Women's Footy AFLW Fremantle - 2020 #1 Team - Season Cancelled

Square Peg

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Webb was sensational - she is the Brad Hill of the women's team, arguably with better disposal :))) and better defensively (relatively of course). Made a massive difference imo. Her ability to close down space when the opposition had the ball was huge, and some of her kicking was unreal.

Hooker was probably BOG though. She was everywhere. Made a few disposal errors that led to turnovers but she more than made up for them. Donnellan wasn't as visible but she was still very important in winning the ball and keeping the opposition accountable - as someone else mentioned she takes control when she has to - seems a bit of a yard stick for the team.

Miller played a great game too. Her line breaking speed is useful and thought she was good last week as well but can't remember her making any mistakes today.

Does anyone know how many intercept marks Antonio took? She was reading the ball very well in the backline and credit to her teammates for being more accountable and allowing her to do that.

The forward line is starting to work better. I'd probably single out Caulfield as the one that I noticed the most. Great pressure, looked fast and agile, and always looked dangerous when the ball was around. Some of the goal kicking by our players was excellent today. Barr took some great marks, Lavell presented well and provided some strong leadership up forward.

Am in two minds about Filocamo. Thought she made a few too many mistakes but also thought she did some good hard work inside that we needed. If Green was playing I'm not sure we'd need her though. Is she fit enough? So the original selections were probably bang on imo. Feel a bit similarly about Cain. She did some good things today but can also make some silly decisions at times.

I think Houghton made a difference also. I didn't notice her as much as some key games last season but she did some pretty amazing things still - in one passage her athleticism to move the ball forward was sensational. Think Janz deserves some credit as well - she rucked well but more importantly put her body on the line for some great smothers and tackles. When your ruck is doing those things it's hard for the other players to have valid excuses why they weren't.

Liked the work of Mascall - she seems to be building well. Williams was solid and is quality. Gooch was great at times. Atkins and Sharp did some good work but didn't stand out to me. Also didn't notice Smith, Davidson, O'Sullivan and White much but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Spoke to Bowers very briefly before the game. She says she's a couple of weeks away hopefully. Hooker, Donnellan and Bowers with Miller and Webb on the outside seems a good midfield to build around.

Overall an almost four quarter effort from the team and they controlled the game for the vast majority and deserved the win. Collingwood really only got a look in at all due to some silly decision making. So glad they put in the effort and got the reward. Hopefully they can take some of that confidence in to next week's game.

I have to disagree about Filocamo. After the first ten minutes, she hardly made any mistakes, I thought she was a beast.
Like many here it was my first look at the stadium and I thought it was impressive without being blown away.
It was my first and last ever Alby, what a crap beer.
 

Scham

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Went with the family today, had a great time

New stadium
The sun seemed like it may be a problem, there were a few blocks in direct sun that were almost entirely vacant for the whole day and from where I was sitting in block 305 the sun was in my eyes in the 4th quarter, would advise a hat and maybe sunglasses if I were to sit there again.
I don't know what the wind was like at ground level but from where I was it was swirling quite a bit and reasonably strongly.
Overall I thought the stadium was awesome and the public transport was better than my (admittedly slightly low) expectations.

Football
I thought for the first half of the first quarter we seemed really flat and uninterested, Collingwood were beating us purely by getting numbers to the fall of the ball, this was incredibly effective given very few marks were being taken early in the match. Freo then lifted and played superbly by comparison, outworking and outskilling Collingwood for the most part. I wasn't entirely sure of all the players names or able to identify them from the distance but generally our backs took some very good marks, Donellan did so when Collingwood were surging in the last. A couple of the backs were a bit slow to move the ball on when options were there and there were some shocking turnovers, but hopefully they will be ironed out with a bit more time. The mids and forwards were consistently giving effort, Filocamo seems less fit than her teammates but always put her body on the line and did a great job when the tough work needed to be done. Antonio was very good and Miller I think was also good, but should've run in further or passed off that shot on goal.

Womens football (umpiring rant)
The standard of the players has definitely lifted from last year (I saw every game in Perth last year) and the atmosphere was really good as well. However, and for mine this is a big however, the umpiring if anything was worse than last season. The umpires were very reluctant to call anything but the most obvious of holding the ball decisions. I don't mind a free flowing game without interference from the umpires, but when it comes to player safety it becomes a lot more significant. I saw multiple instances of what I would expect in the Men's competition to be called high contact, soccering in danger, tunnelling and a couple of tummy punches. Instances of all of these happened in full view of the umpires and they were all waved on. A friend of mine said he knows the umpires and said that they are generally WAFL reserve level umpires, if this is true, given I have no real way of confirming easily then I feel like this is incredibly insulting to the women and is indicative of how seriously the AFL take the competition given the 'premier' umpires have been umpiring intraclub matches for the mens teams etc. instead. The way the game was being umpired felt like a real issue for player safety and the only way it will be stopped is if the umpires are capable.

Overall I really enjoyed the game and the experience, it was good to see some footy again and good to see the dockers jumper out on a footy field again

One of the umps was the premier WAFL umpire.
 

Granny Val

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OMG - dream couple! :rainbow:eyes:


BTW today:

5: Hooker
4: Antonio
3: Webb (best kick in the team for accuracy and distance).
2. O'Sullivan
1. Miller (should've given off but got a bit over-excited and then missed).
Yes, agree on all of those. O'Sullivan did some great work and I didn't see her in best players list.

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Cowboy Neale

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Just to add, I thought the last touch out of bounds thing worked well and being a shorter game than the men's was quite good too. I think the men's is a bit long (much as I love my football).

I totally agree with your sentiments here - every other game gives the ball to opposition if you touched it last and it would stop so much rucking and mauling at throw ins. Also game is too long for the blokes, quarters were regularly 34/35 minutes last year. Too long!!
 

Fyfster

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Just to add, I thought the last touch out of bounds thing worked well and being a shorter game than the men's was quite good too. I think the men's is a bit long (much as I love my football).
Worked better yesterday than in the first game against the Bullies , The wider ground i suspect , On the shorter game in the men's , I could not disagree more , The absolute last rule change i would like to see.
 

Granny Val

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Yes, agree on all of those. O'Sullivan did some great work and I didn't see her in best players list.

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Our experience was totally positive. Caught train from Rockingham at 1.59pm and there were still plenty of seats. Experimented with the Leederville /Stadium switch rather than swapping at Perth because I am on crutches.

Felt a bit of a fool because we had encouraged a very large indigenous family to do the same, and guess what, the Leederville train took us directly back to Perth Station! Everyone was very kind and as our new best friends said, we would only have been sitting around in the sun waiting for the gates to open if we hadn't experimented with Leederville anyway.

Consequently, we did the change at Perth Station and it was easy using the lifts and escalators. I had initially felt a little anxious as to how I would manage.

On arrival at the Stadium Station, again the lifts and escalators did the job. Same going home, but we left late.

Inside the stadium, hubby and I separated because I was off to a Sirens event on the Platinum Terrace on Level 2. There we were provided with champagne and were able to watch the game from padded seats! Note, light plastic champagne glasses require close watching in the cup holders! Still, I loved the novelty of them.

Now to the game! Am always surprised to see the girls tackle, but at the same time, I absolutely loved it. The ferocity, and the non-shying away from the hard contests, as well as what appeared to be an intent to keep kicking towards goals, no matter what, was a highlight for me.

Players who stood out... Just going through the list and there are so many I want to mention! Atkins, O'Sullivan, Cain, Mascall, Sharp and Davidson haven't been mentioned much before, but I remember them because I had to keep checking their names from the numbers I had on my handy little cheat list, so they must have done some reasonable stuff. And of course Antonio, Hooker, Caulfield, Barr, Miller, Gooch, Lavell and Webb were all so good. Jantz tried hard in the ruck. Loved Filocamo's niggle. McGuire may not have been on ground so much as I only noticed her in the last quarter. Perhaps too much champagne. Am so sorry if I missed anyone.

After the game, we were invited to the Riverside Room to greet the players and wow oh wow! That gigantic room is amazing! Plush carpets and views to die for. More seating than Billy Walker Room too, although I was happy to hobble around. Hubby had cut off my champagne supply, which on reflection was a good move. Dale Alcock (first time I have heard him) and Steve Rosich spoke. Michelle Cowan spoke so well. She always does. Players seemed subdued which was interesting. Maybe exhausted! I was happy to get selfies with Barr, Miller and Cowan. Easy trip back to Rockingham using lifts /escalators as crowd had dispersed. Will definitely be at Fremantle next Sunday to watch the Melbourne game.

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Last edited:

wayToGo_

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Oct 24, 2015
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I have to disagree about Filocamo. After the first ten minutes, she hardly made any mistakes, I thought she was a beast.
Like many here it was my first look at the stadium and I thought it was impressive without being blown away.
It was my first and last ever Alby, what a crap beer.
Fair enough. Like I said I am in two minds. Like her in congestion but thought she struggled on the spread. That time Lavell got caught running into goal if she was fitter and provided overlap it may have ended better. Once Bowers comes back in it will be interesting to see who goes where. Can Filocamo play anywhere other than inside mid?
 
Worked better yesterday than in the first game against the Bullies , The wider ground i suspect , On the shorter game in the men's , I could not disagree more , The absolute last rule change i would like to see.
I don't mind it as long as it isn't within the fifty arcs. It makes it too easy to defend when you know the opposition will only kick inside fifty right up the guts, unable to risk a kick to the pocket or flanks in case they miss and it becomes a turnover.
 

Fyfster

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Our experience was totally positive. Caught train from Rockingham at 1.59pm and there were still plenty of seats. Experimented with the Leederville /Stadium switch rather than swapping at Perth because I am on crutches.

Felt a bit of a fool because we had encouraged a very large indigenous family to do the same, and guess what, the Leederville train took us directly back to Perth Station! Everyone was very kind and as our new best friends said, we would only have been sitting around in the sun waiting for the gates to open if we hadn't experimented with Leederville anyway.

Consequently, we did the change at Perth Station and it was easy using the lifts and escalators. I had initially felt a little anxious as to how I would manage.

On arrival at the Stadium Station, again the lifts and escalators did the job. Same going home, but we left late.

Inside the stadium, hubby and I separated because I was off to a Sirens event on the Platinum Terrace on Level 2. There we were provided with champagne and were able to watch the game from padded seats! Note, light plastic champagne glasses require close watching in the cup holders! Still, I loved the novelty of them.

Now to the game! Am always surprised to see the girls tackle, but at the same time, I absolutely loved it. The ferocity, and the non-shying away from the hard contests, as well as what appeared to be an intent to keep kicking towards goals, no matter what, was a highlight for me.

Players who stood out... Just going through the list and there are so many I want to mention! Atkins, O'Sullivan, Cain, Mascall, Sharp and Davidson haven't been mentioned much before, but I remember them because I had to keep checking their names from the numbers I had on my handy little cheat list, so they must have done some reasonable stuff. And of course Antonio, Hooker, Caulfield, Barr, Miller, Gooch, Lavell and Webb were all so good. Jantz tried hard in the ruck. Loved Filocamo's niggle. McGuire may not have been on ground so much as I only noticed her in the last quarter. Perhaps too much champagne. Am so sorry if I missed anyone.

After the game, we were invited to the Riverside Room to greet the players and wow oh wow! That gigantic room is amazing! Plush carpets and views to die for. More seating than Billy Walker Room too, although I was happy to hobble around. Hubby had cut off my champagne supply, which on reflection was a good move. Dale Alcock (first time I have heard him) and Steve Rosich spoke. Michelle Cowan spoke so well. She always does. Players seemed subdued which was interesting. Maybe exhausted! I was happy to get selfies with Barr, Miller and Cowan. Easy trip back to Rockingham using lifts /escalators as crowd had dispersed. Will definitely be at Fremantle next Sunday to watch the Melbourne game.

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Can't get to the Melbourne game working, But home game at Fremantle after that i can go , Actually think i will enjoy the game more in the more intimate venue , Rather than the 40,000 something thousand at Optus . Take the family and have some fish and chips in fishing boat harbour afterwards .
 

jatz14

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Just a note about the players not playing Saturday. A bunch of the fit, but not picked players got to play in the Jan Cooper cup (comp for the WA development squads). Haynes, McAuliffe and McGuire played in 1 that I saw. Haynes a class above, McGuire looked classy when she got it, McAuliffe was just meh. Dont know who played the other game. There is another set of games next week, and another a couple of weeks after that.

Players not selected getting a chance to play is a step up from the situation last year.
 

jatz14

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Jan Cooper cup.
First game I saw was a little disappointing in terms of skills I thought. Not many close to Haynes in quality, although Renae Stubbs looks draft ready now and Courtney Ugle goes pretty well.

However, all became clearer after I saw the other game. There are 4 squads, South, West, North and Coastal. The game I saw first was between South and North. South is based on the Peel/SouthWest area, and has quite a number of players that play in the Southwest league (which has only been going 1 year). A lot of these players have never played in the WAWFL, North is a bit similar, and they are a step behind. This is why the Freo girls played this game, to bring the standard up a bit.

The game between Coast and West was a real step up in standard, some really good examples of kicking and marking.

 

wayToGo_

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Oct 24, 2015
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First game I saw was a little disappointing in terms of skills I thought. Not many close to Haynes in quality, although Renae Stubbs looks draft ready now and Courtney Ugle goes pretty well.
I know code swapping is pretty popular atm but recruiting a 46 year old Australian tennis champ seems to be taking it a bit far.
 
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I don't mind it as long as it isn't within the fifty arcs. It makes it too easy to defend when you know the opposition will only kick inside fifty right up the guts, unable to risk a kick to the pocket or flanks in case they miss and it becomes a turnover.
Agreed. Within the 50m arcs and/or shots on goal, should be a throw in when the ball goes out of bounds.
 

Stephene

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Hi Just visiting....went to the game on Saturday and think all those people who criticise the AFLW would have changed their minds had they been there...free flowing and exciting from the first bounce and great attacking football from both sides...serious intent, the tackling was awesome...even with the relatively low score (which didn't bother me) the game was still intriguing really enjoyed it ..and the stadium wasn't bad either :)..glad Freo won
 

jatz14

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I know code swapping is pretty popular atm but recruiting a 46 year old Australian tennis champ seems to be taking it a bit far.
Possible I have the first name wrong. Also possible I have the surname wrong.

Reasonably certain there was a really good player, probably female, likely to have a both a first name and a surname.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk
 

poshman

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 13, 2006
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Went with the family today, had a great time
Football
I thought for the first half of the first quarter we seemed really flat and uninterested, Collingwood were beating us purely by getting numbers to the fall of the ball, this was incredibly effective given very few marks were being taken early in the match. Freo then lifted and played superbly by comparison, outworking and outskilling Collingwood for the most part. I wasn't entirely sure of all the players names or able to identify them from the distance but generally our backs took some very good marks, Donellan did so when Collingwood were surging in the last. A couple of the backs were a bit slow to move the ball on when options were there and there were some shocking turnovers, but hopefully they will be ironed out with a bit more time. The mids and forwards were consistently giving effort, Filocamo seems less fit than her teammates but always put her body on the line and did a great job when the tough work needed to be done. Antonio was very good and Miller I think was also good, but should've run in further or passed off that shot on goal.

Womens football (umpiring rant)
The standard of the players has definitely lifted from last year (I saw every game in Perth last year) and the atmosphere was really good as well. However, and for mine this is a big however, the umpiring if anything was worse than last season. The umpires were very reluctant to call anything but the most obvious of holding the ball decisions. I don't mind a free flowing game without interference from the umpires, but when it comes to player safety it becomes a lot more significant. I saw multiple instances of what I would expect in the Men's competition to be called high contact, soccering in danger, tunnelling and a couple of tummy punches. Instances of all of these happened in full view of the umpires and they were all waved on. A friend of mine said he knows the umpires and said that they are generally WAFL reserve level umpires, if this is true, given I have no real way of confirming easily then I feel like this is incredibly insulting to the women and is indicative of how seriously the AFL take the competition given the 'premier' umpires have been umpiring intraclub matches for the mens teams etc. instead. The way the game was being umpired felt like a real issue for player safety and the only way it will be stopped is if the umpires are capable.

Overall I really enjoyed the game and the experience, it was good to see some footy again and good to see the dockers jumper out on a footy field again

The umpires get paid by the club for the intraclubs. One of the issues with AFLW is the sheer cost involved. This could perhaps be seen as an opportunity for development in a developing league. I think you will also find that if the game was called as stringently as an AFL game it would be mired in the rolling swarm that would make it even harder to keep fans. I agree on the safety side though, the tunnelling and high contact was ugly at times and someone will get hurt badly if it isn't tightened up on.
 
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