens and womens) - 6 numbers have appeared in all the games. #5, 10, 13, 14, 23 and 26 (Which was worn by the captain in all 5 games)

Maybe we should create a tradition where the captain wears #26

 

[Firewalker]

So did the AFL in their infinite wisdom when they scheduled the Crows home games at Unley just expect the ground to not be like this?




Surely they get moved somewhere else, where is the question? The Parade is in not much better shape, preference just facility wise would be Richmond Oval or Glenelg.

Absolute shambles, firstly from the AFL but also the Crows not having a ground and not having one for at least another 3/4 seasons of AFLW.

 

[brucetiki]

So did the AFL in their infinite wisdom when they scheduled the Crows home games at Unley just expect the ground to not be like this?

View attachment 1780213
View attachment 1780214

Surely they get moved somewhere else, where is the question? The Parade is in not much better shape, preference just facility wise would be Richmond Oval or Glenelg.

Absolute shambles, firstly from the AFL but also the Crows not having a ground and not having one for at least another 3/4 seasons of AFLW.

Some rumours circling around that all our games will now be at Norwood this season due to the state of Unley.

The state of Unley has been a semi-regular problem since Sturt starting playing matches there again in the late 90’s.

Sturt aren’t even training there at the moment.

 

[cmndstab]

After careful consideration, I have concluded that the most sensible compensation the AFL should provide us for having robbed our men's team of playing finals this year would be to give us the #1 draft pick in the AFLW this year

 

[brucetiki]

After careful consideration, I have concluded that the most sensible compensation the AFL should provide us for having robbed our men's team of playing finals this year would be to give us the #1 draft pick in the AFLW this year

I second this motion

 

[cmndstab]

Sarah Black's top 30 players are finished up. Marinoff at #3 and Hatchard at #4 are the only Crows in the top 20 (Biddell at 23, Randall at 25).

There's also a short write-up about the practice match against Geelong: AFLW Practice Match: Five Key Takeaways

Doesn't say all that much. Clarke highlight Charlton and Hatchard as being very good in the midfield (and Marinoff as being "pretty good"). He liked Jess Allan and Bonner's games. Niamh Kelly expected to be available for round 1.


Finally, the usual captains voting on the outcome of the season thing has happened too: Captains back Demons to win back-to-back flags

Although in our case it wasn't really a captain voting since apparently it was Sarah Allan?

2 captains picked the Crows to make the grand final (14 of them picked Melbourne)

2 picked Hatchard to win the league B&F

No Crows players tipped by anyone to lead the goalkicking.

One captain nominated Sarah Goodwin to win the rising star.

One captain nominated Ponter as the player they would most like to recruit from another AFLW club.

 

[dplggr47]

Sarah Black's top 30 players are finished up. Marinoff at #3 and Hatchard at #4 are the only Crows in the top 20 (Biddell at 23, Randall at 25).

There's also a short write-up about the practice match against Geelong: AFLW Practice Match: Five Key Takeaways

Doesn't say all that much. Clarke highlight Charlton and Hatchard as being very good in the midfield (and Marinoff as being "pretty good"). He liked Jess Allan and Bonner's games. Niamh Kelly expected to be available for round 1.


Finally, the usual captains voting on the outcome of the season thing has happened too: Captains back Demons to win back-to-back flags

Although in our case it wasn't really a captain voting since apparently it was Sarah Allan?

2 captains picked the Crows to make the grand final (14 of them picked Melbourne)

2 picked Hatchard to win the league B&F

No Crows players tipped by anyone to lead the goalkicking.

One captain nominated Sarah Goodwin to win the rising star.

One captain nominated Ponter as the player they would most like to recruit from another AFLW club.

Sarah Allan is incredibly underated by the league. She's one of our most important players.
Until Hatchy's disposal improves, I can't see her winning league BF.

Ponter is one of our most natural footballers. Absolute X-factor and can kick goals from anywhere.

 

[craig crowing]

Sarah Allan is incredibly underated by the league. She's one of our most important players.
Until Hatchy's disposal improves, I can't see her winning league BF.

Ponter is one of our most natural footballers. Absolute X-factor and can kick goals from anywhere.

I agree at the end of last year her kicking was abysmal and really was just a average player .
For Crows to be near top again they need Hatchard back to near best.
I agree re Sarah Allan is one of our top 5 best and don't know of any other defensive player in league better than her.

 

[jenny61_99]

As an aside. Crows AFLW membership pack arrived today. Wasn’t expecting anything to be honest. Not sure the Beanie or thermos is going to get used up here! . A balmy 29 degrees today.

 

[Firewalker]

Sarah Allan is incredibly underated by the league. She's one of our most important players.
Until Hatchy's disposal improves, I can't see her winning league BF.

Ponter is one of our most natural footballers. Absolute X-factor and can kick goals from anywhere.

Wasn’t that surprising Sarah Allan wasn’t in that Top 30 as it was based on 2022 2.0 and by her lofty standard she was pretty indicative of the team and her overall output was pretty up and down.

Speaking of S.Allan though will be interesting when they release that injury report, if she’s missing from round 1 it makes Port’s task easier. They’re no pushover this year and have some really good players on every line this year. Clarke would want to avoid an ambush in round 1 to avoid playing catch-up.

 

[Rankine2Rachele]

As an aside. Crows AFLW membership pack arrived today. Wasn’t expecting anything to be honest. Not sure the Beanie or thermos is going to get used up here! . A balmy 29 degrees today.View attachment 1783421

My pack arrived yesterday too. I'm not using it as a thermos though. I removed the strainer insert and I'm just using it for my smoothies at the moment.

 

[Scorpus]

Sarah Allan out for 8 weeks with a hamstring

 

[jenny61_99]

Sarah Allan out for 8 weeks with a hamstring

I just posted this accidentally on the main board.

 

[Firewalker]

Sarah Allan out for 8 weeks with a hamstring

AFLW Injury Update: Sarah Allan

Tank for Lauren Young?

That’s easily a season ending before it’s already began hammer blow given the hole it leaves, 8 week hamstrings can easily stretch out to 10 depending on rehab period + getting back ready to actually play and that’s pretty much the season.

Just know Clarke’s solution is going to be to move Randall back and the weakening domino effect of that is he’ll bring in Whiteley up forward. I do not get his preference to always go back to Whiteley she just showed in the Geelong practice game she just clogs up space in that forward 50 which hampers every other forward’s movement/leading patterns and stifles how her teammates have obviously been drilled over preseason to hit up more lead up targets.

 

[cmndstab]

That sucks, Allan is super important. Fingers crossed she can make it back late in the season when we have our stretch if difficult/important games.

Randall back I have no issue with, in fact it's my preference. Whiteley up forward, not so much. We've got Ponter, Gould, Bonner, Kelly, Jones, Munyard and Jess Allan who have all shown some signs up forward. Whiteley should only be a break glass option for one of the KPFs.

 

[dplggr47]

AFLW Injury Update: Sarah Allan

Tank for Lauren Young?

That’s easily a season ending before it’s already began hammer blow given the hole it leaves, 8 week hamstrings can easily stretch out to 10 depending on rehab period + getting back ready to actually play and that’s pretty much the season.

Just know Clarke’s solution is going to be to move Randall back and the weakening domino effect of that is he’ll bring in Whiteley up forward. I do not get his preference to always go back to Whiteley she just showed in the Geelong practice game she just clogs up space in that forward 50 which hampers every other forward’s movement/leading patterns and stifles how her teammates have obviously been drilled over preseason to hit up more lead up targets.

Whiteley won't make the starting lineup. Do we have anyone else that can replace Allan? How will this affect Biddell? and Randall?

 

[Firewalker]

Whiteley won't make the starting lineup. Do we have anyone else that can replace Allan? How will this affect Biddell? and Randall?

Dare say most who follow the team including myself all think that yet she’s played the fair majority of games when available at AFLW level, especially in 2022.

She’s old reliable for Clarke, even saw it on the weekend when Allan went out and Whiteley came in from the emergency list but ended up coming in and playing the majority of the game. He basically plays her as a professional ‘catcher’, he knows she can hold a grab from a sloppy bail out kick into the 50 whereas others who’ve played or been tried forward haven’t shown much ability to.

 

[cmndstab]

Dare say most who follow the team including myself all think that yet she’s played the fair majority of games when available at AFLW level, especially in 2022.

She’s old reliable for Clarke, even saw it on the weekend when Allan went out and Whiteley came in from the emergency list but ended up coming in and playing the majority of the game. He basically plays her as a professional ‘catcher’, he knows she can hold a grab from a sloppy bail out kick into the 50 whereas others who’ve played or been tried forward haven’t shown much ability to.

This is the one thing she is good at, leading out and clunking a mark. It's the role we were using Phillips in up forward in her last few years here, lead out and take a mark around the 50m.

However, Phillips had a knack for then finding a target deep inside 50, or occasionally getting a miracle goal, whereas Whiteley generally just kicks it and hopes.

Whiteley won't make the starting lineup. Do we have anyone else that can replace Allan? How will this affect Biddell? and Randall?

Biddell and Allan play almost identical roles, so presumably Biddell will continue that. Prowse showed some ability in a KPD role last season, I guess she will continue doing that. Randall can mind a certain kind of player, but is more useful playing loose.

We're in somewhat unfamiliar territory because last season they were also using Rajcic as an undersized KPD at points. So whatever they choose to do will be a new lineup compared to previous seasons.

I think all that will happen is that instead of Allan/Biddell/Prowse as KPDs, it will be Biddell/Prowse with Randall either playing on a player or playing loose depending on the opposition. Randall moving back opens up a spot up forward which, as Firewalker says, will most likely be filled by Whiteley, but could potentially be filled by any number of other options.

There is an outside chance they go with Biddell/Prowse/McKinnon as KPDs, but I doubt it.

Edit: I always forget how tall Najwa Allen is - same height as Prowse! I don't think they'll use her in that role, though.

There is also the other outside option of them bringing in Amber Ward, but I don't particularly like that idea. She was drowning in the few games she played last year in defence.

 

[cmndstab]

This is how I think they will line up.

B: Biddell, Prowse
HB: Allen, Randall, Mueller
C: Thompson, Charlton, Newman
HF: Jones, Whiteley, Bonner
FF: Gould, Ponter
R: J. Allan, Marinoff, Hatchard
INT: McKinnon, Martin, Kelly, two of Ballard/Kustermann/Tonon/Waterhouse/Goodwin (the other three as emergencies)

 

[cmndstab]

Given that we're obviously not going to get Young (yet!), are we any chance of getting Rasheed? We probably need to target a forward and she's the only other SA girl named up forward from that team.

Failing that, we might aim for a midfielder such as Boileau? I'm assuming Port will take Goody before we can get her.


Edit: Speaking of the draft, was there ever an announcement about any compensation for us losing Saint (nee Woodland)? I'm assuming we just don't get any compensation.

 

[Firewalker]

Given that we're obviously not going to get Young (yet!), are we any chance of getting Rasheed? We probably need to target a forward and she's the only other SA girl named up forward from that team.

Failing that, we might aim for a midfielder such as Boileau? I'm assuming Port will take Goody before we can get her.

Went through the most likely scenarios in my ridiculously early 2024 draft preview a few pages ago…

Funny how a high quality tall key forward again is not amongst the top SA draft prospects (I know Lauren Young is playing that role at the moment but it’s only due to circumstances), SA not being able to produce top quality key position players in the recent past an issue reflected on both the Crows & Port lists.

Poppy Scholz has previously played forward but now has found her niche as mobile tall defender, her and Riggs are the State’s best key position sized prospects for a long time but both are defenders and not eligible till 2025, U/18s ruck Jacinda Schunselaar is one that I think can maybe be thrown forward at 180cm but given it’s just a plethora of midfielders available trying to manufacture a key forward (that isn’t a 35 year old from Ireland) will either be someone already on the list (Gould/Prowse) or they go looking interstate again given they don’t rate mature SA talent.

If the draft was tomorrow this is how I’d think it would play out;
Draft
1st round: Port - Young, Crows - Goody
2nd round Port - Grigg, Crows - Window
3rd round Port - Brooksby

Then you throw a blanket over Boileau and Schunselaar for who takes that last spot or it will be some random Victorian that’s been recommended to Phil Harper over the phone again.

Given the club will almost certainly miss out on Lauren Young unless they trade someone good out to somehow jump in front of Port’s pick (even then the AFL will just give her to them) they’ll need to do everything the following year to get India Rasheed who’s just as special talent, the irony of a big Crows fan in Young playing for Port and the daughter of Rodger Rasheed playing for the Crows would be an interesting dynamic.

Still think Crows get Goody but strange things can happen, Crows have a poor year and Port jump up as I expect them to do and the Crows could get Lauren Young…

Agree re Rasheed without any major injuries like Young had (knock on wood) is shaping up to be a better prospect then Young, has way more natural talent.

Edit: Speaking of the draft, was there ever an announcement about any compensation for us losing Saint (nee Woodland)? I'm assuming we just don't get any compensation.

There was an announcement that all compensation picks will be held over and distributed for the 2024 draft ahead of Season 9: AFLW: 2023 Sign and Trade Period dates released

“The AFLW's list committee will determine any relevant compensation, which could include draft picks ahead of AFLW Season Nine in 2024.”

So they’ll probably get something, I’d really be leaning heavily on the whole loosing leading goal kicker+premiership player stuff.