AFLW Round 4 Discussion - 2021 AFLW season

[Teen Wolf]

All times are local. In addition to the free-to-air television coverage noted below, all matches are broadcast live on Fox Footy and live-and-free on the AFLW website/app.

St Kilda v Geelong
Friday 7.10pm, RSEA Park

Carlton v Richmond
Saturday 3.10pm, Ikon Park

Fremantle v Gold Coast
Saturday 2.10pm, Fremantle Oval
7mate (Bris/Perth)

North Melb. v C'wood
Saturday 7.10pm, Marvel Stadium
7mate (Melb/Adel)

Brisbane v Adelaide
Sunday 12.10pm, Hickey Park
Seven (Melb/Adel) and 7mate (Syd/Bris)

W. Bulldogs v Melbourne
Sunday 3.10pm, VU Whitten Oval
Seven (Melb/Adel/Perth) and 7mate (Syd/Bris)

GWS Giants v West Coast
Sunday 5.10pm, Blacktown International Sportspark
Seven (Perth) and 7mate (Syd)


TEAMS

ST KILDA
B: H.Priest 14 T.Luke 22
HB: J.Van Dyk 36 R.Watt - C 7 T.White 29
C: C.Phillips 35 T.Smith 6 B.Jakobsson 8
HF: D.Guttridge 5 K.McCarthy 9 J.Vogt 10
F: C.Greiser 17 K.Shierlaw 12
Foll: R.Ott 20 G.Patrikios 21 N.Exon 15
I/C: T.Meyer 34 I.Shannon 11 C.Whitfort 4 T.Lucas-Rodd 18 R.Dillon 25
Emerg: A.Burke 3 J.Matin 19
In: T.Luke, B.Jakobsson, R.Ott, T.Meyer
Out: J.Matin (omitted), A.Brown (hamstring), N.von Bertouch (foot), M.McDonald (quad)
New: Rebecca Ott

GEELONG
B: M.Keryk 45 M.McMahon 24
HB: J.Ivey 5 M.McDonald - C 11 S.Van De Heuvel 27
C: A.McDonald 3 R.Webster 21 D.Taylor 28
HF: D.Higgins 2 P.McWilliams 23 R.Cranston 30
F: O.Barber 15 S.Williams 25
Foll: A.O'Connor 14 J.Crockett-Grills 6 O.Purcell 16
I/C: L.Gardiner 18 N.Garner 22 G.Rankin 10 R.Garing 12 M.Boyd 26
Emerg: D.Moloney 4 G.Clarke 17
In: L.Gardiner
Out: R.Goring (managed)
New: Laura Gardiner



CARLTON
B: K.Harrington 9 G.Pound 6
HB: V.Laloifi 8 C.Wilson 20 M.Guerin 18
C: L.Brazzale 12 G.Egan 1 J.Edwards 25
HF: M.Hill 10 N.Stevens 21 J.Hosking 11
F: D.Vescio 3 T.Harris 7
Foll: B.Moody 16 E.O'Dea 46 M.Prespakis 4
I/C: A.McKay 5 D.Walker 23 G.Gee 19 A.Downie 30 L.McEvoy 13
Emerg: S.Gibbs 33 N.Plane 32
In: J.Edwards
Out: K.Loynes (managed)

RICHMOND
B: R.Miller 15 H.Cordner 23
HB: P.Monahan 2 S.D'Arcy 12 I.Ross 21
C: K.Dempsey 19 S.Hosking 7 T.Lavey 37
HF: C.Wakefield 8 E.McKenzie 22 K.Brennan 3
F: T.Stahl 24 S.Frederick 14
Foll: G.Seymour 28 K.Jacques 10 M.Conti 4
I/C: S.Sansonetti 18 H.Burchell 9 S.Dargan 17 S.Molan 1 M.Brancatisano 5
Emerg: C.Bernardi 6 L.McClelland 16
No changes



FREMANTLE
B: A.Stannett 4 J.Cuthbertson 29
HB: S.Cain 20 E.O'Driscoll 3 E.Gooch 8
C: E.Antonio 12 J.Stewart 7 K.Antonio 15
HF: M.Sergeant 23 R.Roux 17 G.O'Sullivan 22
F: G.Houghton 27 S.Duffy 6
Foll: M.Strom 21 K.Bowers 2 T.Haynes 33
I/C: A.Sharp 1 H.Miller 19 L.Pugh 32 S.Verrier 5 P.Seth 18
Emerg: M.Hyde 28 B.Webb 26
In: E.Gooch, P.Seth
Out: M.Hyde (omitted), B.Webb (omitted)

GOLD COAST
B: D.Heslop 25 J.Pregelj 42
HB: E.Keaney 30 L.Ahrens 7 D.D'Arcy 20
C: S.Watson 14 J.Stanton 17 P.Parker 1
HF: M.Levi 6 K.Howarth 23 K.Surman 26
F: S.Perkins 28 B.Perry 16
Foll: L.Bella 2 A.Drennan 33 L.Single 13
I/C: G.Bevan 27 H.Dunn 24 C.Hammond 29 L.Kaslar 11 M.Ritson 12
Emerg: T.Groves-Little 3 W.Randell 15
In: G.Bevan, C.Hammond
Out: J.Baird (injured), S.Virgo (managed)



NORTH MELBOURNE
B: T.Nestor 24 J.Grierson 19
HB: N.Bresnehan 12 T.Randall 16 A.Gilroy 8
C: K.Ashmore 10 E.Kearney - C 9 J.Bruton 35
HF: D.Bateman 11 G.Campbell 43 K.Gillespie-Jones 5
F: B.Brown 36 D.Bannister 2
Foll: E.King 60 J.Garner 25 A.Riddell 7
I/C: I.Eddey 3 B.Lynch 20 E.Gavalas 22 M.King 23 V.Saad 39
Emerg: A.O'Loughlin 6 G.Hammond 44
In: B.Brown, B.Lynch
Out: D.Hardiman (injured), S.Abbatangelo (omitted)

COLLINGWOOD
B: L.Butler 23 S.Casey 22
HB: S.Chiocci 17 S.Livingstone 12 J.Allen 6
C: R.Schleicher 18 J.Lambert 13 M.Cann 25
HF: A.Sheridan 14 S.Alexander 24 S.Rowe 7
F: C.Molloy 2 E.O'Dea 50
Foll: S.Norder 1 B.Davey 3 B.Bonnici 8
I/C: A.Porter 9 J.Membrey 21 T.Brown 26 J.Lin 20 E.Fowler 15
Emerg: B.Smith 19 A.Newman 16
In: S.Norder, E.Fowler
Out: B.Smith (omitted), A.Newman (omitted)



BRISBANE
B: S.Campbell 20 L.Postlethwaite 6
HB: E.Zielke - C 8 K.Lutkins 13 B.Koenen 3
C: O.O'Dwyer 9 C.Svarc 25 S.Conway 12
HF: G.Bodey 15 D.Davidson 14 C.Hodder 21
F: J.Wardlaw 30 L.Arnell 16
Foll: T.Hickie 24 A.Anderson 18 E.Bates 1
I/C: I.Dawes 17 J.Ellenger 5 R.Lugg 11 I.Tahau 26 T.Smith 31
Emerg: M.Moloney 28 J.Zanchetta 2
In: R.Lugg, I.Tahau
Out: N.Grider (Illness), J.Zanchetta (Omitted)

ADELAIDE
B: N.Gore 7 S.Allan 39
HB: M.Rajcic 32 C.Randall - C 26 N.Allen 8
C: T.Charlton 25 A.Hatchard 33 J.Mules 23
HF: E.Jones 2 E.Phillips 13 S.Thompson 14
F: A.Woodland 24 C.Scheer 4
Foll: R.Metcalfe 11 E.Marinoff 10 H.Button 6
I/C: A.Foley 3 D.Ponter 15 H.Munyard 20 L.Whiteley 22 R.Forth 27
Emerg: M.Newman 17 C.Gould 1
In: C.Randall, H.Munyard, R.Forth
Out: C.Biddell (Omitted), R.Martin (Injured), C.Gould (Omitted)



WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: N.Ferres 16 E.Gamble 14
HB: S.Hartwig 15 K.Lynch 10 E.Brown 9
C: K.McLeod 6 E.Blackburn - C 2 A.Guest 19
HF: E.Georgostathis 17 I.Huntington 4 B.Lochland 1
F: B.Toogood 8 D.Berry 7
Foll: C.Moody 13 G.Newton 5 K.Lamb 27
I/C: D.Marshall 26 K.Rennie 24 H.Scott 22 I.Grant 3 J.Fitzgerald 23
Emerg: I.Pritchard 20 G.Lagioia 12
In: D.Marshall, H.Scott
Out: N.Morris-Dalton (Omitted), A.Gogos (Injured)

MELBOURNE
B: G.Colvin 32 L.Birch 9
HB: S.Lampard 8 D.Pearce - C 6 C.Emonson 11
C: C.Sherriff 18 M.Gay 3 S.Heath 30
HF: E.Zanker 29 K.Hore 10 S.Scott 12
F: T.Cunningham 1 L.Mithen 14
Foll: L.Pearce 15 K.Paxman 4 T.Hanks 5
I/C: L.Magee 26 E.McNamara 22 A.Bannan 16 N.McEvoy 17 J.Parry 19
Emerg: M.Fitzsimon 24 B.Tarrant 20
In: L.Magee
Out: S.Goldrick (Injured)



GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
B: P.Randall 21 T.Hetherington 9
HB: T.Evans 18 L.Stephenson 12 A.Lister 14
C: E.Bennetts 22 B.Tully 36 A.Eva - C 2
HF: T.Mackrill 32 J.Dal Pos 7 H.Zreika 24
F: C.Staunton 13 R.Privitelli 19
Foll: E.McKinnon 23 A.Parker 3 R.Beeson 6
I/C: G.Garnett 17 J.Allan 39 E.Goodsir 1 N.Barr 8 T.Davies 16
Emerg: L.Steane 20 S.Halvorsen 30
In: T.Evans
Out: L.Steane (Omitted)

WEST COAST
B: S.McDonald 35 C.Perera 27
HB: B.Smith 14 A.Ward 33 T.Bresland 20
C: M.Bowen 1 A.McCarthy 11 M.Collier 8
HF: A.Atkins 9 I.Cameron 19 M.Caulfield 10
F: A.Janz 37 G.Kelly 15
Foll: P.Laurie 25 E.Swanson - C 13 I.Lewis 6
I/C: K.Pope 29 K.Gibson 2 H.Bullas 24 C.Guard 4 L.Gauci 26
Emerg: K.Orme 32 S.Davison 28
In: A.Janz, L.Gauci
Out: A.Gilmore (Injured), S.Davison (Omitted)

 

[PMBangers]

Lets hope this Round can happen without any issues

St Kilda are going to be far too strong for the cats, just better across every line

Carlton whilst not 'back' shouldn't have any issues handing Richmond another loss, but if Tigers can have some more moments like they did on Sunday they'll end up closer than many would be expecting

North Melbourne should win in what will be MOTR I assume, although I expect it to be tight considering how strong both midfields are, both backlines are similar quality but I'd put Roos well ahead for forward quality

Fremantle without much to add, may be the biggest margin we've seen by this time next week

Another really good match up and MOTR contender, I reckon Brisbane have looked really really good, and should just sneak past the crows

Melbourne will continue their dominant run, excited at the possibility of Blackburn on Paxman stoppages

GWS shouldn't have any issues with West Coast

 

[Teen Wolf]

The weather forecasts are looking dodgy all week for Brisbane and Sydney, though the rain might be at its least severe for the games on Sunday.

No such concern for Saturday night under the roof. And though we've recently seen what two of the better teams can produce on a big fat ground in still conditions, Docklands is a bit smaller than Casey Fields which is closer to MCG size. It wouldn't surprise me to see North setup more conservatively behind the ball, resulting in this one bouncing back and forth between the arcs like the Adelaide-Fremantle game.

After playing the way they did last weekend, it would be ridiculous for Melbourne to now lose against the Bulldogs. But the Demons have been good for one ridiculous loss every season, so this could be the danger game for them.

 

[jatz14]

Lets hope this Round can happen without any issues

St Kilda are going to be far too strong for the cats, just better across every line

Carlton whilst not 'back' shouldn't have any issues handing Richmond another loss, but if Tigers can have some more moments like they did on Sunday they'll end up closer than many would be expecting

North Melbourne should win in what will be MOTR I assume, although I expect it to be tight considering how strong both midfields are, both backlines are similar quality but I'd put Roos well ahead for forward quality

Fremantle without much to add, may be the biggest margin we've seen by this time next week

Another really good match up and MOTR contender, I reckon Brisbane have looked really really good, and should just sneak past the crows

Melbourne will continue their dominant run, excited at the possibility of Blackburn on Paxman stoppages

GWS shouldn't have any issues with West Coast

GWS have played Adelaide, Freo and GCS.
WCE have played Adelaide, Freo and Brisbane.

GWS have only won 3 quarters all season, WCE have won 4.

I think GWS are going to have plenty of issues with WCE.

 

[Biggie]

WS have played Adelaide, Freo and GCS.
WCE have played Adelaide, Freo and Brisbane.

GWS have only won 3 quarters all season, WCE have won 4.

I think GWS are going to have plenty of issues with WCE.

Gee I hope you are right.

Is the answer that should be given,

However, instead I will reply with this

 

[Teen Wolf]

Tips

Saints by 12 - Last week delivered the exact style of contest that I envisioned this* Geelong team needed to get their first win of the year, and still they lost.

Blues by 18

Freo by 30

Roos by 6 - Hardiman set to miss with concussion, whether North go like-for-like or instead switch up their structure down back altogether should largely dictate the result.

Lions by 5,000 - Brisbane, the honest-to-god youngest team in the league, are a real flag threat now that the Suns powerhouse have stopped taking all their best players. Shame on anybody who would cite relevant statistics to refute all that extremely accurate stuff I just said! Also, while I'm taking advice from super-impartial recent BigFooty postings, Erin Phillips is overrated.

Dogs by 1 - Melbourne have only lost once to the Bulldogs in four meetings--a pseudo prelim thriller where an unfortunate brain fade by then-Demons defender Ashleigh Guest left Jenna Bruton alone at a F50 stoppage in the match-winning moment. If Guest is able to front up this weekend and get the Bullies over the line again, she must have had all the bad luck knocked out of her at Kardinia Park.

Giants by 24 - Longstanding yet-to-be-disproven GWS theory: often very disappointing against teams on or above their level, always beating the teams they probably should. Meanwhile the Eagles, regardless of a potential Alicia Janz return, deal with a long injury list which grows by the week.


*As I pointed out on the Geelong forum during the week, the Cats are onboard the same boat as every other team, albeit in a less luxurious cabin:

Adelaide with Randall and Phillips: 18 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, 192.01%
Adelaide without Randall and/or Phillips: 3 wins, 7 losses, 73.62%

Fremantle with Kiara Bowers: 16 wins, 2 losses, 154.48%
Fremantle without Kiara Bowers: 4 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw, 75.99%

Melbourne with Daisy Pearce: 17 wins, 7 losses, 137.63%
Melbourne without Daisy Pearce: 4 wins, 3 losses, 111.16%

Geelong with Nina Morrison: 3 wins, 4 losses, 82.75%
Geelong without Nina Morrison: 2 wins, 8 losses, 40.24%

 

[Teen Wolf]

Although still scheduled for Marvel Stadium, there would have to be a chance that Saturday night's game won't actually be played under the roof, based on what the BOM is telling me. Given that conditions will be pristine either way, it hardly matters, so forget I said anything.

-----

I often hear folks saying Dogs v Dees is where the real AFLW rivalry is at: “The girls don’t need their identifies forged by the men’s teams,” and so on. Too bad, the best current AFLW rivalry revolves around Carlton and Collingwood, and there is a detectable level of bad blood between the two women’s WA teams.

If the history of men’s football has no bearing on today’s AFLW competition, then why should some exhibition games from 5+ years ago be any different? Here are the current Bulldogs who played for the club in those pre-2017 Hampson-Hardeman Cup matches:

• Hannah Scott and Lauren Spark—both of whom apparently have beef with their own coach more so than anybody at Melbourne.
• Ellyse Gamble—once.
• Ellie Blackburn—played for Melbourne every time except the last match of 2016 which took place after the Demons blunderingly rejected her as a marquee signing for the inaugural season in favour of a 32yo Melissa Hickey. And this, the most interesting piece of exhibition era history, is never talked about (if it was, nobody would be acting like Richmond are the only club to make start-up recruiting errors).

And here are the current Demons who played for the club in that period:

• Daisy Pearce
• Karen Paxman
• Lauren Pearce

Finally, yes, there is actually heat between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. But it stems from the triviality of Libby Birch joining up with her old Darebin buddies, nothing to do with who pioneered what.

-----

Looking like this weekend will be the first time since R1 to have crowds at every match.

 

[samFFC]

Geelong really struggling but Saints haven't put them away

 

[samFFC]

Geelong really struggling but Saints haven't put them away

Okay maybe now!

 

[Teen Wolf]

Saints just had two more I50s tonight. Cats missed a few easy chances themselves, but 18 scoring shots from 29 entries would be a killer in a free-flowing game, let alone a rather slowish stop-start game like this one mostly was.

Geelong's finish to Q3 was thus particularly detrimental. 19 points down, 2 mins left and they just chipped it around the back. Eventual lasso turnover, St Kilda get it back 55m out from goal, Greiser slots one through after the siren.

Georgia Patrikios had her usual flair tonight but less touches of the footy than previous weeks, and her team wasn't really worse off for it. Tyanna Smith should be the main focus of opposition coaches. Makes better choices when it comes to disposing the ball, whereas Patrikios is more like a talented showboaty golfer with a drunk caddy.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Looking ahead to next weekend, I think St Kilda could be taking on GWS, and Geelong might play Adelaide. There has to be some interstate mingling for a couple of Victorian teams in R5, because in terms of all-non-Vic games: a) the Eagles and Crows will both only have the Suns left to play, and b) the Dockers and Giants will both only have the Lions left to play.

Meanwhile, assuming the AFL is vaguely intent on sticking to the 4-6-4 fixture structure touted back in December (which appears to be the case), Carlton is due to play a fellow top 4 team from last year. Similarly, the Bulldogs and Richmond are yet to play a bottom 4 team, so they should meet each other. That narrows down the options quite a bit, and at this stage I'm expecting Round Five to look like this:

Carl v NM
WB v Rich
GC v WC
Coll v Melb
GWS v StK
Frem v Bris
Geel v Adel - I think the Crows are allowed to fly to Avalon and play in Geelong, then return home and theoretically host the Suns in R6

Been reports that the AFL has been holding meetings with club captains etc, discussing details around likely temporary team relocations from R6 onwards, hence the all-Vic affairs seem likely to continue until then (where possible). And, yes, the usual everything-subject-to-change-again disclaimer applies.

 

[Teen Wolf]

So the moment has come. Hosking v Hosking. Winner showered with praise. Loser taunted and booed, throat sore etc.

Richmond: "Kill, Sarah! Kill, Sarah!"
Carlton: "Kill Sarah! Kill Sarah!"

Milder conditions than expected, gonna be a good game if both teams carry on from the way they finished last week.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Richmond really enjoy playing Carlton.

 

[brucetiki]

What’s gone wrong for Carlton this season. Touted as one of the flag favourites pre-season and now getting pantsed by Richmond

 

[Teen Wolf]

Well it's the kind of open game that could allow the Blues to storm back into it, but it's a deserving lead for Richmond at the moment.

As I mentioned on here last week, 4 of Carlton's last 5 victories have come after having fewer scoring shots at quarter-time.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Shes going to get rubbed out soon for those tckles. IF it was KB it definitely would have.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Prespakis high tackle will get looked at

 

[samFFC]

Hmm Prespakis not a great tackle
Tigers going nicely !! Finish it off!

 

[Teen Wolf]

Guessing that'll cost Prespakis 400 dollarydoos with an early plea IF it hasn't resulted in concussion (she has already been given a reprimand for wrestling this year).

 

[BarbieITFC]

What’s gone wrong for Carlton this season. Touted as one of the flag favourites pre-season and now getting pantsed by Richmond

The Sarah Black effect, where a combination of a typical Blues love in within the media - plus the only other Vic team who have potential to win the flag are the Roos (who the media tends to underestimate) - meant that Sarah’s pumping up of Carlton got a lot of exposure.

I certainly didn’t have them in my list of teams that worries me as a Dockers fan. Much more concerned about the Roos, Crows and on their day the Lions.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Well, there goes Tigers lead. I thought it would have taken longer than that.

 

[brucetiki]

Fox Footy’s response to Richmond’s 4 goal lead:

‘We apologise for the technical difficulties’

Honestly, I only noticed the picture quality glitching when Fox pointed it out

 

[samFFC]

Good contest here in the 3rd!

 

[Teen Wolf]

Blues got it back on their terms but looked very tired towards the end of Q3, that red time goal was huge.

Would like to see Richmond move a few players around now, particularly those whose surnames start with a 'D'.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Great start to the quarter, Conti brilliant today (as usual) and anybody who says otherwise is a very bitter Bulldog. Gonna turn it over once in a while, no big deal, especially when you're getting so much of the ball and constantly taking the game on.