Historic match tonight...
Fox Footy and Channel 7, (7mate in Sydney) from 7.30pm
We're just going to kick off with the one thread for pre-match, in-game and post match discussion.
If folks want to expand it in coming weeks and break it up as we do with the men's competition we can accommodate that.
pass
Lot's of interest here.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Carlton v Collingwood, Ikon Park, 7.45pm AEDT
CARLTON
B: L.Brazzale 12, D.Hardiman 31, S.Last 7
HB: S.Hosking 10, K.Gillespie-Jones 5, D.Vescio 3
C: N.Plane 32
HF: L.Attard 14, I.Ayre 22, L.Arnell 13
F: S.Audley 26, B.Davey 1, K.Loynes 2
FOLL: B.Moody 16, A.Downie 30, M.Keryk 4
INT: N.Exon 15, T.Lucas-Rodd 18, J.Kennedy 23, A.Brown 27, B.Jakobsson 35, G.Pound 6
Emergencies: K.Darby 8, K.Shierlaw 25
COLLINGWOOD
B: C.Edwards 1, M.Hutchins 25, S.Livingstone, 12
HB: S.Chiocci 17, N.Stevens 21, C.McIntosh 20
C: L.Tesoriero 7
HF: A.Eva 2, J.Garner 43, S.D'Arcy 4
F: E.Grant 5, M.Hope 23, J.Cameron 27
FOLL: E.King 60, A.Barden 38, B.Bonnici 8
INT: B.White 33, T.Morgan 26, C.Bernardi 6, S.Casey 22, R.Schleicher 18, H.Roden 11
Emergencies: P.Cula-Reid 3, M.Kuys 9
Not looking forward to seeing Steph running around for the Pies, but.....
I'll be there. 1st ever games don't happen very often.
Lot's of interest here.
That's what we're trying to determine. ;)
I was hoping to go but it now seems that I will be watching the game on TV. There's a few cold beers in the fridge :)
One thing that I will be interested to see is the impact of 16 players on the ground combined with what I suspect will be shorter kicking ...
I'll certainly be watching but it's hard to discuss as we have absolutely no idea of the players, their ability or that of any of the opposition. But, hey, guess we'll soon pick it up and learn.
I was hoping to go but it now seems that I will be watching the game on TV. There's a few cold beers in the fridge :)
One thing that I will be interested to see is the impact of 16 players on the ground combined with what I suspect will be shorter kicking ...
IMO the 16 players was on show last year during the WB v Melb exhibition games. Way less congestion, stoppages and what I call "little league style mob chasing a ball".
As a lover of the game, a supporter of the club, and a father of 2 daughters aged 9 & 11 I am actually really excited about watching this game. My girls [and son] are certainly excited and we will be watching the first bounce for sure. If I was in Melbourne I'd be there for sure.
I'm not sure what to expect, but it's a historic event for the code and the club and I reckon we should get behind it regardless. Anything that makes the game more appealing to broader families and gives greater opportunities for women to play and showcase their athletic ability should be supported wholeheartedly by every one.
Go the Blues...........
As a lover of the game, a supporter of the club, and a father of 2 daughters aged 9 & 11 I am actually really excited about watching this game. My girls [and son] are certainly excited and we will be watching the first bounce for sure. If I was in Melbourne I'd be there for sure.
I'm not sure what to expect, but it's a historic event for the code and the club and I reckon we should get behind it regardless. Anything that makes the game more appealing to broader families and gives greater opportunities for women to play and showcase their athletic ability should be supported wholeheartedly by every one.
Go the Blues...........
Here here
As a lover of the game, a supporter of the club, and a father of 2 daughters aged 9 & 11 I am actually really excited about watching this game. My girls [and son] are certainly excited and we will be watching the first bounce for sure. If I was in Melbourne I'd be there for sure.
I'm not sure what to expect, but it's a historic event for the code and the club and I reckon we should get behind it regardless. Anything that makes the game more appealing to broader families and gives greater opportunities for women to play and showcase their athletic ability should be supported wholeheartedly by every one.
Go the Blues...........
Well said!
Been a rollercoaster week for me this week.
Lost a family member who was a lifelong blues member who made the front page of the Herald after we won the '79 GF. :'(
Had my 2nd child today who is already a signed up blues member. ;D
History in the making tonight.
Wish i could've been there, but i think its a fair excuse! ;)
Been a rollercoaster week for me this week.
Lost a family member who was a lifelong blues member who made the front page of the Herald after we won the '79 GF. :'(
Had my 2nd child today who is already a signed up blues member. ;D
History in the making tonight.
Wish i could've been there, but i think its a fair excuse! ;)
Sympathies to you and your family for your loss...congrats on your 2nd child....hope the Navy Blue ladies can get up for your new nipper and start him/her off with a win...
Sympathies to you and your family for your loss...congrats on your 2nd child....hope the Navy Blue ladies can get up for your new nipper and start him/her off with a win...
Sorry should've said it was a boy, my 2nd boy.
He's a baby 'rhino bear' if anyone was wondering. ;)
Been a rollercoaster week for me this week.
Lost a family member who was a lifelong blues member who made the front page of the Herald after we won the '79 GF. :'(
Had my 2nd child today who is already a signed up blues member. ;D
History in the making tonight.
Wish i could've been there, but i think its a fair excuse! ;)
Sorry about your loss but congratulations on the safe arrival of your new son and best wishes to him for a long, healthy and happy life!
That is a roller-coaster Kruddler.
Mixed emotions, no doubt but all the best.
Sympathies for the loss and congratulations on the birth.
It's a funny old world sometimes. ???
...and on that note ("funny old world")... the Collingwood captain's father has just earned himself a ban. >:( ;D
(seriously, good luck to Steph, hope she plays well in a losing side. :D)
The crowd on the TV looks amazing - the atmosphere must be awesome.
Looking forward to some first hand reports about the night. Go Blues - first win of 2017 in early Feb will do nicely thank you............
We're winning 12-8.
18-8 now near 1/4 time.
The attack on the footy and the tackling is fantastic. Our blokes could learn a few things about intensity.
I'm enjoying this; very different but very entertaining. The tackling is fierce.
Sitting in my lounge room fist pumping our 2nd goal.......... then I laughed !
I've got the sweats happening just the same as when I'm watching the boys play .
I didnt think id be that interested in it but there you go.
Skills woeful but attack on the man (woman) and tackling as good as the boys I reckon.
How long has it been since Princes Park has been locked out.
Up 25-10.
Vesico could get a run in our men's half forward line. She is a natural talent, and she knows where the goals are.
25000 spectators and 5000 locked out according to twitter reports. That has to beyond anyone's wildest expectations - I heard they were hoping for 15000.
When you remember that a lot of these girls have only a season or two of footy experience it can only get better.
I'm impressed, expected nothing less TBH.
I'm thinking 26pts is a huge lead in a women's game.
We'll be on top of the ladder after tonight!!!
I hope Liam Jones is watching Darcy Vescio. He'll learn something
We're on top of the ladder and have the AFLW record score to boot...lol.
We're on top of the ladder and have the AFLW record score to boot...lol.
And record crowd at a AFLW match!!!
And record crowd at a AFLW match!!!
Reckon we'll hold that one for a while.
Wow. An easy win against the arch enemy at PP. Just like old times.
I enjoyed that. Considering they're not full time footballers, it was pretty enjoyable and about as skillful as one could expect. The ball movement, structures and link play were pretty reasonable IMO.
Well worth watching. Well done girls.
Trivia question - why does the umpire call "holding the man" ?
And yes, DV, should be teaching Cas how to kick.
Make no mistake lads, what we just saw there was the dawning of a new era for our club. The opportunity that women's footy provides could be a serious game changer that can't be ignored. Sponsorship, members, merchandise, gate takings - the commercial implications of this are huge.
The positive implications for our brand are also huge. Our girls played an exciting, tough and team first game that was really great to watch and made me proud to be a Carlton fan.
Take a bow ladies. The names Vesico, Jakobson,Davies and Arnell are hopefully going to be huge in the history of our club.
Get on board lads - they will surprise you and make you proud to be a Carlton supporter.
Early days yet but there were some very promising signs tonight.
I think that we must have put a lot of work into drafting players with the attributes to play the game style we have chosen. Our players are very well drilled and their execution and willingness to take the game on is outstanding. Collingwood certainly has some very good players but the talent seems to drop away.
It was interesting to hear Bolton talking about the integration of the men's and women's teams and I suspect that he would be more open to that than some other AFL coaches.
My best players were Davey, Jacobsson, Vescio, Downie and Hardiman but I'm probably being unfair to several others.
It was great to see third woman up on several occasions and the umpiring was generally pretty good. Apart from the frenzied start to the first quarter, the game flowed quite well.
It goes without saying the standard was well below what we're used to seeing but we also have to keep in mind that this is their first serious game together other than practice matches so there is still a lot of "team understanding" that needs to be developed.
I dare say that was the most intense pressure the girls have experienced too, so that may also have had a big effect on skills. It will be interesting to compare the performances at the end of the season.
There seems to be a big gap between the top players and the rest of the pack so depth will also be a major issue for a while.
Quite enjoyed it though...and nice to go into a last quarter knowing it's very unlikely we'll lose :D
( My 28 year old daughter just messaged me to say she might play Australian Football rather than Soccer this year :D)
Just got through watching the end of this. Wow.
If our blokes played with the same amount of discipline, pride in the jumper, and support of their teammates, we'd be finals bound without a doubt.
Vescio is possibly the best forward on a carlton list.
Jakobsons hands are the equivalent to that of casboults.
Arnell and Davey have proven to be very smart choices.
Brazzalle and Exon dominated early.
Hosking is a footballer who knows how to play the game, be good to see her sister out there with her in the future.
....and Steph showed why she was chosen as Captain for the pies, clearly a step above the majority of her teammates. Played well.
Not sure about her fend off with a forearm to the head, or a knee to the face of our player on the ground. I wouldn't say dirty, but straight out of the Juddy playbook. ;-)
( My 28 year old daughter just messaged me to say she might play Australian Football rather than Soccer this year :D)
AFL need to make sure that the 'injury' factor doesn't come into play like mothers preferring their sons to play soccer. Wait until some girl has her nose splattered by an accidental errant elbow and it's shown close up and the gloss unfortunately might go out of it.
My best players were Davey, Jacobsson, Vescio, Downie and Hardiman but I'm probably being unfair to several others.
I pretty much agree with your best players although I would add Loynes, not so much for her possessions but for the unbelievable intensity of her tackling and attack on the ball.
Better intensity and more interesting to watch than an AFL pre-season game.
At the risk of being unpopular, if that standard is the norm for women's football, then omfg.
I watched the 2nd half and I don't need to watch another second of it in my lifetime, wow, it was an absolute trainwreck. I was unpleasantly surprised at the skill level or moreso lack thereof.....for all the hype this league and this particular game has generated, what a letdown.
I'll never complain about having to watch the half time Little League ever again.....that standard is light years ahead of what was on display tonight.
To summarise, it was appalling and 24,000 people appear to have been duped.
If it's a success, then good luck to them, but it's not for me and was every bit as disappointing as I expected it to be.
To be fair guys, the Men have over 100 years on the women. It will take time. But one things for sure, We have a great game, and no matter whether its Aus kick, Under 12's, country, Local, VFL, Women's / Mens AFL - FOOTY IS FOOTY! AFL is by far the greatest game on the planet! I Live in the US now and to see Clips of OUR team beating the FILTH at OUR HOME in front 25,000 was sensational! Imagine if we lost? Im proud as punch!
CARNA BLUE BAGGERS!!!!!
Enjoyed it. Talent pool is a bit low, the good players are good, but big gap. That will only improve.
Sung the song at the end and good work to all involved.
Jacokbsen... are we allowed to say the women are cute? Number 35 never looked so good.
Wow. Went to the game. Princess Park looked magnificent under lights.
Very happy I went. Stood for the entire match - like about a third of the crowd. Long time since I have done that at the footy. The atmosphere was electric - the crowd was really enjoying the experience.
The crowd was different than for a regular match - lots of families, lots of couples, lots of groups of friends. Lots of folks picking a team to support on the night. Lots of cheering - No boo-ing - except when a bunch who wanted to start a mexican wave could not get the next bay along to keep it going.
No grumpy guys braying like a donkey for the whole match - that was nice.
Our team took a little time to settle down. The team tacked hard, and attached the ball with intensity. They went in hard, with a run-up. Agree on the smart recruiting, our women hit hard, but can also run fast.
The defence was _really_ well organised. When ever the pies went forward there were at least three defenders between the pies players and the goal - with midfield support coming back to defend the half forward line.
Our No 22 had the Magpie forwards s**t scared. Felt sorry for their full forward, reminded me of when Fev was one out and double or triple teamed, with very limited support, and not much ball making it from the centre square into the forward line.
Our full forward was really good - ran rings, bangles and necklaces around the pies defenders. Just faster, smarter, and better supported by her team mates.
The photo was taken at the Legend's stand end when the first Carlton goal was kicked.
Being at the game tonight was one of the best footy experiences of my life. Having played women's footy (albeit really poorly) for a number of years before my body had enough, I've seen a lot of these women come through the ranks. I was so proud at what they were able to achieve in terms of attendance and pure atmosphere at the game. Princes Park was well and truly alive.
The skill level wasn't elite, but I've seen poorer efforts at time in the AFL. Keep in mind these women were playing in front of the biggest crowd most of them would have ever played in front of. Nerves would have been a factor. This is also the infancy of this comp. it's going to take time to grow. But the sheer excitement of the game is going to generate interest and increased participation, which will only increase the talent pool.
I know first hand how hard these women have worked to get to this point, but it's still only the beginning. Instead of being critical and trying to compare apples with oranges, let's celebrate what is growing here. Let's support it so that soon there won't even be anything to comment on, it'll just be another game of footy we can all watch...which is never a bad thing!
A 5 goal shellacking over the old foe Collingwood, in front of a full house at PP. Does it get any better than that?!!
Welcome to womens footy, I reckon for the 1st game of AFLW this was a huge success, and for Carlton to come out winners on the field, will do wonders for the club off it as well. Tonight is only 1 step, but it will do wonders for helping get Carlton back to where it belongs.
Who said we'd never see AFL(W) played at Princes Park ever again?!!
Enjoyed it. Talent pool is a bit low, the good players are good, but big gap. That will only improve.
Sung the song at the end and good work to all involved.
Jacokbsen... are we allowed to say the women are cute? Number 35 never looked so good.
Shades I know lots of woman who go to the mens footy for a perv at the physiques, I'm sure its ok if we reciprocate as long as its done with respect (which you have).
3 Votes Davey - Starred all around the ground, stopped opo attacks and create scoring opportunities for us.
2 Votes Vescio - Excitement machine pure and simple
1 Vote Arnell - Tried hard all night, led from the front, very vocal.
Special mention to me ol' mate SEC, tried her guts out and was BOG for the oppo by a country mile.
Although it wasnt pretty early mainly due to nerves, it got better as the game went on with the endeavour and attack on the footy was as good as I have seen in any game I have watched (male or female). Daisy Pearce made a poignant comment after the game about how the girls now have access to elite facilities, access to video straight after to training for reviews etc etc. You will see skills and standards improve dramatically and even 12 mths from now, will look very different IMO.
Well done AFLW and CFC for putting on that show. It seems they learnt something about putting on a game at PP from the NAB game v CheatsFC last year which was a debacle for the crowd. The atmosphere appeared electric (on TV) and if that wasn't an advert for getting games back to PP, I dont know what is.
Go Blues.
Wow. Went to the game. Princess Park looked magnificent under lights.
Very happy I went. Stood for the entire match - like about a third of the crowd. Long time since I have done that at the footy. The atmosphere was electric - the crowd was really enjoying the experience.
The crowd was different than for a regular match - lots of families, lots of couples, lots of groups of friends. Lots of folks picking a team to support on the night. Lots of cheering - No boo-ing - except when a bunch who wanted to start a mexican wave could not get the next bay along to keep it going.
No grumpy guys braying like a donkey for the whole match - that was nice.
Our team took a little time to settle down. The team tacked hard, and attached the ball with intensity. They went in hard, with a run-up. Agree on the smart recruiting, our women hit hard, but can also run fast.
The defence was _really_ well organised. When ever the pies went forward there were at least three defenders between the pies players and the goal - with midfield support coming back to defend the half forward line.
Our No 22 had the Magpie forwards s**t scared. Felt sorry for their full forward, reminded me of when Fev was one out and double or triple teamed, with very limited support, and not much ball making it from the centre square into the forward line.
Our full forward was really good - ran rings, bangles and necklaces around the pies defenders. Just faster, smarter, and better supported by her team mates.
The photo was taken at the Legend's stand end when the first Carlton goal was kicked.
Great post. Thanks for that matey.
Bit relieved not to take my two little ones at the last minute. Dragging a 4 and 5 year old through a crush would have been a bad way to spend friday.
The standard was pretty mixed and with the nerves and high intensity early, the skills dropped away. A good spectacle, and who can argue with carlton flogging collingwood at PP?
Look forward to the comp just settling down and developing well with a bit less media hot air.
Carlton appeared better coached, with an emphasis on getting back in defence and maintaining shape across half back. Credit to the team to maintain discipline and work hard for each other as it allowed them to make better use of the forwards.
Often preferred 16 a side in footy. It encourages the best aspects of our game and lessens the congestion.
Will get to a later game at PP
I know it was for free but did the club get to keep any of the catering takings? I'm sure we would've made a bit there.
Maybe now the AFL will send a bit of money our way to help bring PPark back up to scratch. Would be the perfect stadium for a North v GWS game. (Any North home game come to think of it).
If it's a success, then good luck to them, but it's not for me and was every bit as disappointing as I expected it to be.
Often you get out of something what you expect to get out of it, change your attitude and you will change your experience.
I thought the girls were great, this is the first time ever most of them have played in front of a crowd bigger than a few hundred.
Most blokes I know who would come off suburban football into a 24,000 crowd venue would shizen themselves and run around for three quarters like zombies. Then be bagged mercilessly by narrow minded posters about how shizen they are!
I have a mate who played in the EJ Whitten Legends game a few years back when it was still half serious, teams full of 1st year retirees, a super footballer and a suburban football legend. He ran himself in the ground in the first quarter and struggled to get a touch after that, straight after the game he echoed the comments of many of the girls last night. He couldn't hear sh1t out there, couldn't make himself heard over the crowd, felt invisible to his team-mates and was totally overwhelmed by the experience.
Late in the game when our girls linked up with a series of handballs it was clear that with time the run and carry aspect of football will be no different from the mens football, or from Gaelic for that matter. I don't expect the girls to handball 30m or kick 70m, but many of them hit the contest kilogram for kilogram every bit as hard as their male counterparts. Just wait until we see some of those indigenous girls starting to see AFLW as a way out of their oppressive lives.
PS:
Chiocci, it was very hard watching you run around in the prison bars knowing who you love but you did great. I hope you have a long and successful career, it's clear why you were made the captain, the filth obviously want to lift themselves out of the gutter!
At the risk of being unpopular, if that standard is the norm for women's football, then omfg.
I watched the 2nd half and I don't need to watch another second of it in my lifetime, wow, it was an absolute trainwreck. I was unpleasantly surprised at the skill level or moreso lack thereof.....for all the hype this league and this particular game has generated, what a letdown.
I'll never complain about having to watch the half time Little League ever again.....that standard is light years ahead of what was on display tonight.
To summarise, it was appalling and 24,000 people appear to have been duped.
If it's a success, then good luck to them, but it's not for me and was every bit as disappointing as I expected it to be.
One of the strangest posts I've ever read.
At the risk of being unpopular, if that standard is the norm for women's football, then omfg.
I watched the 2nd half and I don't need to watch another second of it in my lifetime, wow, it was an absolute trainwreck. I was unpleasantly surprised at the skill level or moreso lack thereof.....for all the hype this league and this particular game has generated, what a letdown.
I'll never complain about having to watch the half time Little League ever again.....that standard is light years ahead of what was on display tonight.
To summarise, it was appalling and 24,000 people appear to have been duped.
If it's a success, then good luck to them, but it's not for me and was every bit as disappointing as I expected it to be.
It's the first year of the competition. We know they can't kick as far, 30m would be a tough shot at goal, and breaking tackles will be harder, and being so early skills would be down given the competition has shallow depth, but you can bet in 2-3 years time those skills will be infinitely better. If you were unrealistically expecting something like the highly professional, slick men's game you were going to be disappointed. If you went in realising there's be differences then you'd likely enjoy the game, especially the high intensity.
Nice post Jim.
At the risk of being unpopular, if that standard is the norm for women's football, then omfg.
I watched the 2nd half and I don't need to watch another second of it in my lifetime, wow, it was an absolute trainwreck. I was unpleasantly surprised at the skill level or moreso lack thereof.....for all the hype this league and this particular game has generated, what a letdown.
I'll never complain about having to watch the half time Little League ever again.....that standard is light years ahead of what was on display tonight.
To summarise, it was appalling and 24,000 people appear to have been duped.
If it's a success, then good luck to them, but it's not for me and was every bit as disappointing as I expected it to be.
Yep, does seem unpopular Brettie.
It's all relative ..... ;)
Each to their own and all that. But this is here to stay and I for one will embrace it.
What I won't do though is compare the competition to AFL. Why would you? Apples and oranges.
Rather, I view AFLW in line with other elite sports played by women in this country.
From that perspective, I'm wrapped with the performance of our girls. I thought our forward structure and efficiency was outstanding. Gee if our boys could replicate that we'd all be grinning from ear to ear.
There was some real inside grunt that was pleasing. I was surprised by the preparedness to put head over the ball, and bump fearlessly. This is going to be a cracker competition and I'm glad our club's been awarded the opportunity. Early days, but this may provide the leg up the club needs to claw its way back to success.
Congratulations to all involved. I'll be watching the next game with Carlton Supporter passion. After all Navy is Navy. The rest goes without saying :))
Go Blues girls
One of the strangest posts I've ever read.
There's a reason Brettie has that Avatar.
There's a reason Brettie has that Avatar.
Carlton's own Donald Trump.
We were watching a suburban game of women's footy played by non-professional athletes - in a sport that has never had any support at all for women.
I was surprised how good it was considering. I played footy and I remember how hard it is to do some of those things they were doing. The backline organisation was brilliant and some of the overhead marking was great to watch. Mostly it was the intensity that surprised me. They really worked hard to close down opponents in a 16 a side game. And Monday they get up and go to work.
We're all going to have different opinions about this.
For me I guess the test was, watching this game, do I feel like I'm watching a Carlton team.
The answer was 'Yes' and that grew stronger the further the game went.
The result became more important.
It's a feeling I don't necessarily get on the rare occasions i get to see the Northern Blues, where the result for me is more about the performance of Carlton listed players.
But as I said, others (especially those who are regular attenders of NB games) will have a different point of view.
The skill level at the moment doesn't worry me...that's the base line it will only get better from here.
...and on that note ("funny old world")... the Collingwood captain's father has just earned himself a ban. >:( ;D
(seriously, good luck to Steph, hope she plays well in a losing side. :D)
Don't do that Lods. :D
My heart is and will always be NAVY BLUE.
There is a tinge of B&W ATM but that will last for about 8 weeks, and return next AFLW season if she gets a gig.
But what a night.
Absolutely awesome.
Think I mentioned before that the Blues have recruited really well.
Marquees are guns and some others like Jacobssen, Loynes, Downie, Exon, Hardimann are going to bring some real excitement and good footy to this club.
Brazzale & Keryk & the Hosking girls bring some real hardness & skill.
Enjoy the ride.
See you in the GF in 7 weeks time. :D
Being at the game tonight was one of the best footy experiences of my life. Having played women's footy (albeit really poorly) for a number of years before my body had enough, I've seen a lot of these women come through the ranks. I was so proud at what they were able to achieve in terms of attendance and pure atmosphere at the game. Princes Park was well and truly alive.
The skill level wasn't elite, but I've seen poorer efforts at time in the AFL. Keep in mind these women were playing in front of the biggest crowd most of them would have ever played in front of. Nerves would have been a factor. This is also the infancy of this comp. it's going to take time to grow. But the sheer excitement of the game is going to generate interest and increased participation, which will only increase the talent pool.
I know first hand how hard these women have worked to get to this point, but it's still only the beginning. Instead of being critical and trying to compare apples with oranges, let's celebrate what is growing here. Let's support it so that soon there won't even be anything to comment on, it'll just be another game of footy we can all watch...which is never a bad thing!
THIS...
Don't do that Lods. :D
It was a funny interview and I could sense you were between a rock and a hard place :D
So you're back in the good books (until next time) ;D
Steph went really well (don't worry about her not getting a gig) but she looked like she copped a bit of a head injury there towards the end (bit of blood).... hopefully OK for the next game.
Been a rollercoaster week for me this week.
Lost a family member who was a lifelong blues member who made the front page of the Herald after we won the '79 GF. :'(
Had my 2nd child today who is already a signed up blues member. ;D
History in the making tonight.
Wish i could've been there, but i think its a fair excuse! ;)
[1] Congratulations, Krudd, to you and your wife for baby #2. Hope you get some sleep.
[2] Commiserations for your loss. It is never easy losing someone close to you.
It sounds like you have been spending almost as much time in hospital as I have lately.
Now the game has been run and won, I hope it brought you some pleasure.
We have provided a couple of instant (potential) stars who our young girls can identify with, all under the Carlton banner. Grateful that we were first up and backed up with good performance. It's Big Bash footy, opening up the game to a whole new demographic of supporter and participant, young girls.
Merchandising stands were flat chat. Big Bash cricket offends some. So be it. Well done girls! (Loved watching Darcy Vee....she moves like a footballer,)
Sorry it has taken so long, but I have been pretty busy, one way or another.
Sorry this is an essay.
I managed to get to the game last night. I really enjoyed it.
In some ways it was a worry – I didn’t feel I had as much to lose psychologically, so I was much more relaxed over the whole game. However, that is my problem and I am sure it will change as the years go on.
[1] The atmosphere:
One of the really interesting things about the crowd last night was that they were, as a rule, a lot more mellow that they would be in a ‘normal’ Carlton vs. Collingwood game. There were many more women (not a bad thing for a women’s game) and not the snaggle toothed normal Collingwood feral. Things like Carlton supporters clapping the first Collingwood goal (it was the first for the competition, after all) and Collingwood supporters doing likewise until they started to get smashed. There wasn’t the abuse, towards players or umpires. I enjoyed that.
[2] The crowd was huge.
With the alternations to Ikon Park (the admin buildings, etc.) and Malthouse’s decision to shorten the playing surface to the size of Etihad, it was miraculous that I managed to get more or less where I used to sit, on the Southern wing, even though I arrived around 1815. The crowd then was significant. The crowd swelled to close to 25 000, as many people as can be safely held under the present orientation. The gates were officially locked at quarter time, with people outside and unable to get in.
At that point there were a few spare seats; maybe 25 at the far edge of the Legend’s Stand (how much they could see was questionable) and maybe 20 seats in the Gardiner Stand (also with probable poor viewing). The standing room could have been fuller: it was clear that the admin were basing the data on a formula, not just by having every inch full.
Outside the ground were a number of people, most of whom had arrived late. I have heard estimate of 2 000 to 5 000. These estimates were proved moot when a small group of people vandalized one of the roller doors under the Southern Stand, pulling it completely off, allowing several hundred people into the southern side of the ground. These people were not included in the official count. I don’t know what happened to them: they spread out like gas particles around the ground, although it was frankly dangerous for some time under the stand.
People wanted IN!
IF Ikon Park were to hold senior men’s game again, the new admin area would have to go. It does not allow any spectators in the area that held may a third of the crowd in the ground’s heyday.
[3] The lights:
There were a couple of extra banks of arc lights for the game. If the ground is to hold night game regularly, these extra lights need to be enhanced. The level of lighting was just not good enough, trith be told. Especially after half time.
Been a rollercoaster week for me this week.
Lost a family member who was a lifelong blues member who made the front page of the Herald after we won the '79 GF. :'(
Had my 2nd child today who is already a signed up blues member. ;D
History in the making tonight.
Wish i could've been there, but i think its a fair excuse! ;)
Definitely a big week Krud.
Sorry for your loss.
Welcome to baby Krud. Hope the little one gets to sing the victory song over and over in this new Blues era.
Pretty sure your non-attendance is excused.
[4] The Skills and fitness levels of the Players:
Brettie noted the skills of the players being less than optimal. That was a true statement, but there are reasons:
(a) The girls are NOT fully professional and are coming out of competitions that are essentially amateur. As such they not train 6 days a week, nor do they have the specialist coaching to ‘fix’ things like their kicking (remember that nobody can get that 100%: look at Casboult).
As such the girls’ skills were not far off what the VFL had in the 1970’s. They will improve, especially as the game gets more professional.
(b) The intensity was certainly there. The attack on the ball by both teams was excellent. Nobody shirked an issue all night and every player was willing to put her body in. The collisions were excellent. The only reason why there were not a large number of contact injuries is the relative lack of power inherent in female physiology at this point (hence the lesser speed) and the fact that none of the players was 120 kg of muscle. The momentum was a LOT less.
That was not a bad thing either. It meant that the players did not feel like each contest was going to be their last.
(c) There was very little ‘backwards’ play. That may sound like an old time football purist getting on his hobby horse, but it is not. There were good reasons why there was so little backwards play and none of them had to do with the girls playing ‘old time football’.
Firstly, and most importantly, none of the girls out on the ground kicked directly across the ground because they did not want to turn the ball over and give away a goal.
Scratch your head, do you? Well you shouldn’t. The girls made good decisions in this regard.
In modern AFL the football one of the main attacking weapons is to change the side of the ground to attack through, using the strategic planning of the coach and the athleticism and tactics of the players to move the ball to where the number of opponents was minimal. This has been going on for some time and requires defenders to have excellent kicking skills (to move the ball fast and low over 50 – 60 m).
The girls knew they could not do this. Very few defenders could kick it far enough or quickly enough to find open players. So the forwards had extra time to move and intercept the ball, leaving much of the opposition forward line open and a beaten opponent lying sprawling on the ground.
Poor tactics and poor strategy.
So the girls didn’t do it. They did not have the raw pace, the height, the marking power or the pace of the ball to make this a viable option.
(d) The standard late was not the highest, but this was because the players tired and because the intensity of the play did NOT WAVER. The girls were as hard at the ball in the last few minutes as they were in the 1st quarter, That inevitably makes tired players make mistakes.
Overall, I was happy with the skills. I didn’t expect different to what I saw; a highly charged physical game in which neither side gave nor asked for quarter. Only when the pressure is off, or when a team gets on a role, does the skill level look extreme.
[5] The Players:
With lighting conditions poor, it was difficult after half time to identify players very easily. That will change over time. I will get used to the numbers of the players and recognize who is who like I do with seniors. But it will take a while.
[6] Game style, tactics, et al:
I haven’t seen a lot of female footy, but, like the first few games last season, I could see our structures pretty well.
We played a quite AFL senior style of game plan, that required players to be extra fit and strong as a lot of running to support your team mates was required.
(a) There may have been 16 per side on the ground, but every time we lined up at the centre bounce we had 2 players, one on each wing.
I do not know if that was planned or in response to Collingwood, but that we did. As a result our forward line started very open, with players gut running into the forward line with the ball.
(b) Unlike the seniors, we appeared to have great confidence in our ruck division. We cycled 3 girls through the ruck and, although we did not often get a clear advantage, the players expected us to win the tap and direct it reasonably well.
Then at least 1 midfielder started off running hard at the centre bounce, often running directly onto the ball or into the player who was going to get it. There were no ball ups when at least one player was not on the move. Arnell probably did that the most and it worked well.
Even if the Collingwood mid got first possession, they ran into a team defence in the middle. The tackle was made, the kick was smothered. The ball did not come easily. As a result Collingwood got only 1 ‘easy’ centre clearance for the whole night.
We didn’t get a huge number of easy clearances, but we did well in the contested area and managed to get the ball further afield.
(c) The smothering and tackling was superb. It was a real highlight, as no Collingwood player got an easy possession from a contested situation. We chased hard, spoilt hard and really used our bodies well to knock Collingwood players off the ball.
[7] Tactical match-ups:
We did pull off some excellent tactic moves:
(a) Stifling Moana Hope: we played Laura Attard on Hope and she did an excellent job. She concentrated magnificently, never giving Hope a free run at the ball.
Backing her up was our team defence, led by Bree Davey and Dani Hardiman, who were excellent at making interceptions and spoils and whose bodies were strong enough to keep the Collingwood forwards off the ball and allow our smaller defenders to get the ball and run out of defence.
(b) Team defence: as above, our defenders really shot the Collingwood forwards down. Their strength and body work was excellent and they were very rarely outmarked..
(c) Centre line structures: this worked very well on the night, as the girls backed each other up and continually put pressure on the opposing mids. They couldn’t get any easy ball, making it easier for our defenders to shut down the forwards.
[8] Best players:
Brianna Davey: Looking at Davey last year and she looked like a strong, slowish defender who player mostly one on one football. That is not how she played last night. Her run out of defence was excellent, she left her opponent in the dust. She and the rest of the defenders formed an excellent team defence which stifled the Collingwood forward and allowed our defenders to run the ball out of defence. We often had an ‘extra’ and it was either Davey or Hardiman and they often took the mark or created opportunities for our smalls.
Davey had it 26 times in 60 minutes. That tells you a lot about her work rate and the style of game we played.
Darcy Vescio: Our other marquee player did on the forward line what Davey and co did in defence. She was always dangerous and got the ball off well. Her kicking needs some work, especially under pressure, but she was excellent in knocking the ball to advantage, engaging her opponent (usually out bodying her) and making something out of not much. She did try to take mark of the night, but as the game went on her confidence in her own marking grew and she held some match winning marks.
4 goals from 6 shots and never out of the play when the ball got over the centre line.
Bianca Jakobsson: In many ways I see a LOT of improvement left in Bianca. There were time when she fumbled and time when she should have gone for the mark but let it bounce. Her kicking was not always perfect. However, the longer the game went the better she played and the more confidence she got. She won some excellent one on one contests and moved the ball on well.
Danielle Hardiman: Like Davey, she really led things in defence and took some clutch marks under heaps of pressure. She read the game well.
Thought we looked 10 times fitter than the Pies' girls. Our run across the park was excellent.
Great review Crash - thanks for the effort.
Just on the skills I think the thing that the detractors also need to remember is that this the very first time they have actually played together, many of the players have played very little football [eg Davey], and they don't train anywhere near as much as the guys. They are coming from a long way back, but I think it will improve quickly as they train more and play more.
It was also apparent that there was a very big gap between the top and bottom 6 in terms of skills. I reckon this gap will close up within a year or two and the overall effect will be significant on how the game is played. More talented athletes will also be attracted to the sport for sure based on the early popularity and commercial opportunity. The better players will also improve significantly with more games and experience.
The timing of the comp is also really interesting. Playing games through February / March might just be a master stroke as there are a lot of footy starved supporters out there desperate for a footy fix. By not going head to head with the men, and playing at family friendly times and venues could provide a real point of difference for the league. It's also much easier to get media interest as there is not much else to talk about. This strategy has worked a treat for the BBL.
One thing you can't question is their intensity and attack on the footy.
Great review Crash - thanks for the effort.
Just on the skills I think the thing that the detractors also need to remember is that this the very first time they have actually played together, many of the players have played very little football [eg Davey], and they don't train anywhere near as much as the guys. They are coming from a long way back, but I think it will improve quickly as they train more and play more.
It was also apparent that there was a very big gap between the top and bottom 6 in terms of skills. I reckon this gap will close up within a year or two and the overall effect will be significant on how the game is played. More talented athletes will also be attracted to the sport for sure based on the early popularity and commercial opportunity. The better players will also improve significantly with more games and experience.
The timing of the comp is also really interesting. Playing games through February / March might just be a master stroke as there are a lot of footy starved supporters out there desperate for a footy fix. By not going head to head with the men, and playing at family friendly times and venues could provide a real point of difference for the league. It's also much easier to get media interest as there is not much else to talk about. This strategy has worked a treat for the BBL.
One thing you can't question is their intensity and attack on the footy.
No worries.
And you are 100% correct: you cannot question the intensity of the players nor their attack on the ball and the player with the ball.
Sorry, I had to cook dinner. I didn't quite finish the best players.
Nat Exon and Laura Attard deserve more than a mention for doing their jobs. They didn't get the possessions of the some of the other girls, but their concentration and body work was a real winner. I don't know which one had the most spoils or smothers, but....
Lauren Arnell was a great trouper in the middle of the ground. She tried to hit the ball at pace at every centre bounce and always attacked the ball at pace.
Had I been giving votes, I would have mentioned a few others as well, including the rucks.
@Crash
Fantastic review.
Thankyou.
Interesting comparison with the soccer. The Carlton/Collingwood crowd doubled the attendance at the Brisbane Roar match on Friday night and matched the Victory/City crowd tonight.
The W-League Perth/Sydney semi-final crowd wouldn't have been lucky to top a thousand.
The comparison might be a bit unfair. Admission is free for the AFL-W and the first match had event status. But I doubt the FFA was amused.
Apparently TV viewing numbers were a blow out too. Over 1million nationally.
In Melbourne, it attracted 100 000 more than next most watched show. That was the news.
We've finally hit the headlines, and it's all good news for Blues.
Totally sensational in so many ways for our club.
PP looks to have more games too. Hopefully the club gets to make a dollar or two. Hey if this continues we might even dare to think about offloading some of our debt.
What a great night for our Club, Women's Footy, and Women's Sport in general.
After ripping it up on the big stage on Friday night, life will never be the same again for players like Darcy Vee, Bri Davey etc.
For years, the AFL and the media in general had Princes Park down as an eyesore from a bygone era that nobody cares about or wants to go to anymore. The game against he Drug Cheats last year, and the 24,500 on Friday night, says otherwise. We may just have turned it into the 'go to' venue for expected big crowds in the AFLW.
My 6 y.o. daughter watched the 1st qtr before going to bed. She was rapt that girls were actually playing footy, after years of seeing me watching only the guys playing.
Told her we'd won on Saturday morning and she asked to watch the highlights, which I jumped online and showed her (how times have changed).
The Blues AFLW team has come along just at the right time. Reckon there's a whole new young female Navy Blue fan base after Friday night.
I'm hoping for a huge crowd at next weeks game. I'll be there with my two kiddos that's for sure!!.
GO BLUES!!!
After some pretty equally 1-sided matches, we've managed to come out of R1 atop the ladder. Which also means Collingwood are on bottom! >:D
http://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/ladder
What a great night for our Club, Women's Footy, and Women's Sport in general.
After ripping it up on the big stage on Friday night, life will never be the same again for players like Darcy Vee, Bri Davey etc.
For years, the AFL and the media in general had Princes Park down as an eyesore from a bygone era that nobody cares about or wants to go to anymore. The game against he Drug Cheats last year, and the 24,500 on Friday night, says otherwise. We may just have turned it into the 'go to' venue for expected big crowds in the AFLW.
My 6 y.o. daughter watched the 1st qtr before going to bed. She was rapt that girls were actually playing footy, after years of seeing me watching only the guys playing.
Told her we'd won on Saturday morning and she asked to watch the highlights, which I jumped online and showed her (how times have changed).
The Blues AFLW team has come along just at the right time. Reckon there's a whole new young female Navy Blue fan base after Friday night.
I'm hoping for a huge crowd at next weeks game. I'll be there with my two kiddos that's for sure!!.
GO BLUES!!!
Well said. Hopefully our girls will give your little girl many hours of happy viewing... as we hope the boys do!! :)
One of the strangest posts I've ever read.
One of the oddest responses I've ever read to an opionion.....get over yourself.
One small note of sobriety in the frenzy of feel-good responses over this competition:
I bet all those women who’ve been playing elite sport for years are REALLY chuffed at the saturation media coverage the AFL womens comp is getting !!!!!
Thinking the likes of womens: Soccer, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey etc etc. How long will it be before any talented sports-women is moving from other less funded & media hyped sports to play AFL instead….
Typical AFL, trying to kill off any competing sports while trying to look like they are doing a wonderful thing for women.
Kill off? That's not going to happen. But the AFL can and should carve out a dominant position.
I have little time for the "there's plenty of room for every sport - let's cooperate so every sport will grow" sentiment. The fact is, there isn't plenty of room at all. Malo, you acknowledge that reality when you note that AFLW has and will hurt other sports. It appears there isn't plenty of room after all - what is good for 1 sport will usually be bad for another.
There are only so many athletes and spectators to go around, only so much government funding and so many advertising and sponsorship dollars and only so many sports grounds.
Did soccer officials worry about the effect on cricket that their shift to summer might have?
Fortunately, those in charge of our sport aren't the type to hold hands around the campfire with administrators from other sports while singing kumbaya. They're focussed on making our game prosper, as they should be.
Soccer will be worried now, there are a bunch of females heading to AFLW out of the national women's leagues.
I would think that lists will change significantly for next season.
But lets face it, all things being equal, if you could, which game would you rather play?
Typical AFL, trying to kill off any competing sports while trying to look like they are doing a wonderful thing for women.
So they are putting a gun to the womens head are they?
They will play whatever they want to play. If the AFLW is a more attractive option than the alternatives, then the alternatives are obviously doing something wrong by comparison.
Only 481 people attended the W-League SF between Perh and Sydney!
Only 481 people attended the W-League SF between Perh and Sydney!
The average attendance at A-League games is only 13,000 ::)
So they are putting a gun to the womens head are they?
They will play whatever they want to play. If the AFLW is a more attractive option than the alternatives, then the alternatives are obviously doing something wrong by comparison.
Gun to head ?........Where did I say that Kruds ? Don't go putting words in others mouths just to make your own point look more salient. The considerable resources of the AFL and it's pet media organisations are making the "choice" of sportswomen one based on money & media coverage. And as for writing that the alternatives are"obviously doing something wrong"....what a one eyed point of view. The alternatives don't have the same massive financial resources to throw around & are not given priority media, including prime time TV, coverage.
Only 481 people attended the W-League SF between Perh and Sydney!
100,000 watched Melbourne Victory v Real Madrid at the MCG at the same time as 27,000 watched Carlton v Hawthorn at etihad.
100,000 watched Melbourne Victory v Real Madrid at the MCG at the same time as 27,000 watched Carlton v Hawthorn at etihad.
100,000? I thought it was a tad over 30,000 ???
16,000 watched the Melbourne Victory - Atletico-Madrid game.
Gun to head ?........Where did I say that Kruds ? Don't go putting words in others mouths just to make your own point look more salient. The considerable resources of the AFL and it's pet media organisations are making the "choice" of sportswomen one based on money & media coverage. And as for writing that the alternatives are"obviously doing something wrong"....what a one eyed point of view. The alternatives don't have the same massive financial resources to throw around & are not given priority media, including prime time TV, coverage.
'Doing something wrong' could simply mean their sport is not as fun to watch and play.
If people like doing it, they will.
If people like watching it, they will.
If they get paid for it, bonus.
It is survival of the fittest.
If people don't like watching it, or playing it as much as another sport, why should we bend over backwards for the other sport if it holds little interest for people?
If you think this is JUST about money, i point you to the XFL. You might say "what?!" and i say exactly.
The XFL was a rival to the NFL (american football) started by multimillionaire and owner of the WWE Vince McMahon.
He through absolutely ludicrous amounts of money at this league to get it up and running. (100mil in early 2000's)
Very similar game, changed some rules to make it more tv friendly/appealing. eg skycam.
Went bust.
Ultimately, the game was just not as good. It wasnt about the money.
100,000? I thought it was a tad over 30,000 ???
16,000 watched the Melbourne Victory - Atletico-Madrid game.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/07/24/real-madrid-thumps-manchester-city-front-huge-mcg-crowd
One small note of sobriety in the frenzy of feel-good responses over this competition:
I bet all those women who’ve been playing elite sport for years are REALLY chuffed at the saturation media coverage the AFL womens comp is getting !!!!!
Thinking the likes of womens: Soccer, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey etc etc. How long will it be before any talented sports-women is moving from other less funded & media hyped sports to play AFL instead….
Typical AFL, trying to kill off any competing sports while trying to look like they are doing a wonderful thing for women.
To be honest, I think any female sportsperson would be stoked that a women's sport is gaining this amount of hype and support. We've long been overlooked in Australia, so any sort of positivity is a great start.
What it will do however is encourage these women to put more pressure on their sporting bodies to better publicise their sports.
I'm the President of a women's softball association and know first hand what a struggle it's been to attract and retain junior participants. The AFL and to a lesser extent the FFA have done an incredible job at marketing their sports to young female athletes. AFL in particular has exploded and is the fastest growing sport for women in the country. That's been building though for the best part of a decade, the AFLW is only the icing on the cake. I've seen my sport fall by the wayside because the people in charge have been too focused on their elite pathways and not invested enough in grass roots, and I daresay that other sports are suffering similarly.
I take my hat off to the AFL though, they had a grand plan, stuck to it and are reaping the rewards.
100,000? I thought it was a tad over 30,000 ???
16,000 watched the Melbourne Victory - Atletico-Madrid game.
If the ratios for "special events" to "normal matches" sticks the next round of AFLW will attract about 3000 spectators max.
There is a rider though, the feedback from families after the AFLW matches was that they preferred to take their young kids to those games as the atmosphere was much better for families and children. No drunks, no abuse, no brawling.
It would also be a bit of a boon for fathers of young girls. I don't have any, but I'd imagine many would prefer to take their girls to see the women's footy rather than the Wiggles or Disney on Ice. Financially, it's a winner at the moment as entry is free. Buying a few buckets of chips would still leave a fair few dollars in the pocket. But I'd imagine that admission won't be anything like entry to AFL matches for a long time even when they start charging.
If the ratios for "special events" to "normal matches" sticks the next round of AFLW will attract about 3000 spectators max.
There is a rider though, the feedback from families after the AFLW matches was that they preferred to take their young kids to those games as the atmosphere was much better for families and children. No drunks, no abuse, no brawling.
It's hard to know how the attendances will go in the second week. Folk I know who went to our game are sold on women's footy and intend to go next week. Folk who missed out last week are also keen to go. However, we're not playing one of the powerhouse teams. On the other side of the coin, it's now a double header and folk may want to take in both games.
I'd be surprised if we don't get 10,000 over both games.
Seriously, why are some people so paranoid about the World Game, that they have to take any pot shot at it they can Sheedy style.
Get over it. Both codes can happily co exist.
I'm sure the w league are pretty happy to see women's afl football.
If nothing else more professional elite women's sports should filter upwards pressure on their own wages.
Not to mention they have alternatives to try if they weren't happy.
Dom, why did the FFA pull out all stops to create the Western Sydney Wanderers when the Giants were about to join the AFL? You would have thought they would have reasoned that there was no need to rush as the AFL and the A-League can co-exist and they aren't in competition. Strange behaviour, wasn't it?
Dom, why did the FFA pull out all stops to create the Western Sydney Wanderers when the Giants were about to join the AFL? You would have thought they would have reasoned that there was no need to rush as the AFL and the A-League can co-exist and they aren't in competition. Strange behaviour, wasn't it?
You have your facts backwards.
WSW were identified before GWS was even thought of by the AFL.
Sydney FC were initially going to be based out of Western Sydney.
WSW are a washup of the old Paramatta Melita Eagles football club.
The AFL responded to the planned expansion of the A league, by shoe horning in a GWS side. Why do you think that they have carefully ensured that they are much stronger than GC?? Because it was well publicised that FFA and Clive Palmer who were heading up Gold Coasts soccer team had a rocky relationship.