What’s wrong with the AFLW Tigers?

[Stan Judkins]

What’s wrong with the Tigers?
Joel Shepherd Roar

Well, if you’re judging current performance against expectations, there’s nothing wrong – they’re doing about as well as I expected them to, having picked them to finish last.

The problem is that Richmond look like a good VFLW team put together by people who thought that would be plenty. The general rule that applies in all sports is that superior athleticism will erase superior skill. For example, there are plenty of very good basketball players who shoot high percentages and look incredible in the NBL who would disappear if they moved to the NBA. Against players who are taller, stronger and faster, they wouldn’t get a shot off and all their clever skills would be for naught.


And so it is with football, men’s or women’s. We’ve seen it happen to Mo Hope and Sarah Perkins, we might soon be seeing it happen to Sabrina Fredrick and to a solid chunk of the Tigers line-up who were excellent at VFLW level. Put them up against faster, stronger opponents and all their clever skills disappear because they just don’t get any time or space to get a kick away before someone is planting them face-first in the turf.


This is why Mon Conti looks like such a star on the field for the Tigers – it’s not just that her skills are better, it’s that her vastly superior athleticism gives her the extra space she needs to execute her skills. The old adage in footy is ‘can’t kick, can’t play’, but this doesn’t particularly apply to women’s footy right now because with the standards still low, there are plenty of players, including some high-profile ones, who struggle to hit targets.


The adage in women’s footy might instead be ‘can’t run, can’t play’. Which is why Gabby Seymour, a volleyballer who’s been playing footy only about a year and whose skills are accordingly rusty, looks to have a promising future, while some of the Tigers’ more skilful and experienced VFLW players probably don’t. Seymour is an athlete and can make her own space to get a disposal away. At this level players who can’t do that can’t do much.


Still, the Tigers have a core group of players who are athletic enough to be either very good now or to become very good in the future. Those players will be kept and the others will be replaced over the coming years. Tigers fans should keep an eye on Ellie McKenzie of the Northern Knights in the NAB League, who might be their first pick next year. Put her alongside Conti in 2021 and you’ve suddenly got a serious midfield. When building off a low base, just a couple of big new inclusions can radically improve the whole team.

 

[Stan Judkins]

Rightly or wrongly, the authors opinion is a stark reality check for all us supporters
We are up against it and with say WC, were looking at 2 maybe 3 years away from putting together a good quality competitive side
I for one am in it for the long haul and look forward to our club evolving and improving in the coming seasons
Sure players who can't cut it will be moved on at the end of this year, but it won't diminish the fact that this squad are our pioneers in the woman's football league

 

[Bojangles17]

Nail on the head that article , in early years AFLW was chock full of Park footballers unfit and unsuited for the rigours of a comp that was ready to break the ceiling that through attrition have since departed back to those leagues. We have a handful in that category and few quicker players that can compensate for them. Time will tell with sabs , I like how she goes about it but if she has genuine footy ambition she has to get fitter , start to look like she’s done the yards on and off the track , there’s a couple of others too. I’m sure at some stage we will stake our flag in the ground and start looking like a footy team , it might be a little while ,,,but I’m behind them

 

[Stan Judkins]

Nail on the head that article , in early years AFLW was chock full of Park footballers unfit and unsuited for the rigours of a vide that was ready to break the ceiling that through attrition have since departed back to those leagues. We have a handful in that category and few quirks that can compensate for them. Time will tell with sabs , I like how she goes about it but if she has genuine footy ambition she has to get fitter , start to look like she’s done the yards on and off the track , there’s a couple of others too. I’m sure at some stage we will stake our flag in the ground and start looking like a footy team , it might be a little while ,,,but I’m behind them

You've hit the nail on the head as well Bojangles17, with your post
At 22 i'm not ready to give up on Sabrina, but as you rightly pointed out that she needs to get fitter and understand that she needs to step up another level because 2017 is not the same game as 2020 and 2021 will go up another level
If as expected we get the No1 VIC pick next seasons draft, there's a girl called Ellie McKenzie (Northern Knights) 173cm midfielder who is an absolute jet, same if not better than Monique Conti, has insane pace to burn, fantastic skills, will look very, very good in our team and improve it immensely
As they say "Rome wasn't built in a day", we just have to hang tough for a few years

 

[Bojangles17]

You've hit the nail on the head as well Bojangles17, with your post
At 22 i'm not ready to give up on Sabrina, but as you rightly pointed out that she needs to get fitter and understand that she needs to step up another level because 2017 is not the same game as 2020 and 2021 will go up another level
If as expected we get the No1 VIC pick next seasons draft, there's a girl called Ellie McKenzie (Northern Knights) 173cm midfielder who is an absolute jet, same if not better than Monique Conti, has insane pace to burn, fantastic skills, will look very, very good in our team and improve it immensely
As they say "Rome wasn't built in a day", we just have to hang tough for a few years

We ve all underestimated the benefit of 4y in the system , not only on skills and fitness , game plan too. I hope the girls knuckle down, I’m sure they will and I’m in for the ride

 

[RunningBounce]

Agree.

The other factor I'll tip in is coaching / cohesion.

It's starting to look to me like the four expansion teams will struggle this season. The Goldies were bloody lucky to win last weekend. The Saints and Weagles look a mile off the pace, too.

It's a different form of the game to VFLW. Structures are different. Strategies are different. Having a group of players with games played together looks to count for a fair bit.

 

[TigermanM2]

What’s wrong with the Tigers?
Joel Shepherd Roar

Well, if you’re judging current performance against expectations, there’s nothing wrong – they’re doing about as well as I expected them to, having picked them to finish last.

The problem is that Richmond look like a good VFLW team put together by people who thought that would be plenty. The general rule that applies in all sports is that superior athleticism will erase superior skill. For example, there are plenty of very good basketball players who shoot high percentages and look incredible in the NBL who would disappear if they moved to the NBA. Against players who are taller, stronger and faster, they wouldn’t get a shot off and all their clever skills would be for naught.


And so it is with football, men’s or women’s. We’ve seen it happen to Mo Hope and Sarah Perkins, we might soon be seeing it happen to Sabrina Fredrick and to a solid chunk of the Tigers line-up who were excellent at VFLW level. Put them up against faster, stronger opponents and all their clever skills disappear because they just don’t get any time or space to get a kick away before someone is planting them face-first in the turf.


This is why Mon Conti looks like such a star on the field for the Tigers – it’s not just that her skills are better, it’s that her vastly superior athleticism gives her the extra space she needs to execute her skills. The old adage in footy is ‘can’t kick, can’t play’, but this doesn’t particularly apply to women’s footy right now because with the standards still low, there are plenty of players, including some high-profile ones, who struggle to hit targets.


The adage in women’s footy might instead be ‘can’t run, can’t play’. Which is why Gabby Seymour, a volleyballer who’s been playing footy only about a year and whose skills are accordingly rusty, looks to have a promising future, while some of the Tigers’ more skilful and experienced VFLW players probably don’t. Seymour is an athlete and can make her own space to get a disposal away. At this level players who can’t do that can’t do much.


Still, the Tigers have a core group of players who are athletic enough to be either very good now or to become very good in the future. Those players will be kept and the others will be replaced over the coming years. Tigers fans should keep an eye on Ellie McKenzie of the Northern Knights in the NAB League, who might be their first pick next year. Put her alongside Conti in 2021 and you’ve suddenly got a serious midfield. When building off a low base, just a couple of big new inclusions can radically improve the whole team.

There's a few points that I strongly disagree with in that article.

The problem is that Richmond look like a good VFLW team put together by people who thought that would be plenty.

What crap! We built the list on the back of the AFL's list build rules. We were given 8 x VFLW pre listing spots and that's what we took. I'd like to know where Joel Shepherd thinks we could have got our players from? Go to the draft with 19 picks? How do you reckon we would have fared then Joel? I bet your article would have started with "they’re doing about as well as I expected them to, having picked them to finish last... for the next 5 years!"
We knew our VFLW players weren't going to be instant AFLW stars but they have had 12 months at Richmond which has definitely been an advantage.

We’ve seen it happen to Mo Hope and Sarah Perkins, we might soon be seeing it happen to Sabrina Fredrick

My expectation of Sabrina is a lot different to others and as I've said before (and this is where I agree with him) as AFLW has got stronger, faster better, especially in the last couple of years, players have caught up with Sabrina. However, she is still 6 foot tall and can mark and you will still pay a price if you don't put your best defender on her. She just has to play her role. It's not like she has had fantastic supply in the last two games either. It's up to other players to put it to her advantage. They are still learning that. Yes she can be a fitter, I'll concede that.
Shepherd also compares her to Moe Hope....PLEASE!!!! About as close as comparing ex Blue Daniel Gorringe with Dustin Martin. Just stupid.

Look, there is no doubt that our expectation internally would have been higher and we've been caught off guard a little bit.
I am actually more disappointed with Brennan than any other player. There have been a couple of times that she has been involved...actually...I should say not involved and we have suffered. I'll use the very first goal as an example when Stanton pounces on a loose ball which clears the pack 20m out from goal and the Suns are away. Brennan just didn't run hard enough and stick with Stanton when the ball was kicked in. That was Brennan the forward in that passage not Brennan the mid. Needs to set the example for others.

Not only did we stuff up countless opportunities, we also gave Suns quite a few.

 

[balmainforever]

Two games is not a season.
The Carlton game, the girls look overawed by the occasion and were gone by 1-2 time. Took them until the last quarter to work out some sort of structure.
The Gold Coast game, the girls gave away three soft goals and then run into a over flooded defence which they couldn't break scoring 0.8 after 1-4 time.
This is a learning experience. We all knew that AFLW is a higher level than VFLW.

 

[Bojangles17]

There's a few points that I strongly disagree with in that article.

The problem is that Richmond look like a good VFLW team put together by people who thought that would be plenty.

What crap! We built the list on the back of the AFL's list build rules. We were given 8 x VFLW pre listing spots and that's what we took. I'd like to know where Joel Shepherd thinks we could have got our players from? Go to the draft with 19 picks? How do you reckon we would have fared then Joel? I bet your article would have started with "they’re doing about as well as I expected them to, having picked them to finish last... for the next 5 years!"
We knew our VFLW players weren't going to be instant AFLW stars but they have had 12 months at Richmond which has definitely been an advantage.

We’ve seen it happen to Mo Hope and Sarah Perkins, we might soon be seeing it happen to Sabrina Fredrick

My expectation of Sabrina is a lot different to others and as I've said before (and this is where I agree with him) as AFLW has got stronger, faster better, especially in the last couple of years, players have caught up with Sabrina. However, she is still 6 foot tall and can mark and you will still pay a price if you don't put your best defender on her. She just has to play her role. It's not like she has had fantastic supply in the last two games either. It's up to other players to put it to her advantage. They are still learning that. Yes she can be a fitter, I'll concede that.
Shepherd also compares her to Moe Hope....PLEASE!!!! About as close as comparing ex Blue Daniel Gorringe with Dustin Martin. Just stupid.

Look, there is no doubt that our expectation internally would have been higher and we've been caught off guard a little bit.
I am actually more disappointed with Brennan than any other player. There have been a couple of times that she has been involved...actually...I should say not involved and we have suffered. I'll use the very first goal as an example when Stanton pounces on a loose ball which clears the pack 20m out from goal and the Suns are away. Brennan just didn't run hard enough and stick with Stanton when the ball was kicked in. That was Brennan the forward in that passage not Brennan the mid. Needs to set the example for others.

Not only did we stuff up countless opportunities, we also gave Suns quite a few.

kB will turn the corner when we least expect it, credit it to her , she is fitter than she has ever been , being in midfield takes a tad more time learning how her teammates role . I’m confident she ll be ok coz she’s done the yards

 

[Stan Judkins]

There's a few points that I strongly disagree with in that article.

The problem is that Richmond look like a good VFLW team put together by people who thought that would be plenty.

What crap! We built the list on the back of the AFL's list build rules. We were given 8 x VFLW pre listing spots and that's what we took. I'd like to know where Joel Shepherd thinks we could have got our players from? Go to the draft with 19 picks? How do you reckon we would have fared then Joel? I bet your article would have started with "they’re doing about as well as I expected them to, having picked them to finish last... for the next 5 years!"
We knew our VFLW players weren't going to be instant AFLW stars but they have had 12 months at Richmond which has definitely been an advantage.

We’ve seen it happen to Mo Hope and Sarah Perkins, we might soon be seeing it happen to Sabrina Fredrick

My expectation of Sabrina is a lot different to others and as I've said before (and this is where I agree with him) as AFLW has got stronger, faster better, especially in the last couple of years, players have caught up with Sabrina. However, she is still 6 foot tall and can mark and you will still pay a price if you don't put your best defender on her. She just has to play her role. It's not like she has had fantastic supply in the last two games either. It's up to other players to put it to her advantage. They are still learning that. Yes she can be a fitter, I'll concede that.
Shepherd also compares her to Moe Hope....PLEASE!!!! About as close as comparing ex Blue Daniel Gorringe with Dustin Martin. Just stupid.

Look, there is no doubt that our expectation internally would have been higher and we've been caught off guard a little bit.
I am actually more disappointed with Brennan than any other player. There have been a couple of times that she has been involved...actually...I should say not involved and we have suffered. I'll use the very first goal as an example when Stanton pounces on a loose ball which clears the pack 20m out from goal and the Suns are away. Brennan just didn't run hard enough and stick with Stanton when the ball was kicked in. That was Brennan the forward in that passage not Brennan the mid. Needs to set the example for others.

Not only did we stuff up countless opportunities, we also gave Suns quite a few.

On the money, TigermanM2
While the author is only putting out his opinion, the media did get caught up in the supposed "star power, big name/game players" rather than the team as a whole that Richmond assembled
There was even articles that suggested we would make finals and maybe even win the GF, PLEASE!!!!
even if some posters have been a little bit disappointed the way our team has performed , in 2 games mind you, the informed posters who have been posting all year have had a more realistic view of how we would go in our FIRST year
the author did write antagonistically in regard to Sabs, she did monster her opponents in 2017, 2018 but her opposition now are stronger and faster so she's not getting marks when the ball is just kicked to her haphazardly, but FFS she's only 22 (Mo and Sarah, as a comparison, far from it)
the author did write in the whole article which I only put out the Richmond part, that the game is getting quicker which requires more skill and pace
also wrote what did WC supporters think about how good their team would go when the talent pool is still too thin (will take 2-3 years to catch up to Freo list)
you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear, have to work with what the rules allow you to do
Joel also made comment regarding Geelong as having a problem with pace and being burnt by the quick Brisbane and Freo sides, their scoring isn't much better than ours
having 2 or 3 more players that are pacey and skilful in our team will make us so much better, the likes Ellie McKenzie and/or Georgie Prespakis etc

 

[Stan Judkins]

Look I agree it's just that you don't mind if the opposition get on the board and there is nothing you can do but you just can't let them get a free run and give them that early confidence. She's the most experienced out there. It's not fitness or anything to do with her team mates. It was more of an awareness thing and before she knew it Stanton had 10m on her.

Anyway, a win and we are on our way. An upset win this week, however unlikely, will be massive.

TigermanM2 and Bojangles17, I honestly don't believe it's a singular problem ATM (KB, Sabs etc) it's a collective one
I honestly believe it's more about nailing the conversions when we have shots on goal, maximising the play when it's on our terms
we've been kicking points from gettable shots while the oppo have been kicking goals

 

[TigermanM2]

TigermanM2 and Bojangles17, I honestly don't believe it's a singular problem ATM (KB, Sabs etc) it's a collective one
I honestly believe it's more about nailing the conversions when we have shots on goal, maximising the play when it's on our terms
we've been kicking points from gettable shots while the oppo have been kicking goals

Absolutely. You have to take the opportunities when they present.

 

[RunningBounce]

TigermanM2 and Bojangles17, I honestly don't believe it's a singular problem ATM (KB, Sabs etc) it's a collective one

Agree.

Sabs and KB, and I'd add Bernardi, have all been down on their expected output, but I don't think that is the biggest part of the problem. Bloody hard to be sure what the pattern is after only 3 games, but IMO, it's 1) the leaked goals, 2) we don't win enough of the footy and 3) taking the opportunities to kick goals.

1) Sure, we might have missed some easy shots in the last quarter against vs Gold Coast, but we wouldn't have needed to kick 'em, except we gave up the three goals early. The first half against Carlton. 2nd quarter vs Roos. We need to find a way to stop the oppo scoring easily when they get the game on their terms. Monahan has been great in the back half, but she's 174 cm. We can't be relying on her to half many aerial contests. I liked McClelland as a defender this week, so hopefully she's part of the solution.

2) We lost total disposals by -74 (Rnd 1) and -63 (Rnd 3). Conti can't do everything and we need her sweeping outside contests, so we need to find some grunt inside. Campbell has been great, but I suspect that we'll need to wait for some of the kids (Molan and Jacques maybe) to grow into ball hunters before we can really address that weakness.

3) 6 goals 18 from 3 games...

Still, we're Richmond and we've been tested by much worse than 3 losses to start a season! I'd prefer the girls were winning, but I'm still really enjoying having an AFLW team. They truly fight to the final siren. It'll take them some time to adjust to the 16 player format, figure out the best positions for everyone and get them all playing the same game style.

 

[TigermanM2]

Agree.

Sabs and KB, and I'd add Bernardi, have all been down on their expected output, but I don't think that is the biggest part of the problem. Bloody hard to be sure what the pattern is after only 3 games, but IMO, it's 1) the leaked goals, 2) we don't win enough of the footy and 3) taking the opportunities to kick goals.

1) Sure, we might have missed some easy shots in the last quarter against vs Gold Coast, but we wouldn't have needed to kick 'em, except we gave up the three goals early. The first half against Carlton. 2nd quarter vs Roos. We need to find a way to stop the oppo scoring easily when they get the game on their terms. Monahan has been great in the back half, but she's 174 cm. We can't be relying on her to half many aerial contests. I liked McClelland as a defender this week, so hopefully she's part of the solution.

2) We lost total disposals by -74 (Rnd 1) and -63 (Rnd 3). Conti can't do everything and we need her sweeping outside contests, so we need to find some grunt inside. Campbell has been great, but I suspect that we'll need to wait for some of the kids (Molan and Jacques maybe) to grow into ball hunters before we can really address that weakness.

3) 6 goals 18 from 3 games...

Still, we're Richmond and we've been tested by much worse than 3 losses to start a season! I'd prefer the girls were winning, but I'm still really enjoying having an AFLW team. They truly fight to the final siren. It'll take them some time to adjust to the 16 player format, figure out the best positions for everyone and get them all playing the same game style.

Sheesh. Bit hard on Bernardi. Sure she was a bit quiet on the weekend but played well first few weeks. Was great against GC. Took some quality grabs.

We have too many around the middle who just can't get their hands on the ball, then we get killed on the spread. We can't seem to match sides on the outside. We are one paced but its a fitness thing too. You could just tell the Nth girls were fitter. A lot of our girls tried hard but they were cooked. Finally if you bust your backside and can't get the ball between the big sticks you are just going to play catch up and that takes its toll.

Anyway, on to next match. Another day and another chance to notch our first win at "home" in Bendigo. I think we are certainties.

 

[balmainforever]

I know when you don’t have the ball, you can look slow, but I’m not seeing a lot of speed on our team when we attack either. It’s all very slow and once we turn it over, we get burnt very quickly.

 

[Stan Judkins]

I know when you don’t have the ball, you can look slow, but I’m not seeing a lot of speed on our team when we attack either. It’s all very slow and once we turn it over, we get burnt very quickly.

yeah looks like it for sure, Conti about the only one that looks to have genuine leg speed

 

[Stan Judkins]

Sheesh. Bit hard on Bernardi. Sure she was a bit quiet on the weekend but played well first few weeks. Was great against GC. Took some quality grabs.

We have too many around the middle who just can't get their hands on the ball, then we get killed on the spread. We can't seem to match sides on the outside. We are one paced but its a fitness thing too. You could just tell the Nth girls were fitter. A lot of our girls tried hard but they were cooked. Finally if you bust your backside and can't get the ball between the big sticks you are just going to play catch up and that takes its toll.

Anyway, on to next match. Another day and another chance to notch our first win at "home" in Bendigo. I think we are certainties.

We have too many around the middle who just can't get their hands on the ball, then we get killed on the spread. We can't seem to match sides on the outside.

yeah in the OP mentions this problem, other than Conti, we haven't got that game break away speed
would have thought Jacques, Burchell would have this, but haven't shown it so far (disappointing)
our kick to, then mark game is falling down, mainly due to pressure being applied by the opposition teams
plus we give away too many silly free kicks, especially 50m penalties, which result in goals from dead in front
other than KB, Conti and Campbell, no one else is getting any double figure possessions at the coal face

 

[Bojangles17]

yeah looks like it for sure, Conti about the only one that looks to have genuine leg speed

Conti looks to be the only class mid we have by a mile , gc is next best but early days with her. We lack any kinda grunt at the contest and oppo are walzing away , our pressure could be better
Monahan would be leading bf ,,,yea I’m invested in the team wish we were as good as nm or blues team but I’m pragmatic enough to realise it will be a battle , I didn’t see it prior but didn’t take long to see where we re at
Will be so happy fir the girls when we finally salute hope it’s soon

 

[RunningBounce]

Sheesh. Bit hard on Bernardi. Sure she was a bit quiet on the weekend but played well first few weeks. Was great against GC. Took some quality grabs.

Probably didn't come through the way I meant it. She hasn't been bad. At all. But I had very high expectations of Bernardi - similar for KB and Frederick. Who also haven't been bad. Just down on the output I expected of them. They have all played a role.

I'm liking our chances in Ballarat too!

 

[Stan Judkins]

Conti looks to be the only class mid we have by a mile , gc is next best but early days with her. We lack any kinda grunt at the contest and oppo are walzing away , our pressure could be better
Monahan would be leading bf ,,,yea I’m invested in the team wish we were as good as nm or blues team but I’m pragmatic enough to realise it will be a battle , I didn’t see it prior but didn’t take long to see where we re at
Will be so happy fir the girls when we finally salute hope it’s soon

from what Tommy Hunter said at the presser, the whole club is 100% behind the team and understand where were at
we've been spoiled with the success of the men's team and largely forgotten how long it took to build up to where were at
Monahan has been superb, but I'm worried where Akec and Miller are at, they seem miles off the standard as do the newbies and VFLW upgrades
to be brutally honest we have only 6-7 players that look they belong at this level
we've got a heap of players that try hard but are not up to it unfortunately

 

[Bojangles17]

from what Tommy Hunter said at the presser, the whole club is 100% behind the team and understand where were at
we've been spoiled with the success of the men's team and largely forgotten how long it took to build up to where were at
Monahan has been superb, but I'm worried where Akec and Miller are at, they seem miles off the standard as do the newbies and VFLW upgrades
to be brutally honest we have only 6-7 players that look they belong at this level
we've got a heap of players that try hard but are not up to it unfortunately

Spot on Stan , akec is a worry love her enthusiasm but too often she ll take off then run into awful trouble turn it over or fumble it after doing all the hard work , gabby is plain not up to it , slow as treacle

 

[RunningBounce]

from what Tommy Hunter said at the presser, the whole club is 100% behind the team and understand where were at
we've been spoiled with the success of the men's team and largely forgotten how long it took to build up to where were at

100%.

Expectations are powerful things, and hard to shift.

I was expecting something like VFLW - as many wins as losses, some gems uncovered and some disappointment. But I shifted my goal posts at half time during Round 1. I'm mentally and emotionally back in 2011. As long as we're competitive across the park, I'm happy. As long as we don't drop our chins, I'm happy. Can't say how proud I am that the last quarters have been our best.

I'm not getting into naming names, but there's honestly only one player I think is too far below the standard to get there by this time next year. And it's an effort thing. Couple of really disappointing non-efforts suggest this player doesn't want to be out there.

On Makur Chuot, I reckon she's a winger being played back pocket because our backline isn't functioning. Like the rest of the team, I reckon she has it in her. She just needs time to adjust to the step up, and the new position.

 

[Stan Judkins]

100%.

Expectations are powerful things, and hard to shift.

I was expecting something like VFLW - as many wins as losses, some gems uncovered and some disappointment. But I shifted my goal posts at half time during Round 1. I'm mentally and emotionally back in 2011. As long as we're competitive across the park, I'm happy. As long as we don't drop our chins, I'm happy. Can't say how proud I am that the last quarters have been our best.

I'm not getting into naming names, but there's honestly only one player I think is too far below the standard to get there by this time next year. And it's an effort thing. Couple of really disappointing non-efforts suggest this player doesn't want to be out there.

On Makur Chuot, I reckon she's a winger being played back pocket because our backline isn't functioning. Like the rest of the team, I reckon she has it in her. She just needs time to adjust to the step up, and the new position.

I was expecting something like VFLW - as many wins as losses, some gems uncovered and some disappointment.
yeah couldn't agree more, I was expecting the same
we beat (were close to) a few sides in the VFLW season and in hindsight I have realised that these same sides had a lot of their really good players not playing
skewed my expectations somewhat, the step up to AFLW has been a lot bigger than I imagined
a few players have found the same thing, a learning curve no doubt
i really don't think the move to Ikon park has done us any favours either

 

[Bojangles17]

The gap between vflw and AFLW is a seismic one and congratulations to the comp coz the best sides are playing some impressive footy and it’s improved loads from 2017.

A real challenge presents at draft time , when you consider the concession we got compared to gws and GC that had a free hit at 80% of top doz , ours was diluted plenty and will be turned on it’s head you’d expect By the AFLW at next draft

 

[Stan Judkins]

The gap between vflw and AFLW is a seismic one and congratulations to the comp coz the best sides are playing some impressive footy and it’s improved loads from 2017.

A real challenge presents at draft time , when you consider the concession we got compared to gws and GC that had a free hit at 80% of top doz , ours was diluted plenty and will be turned on it’s head you’d expect By the AFLW at next draft

if we go winless or only win one game, I would expect at least the top 2 or 3 picks next draft
the foundation teams have too much of a head start