AFLW Finals, Week 1 - 2021 AFLW season

[cmndstab]

Melbourne just stifled Freo in that last quarter. They're the team I'm most worried about as a Crows supporter, was really hoping to avoid them this finals series. They're in red hot form and play a perfect structure to stop the Crows free-running style.

What has happened to Freo? I was at 5he game live when they demolished the Crows, I really thought they were going to have a season like Adelaide did in 2019. Haven't looked near it since then.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Melbourne just stifled Freo in that last quarter. They're the team I'm most worried about as a Crows supporter, was really hoping to avoid them this finals series. They're in red hot form and play a perfect structure to stop the Crows free-running style.

What has happened to Freo? I was at 5he game live when they demolished the Crows, I really thought they were going to have a season like Adelaide did in 2019. Haven't looked near it since then.

We’ve been found out. The Lions came to Freo Oval in Round 5, but a spare defender behind the ball and just cut off our chaos ball game plan - every team since (apart from the Eagles in Rd 6) have copied this and we haven’t had a Plan B.

Teams that possess the ball and have cleaner skills have then picked us off through the middle of the ground.

The Demons goal in the third Quarter today was a prime example, one end to the other taking three contested marks in a chain. I don’t think we had three contested marks all day because we’re not a possession based team and it’s not our strength.

 

[cmndstab]

We’ve been found out. The Lions came to Freo Oval in Round 5, but a spare defender behind the ball and just cut off our chaos ball game plan - every team since (apart from the Eagles in Rd 6) have copied this and we haven’t had a Plan B.

I guess it goes to show how much the Crows missed Chelsea Randall that day, would have been nice to be able to throw her back. Every time Freo got the ball they seemed to find a target up forward.

Sucks for you guys that last year's season got called off, you were flying. Should still be around the mark next year.

 

[Dory_77]

I guess it goes to show how much the Crows missed Chelsea Randall that day, would have been nice to be able to throw her back. Every time Freo got the ball they seemed to find a target up forward.

Sucks for you guys that last year's season got called off, you were flying. Should still be around the mark next year.

Can see Freo in finals again definitely. When they're on they're very good and can score quickly. A little more polish with the ball would probably be handy.

 

[Purple_Turtle]

Think we really need to rethink our tactics over the offseason. They were good in 2020 but I think they got worked out and we didn't adapt.

Some of our better 2020 players also dropped fitness and form when the season was called off. Our forwardline was noticably less elite and our midfield less tough. They either need to rediscover their form or we need to replace them. (Morrison has played well in WAFL so that will put some pressure on in the forwardline. Reckon WC grab Franklin, so adding Rowley to the midfield will be promising.)

Missing out on chance to push for a flag in 2020 and not giving a solid account of ourselves again is a ******* shame.

 

[DFWGrapher]

I'm hoping I can catch the replay tomorrow but I like what I've been seeing with NMFC's comeback following it on Twitter. Usually it seems in the games I've watched, they start fast and crap out in the second or third before (hopefully) coming back in the fourth.

Hopefully this isn't setting up for an incredibly disappointing fourth...

 

[parano1a]

Great comeback win by the Pies.

 

[DFWGrapher]

Hopefully this isn't setting up for an incredibly disappointing fourth...

Well... that aged nicely.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Haven't had a chance to get a good look at either game yet, too busy chasing around future AFLW stars this arvo, but from what I saw it seemed like North's Russian Roulette tactics for Brianna Davey didn't change from the last time. The possibility that she wouldn't be more closely monitored didn't even occur to me!

So that gives us Brisbane v Collingwood at Hickey Park, I guess it was meant to be after all (venue is speculation on my part, though I've got a feeling it'll all work out). And Adelaide v Melbourne at Norwood Oval (I'd rather AO but, again, just a hunch the AFL won't go big until the GF)?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Haven't had a chance to get a good look at either game yet, too busy chasing around future AFLW stars this arvo, but from what I saw it seemed like North's Russian Roulette tactics for Brianna Davey didn't change from the last time. The possibility that she wouldn't be more closely monitored didn't even occur to me!

So that gives us Brisbane v Collingwood at Hickey Park, I guess it was meant to be after all (venue is speculation on my part, though I've got a feeling it'll all work out). And Adelaide v Melbourne at Norwood Oval (I'd rather AO but, again, just a hunch the AFL won't go big until the GF)?

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womens.afl

Turns out no, Adelaide Oval and the Gabba it is, making today's scheduling even more vexing!

 

[Teen Wolf]

Fremantle's arm-and-hammer formula, born of too many not-particularly-bright players who know no other way, fell short against smarter battle-hardened teams. They need an instant impact player at the source to cut through those sleepy starts with the rapier, rather than purely relying on Bowers to grind down the opposition over time.

Duffy is that player, I've suspected for a while, but it became clear a Hanksesque leap wasn't going to happen anytime soon when she rolled up with a frame 5-10kgs heavier than last year's.



The game at Victoria Park was the best AFLW final in the league's five-year history, and therefore the most essential display of women's footy there's ever been. Wayyy better than the Melbourne-North game a couple months ago, wherein lazy defence was punished but not to the extent it deserved.

And what did the last two goals of today's game come down to: outnumbered Molloy crashing the packs, plus the near-enough-is-good-enough efforts of Hardiman-Randall-Wright exposed down back with disastrous consequences.

 

[north_lad]

Fremantle's arm-and-hammer formula, born of too many not-particularly-bright players who know no other way, fell short against smarter battle-hardened teams. They need an instant impact player at the source to cut through those sleepy starts with the rapier, rather than purely relying on Bowers to grind down the opposition over time.

Duffy is that player, I've suspected for a while, but it became clear a Hanksesque leap wasn't going to happen anytime soon when she rolled up with a frame 5-10kgs heavier than last year's.



The game at Victoria Park was the best AFLW final in the league's five-year history, and therefore the most essential display of women's footy there's ever been. Wayyy better than the Melbourne-North game a couple months ago, wherein lazy defence was punished but not to the extent it deserved.

And what did the last two goals of today's game come down to: outnumbered Molloy crashing the packs, plus the near-enough-is-good-enough efforts of Hardiman-Randall-Wright exposed down back with disastrous consequences.

Was a fantastic game, agreed. Well done to the Pies.