Last round and the match up we've been waiting to see. Tayla Harris vs Carlton.
The result is basically known. The ladder positions largely irrelevant. All eyes will be on Tayla.
So what do we do with her?
We'd know better than anyone how to play her...and I'm talking mentally more than anything else.
I feel like she is one of those 'don't poke the bear' types. Make her angry and she'll play better.
Perhaps we go down the friendly path and make her feel like she is playing against her friends. She's said before she doesn't like hurting people, both in boxing and in footy.
I feel like she could be easily distracted as well. I forget who it was, but I think someone asked Richo (i think) a riddle during a game just to mess with him and he spent more time trying g to work out the riddle than focus on what he was supposed to be doing on the field.
The men's teams used to have dossiers on players with a list of do's and don'ts time to bring that back to Tayla.
Personally, Id send Dylan Buckley with a ZTE mobile phone to take a selfie with her and then talk about her latest stuff on insta. Might make her lose focus.
Hmm, not sure we'll be sucked into focussing too much on Tayla, the rest of the Dees list isn't doing too bad and Tayla might be a major beneficiary, but Tayla isn't the integral component to their success she is more the icing on the cake.
Personally, I think Trudgeon is a pretty good match up, it's a great opportunity for Paige to gather some experience on one of the better AFLW KPFs. You would also think Laliofi, Harrington and Pound won't hesitate to get front and square and leave Trudgeon cover the air.
Who is likely to gob off, probably Greg!
Hmm, not sure we'll be sucked into focussing too much on Tayla, the rest of the Dees list isn't doing too bad and Tayla might be a major beneficiary, but Tayla isn't the integral component to their success she is more the icing on the cake.
Personally, I think Trudgeon is a pretty good match up, it's a great opportunity for Paige to gather some experience on one of the better AFLW KPFs. You would also think Laliofi, Harrington and Pound won't hesitate to get front and square and leave Trudgeon cover the air.
Who is likely to gob off, probably Greg!
Trudgeon would've played on her at training last year....which may give Tayla a false sense of security as Trudgeon v.2021 vs Trudgeon v.2022 are 2 completely different players.
Tayla is still the same player though.
Tayla will get some attention because she is their avenue to goal. If she gets the yips and/or loses focus, it will very much help us. If we can get on top of her, we may have half a chance.
The rest of the dees outfit is another story, but if they can't score, they can't win, so focus on limiting the scoring.
Who would get lippy? Nat Plane would be #1, she'll be playing in the back pocket and would be within earshot all game. Prespakis wouldn't be against some verbal as well. Greg might attempt it, but would probably confuse Tayla (and herself) as much as anything. She is a special one! Otherwise Pound, Hill and McKay are not lacking in confidence.
Tayla will get some attention because she is their avenue to goal. If she gets the yips and/or loses focus, it will very much help us. If we can get on top of her, we may have half a chance.
The Dees have 3 players in the AFLW top ten goal kickers, Harris, Hore and Pearce. Tayla is #1 but she's not the solo reason they are scoring prolifically, those three make up 50% of all Dees goals scored this season, but 11 of the 30 goals they share came in the very last game they played!
Personally, with Freo a finalist I do not understand that most recent result, maybe the COVID affected season has taken it's toll on the WA girls!
The one who might be a sneaky problem for us is Kate Hore, she usually plays well against us.
The Dees have 3 players in the AFLW top ten goal kickers, Harris, Hore and Pearce. Tayla is #1 but she's not the solo reason they are scoring prolifically, those three make up 50% of all Dees goals scored this season, but 11 of the 30 goals they share came in the very last game they played!
Personally, with Freo a finalist I do not understand that most recent result, maybe the COVID affected season has taken it's toll on the WA girls!
The one who might be a sneaky problem for us is Kate Hore, she usually plays well against us.
Our backline is talented enough that they can match it with most in 1 on 1s. They also help soft across and give either a copy really well. When we get beaten it's by quick ball movement out of the guts.
The 1 player who can and will beat us 1 on 1 is Harris. Unstoppable when on song. She had extra incentive for this game and that's why she is key. Take her out and the rest become a lot more manageable.
Having laloifi and Harrington as 2nd and 3rd defenders is a luxury if trudgeon can contain Harris.
Teams are in and it's the reverse.of last week.
Mcevoy is deemed fit again and Brooke walker gives way for her to come back in.
I thought Brooke did ok defensive pressure was there, but I think she had the least amount of possessions on the ground. I'm not sure she got herself fit enough after her injury. Definitely has been the same player.
all the play to the left of screen at a breezy casey fields.
8 points down with 6 minutes to go in the 2nd, going with the wind.
Game on.
EDIT: Make that 2 points down with 6 minutes to go in the second.
Girls got a run on.
Half time against the (potential) ladder leaders in the demons.
4.3 - 27
4.1 - 25
Girls lifted with the wind.
Tayla Harris been next to useless. They pumped her up a bit at 1/4 time because she had all of 3 possessions....but basically because she took 1 contested mark.
Second quarter......donuts.
Paige Trudgeon didn't have to do much to stop her, but is doing everything she needs to do.
Keeping pressure on the mids and it'll give our defenders the upper hand on their forwards.
Just need to maintain the rage in the last half of our last game of the season.
Strong breeze continuing, the girls were up against it and managed to hold the dees to just 1 goal, in the last minute of the quarter.
8 points down, with a full quarter of breeze to go.
This would be huge if we could pull this off and would make 4 wins in a row from a coach whose head was in the guillotine.
Stevens kicks her 3rd.
1 point down, 6 minutes to go.
All the play, and the breeze. Demons $h!tting themselves.
Darcy a shot at winning it for us from 30 metres, bit of an angle, 27 seconds left but unfortunately just a point.
Melbourne win 34-33.
Ouch.
Pretty sure we earned a lot of respect, and i hope that translates to the coach as there are more than enough naysayers calling for his head. The 'cheersquad' are front and centre in that picket line too. ::)
I reckon tonight showed that our off-season moved were perfect.
Harris did SFA tonight.
Downie, had she been kept, would've been a tall defender, possibly matched up specifically on Harris. But....we cut her.
Trudgeon steps up and takes that role and dominates. Made a couple of key plays and was never far from harris all game.....except when she left her to help out teammates and pick up the loose ball. Well done Trudge.
Other off-season moves was letting go of Loynes. With all the heart and putting the body on the line from our girls tonight, it showed that we didn't need Loynes. The younger girls have learned from her well and probably would've pushed her out of the side.
McEvoy played well. Not sure if she was a defender all night, or just played the goal keeper role, but she took plenty of marks deep in defense and would be among the bests.
For such a young (and somewhat) inexperienced side. I think we learned a lot this year. We improved a lot this year and we can back it up again next season......which is later this year.
Darcy a shot at winning it for us from 30 metres, bit of an angle, 27 seconds left but unfortunately just a point.
Melbourne win 34-33.
:(
One straight kick required.
I am sure there are 6 clubs who are very happy we're not playing next week at the moment. We were ordinary early in the year, but our last month has been better than most. Amazing what full list can do.
Ouch.
Pretty sure we earned a lot of respect, and i hope that translates to the coach as there are more than enough naysayers calling for his head. The 'cheersquad' are front and centre in that picket line too. ::)
I reckon tonight showed that our off-season moved were perfect.
Harris did SFA tonight.
Downie, had she been kept, would've been a tall defender, possibly matched up specifically on Harris. But....we cut her.
Trudgeon steps up and takes that role and dominates. Made a couple of key plays and was never far from harris all game.....except when she left her to help out teammates and pick up the loose ball. Well done Trudge.
Other off-season moves was letting go of Loynes. With all the heart and putting the body on the line from our girls tonight, it showed that we didn't need Loynes. The younger girls have learned from her well and probably would've pushed her out of the side.
McEvoy played well. Not sure if she was a defender all night, or just played the goal keeper role, but she took plenty of marks deep in defense and would be among the bests.
For such a young (and somewhat) inexperienced side. I think we learned a lot this year. We improved a lot this year and we can back it up again next season......which is later this year.
Krudd, you're correct about our list changes, on the whole.
[1] I still think our forward line would be better with Tayla Harris at her best, but we managed to stop her anyway. I was very pleased by that, as her leaving like she did really hurt us structurally.
I think what we got for her was nothing much (relatively), as Melbourne had already trade away their first round pick. But we have made the best of it in recruiting the girls we did.
[2] Downie, alas, is well past it. She struggled last year. We made the right decision, even if we didn't get anything back for her.
[3] Same goes for Katie Loynes: she was a great player for us, but it is time for her to retire. We didn't lose anything with her leaving.
[4] Our recruiting hasn't been bad. We've been a young list and will stay that way for a while yet. It won't be easy getting talent fir the next couple of years.
But getting Jess dal Pos was an error. She simply doesn't offer enough. Elise O'Dea probably played her best game for the season this week. Her leadership and strength are probably enough to keep getting a game, although it will be interesting to see if she does retire now. But dal Pos provides neither of those things, nor does she supply good disposal. The game has passed her by. I wouldn't consider her for next season.
Harford pulled the wrong reins by putting McEvoy (one of our slowest players) on Bannon (a serious speedster) who kicked 3 and set up the other 1 of the Dees' first 4 goals. After the horse had bolted, Laloifi did the job.
Not really that simple, hindsight is golden.
Did anyone rate Bannon pre-game, nope?
That's why the Dees are so powerful that have more scoring avenues than any other team!
Harris, Pearce and Hore got our three top defenders, Trudgeon, Harrington and Laloifi, it's not unreasonable.
Did anyone rate Bannon pre-game, nope?
I certainly did - it was obvious to anyone who had seen the Demons play and who could see that McEvoy is very slow.
I certainly did - it was obvious to anyone who had seen the Demons play and who could see that McEvoy is very slow.
McEvoy is slow, and i'm not sure how solid she was matched up on anyone was. But she got a hell of a lot of intercept marks deep in defence and probably saved a few goals on her own too.
Who would you have preferred to play on her?
I certainly did - it was obvious to anyone who had seen the Demons play and who could see that McEvoy is very slow.
So would you have rated Bannon ahead of Hore, Pearce and Harris?
I doubt anyone could have, but if you did then you have incredible foresight!
Blaming the umpires is never a good look but, if Maddy Prespakis was awarded half of the free kicks she should have got, we win the game. Guerin gets sanctioned for front-on contact and Maddy gets nothing for having her head rammed into the turf.
It wouldn't surprise me if Maddy is forced out of the game by the tactics used against her and ignored by the umpires.