AFLW Match Simulation v Carlton 5pm at IKON Park Friday 25th July.

[TigermanM2]

Team named for AFLW match simulation​

Richmond has named a strong side for Friday's match simulation against Carlton.
By Richmond Media

Richmond will face Carlton on Friday night in a Match Simulation, as preparations for the 2025 AFLW season ramp up.

It’ll be the Tigers’ first chance to test themselves against a rival opposition ahead of the new campaign, after a successful intraclub match last week.

The first bounce is scheduled for 5pm at IKON Park, with attendance free for fans. Gate 6 at IKON Park opens from 4.30pm, with public parking available on Royal Parade. Food and beverages will be available to purchase on the pavilion concourse.
The game will be live streamed on richmondfc.com.au, with commentary from Talking Tigers co-host Brenton Mann and AFLW expert Gemma Bastiani.

Sarah Hosking joins the first ever live episode of Talking Tigers to discuss her recovery through the off-season as well as which AFLW players have been exciting to watch this pre-season.

A strong Richmond outfit has been named for the clash, with the likes of Monique Conti, Katie Brennan and Ellie McKenzie, along with new recruits Paige Scott, Montana Beruldsen, Lauren Brazzale, Lulu Beatty and Sierra Grieves, all set to play.

Sarah Hosking (hamstring), Tessa Lavey (hamstring) and Beth Lynch (shoulder) won’t play as they continue to recover from injuries, while the trio of Montana McKinnon, Charley Ryan and Zoe Hargreaves will also miss as they continue their rehab from ACL injuries.

Aoibhin Cleary also won’t play, as she remains in Ireland preparing to captain Meath in their All-Ireland Grand Final game against Dublin on August 3.

AFLW TEAM LIST – MATCH SIMULATION V CARLTON, JULY 25, 2025
1. Grace Egan
2. Emelia Yassir
3. Katie Brennan
4. Monique Conti
5. Paige Scott
6. Jodie Hicks
8. Montana Beruldsen
9. Caitlin Greiser
11. Isabel Bacon
12. Lauren Brazzale
14. Poppy Kelly
15. Rebecca Miller
16. Laura McClelland
17. Katelyn Cox
18. Libby Graham
19. Kate Dempsey
22. Ellie McKenzie
23. Shelby Knoll
24. Charli Wicksteed
25. Sierra Grieves
28. Gabby Seymour
30. Ally Dallaway
33. Mackenzie Ford
35. Maddie Shevlin
38. Lulu Beatty

 

[sanaya]

nice kick and tackle from wicksteed

 

[sanaya]

good to see knoll out there

 

[TigermanM2]

Very very shaky first half of that quarter but came back strong in the second half.

HTB on Bacon near the end was pretty harsh IMO.

Ellie McK looks great.

 

[TigermanM2]

Why on earth are the umpires in yellow???

Dingbats

Yellow tops / black shorts. You can't make this stuff up.

 

[Cdog71]

I like the way Scott is playing, she’s quicker than I thought

 

[TigermanM2]

I like the way Scott is playing, she’s quicker than I thought

Hard as nails too

 

[Stan Judkins]

HTB was hot early.......

Knoll goal and then mark and pass to G-train for another goal was promising......

seem to be too KB focused going into fwd line.....

good hit out so far...no injuries please

 

[TigermanM2]

HTB was hot early.......

Knoll goal and then mark and pass to G-train for another goal was promising......

seem to be too KB focused going into fwd line.....

good hit out so far...no injuries please

Definitely. Both sides.

 

[tigersab]

Just bunged this on. Da fuggs the umps wearing our uniforms. We ain’t Collingwood. You would think they would have a neutral colour scheme. Dumb.

 

[Lsta062]

That was a great kick to McKenzie!

 

[Lsta062]

Well done Maddie Shevlin! Good goal

 

[Lsta062]

I like how dynamic we are today. Good to watch

 

[TigermanM2]

Umps plucking a free late in the game they haven't paid all day.

 

[TigermanM2]

Good win. Some positives and some areas we still need to work on. We are a quality mid short.

Very very happy with Paige Scott. One of those players who wants that ball and too bad anyone standing in the way.

Good hit out to blow out the cobwebs.

 

[TigermanM2]

Just bunged this on. Da fuggs the umps wearing our uniforms. We ain’t Collingwood. You would think they would have a neutral colour scheme. Dumb.

...and too bloody arrogant to acknowledge the stupidity and arrange for a change at half time.

 

[toenail63]

Great to see Coxy out there playing well and bringing the pressure. Katie Brennan definitely a focus for the Blues defenders all night, but was able to take her opportunities to score important goals. I thought we were a bit too focused on kicking the ball to Katie early which became predictable to their defence. Something to work on. They put a lot of work into Katie and Mon, and both players as usual found way to deal with that and impact the game and show their class. I expect we'll see a lot of tags on Mon this year. Ellie had a good first hit out, didn’t have best game but she looked dangerous anytime she gets the ball. I think she’s set to have a big year. As a team we seemed sharper and able to work in numbers to get the ball going our way in tight under pressure, and then when on the outside we did well to not kick to where their numbers were, focusing more to advance to space and to our strength as a contested team, one on ones. Wicksteed, Dallaway had good moments and Grace Egan also impacting as bigger contested mid that you want at stoppage. Our backline really stood up, Graham, Miller, McLelland and Gabby won the battle in the air and also at ground, and Hicks roamed the backline mopping up any errand kicks. Shevlin had a big impact on the wing, one of our best players. Liked the way that we rotated in the ruck, it seemed to bring Greiser and Knoll into the game when rotating with Poppy. Made it a triple threat. Add McKinnon when she's right and we'll have four very handy ruck/tall forward options.

Some good signs from some of the players yet to play in our AFLW team or word was have improved. Shelby Knoll looked good from her opportunities, kicked a goal and had a goal assist showing what she can do at this level. Beruldsen showed a clean set of wheels, slippery conditions didn’t help here but definitely her and Bacon adding pace to the flanks noticeable. Bacon grew into the game given the opportunity to not play as a deep back and to get more involved up the ground and made a good fist of this new role. Scott is an excitement machine, they seem really invested in the team and is the type of player to make the oppo nervous every time she’s near the ball, potential there to be a great player. They brings heat and adds to Milsy and Ford to bring forward pressure. Our top 10 pick Sierra Grieves didn’t get much game time but was accountable when around the ball, showed has nice hands in tight, and good when outside of contest with the way she read the play. Glimpses she shouldn't take too long to adapt to a role in our midfield. Both injury replacements Beatty and Brazzale fitted in really well and made some good plays and will add that depth that we really need to complement our top 21.

 

[TigermanM2]

Blues youngster's tough task in match sim​

By Gemma Bastiani

CARLTON might have gone down to Richmond in its match simulation on Friday evening, but you couldn't wipe the smile off draftee Poppy Scholz's face.

Scholz, who was selected by the Blues with pick No.6 in the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft, lined up at centre half back, and regularly found herself one-out against Richmond captain Katie Brennan.

The star Tiger did establish some early dominance against the teenager, but Scholz worked her way into the game to show off exactly why she was so highly rated as a junior.

"Obviously the first contest, she got the better of me, and then I think just everyone was getting around me in our backline," Scholz told AFL.com.au.

"So that was just like, awesome. I loved it, and then it gave me a bit more confidence to go for the next one. But no, it's just awesome to line up against such big names like her. I was coming into the game thinking of all the players I've grown up watching, and now I'm playing on (them), and it was a big of a 'what the hell is going on?' moment."

Brennan kicked two goals across the opening three quarters before being managed in the last, while fellow key forward Caitlin Greiser spent plenty of time moving through the ruck further afield. Meanwhile Shelby Knoll, who is finally fit following two seasons on the sidelines with knee injuries, kicked a goal in her first match in the black and white.

Recent recruit Paige Scott also added another dimension to Richmond's forward line, crashing packs and pressing up to the contest, and second-year player Isabel Bacon spent the better part of the game on the ball, before returning to her home at half back.

Carlton worked hard to switch the ball out of defence and get moving on the open side of the ground throughout the match, and while it didn't always work perfectly, there was a clear method of transition from Mathew Buck's charges.

Scholz was instrumental in starting some of those chains from defence, as was fellow draftee Lou-Lou Field, and winger Yasmin Duursma who covered the ground well.


"I think when we got (it to) the open side and were uasing the width to get the ball down and playing with lots of speed, I thought that's when we were looking out best," Scholz said.

Irishwomen Dayna Finn and Aisling Reidy shared time on the wings, as did Keeley Skepper, while Lila Keck played her high half-forward role with plenty of energy.

Importantly, Erone Fitzpatrick made a triumphant return from an ACL injury suffered in 2023. The speedster spent most of the evening up forward, dobbing a stunning goal early in the game, and then pinch hit through the middle of the ground.

Midfielder Maddy Guerin was withdrawn from the match at quarter time with a corked shin, and ruck Maddy Torpey missed the final quarter with a gash on her knee, but both are expected to be okay for next week's practice match against Greater Western Sydney.

CARLTON 3.1 3.1 6.2 6.3 (39)
RICHMOND 2.2 4.5 5.6 7.7 (49)

NOTABLE ABSENCES
Carlton: Maria Cannon, Ciara Fitzgerald, Jess Good (concussion), Amelia Velardo, Darcy Vescio (illness)
Richmond: Aoibhin Cleary (Ireland), Sarah Hosking (hamstring), Tessa Lavey (hamstring), Beth Lynch (shoulder), Montana McKinnon (ACL)