AFLW Opposition Observation

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Didn't see any of the North v Handbag game but did watch the Melb v WB. Melbourne were patchily good - patchily better than us maybe. We'll need to crack in again and basically overwhelm them to win. Presuming we still do not have McKenzie, it will be interesting to see if we play MacDonald for maybe Burchell. One player that really struck me as hard to contain was the player Eden Zanker, recruited from GWS. She is an unusual size - about 183cm, super enthusiastic, a little uncontrolled at times but if she plays as a midfielder like she did in Round 1, I could see her giving us some difficulties.

It would be worth the admission to watch Tayla Harris up against Harriet Cordner I think (assuming that's how Ferg goes). Be interesting to see if Paxman comes up for our game - she was very subdued. I missed it early but apparently she was struggling after a cracking tackle from Izzy Huntington (who minutes later also went off and spent the rest of the game on the bench in a knee brace). Paxman only managed 8 touches for the whole game and may have bruised ribs maybe (though not reported), but Tyla Hanks picked up the slack and Kate Hore was dangerous and finished with a couple.

I'd suggest our best are better, but the Demons have a solid 22. Should be an interesting game on our dung heap
 
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Have our work cut out for us this week.

We might have better players at the top end but the Melbourne team bat pretty deep.

Kate Hore is one that keeps flying under the radar a bit. Hardly spoken about but damn she is a fine player. Speed and skill and hits the scoreboard regularly.

Tayla Hanks is starting to put together a nice career even if her best first year player award last year was 3 seasons in the making.

Eden Zanker, as mentioned by Phar Ace, is a very difficult matchup. She didn't come from GWS though, she was drafted by Melbourne at pick 6 of the 2017 draft. Spent the first few years playing as a key forward before switching to the midfield and really hasn't looked back. Massive tank and superb size makes her hard to stop.

If we can do what we did with the Saints and not give them an inch we will be right in it. If we give them too much space as we did in last seasons game and the Dogs did in R1 they will keep the ball off you and it will be difficult to put a score on the board.
 
Feb 14, 2018
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Think some Pies got a glimpse of the reasons behind our frustration with Sabrina over the last couple of years.

yep, very slow, moved like the titanic when it hit the iceberg
but with the FWD's Pie's have got, at least she'll take the best defender, giving Molloy, Sheridan more chances

Sabrina will play her part this season no doubt, but it'll be in fits & spurts
 
yep, very slow, moved like the titanic when it hit the iceberg
but with the FWD's Pie's have got, at least she'll take the best defender, giving Molloy, Sheridan more chances

Sabrina will play her part this season no doubt, but it'll be in fits & spurts

Exactly. I just find where she positions herself on the field is really puzzling. You would think into her 6th AFLW season she would know where the most dangerous parts of the field for her would be. Maybe its her coach's fault that they get seduced by her first 2 seasons and her imposing figure like we were and try and get her to be the footballer that she is not.
Six seasons in and most around her are not that far off her height and can probably run pretty good 400m times.
I agree she will have moments but I saw a lot of 2020-2021 Sabrina on the weekend.
 
May 17, 2004
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Quite contrasting styles , Tigers , we favour aggressive use of forward handball get into the hands of qty ball users like KB or Tess lavey as we go i50. Melb play a real possession style as they Criss cross the ground by foot . Our plan will be to bring the heat and bring that finesse undone . We got some good tacklers in the team, we can do it
 
Quite contrasting styles , Tigers , we favour aggressive use of forward handball get into the hands of qty ball users like KB or Tess lavey as we go i50. Melb play a real possession style as they Criss cross the ground by foot . Our plan will be to bring the heat and bring that finesse undone . We got some good tacklers in the team, we can do it

Yep, we have to overwhelm them when they have the ball - get into their face as quickly as possible - that finesse definitely broke down when the Dogs pushed up on them.
 
Feb 14, 2018
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Quite contrasting styles , Tigers , we favour aggressive use of forward handball get into the hands of qty ball users like KB or Tess lavey as we go i50. Melb play a real possession style as they Criss cross the ground by foot . Our plan will be to bring the heat and bring that finesse undone . We got some good tacklers in the team, we can do it

yeah interesting, we're using the RFC men's 2017 - 2020 strategy of h/ball, play on, move the ball fwd at all costs, lock it in fwd line

Demons using the Cats men's 2012 - 2021 strategy of chip kicking, keep possession, slow & carefully & try to hit up fwds in the fwd line

which strategy will work in the long run?
we'll wait and see
 
May 17, 2004
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yeah interesting, we're using the RFC men's 2017 - 2020 strategy of h/ball, play on, move the ball fwd at all costs, lock it in fwd line

Demons using the Cats men's 2012 - 2021 strategy of chip kicking, keep possession, slow & carefully & try to hit up fwds in the fwd line

which strategy will work in the long run?
we'll wait and see
Very much so , I’m not sure there’s enough depth of skill in the teams for a possession style in W footy. Handball and pressure are skills that I’m certain the girls can adopt pretty well . I think we ll take the game right up to melb
 

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Melb got a little twitchy in the third with alotve pressure from the Dogs but steadied. Doge lost one of their main fwd targets too though.
It’s interesting how they’ve moved Pearce fwd had a look had 12 or so possessions but only two marks and no tackles….almost like she plays high HF and becomes an outside mid and someone tries to slip into the 50.
They only took 8 marks I50 we took 7
A couple of mentions of how many free players the Dees found by foot in the corridor they do try and play possession but also Casey is pretty blowy.
That Tyla Hank played as a def mid and had 10 tackles.
Pretty good for an hr of footy, hopefully she’s sore.
 
May 17, 2004
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Melb got a little twitchy in the third with alotve pressure from the Dogs but steadied. Doge lost one of their main fwd targets too though.
It’s interesting how they’ve moved Pearce fwd had a look had 12 or so possessions but only two marks and no tackles….almost like she plays high HF and becomes an outside mid and someone tries to slip into the 50.
They only took 8 marks I50 we took 7
A couple of mentions of how many free players the Dees found by foot in the corridor they do try and play possession but also Casey is pretty blowy.
That Tyla Hank played as a def mid and had 10 tackles.
Pretty good for an hr of footy, hopefully she’s sore.
Kiely , hosko x 2 millzy will have to apply the heat ,hope kelly is fit coming off an excellent debut in the ruck
 
THE WESTERN Bulldogs are facing a selection headache for their upcoming match against Geelong, with skipper Ellie Blackburn ruled out through the AFL's health and safety protocols.

While COVID-19 hasn't been a huge issue for the club as yet, injuries have, with coach Nathan Burke saying the Bulldogs had the bare minimum to choose from for their loss to Melbourne.

Young pair Aurora Smith and Annabel Strahan were the Bulldogs' emergencies in round one and were the side's last remaining available players.


A year ago there was an article regarding train on players and we had Hannah McLaren who replaced an injured Holly Whitford. Some teams had a couple.

I reckon this year it will be 8-10 players for each club. Whilst I'm pretty sure payments to replacement players due to "Health and Safety protocols" will be outside the TPP, this is going to be a sizeable cost to the game.
 
THE WESTERN Bulldogs are facing a selection headache for their upcoming match against Geelong, with skipper Ellie Blackburn ruled out through the AFL's health and safety protocols.

While COVID-19 hasn't been a huge issue for the club as yet, injuries have, with coach Nathan Burke saying the Bulldogs had the bare minimum to choose from for their loss to Melbourne.

Young pair Aurora Smith and Annabel Strahan were the Bulldogs' emergencies in round one and were the side's last remaining available players.


A year ago there was an article regarding train on players and we had Hannah McLaren who replaced an injured Holly Whitford. Some teams had a couple.

I reckon this year it will be 8-10 players for each club. Whilst I'm pretty sure payments to replacement players due to "Health and Safety protocols" will be outside the TPP, this is going to be a sizeable cost to the game.

It is a time of great opportunity!
 
Feb 14, 2018
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THE WESTERN Bulldogs are facing a selection headache for their upcoming match against Geelong, with skipper Ellie Blackburn ruled out through the AFL's health and safety protocols.

While COVID-19 hasn't been a huge issue for the club as yet, injuries have, with coach Nathan Burke saying the Bulldogs had the bare minimum to choose from for their loss to Melbourne.

Young pair Aurora Smith and Annabel Strahan were the Bulldogs' emergencies in round one and were the side's last remaining available players.


A year ago there was an article regarding train on players and we had Hannah McLaren who replaced an injured Holly Whitford. Some teams had a couple.

I reckon this year it will be 8-10 players for each club. Whilst I'm pretty sure payments to replacement players due to "Health and Safety protocols" will be outside the TPP, this is going to be a sizeable cost to the game.

AFLW statement
"During the season, top-up players can be selected (either in the 21 or as emergencies) if the club has fewer than 23 available players."

The AFL's COVID regulations state that games will go ahead until a club has fewer than 16 primary listed players (and five top-up players) available, upon which it will be either postponed or cancelled at a last resort.
 
AFLW statement
"During the season, top-up players can be selected (either in the 21 or as emergencies) if the club has fewer than 23 available players."

The AFL's COVID regulations state that games will go ahead until a club has fewer than 16 primary listed players (and five top-up players) available, upon which it will be either postponed or cancelled at a last resort.

When that was announced on Dec 22 the number of active cases in Victoria alone was officially 13,888. There are now 171,369 active cases. A friend in the medical field suggests that number is more like 1mil active cases in Victoria.

As it is impossible to put AFLW players in a bubble, there is a strong chance that just about every player will get it at some stage. So whilst the statement talks about selection of up to 5 top up players there would have to be more training. With no footy played anywhere you can't bring in someone into an AFLW match without some sort of decent preparation.
 
Feb 14, 2018
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When that was announced on Dec 22 the number of active cases in Victoria alone was officially 13,888. There are now 171,369 active cases. A friend in the medical field suggests that number is more like 1mil active cases in Victoria.

As it is impossible to put AFLW players in a bubble, there is a strong chance that just about every player will get it at some stage. So whilst the statement talks about selection of up to 5 top up players there would have to be more training. With no footy played anywhere you can't bring in someone into an AFLW match without some sort of decent preparation.

So whilst the statement talks about selection of up to 5 top up players there would have to be more training.
100% no doubt about it
wouldn't be surprised we'd have a few more top up players training ATM, if what was said at the game day broadcast was true, that we have 4 players under isolation

god knows how many top up players the Bulldogs have training now, as reported by AFLW today
 
Eden Zanker, as mentioned by Phar Ace, is a very difficult matchup. She didn't come from GWS though, she was drafted by Melbourne at pick 6 of the 2017 draft. Spent the first few years playing as a key forward before switching to the midfield and really hasn't looked back. Massive tank and superb size makes her hard to stop.

My bad - thanks for the pick-up - was relying on what one of the commentators said Saturday night, and trusted the comment (unless of course the comment was about another crossing over but neither side appears to to have an ex GWS player. Good history at Melbourne and seems to have jumped off the page a bit this year.
 

Profop

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Watched the Collingwood v Carlton game to see how Sabrina would go and agree that she looked about the same as what she did for us last year

I think weirdly that her main issue is that players are a better kick these days. Where once a kick from inside 50 would almost always land short and she could use her contested pack marking skills now they are either sailing through for goals (or behinds) or players are better at lowering the eyes and hitting up a leading target
 

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