Women's Footy Unofficial Preview 1st Qualifying Final - Brisbane Lions v Richmond Tigers - Metricon - 3.10pm Qld Time

[Section 5]

Not sure if anyone else was doing a preview. Mods just merge this if that is the case

The first 4 week AFLW finals S7 start in November and finish prior to the start of summer. Lucky teams get the night games
Very weird going into finals without having played the Cats 5th and Dogs 8th

The last and only time we met in S7
This was in round 5. The game was a high pressure low scoring affair with the wind heavily favouring one end. But that did not help any side that day
Result Tigers 2.6.18 to Lions 1.8.14 at Punt Road. Our lowest score of the season. Lions average score for this season is 55 points
According to AFLW match summary the best were:-
Richmond: Conti (14 disposals), Shevlin (24), Sheerin (19), McKenzie (15), Seymour (8), Wakefield
Brisbane: Dawes (24), Bates (19), ? Svarc (6 or 5 ?), Conway (15), Koenen (11)

I note from that game Tigers Maddie Shevlin had 24 disposals, 8 contested and a massive 658 meters gained. Next best was Sheerin with 420
Maddie suffered an ankle injury the following week and has not played since. Not sure if she is ready for a return for the QF
Lions top meters gained player was Isabel Dawes with 350
Being a very windy and low scoring game i thought meters gained was an important stat that day

Home ground advantage or not?
Lions sort of have a home ground advantage at Metricon in so much as we don't have to travel interstate
However we do have a fairly good record at Metricon
Played 7 times for 4 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss by 3 points, and a GF loss by 6 points.
If we want a chance of a home GF we need to win this game to stay in the running
With a true finals 8 format starting S7 a loss still gives that team a second chance but reduces the likelyhood of a home GF

To the game itself
The way the AFLW season is played out, you can only go on recent form, and form against your opponent this year
Both teams are playing well. The Tigers have a win against us but we don't have to travel
Weather predicting a shower or two but that could change as it is 5 days away
The only Lions change i see is Zimmi comes in if her finger has healed

Brennan from Richmond did not play the last time we met and does improve their side
Lions players missing from that Tigers game were Wardlaw and Lutkins.
That's 2 big in's for us for the QF, but Zimmi played and may miss this QF

Short summary
I think we are the best team in the competition when on song
If we can contain Conti (mid), Sheerin (def) and McKenzie (fwd) who can be a game winner that will help us get over the line

The Lions play a team first style game and that hopefully gets us a win Saturday afternoon

Seeing the game is not Friday evening i will be trecking down the M1 with my daughter to cheer on a win
Be very interested in the attendance numbers

 

[dlanod]

Not sure if anyone else was doing a preview. Mods just merge this if that is the case

Nup, great initiative. This is going down on your permanent record!

 

[AFLQLD]

Nice preview.

Wardlaw playing against them will make it more of a challenge for their defence. The best tall defender will have to go to her. This gives more opportunity for Dakota and the third tall, whoever that is at the time. Dakota is a real handful without a physically strong player on her.

It is still Conti that concerns me most. She is pretty smart and positions herself well. I really think that most teams let her roam a bit too much and she knows how to take advantage of that. Some body work on her from Dawes CSvarc and maybe Ally so she has to fight for low quality possession all game.

Last time the two teams met we really didn’t use the outside well and got trapped into a slog around the contest a lot which I think they were happy with.

I feel that their greatest fear will be the likes of Conway, Grider, Ellinger, Monaghan and Orla having space and time to pick out forward 50 targets, because then it becomes a scramble to cover the movement of our forward line, which is full of danger. They won’t want the ball going to ground in a one-on-one forward line before their mids can roll back. Too much mobility in our forwards in that sort of situation.

I think we have the best running and rebounding halfback/wing group in the game and we need to really bring them into the game.

Hickie is a bonus for us because she can go forward or back and has the skills to mark up forward or intercept as an extra tall defender. Tay Smith is improving quickly in the ruck and can hold her own for patches of games now. Both are more mobile than many AFLW rucks which means they can play as an extra where needed, especially Hickie who is probably in the top 3 or 4 rucks in the game from what I have seen this season, but better around the ground than most.

This game is purpose built for Dawes to make her own. The intensity will be up and she is such a tough player she will thrive on it - aggressive, clean below the knees, great working out of traffic, good vision, total team player, and if anyone is a “barometer” for the team it is her.

 

[rwan566]

Also need to watch out for Wakefield she took quite a few marks against us

 

[Section 5]

Richmond lost their 1st 2 games to Cats by 4 and Crows by 9.
They then won 8 straight including a 4 point win over the Lions
Tigers restrict opposition teams to a low score and we have to change that in this game
Tigers average 32 points for per game, but only concede 22 points per game. Lions better with 55 for and 19 against
They restricted the Lions to just 14 in the round 5 win.
Even in their two losses they still restricted the opposition to only 36-27 and 15-11

We need to hold our own in the contested ball area but need to win the outside ball to give our forwards greater opportunities
I beleive we have the better forward structure to kick a winning score. But that is the challenge
In round 5 the Lions won inside 50's 32 to 26 but could only score a low 14 points

Richmond just don't have the fire power up forward but they can wear you down around the ground
Richmonds winning score against the bottom 8 teams they played
9th Suns 23
10th Ess 26
11th GWS 58
14th Carl 44
15th Haw 44
16th WCE 43

 

[Dalions]

The girls will show no mercy and will be at their best against the tigers.

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.womens.afl

 

[LeakyValve]

Also need to watch out for Wakefield she took quite a few marks against us

She is a smart footballer too. Gets back to her feet quickly.

As Section noted, Sheerin is one to watch as well. An instinctive, quick, tough player with a decent boot on her.

 

[Sausages]

Revenge is a dish best served with fava beans and a nice chianti

LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS

 

[Monkey Daniel]

Was hoping for a wet Saturday so cricket would be called off, otherwise an early collapse would be ideal to ensure I’m home in time to watch the game

 

[dlanod]

How Richmond created chaos to earn a maiden finals appearance

Before this AFLW season, the Tigers had won only six games. Now they're charging into their first-ever finals series without a loss in eight weeks. So how did they do it?

www.abc.net.au

 

[Section 5]

How Richmond created chaos to earn a maiden finals appearance

Before this AFLW season, the Tigers had won only six games. Now they're charging into their first-ever finals series without a loss in eight weeks. So how did they do it?

www.abc.net.au

Good confidence article if you are a Richmond fan
Bookies should have Richmond favourites to beat the Lions tomorrow on that write up.

I think our coach will have a little change of tactics for this game. Nothing drastic but a change
A good test for Lions first up against the only team to beat them in S7
I think we get the win and it would not surprise me if it was by a good margin

Also a quick check with TAB betting, Lions $1.14 to Tigers $5.50 head to head, not that that means anything
I have not had a bet in 20 years but $5.50 head to head for Tigers is a good price
And no i won't

 

[Section 5]

No changes = No Zimmie

 

[harvester]

Go lions!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ceebee]

Looking forward to this game.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Go Lions!

 

[AFLQLD]

Richmond are the most defensive team in the finals. It is there one big strength. Play outside and they will find it tough. They do everything they can to keep the game in the contest and rugby maul the ball forward from contest to contest.

Hopefully we see quick release out the back of the contest or laterally, and then wide to our runners. We don’t have to win every contest, but the ones we do win we need to use the ball to give our outside players and forwards opportunities.

 

[Section 5]

Who else is making the trek to Metricon

Think i will leave northern suburbs around 12.30
That should give us enough time in case traffic does not play ball

 

[Jivlain]

	Brisbane	Richmond
0 to 9 games	1	0
10 to 24 games	1	10
25+ games	19	11
Games played	40.62	25.76
Age	25.23	25.18
Height	169.95	171.67

Interactive version

 

[Lazza16]

Lions by 14 in a tight one.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Richmond are the most defensive team in the finals. It is there one big strength. Play outside and they will find it tough. They do everything they can to keep the game in the contest and rugby maul the ball forward from contest to contest.

Hopefully we see quick release out the back of the contest or laterally, and then wide to our runners. We don’t have to win every contest, but the ones we do win we need to use the ball to give our outside players and forwards opportunities.

Need to get a few goals ahead early, which should stifle their defensive plans. Kicking for goal and making the most of our opportunities is important as well.

 

[LeakyValve]

Have to respect all your opponents, but if Sheerin and Conti are blunted, so is most of Richmond's ability to
break up play.
Hope Dakota has a day out as she still may be hurting from that loss.
Appears to be spot-on weather wise too.
Not taking anything for granted, but the Lionesses should prevail. They have been the far more convincing outfit all season.

 

[AFLQLD]

Looks like 5 cameras on Conti and one or two on the game.