AFLW Match Reports Round 1 St. Kilda vs Richmond

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TigermanM2

TigermanM2

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran Richmond Tigers AFLW - Tayla Stahl & Hannah Burchell 2020 Player Sponsor Richmond Tigers - Bachar Houli & Kamdyn McIntosh Player Sponsor 2020
Mar 7, 2013
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Richmond
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Straight-shooting Tigers get season off to perfect start
Sarah Black

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Courtney Wakefield celebrates a goal with her Tiger teammates in round one, 2022. Picture: Getty Images

RICHMOND has started its season in the best way possible, waltzing its way to a 38-point win over an inaccurate St Kilda.

Star midfielder Monique Conti (29 disposals, nine clearances) was sublime throughout, while Courtney Wakefield and Katie Brennan commanded the forward line in the 10.1 (61) to 3.5 (23) win.

Storms had threatened the start of the game, but ultimately stayed away aside from a heavy sun shower in the warm-up, which led to a slippery opening stanza.

Richmond dominated the early part of the first quarter, but it was St Kilda who struck first, courtesy of an incredible bomb from 50 via Tarni White.

The Tigers clicked into gear in the second quarter, setting up their defensive wall across the centre line and taking full advantage of their inside-50 dominance.

St Kilda's forward line was badly missing key forward Kate Shierlaw (AFL health and safety protocols), with Bec Miller, Harriet Cordner, Sarah D'Arcy and Jess Hosking controlling the air in defence, however their disposal was left wanting at times.

A number of St Kilda shots in the second and third terms were touched on the line or just faded late, whereas at the other end of the field, Richmond was pulling out the most unlikely of snap goals.

St Kilda captain Hannah Priest and Tilly Lucas-Rodd were their usual industrious selves in defence, while White was a revelation in the midfield and Liv Vesely had a fine return to footy after a serious calf injury ruined her 2020.

Richmond recruit Poppy Kelly had a strong outing in the ruck in her first game against her former side, but her night finished early in the fourth quarter with a leg injury, while Emelia Yassir suffered a late head knock in a marking contest.

Tigers coach Ryan Ferguson said he believed Kelly had escaped serious injury.

St Kilda's new-look midfield
All eyes were on St Kilda's engine room without Tyanna Smith (ACL) and Georgia Patrikios (COVID-19 policy), and there was one player who rose above the others. Tarni White – who had played midfield as a junior in Queensland – made the switch from defence with ease, finishing the game with 14 disposals, 11 tackles and one extraordinary goal. Tilly Lucas-Rodd was also rotated between defence and the midfield to great effect, while Liv Vesely and Rosie Dillon battled hard.

Round one, three votes
This marked the first time star midfielder Monique Conti had devoted her entire pre-season to football, rather than splitting it with WNBL, and after just one round, it appears to have paid off in spades. Conti set the tone – albeit against an undermanned midfield – in the first quarter, recording an incredible four clearances to go with her seven disposals. Her control, decision-making and tenacity set her apart, recording 29 disposals and nine clearance by the final bell.

New faces
Both teams introduced a number of players in their round one sides. Poppy Kelly caught the eye with her aggressive attack in the ruck, while Jess Hosking worked her way into the game in defence nicely. Stella Reid snapped a beauty in her first game, Meagan Kiely slotted two from the midfield and Emelia Yassir provided plenty of zip. The Saints had just the three newbies, with ruck Leah Cutting showing some physicality, Lucy Burke had a tough debut in defence while former Tiger Alana Woodward had three clearances to go with her nine touches.

Say what?
"We're clearly disappointed. We've had an enormous pre-season, as all teams have, and getting ready for one particular game. A lot of time and emphasis put into this game, and we just didn't execute. I thought the Tiges were fantastic, I thought their work around stoppages and contested work in general were really good, and clearly better than ours." - St Kilda coach Nick Dal Santo
"I was really proud of the way we did it. St Kilda came out really hard … but we did have confidence that if we stuck to our game, each and every one of us play our role, and played our game, that eventually we'd break it open." - Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson

Next up
St Kilda will jump out of the frying pan into the fire, taking on Collingwood at Vic Park, while Richmond has a similarly daunting task, hosting Melbourne at the Swinburne Centre.

ST KILDA 2.1 2.3 2.5 3.5 (23)
RICHMOND 2.0 4.0 7.0 10.1 (61)
GOALS
St Kilda: White, Dillon, Matin
Richmond: Wakefield 2, Bernardi 2, Kiely 2, Brennan 2, Stahl, Reid
BEST
St Kilda: Lucas-Rodd, White, Phillips, Priest, Vesely
Richmond: Conti, Brennan, Lavey, Wakefield, Kiely
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Richmond: Kelly (leg/ankle), Yassir (head knock)
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 3,324 at SkyBus Stadium
 
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Richmond open AFLW season with 38-point win over St Kilda at Frankston Oval

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Richmond sensation Monique Conti has inspired the Tigers to their first AFLW opening-round win, starring in a 38-point victory over St Kilda.

Dual-code athlete Conti had her first pre-season uninterrupted by WNBL commitments and was on another level at Frankston Oval, racking up 29 disposals, nine clearances and 17 contested possessions in the 10.1 (61) to 3.5 (23) win.

It was a dominant performance from the Tigers, who kept St Kilda goalless in the second and third quarters amid a run of nine consecutive goals.

Conti was well-supported by Tessa Lavey (19 disposals) and Maddy Brancatisano, while Katie Brennan and Courtney Wakefield (two goals apiece) offered a presence up front.

At the other end, Harriet Cordner and Sarah D'Arcy marshalled the Tigers' defence with aplomb.

In St Kilda's first game under Nick Dal Santo, Tilly Lucas-Rodd (20 disposals), Tarni White and Olivia Vesely were busy throughout while skipper Hannah Priest was solid in defence.

Both teams were without key figures from 2021.

Richmond young gun Ellie McKenzie was sidelined with a calf injury, while St Kilda star Georgia Patrikios is absent indefinitely due to her reluctance to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Tigers had seven debutants while St Kilda had three, and was without Kate Shierlaw, Nicola Xenos and Molly McDonald due to the AFL's health and safety protocols.

Richmond dominated the play early, but St Kilda drew first blood when White launched a long bomb from outside 50.

Both teams traded quickfire goals, but when Richmond's Christina Bernardi kicked a slick goal late in the quarter, it proved the first of nine unanswered majors.

After trailing by a point at quarter-time, the Tigers' direct, attacking approach flipped their deficit into a nine-point lead at the main break.

Richmond debutant Stella Reid snapped the opening goal of the third term, with Brennan and Wakefield adding two more to put the game firmly in the visitors' control.

Bernardi's second goal early in the final term put the result beyond doubt, with Brennan and Meagan Kiely rounding out the thumping win.

The performance was a stark contrast to Richmond's only previous clash with the Saints in round six of 2020, where they were held to just three points.

St Kilda's Jessica Matin marked strongly and dobbed a late consolation goal to finish off a difficult night for the Saints.
 
‘Absolute jet’ AFLW Tigers star gets Brownlow medallist‘s endorsement in domination of Saints
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A straight-shooting Richmond outfit has blitzed St Kilda by 38 points in the opening game of the AFLW season at RSEA Park behind a huge performance from Monique Conti.

Conti racked up 29 disposals, nine clearances and seven tackles to help lead the Tigers to a convincing victory, 10.1 (61) to 3.5 (23).

The Tigers looked good all night with crisp, direct ball movement. It led to some big performances up forward as Courtney Wakefield, Katie Brennan, Chirstina Bernadi and Meagan Kiely all booted two goals each in a commanding display.

At the other end of the ground, Richmond’s defence was rock solid including recruit Jess Hosking, who overcame a slow start to rebound effectively out of the backline.

For St Kilda, Tillu Lucas-Rodd battled hard all contest with a team-high 20 disposals, while Tarni White had 14 disposals and 11 tackles in addition to a highlight goal.

But the Saints felt the absence of stars Georgia Patrikios and Tyanna Smith in new coach Nick Dal Santo’s first game at the helm.

It was a hot contest early, as expected in the first of the season and in slippery conditions following storms and showers throughout the day in Victoria.

White hit the scoreboard first for St Kilda with a highlight long-range bomb from outside 50m, while both teams ended a tightly contested opening quarter with two goals apiece.

The Tigers then put their foot on the pedal in the second term to gained momentum, booting two more goals while holding the Saints to none to lead 4.0 (24) to (15) at the main break.

Conti starred in the first half with a game-high 13 disposals to light up social media.

















The Tigers kicked away in the second half, piling on another six goals while holding the Saints to just one.

“We‘ve started off well so hopefully we can consistently play like this and keep lifting our standards,” Conti told Channel 7 post-match.
 

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New look Richmond ball movement opens AFLW season in style
07/01/2022 Alex Catalano

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It was a completely new look Richmond side that registered the club’s highest ever score to get the 2022 AFLW season off to the perfect start.

The Tigers beat their previous best score by a solitary point, in which they scored 9.6.(60) to claim their first AFLW win last season against Geelong.

Fans need to look no further than the midfield to start giving the credit, with blistering ball movement on display after shaking off the rust early.

After what was a fairly scrappy and contested game for the first seven or eight minutes, once the goals starting flowing, so did the Tigers.

They were as clinical as an AFLW side has ever been out of the contest, winning the ball out of the source and running it straight up the corridor.

No one player was more crucial to this than Monique Conti, who put her hand up to show the competition just why she’s been tipped as a best and fairest favourite.

Her ability to find space where there is none and utilise her pace to break away and deliver the footy with precision time after time was on show at Frankston, causing headaches for a depleted St Kilda midfield.

The 22-year-old dual All-Australian finished the game with a career-high 29 disposals, nine clearances, and six tackles.

“She wins all of our shuttles and our running, her workrate has gone to another level. That has to give her confidence,” coach Ryan Ferguson told media post-game.

“We know she can play the game… run all day, get inside, get outside, tackle, but also win the ball. To have that backing and her consistency and her training in certainly helps.”




Key to this ball movement was Richmond’s outside running players, in particular Tessa Lavey and Maddy Brancatisano.

Brancatisano rotated along both half forward and through the centre bounce and was influential in both, amassing 13 disposals, laying three tackles and making three clearances.

On return from the WNBL, having last played for the Bendigo Spirit on December 22, Lavey didn’t look like she’d missed a moment of pre-season, her gut running never wavering from the first siren to the last.

She was one of Richmond’s best, finishing with 19 disposals, two marks, and two clearances.

“I was really proud of the way we did it,” Ferguson said.

“St Kilda came out hard, we knew we were going to be in an arm wrestle the whole time. We did have confidence that if we stuck to our game, played our role, each and every one of us… that eventually we could break it open.

“I was really proud that we were able to stick to our game.”

Ground level dominance
When the game was its scrappiest in the first half, the Tigers showed that they could play that game style too, converting plenty of half opportunities around goals in play.

St Kilda was keeping the ball locked inside 50 throughout the first half, and while the Tigers couldn’t break through, they didn’t have to worry with the likes of Sarah D’Arcy behind the ball.

After breaking out as a defender last year, she collected four marks to start the season, along with three apiece to Kate Dempsey and Rebecca Miller.

But fighting hard at ground level was where those early conversions came from.

Meagan Kiely, Christina Bernardi, Tayla Stahl, and Stella Reid all perfectly executed snaps out of the pack or around their body, in what was a clinically efficient 10.1 scoreline for the Tigers.



The pressure shown by the forward group inside 50 got them to that point, laying 12 tackles inside 50 to the Saints’ seven. This was an 11 to four deficit at half time, cooling off as the Tigers faced less resistance and were able to hit up leads directly out of centre bounces.

This played right into the hands of Courtney Wakefield, who was at her high-marking best as the spearhead of the Richmond forward line.

She finished the game with six marks, one less than her equal career-best, and kicked two goals for the first time since the club’s first win over Geelong.

Supporting her was captain Katie Brennan, getting her own season well off the mark with two goals of her own. Brennan’s impressive leads were matched only by her tackling pressure, laying six.



She had a particularly sweet moment with debutant Emelia Yassir after she assisted Brennan’s second goal, getting the whole team around the young Calder Cannons product.

While Yassir only registered seven disposals, she showed promising signs of a player who can both set up scores and kick her own as she adjusts to the top level.

“We just asked [debutants Stella Reid and Emelia Yassir] to just play a really simple game,” Ferguson said.

“It didn’t matter about output or goals, it just mattered about their effort, their liveliness, their energy. I thought we fed off [the energy] of all of our first gamers.

“Everyone that came in showed what we valued in them when we recruited them.”

The Tigers forward line could have functioned even better had fellow tall Christina Bernardi been able to bring down the ball, struggling to hold onto marks early.

Ferguson had an injury worry in the last quarter after ruck Poppy Kelly was assisted from the ground by trainers, but assured that there was no major damage.

“She seems to be okay,” he said.

“I don’t know if you saw her game the way I saw her, but she was so aggressive and so powerful. We’re rapt to have acquired her.”

Richmond faces its next challenge in premiership favourite Melbourne in its first home game of 2022.
 
AFLW: Richmond Tigers kick off 2022 season with win over St Kilda as Monique Conti stars
Anna Harrington

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Richmond sensation Monique Conti has inspired the Tigers to their first ever AFLW opening-round win, starring in a 38-point victory over St Kilda.

Dual-code athlete Conti had her first pre-season not interrupted by WNBL commitments and was on another level at Frankston’s Skybus Stadium on Friday night, racking up 29 disposals, nine clearances and 17 contested possessions in the 10.1 (61) to 3.5 (23) win.

It was a dominant performance from Richmond, who kept St Kilda goalless in the second and third quarters amid a run of nine consecutive goals.

Conti was well-supported by Tessa Lavey (19 disposals) and Maddy Brancatisano while Katie Brennan and Courtney Wakefield (two goals apiece) offered a presence up front.

Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson praised Conti’s development off a full pre-season.

“She wins all of our shuttles and our running, her workrate this season has gone to another level, so that has to give her confidence,” Ferguson said.

“We know she can play the game and to be able to run all day, get inside and get outside, tackle but also win the ball.

“To have that backing and consistency in her training, it certainly has to help.”

It was a dominant performance from Richmond, who kept St Kilda goalless in the second and third quarters amid a run of nine consecutive goals.

Conti was well-supported by Tessa Lavey (19 disposals) and Maddy Brancatisano while Katie Brennan and Courtney Wakefield (two goals apiece) offered a presence up front.

At the other end, Harriet Cordner and Sarah D’Arcy marshalled the Tigers’ defence with aplomb.

In St Kilda’s first game under Nick Dal Santo, Tilly Lucas-Rodd (20 disposals), Tarni White and Olivia Vesely were busy throughout.

The Tigers had seven debutants while St Kilda had three and were without Kate Shierlaw, Nicola Xenos and Molly McDonald due to the AFL’s health and safety protocols.

St Kilda drew first blood when White launched a long bomb from outside 50.

Both teams traded quickfire goals but when Richmond’s Christina Bernardi kicked a slick goal late in the first quarter, it proved the first of nine unanswered majors.

After trailing by a point at quarter-time, the Tigers’ direct, attacking approach flipped their deficit into a nine-point lead at the main break.

“We did have confidence that if we stuck to our game, played our role, each and every one of us and and played our game and what we value, that eventually we could break it open and it did go that way,” Ferguson said.

Richmond seized control after half-time and Bernardi’s second goal early in the final term put the result beyond doubt, with goals to Brennan and Meagan Kiely rounding out the thumping win.

St Kilda’s Jessica Matin dobbed a late consolation goal to finish off a difficult night for the Saints.

“We’re clearly disappointed,” Dal Santo said.

“We’ve had an enormous pre-season, as all teams have, getting ready for one particular game.

“A lot of emphasis and time and energy gets put into this one game and we just didn’t execute. I thought the Tigers were fantastic.”
 
TAKEAWAYS FOR EVERY AFLW TEAM FOLLOWING ROUND 1
BY NIC NEGREPONTIS

Round 1 of the AFLW season is in the books and we got our first look at all 14 teams in our attempts to work out the pecking order.

While injuries marred the weekend, the overall standard of play has clearly risen again and will likely continue to do so across the season as it usually does.

Here’s one takeaway from each side’s performance.

Adelaide: Made the biggest statement of the weekend

Adelaide got some early Grand Final vengeance on Brisbane in Round 1 while also declaring themselves once again a team to beat.

The Crows comfortably handled the Lions in the five-goal win, holding the reigning premiers goalless for three quarters.

Ash Woodland was the story for Adelaide, booting four goals. She had an impressive 2021 campaign, breaking out with eight goals, and she looks as if she has potentially gone to another level.

The Crows have been a consistent force of AFLW and that doesn’t appear to be changing.

Brisbane: The title defence could not have gotten off to a worse start

Not only were Brisbane well off the pace of the Crows, they lost key pair Kate Lutkins (knee) and Dakota Davidson (ankle) on Sunday.

It’s hard to overstate just how big a loss Lutkins is, given she has been the consistent anchor of Brisbane’s elite defence since season one.

Davidson meanwhile broke out last year, kicking 16 goals and leading the Lions’ forward group.

If both are out long-term, it would be a serious blow for Brisbane and their hopes of going back-to-back.

Carlton: Off the pace of the better teams

Carlton traded out five of their best 18 players in the off-season, three by their own choice, so it’s not hugely shocking that they have taken a step back.

Despite a competitive showing, Collingwood was comfortably the better team on Sunday as the Blues lacked an ability to convert forward opportunities into scores.

They shot themselves in the foot, gifting Collingwood four goals, three through 50 metre penalties and one a turnover deep in defence.

An injury to midfielder Grace Egan also hurts, given Carlton is already thin on the ball.

Collingwood: Davey injury sours a strong performance

Bri Davey is the story, obviously, given the 2021 league best and fairest is central to Collingwood’s premiership hopes. We’ll learn more about her knee injury as the week unfolds.

Putting that aside, the Magpies ticked every box. Their forward line looked dangerous, their star midfielders stood up when it mattered most and their backline picked everything off.

They may just have the best backline in the competition, and that’s without star Ash Brazill, who will return later in the season.

They take on St Kilda and Geelong in the next fortnight and have a chance to get off to a flying start.

Fremantle: Got the job done

It wasn’t quite the one-sided clobbering that most AFLW western derbies have been, but Fremantle was still a tier above West Coast in Round 1.

Their stars led the way, with Kiara Bowers and Ebony Antonio sharing the medal for best on ground.

Antonio kicked three goals in a new role up forward, giving the Dockers a new weapon in the absence of Sabreena Duffy.

Freo now prepares for an extended trip away in Victoria, making this their toughest season to date.

Geelong: On the rise, but still a long way to go

Injecting young midfield pair Nina Morrison and Georgie Prespakis into the Geelong midfield gave the Cats an edge they were missing last year once Olivia Purcell tore her ACL.

The Cats nearly went winless last year, but they were very competitive in their loss to North Melbourne on the weekend and nearly pinched what would have been the biggest win in their short history.

The issue for Geelong was a lack of options up forward. They had their opportunities, but simply didn’t have the firepower to put it on the scoreboard.

Gold Coast: Young talent on display

Gold Coast went through 2021 without a win, but it’s easy to forget just how battered by injuries they were.

With key players back, including star midfielder Jamie Stanton, they were competitive in their narrow loss to GWS.

Ultra-talented forward Kalinda Howarth looked back to her best after a down year and number one draft pick Charlie Rowbottom also impressed on debut.

GWS: Off to a strong start

After trailing at quarter time, GWS controlled things in their win over Gold Coast on Sunday.

It was a professional win led by midfield stars Alicia Eva, Alyce Parker and Rebecca Beeson, while forwards Cora Staunton and Rebecca Privitelli also looked dangerous.

Chloe Dalton had the potential to be the best recruit of the season, but ended the game in a sling with a shoulder injury in a devastating loss.

The Giants have been stuck in the middle of the pack for a few years now and will have the chance to prove their stocks in the next fortnight against Fremantle and North Melbourne.

Melbourne: Is this the year of Eden Zanker?

The Demons loom as one of the premiership favourites and nothing we saw on Saturday night said otherwise.

Tayla Harris looked strong as a new piece inside 50, while their midfield once again overpowered their opponents.

Part of that was Eden Zanker, who led the team for disposals and kicked a goal in the win over the Dogs.

Coming into her fifth season, the big-bodied utility looks to have solidified her role in Melbourne’s midfield and could be one of the breakout stars of 2022.

North Melbourne: Ash Riddell has gone to another level

North Melbourne ticked the box against Geelong, banking the four points in a scrappy contest.

It was a game they were expected to win comfortably, but without key midfield duo Emma Kearney and Ellie Gavalas, they needed others to stand up.

Ash Riddell is an established star midfielder of the competition, but in Kearney’s absence, completely took over.

She picked up 35 disposals, equalling the AFLW record, to go with seven clearances and six inside 50s.

Richmond: Are they this year’s breakout team?

The Tigers looked a significantly improved unit across the board on Friday night and completely outclassed St Kilda.

Their midfield was dominant, led by star Monique Conti, and this is despite the absence of number one draft pick Ellie McKenzie.

Their forward line is loaded with weapons and Gabby Seymour is emerging as a quality ruck. The big question mark remains on their ball-use, particularly coming out of the backline.

St Kilda: It’s going to be a tough year

St Kilda was always going to be a team battling in the middle of the pack in 2022, but without star Georgia Patrikios and rising midfielder Tyanna Smith, they’re simply missing too many pieces.

This was compounded on Friday night with midfielder Nat Exon and key forward Kate Shierlaw also unavailable.

The Saints simply don’t have the personnel to overcome the players they’re missing, and it’s hard to see where too many wins come from in 2022.

Tarni White was the bright light for them however, taking over in the midfield in her return from a torn ACL.

West Coast: The midfield looks dangerous

After a tough few years in the AFLW, the Eagles are starting to put the pieces in place.

They still don’t seem to have the firepower forward of centre to compete with their crosstown rivals Fremantle, but the midfield is on the way up.

Mikayla Bowen was one of the breakout stars of 2021, veteran Dana Hooker returns after missing last season, Emma Swanson is still going strong and top draftee Charlotte Thomas has the poise of a star in the making.

It’s hard to see the Eagles making finals this year, but they’re seemingly heading in the right direction.

Western Bulldogs: Losing Isabel Huntington is back breaking

You could feel the air rush out of Whitten Oval on Saturday night when Izzy Huntington went down with what looked like a third torn ACL.

Coming off a year where she won the league’s Rising Star and made the All-Australian team as a key forward, the sky was the limit for Huntington in 2022.

The 22-year-old is one of a handful of game-changing forwards in the league and is irreplaceable from a Bulldogs perspective.

But from a bigger picture perspective, it just plain sucks.
 
TigermanM2 said:
TAKEAWAYS FOR EVERY AFLW TEAM FOLLOWING ROUND 1
BY NIC NEGREPONTIS

Round 1 of the AFLW season is in the books and we got our first look at all 14 teams in our attempts to work out the pecking order.

While injuries marred the weekend, the overall standard of play has clearly risen again and will likely continue to do so across the season as it usually does.

Here’s one takeaway from each side’s performance.

Adelaide: Made the biggest statement of the weekend

Adelaide got some early Grand Final vengeance on Brisbane in Round 1 while also declaring themselves once again a team to beat.

The Crows comfortably handled the Lions in the five-goal win, holding the reigning premiers goalless for three quarters.

Ash Woodland was the story for Adelaide, booting four goals. She had an impressive 2021 campaign, breaking out with eight goals, and she looks as if she has potentially gone to another level.

The Crows have been a consistent force of AFLW and that doesn’t appear to be changing.

Brisbane: The title defence could not have gotten off to a worse start

Not only were Brisbane well off the pace of the Crows, they lost key pair Kate Lutkins (knee) and Dakota Davidson (ankle) on Sunday.

It’s hard to overstate just how big a loss Lutkins is, given she has been the consistent anchor of Brisbane’s elite defence since season one.

Davidson meanwhile broke out last year, kicking 16 goals and leading the Lions’ forward group.

If both are out long-term, it would be a serious blow for Brisbane and their hopes of going back-to-back.

Carlton: Off the pace of the better teams

Carlton traded out five of their best 18 players in the off-season, three by their own choice, so it’s not hugely shocking that they have taken a step back.

Despite a competitive showing, Collingwood was comfortably the better team on Sunday as the Blues lacked an ability to convert forward opportunities into scores.

They shot themselves in the foot, gifting Collingwood four goals, three through 50 metre penalties and one a turnover deep in defence.

An injury to midfielder Grace Egan also hurts, given Carlton is already thin on the ball.

Collingwood: Davey injury sours a strong performance

Bri Davey is the story, obviously, given the 2021 league best and fairest is central to Collingwood’s premiership hopes. We’ll learn more about her knee injury as the week unfolds.

Putting that aside, the Magpies ticked every box. Their forward line looked dangerous, their star midfielders stood up when it mattered most and their backline picked everything off.

They may just have the best backline in the competition, and that’s without star Ash Brazill, who will return later in the season.

They take on St Kilda and Geelong in the next fortnight and have a chance to get off to a flying start.

Fremantle: Got the job done

It wasn’t quite the one-sided clobbering that most AFLW western derbies have been, but Fremantle was still a tier above West Coast in Round 1.

Their stars led the way, with Kiara Bowers and Ebony Antonio sharing the medal for best on ground.

Antonio kicked three goals in a new role up forward, giving the Dockers a new weapon in the absence of Sabreena Duffy.

Freo now prepares for an extended trip away in Victoria, making this their toughest season to date.

Geelong: On the rise, but still a long way to go

Injecting young midfield pair Nina Morrison and Georgie Prespakis into the Geelong midfield gave the Cats an edge they were missing last year once Olivia Purcell tore her ACL.

The Cats nearly went winless last year, but they were very competitive in their loss to North Melbourne on the weekend and nearly pinched what would have been the biggest win in their short history.

The issue for Geelong was a lack of options up forward. They had their opportunities, but simply didn’t have the firepower to put it on the scoreboard.

Gold Coast: Young talent on display

Gold Coast went through 2021 without a win, but it’s easy to forget just how battered by injuries they were.

With key players back, including star midfielder Jamie Stanton, they were competitive in their narrow loss to GWS.

Ultra-talented forward Kalinda Howarth looked back to her best after a down year and number one draft pick Charlie Rowbottom also impressed on debut.

GWS: Off to a strong start

After trailing at quarter time, GWS controlled things in their win over Gold Coast on Sunday.

It was a professional win led by midfield stars Alicia Eva, Alyce Parker and Rebecca Beeson, while forwards Cora Staunton and Rebecca Privitelli also looked dangerous.

Chloe Dalton had the potential to be the best recruit of the season, but ended the game in a sling with a shoulder injury in a devastating loss.

The Giants have been stuck in the middle of the pack for a few years now and will have the chance to prove their stocks in the next fortnight against Fremantle and North Melbourne.

Melbourne: Is this the year of Eden Zanker?

The Demons loom as one of the premiership favourites and nothing we saw on Saturday night said otherwise.

Tayla Harris looked strong as a new piece inside 50, while their midfield once again overpowered their opponents.

Part of that was Eden Zanker, who led the team for disposals and kicked a goal in the win over the Dogs.

Coming into her fifth season, the big-bodied utility looks to have solidified her role in Melbourne’s midfield and could be one of the breakout stars of 2022.

North Melbourne: Ash Riddell has gone to another level

North Melbourne ticked the box against Geelong, banking the four points in a scrappy contest.

It was a game they were expected to win comfortably, but without key midfield duo Emma Kearney and Ellie Gavalas, they needed others to stand up.

Ash Riddell is an established star midfielder of the competition, but in Kearney’s absence, completely took over.

She picked up 35 disposals, equalling the AFLW record, to go with seven clearances and six inside 50s.

Richmond: Are they this year’s breakout team?

The Tigers looked a significantly improved unit across the board on Friday night and completely outclassed St Kilda.

Their midfield was dominant, led by star Monique Conti, and this is despite the absence of number one draft pick Ellie McKenzie.

Their forward line is loaded with weapons and Gabby Seymour is emerging as a quality ruck. The big question mark remains on their ball-use, particularly coming out of the backline.

St Kilda: It’s going to be a tough year

St Kilda was always going to be a team battling in the middle of the pack in 2022, but without star Georgia Patrikios and rising midfielder Tyanna Smith, they’re simply missing too many pieces.

This was compounded on Friday night with midfielder Nat Exon and key forward Kate Shierlaw also unavailable.

The Saints simply don’t have the personnel to overcome the players they’re missing, and it’s hard to see where too many wins come from in 2022.

Tarni White was the bright light for them however, taking over in the midfield in her return from a torn ACL.

West Coast: The midfield looks dangerous

After a tough few years in the AFLW, the Eagles are starting to put the pieces in place.

They still don’t seem to have the firepower forward of centre to compete with their crosstown rivals Fremantle, but the midfield is on the way up.

Mikayla Bowen was one of the breakout stars of 2021, veteran Dana Hooker returns after missing last season, Emma Swanson is still going strong and top draftee Charlotte Thomas has the poise of a star in the making.

It’s hard to see the Eagles making finals this year, but they’re seemingly heading in the right direction.

Western Bulldogs: Losing Isabel Huntington is back breaking

You could feel the air rush out of Whitten Oval on Saturday night when Izzy Huntington went down with what looked like a third torn ACL.

Coming off a year where she won the league’s Rising Star and made the All-Australian team as a key forward, the sky was the limit for Huntington in 2022.

The 22-year-old is one of a handful of game-changing forwards in the league and is irreplaceable from a Bulldogs perspective.

But from a bigger picture perspective, it just plain sucks.
Click to expand...

The big question mark remains on their ball-use, particularly coming out of the backline.
yeah we have to clean this up
there were a few instances where we went the kamikaze approach, need to be more smart, when to play on & when to go the long kick
other than that, see how our quick ball movement stacks up against the kick mark play they use
 
Stan Judkins said:
The big question mark remains on their ball-use, particularly coming out of the backline.
yeah we have to clean this up
there were a few instances where we went the kamikaze approach, need to be more smart, when to play on & when to go the long kick
other than that, see how our quick ball movement stacks up against the kick mark play they use
Click to expand...

I saw enough in Meg (edit) MacDonald to suggest she could help here - not saying it is a given - but rather I hope she gets a chance as I really liked how she always looked to drop the ball to someone leading to space. Now I know having someone there in space is the key, but there is a lot to be said for also identifiying the space and kicking to it so as to force our players to the space as well. There are players who look at players, and players who see the gaps. Often the gaps are where the game is played next.
 
Last edited:
Phar Ace said:
I saw enough in Bec MacDonald to suggest she could help here - not saying it is a given - but rather I hope she gets a chance as I really liked how she always looked to drop the ball to someone leading to space. Now I know having someone there in space is the key, but there is a lot to be said for also identifiying the space and kicking to it so as to force our players to the space as well. There are players who look at players, and players who see the gaps. Often the gaps are where the game is played next.
Click to expand...

ha ha, you mean Meg MacDonald ;) , yeah agree with your post
 
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