This is another very important game for us, at a very different venue. Not easy at all.
We are going in with an unchanged lineup this week. I'll post the team tomorrow.
We are on TV.
No crowd will be allowed in.
The sheer number of ACLs on the news services occurring in this series should give pause to many. The competition will die soon enough.
The sheer number of ACLs on the news services occurring in this series should give pause to many. The competition will die soon enough.
This competition won't die anytime soon. Junior girls numbers are through the roof around here. The actual and potential $$$ for the AFL will ensure they keep it going no matter what
The sheer number of ACLs on the news services occurring in this series should give pause to many. The competition will die soon enough.
If you want to limit the number of ACL's that occur, simply wait.
Reason being, a lot of the ACLs that occur are because most of the girls playing have not played football their whole life. They have come from other sports, or at least had a layoff in the teenage years due to no competition available to them. Their bodies are not accustomed to the demands of AFL football.
Added to that, they are only part time footballers. They don't have the ability to focus on footy (and their bodies) full time.
An example...
Our own Nat Plane is a landscape gardener by trade. She does the tough slog at work for 8 hours or so, THEN goes to training where she is expected to be an elite athlete. Then goes back to work the next morning bright and early. I'm tired just thinking about what she has to go through, and i'm not sure how much rest her body gets. As we know fatigue leads to injuries.
There are plenty of other girls in similar situations.
In a way, she might be one of the lucky ones as her work keeps her relatively fit. Other girls who might sit behind a desk all day might have to do extras to get their fitness base up to scratch.
Pay them more money, and let the new age of female footballers come through who have been able to play their whole life and ACLs will drop.
I've made my one and only comment on this competition in this thread. It stands
I've made my one and only comment on this competition in this thread. It stands
I'll bet London to a brick you are wrong. ;)
Science has a very good understanding already why this happens to the girls, there are multiple contributing factors. but that's no valid reason to kill off female sport. A very simple demonstration is knee hyper-extension, lock your knees, most men will find their knees stop at the vertical, most women and some men who are susceptible to ACLs will find their knee joint passes the vertical. In addition there are cyclic changes that affect the strength and elasticity of female ligaments.
At the moment the girls are still basically playing the men's game with male style tactics and strategies, I'm sure that will evolve once a more targeted approach finds some success to guide the way. I won't be surprised to find the rules diverge a little as well in the long term. We may even find the men following some the girls rules changes, go ask Clarkson!
If you watch the girls there are already aspects of their game that are ahead of the men. The girls are much much better at following team game plans and structures, they have very few team members who want to be heroes, and they take a more collaborative approach. To the shallow observer that shows up as kicking the ball directly to opponents, which just ignores the fact that the girls are clearly better at quickly setting up and maintaining a defensive structure. In the men's game many of these kicks go to free space because the defence isn't there yet. There are very few dunderheads chook running in the girls competition.
When men stop watching the girls game expecting to see men's style football they might get a better understanding and appreciation of the differences and attributes.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the progress of some teams, particularly ours, as they seem ahead of where I would expect them to be. It's a credit to Harf to have them on this trajectory.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the progress of some teams, particularly ours, as they seem ahead of where I would expect them to be. It's a credit to Harf to have them on this trajectory.
The competition as a whole has improved, despite adding more and more teams. The quality of the 18yo's coming in can be seen.
Maddie Prespakis last year, Lucy McEvoy and Grace Egan this year....compare that to the elite marquee players from year 1.....and they are ahead of them already.
The competition as a whole has improved, despite adding more and more teams. The quality of the 18yo's coming in can be seen.
Maddie Prespakis last year, Lucy McEvoy and Grace Egan this year....compare that to the elite marquee players from year 1.....and they are ahead of them already.
Egan is a ripper, some will tag her as a Gibbs type, to me that a positive but others will see her as a big body that doesn't use it in traffic, but to me they are taking a very myopic approach to talent assessment. I've absolutely no doubt Nthmond will be spitting chips about not getting her on their list, I hope we can keep hold of her.
For me the only real disappointing and unprofessional aspect of AFLW is the politics of trade, it's too easy for friends and buddies to move club to play together or to move to the team they grew up supporting. I understand why the AFL allows this, but at some stage it either has to change or lose the respect of fans. Professional is professional, there is no having a bit each way!
Having said that I'd love Chiocci at our club, but I respect her professionalism and commitment to the Filth. The others who choose to move for trivial reasons are really undermining the integrity of the competition.
The sheer number of ACLs on the news services occurring in this series should give pause to many. The competition will die soon enough.
Female athletes in all sports have around five times greater chance of injuring an ACL than male athletes. I don’t think that will necessarily result in the death of women’s basketball, soccer, hockey, cricket, netball, etc.
Better preparation and training could reduce the incidence of ACL injuries marginally but it will always be higher for women. It’s an occupational risk and one that will become more acceptable as AFLW (and women’s sport generally) continues to flourish.
CARLTON
B: G.Pound 6 C.Wilson 20
HB: K.Harrington 9 V.Laloifi 8 J.Edwards 25
C: L.Brazzale 12 C.Dalton 15 S.Hosking 10
HF: N.Stevens 21 T.Harris 7 D.Vescio 3
F: A.Downie 30 L.McEvoy 13
R: B.Moody 16 G.Egan 1 M.Prespakis 4
Int: N.Plane 32 K.Loynes - C 2 B.Walker 14 G.Gee 19 J.Hosking 11
Emg: B.Vernon 31 J.Doonan 26
In: None
Out: None
We have very rarely gone into games unchanged.
MELBOURNE
B: H.Cordner 21 L.Birch 9
HB: S.Lampard 8 D.Pearce - C 6 S.Goldrick 23
C: C.Sherriff 18 T.Hanks 28 C.Emonson 11
HF: K.Hore 10 A.Newman 16 S.Scott 12
F: T.Cunningham 1 N.McEvoy 17
R: E.Zanker 29 K.Paxman 4 M.Gay 3
Int: J.Parry 19 E.O'Dea 5 S.Perkins 33 B.Tarrant 20 L.Mithen 14
Emerg: K.Petrevski 31 G.Colvin 32
In: None
Out: None
This game just became much more important after the maggies defeated the more fancied lions.
Pies are just ahead of us on the ladder by %, with us, them and the dees all on 16 points.
Pies have the easier run home as both us and the dees face ladder leading Dockers in last 2 rounds.
Translation.... we really want to win this to make finals.
Gee I wish our blokes had as much of a dip and fought out games like the womens team does. They never ever give up, they crack in non stop, well done. Handy coach also.
Cracking game.
Slow start, but hung in there.
Came out after half time and just went up a gear and Dees simply couldn't match it.
Injuries to Harrington soured the night a touch, but she looks ok. Reckon there might have been some concussion issues there. Fingers crossed.
That gives us a game clear of dees and pies now, and 13% off top spot. But the dockers do play the dogs tomorrow to go a game clear.
Another sensational performance under hot and crowdless conditions!
Our girls never say die and tackle relentlessly. 60+ in a winning side and a fight back from behind.
Hope KH is ok
Congratulations ladies
I wish our men's side could show even half the improvement the girls have shown over the past few years.
They follow their game plan relentlessly and play for each other. Just watch them sheppard for each other and do the small tap ons etc. This is something the guys rarely if ever do.
I am starting to really warm to this side because they play like they care for one another and want to achieve something special, rather than for the pay cheque.
Blues bitches be good! ;D
I wish our men's side could show even half the improvement the girls have shown over the past few years.
They follow their game plan relentlessly and play for each other. Just watch them sheppard for each other and do the small tap ons etc. This is something the guys rarely if ever do.
I am starting to really warm to this side because they play like they care for one another and want to achieve something special, rather than for the pay cheque.
Blues bitches be good! ;D
Yep I feel the same. Really enjoying their journey.
Men’s team are full timers and have been rebuilding for 5 years and yet still look miles off.
Whereby our girls team have improved every year play like they want to win every week.
They have won me over big time.
^^ Agree with the above two posts.
Harf is one to keep an eye on IMO.
That was a cracking game ... and I didn’t really notice the absence of spectators.
I was a bit worried at first, particularly with McEvoy and Vescio not able to get their hands on the ball and Harrington looking like she had fractured a cheekbone.
The way the girls stuck to the gameplan and lifted their intensity and effort was outstanding.
Tayla Harris was outstanding in all aspects of the game. I think that she has put to bed the notion that she is a one trick pony. Mua Laloifi was brilliant in the last quarter but it’s probably unfair not to mention the rest of the team; they all contributed and put in when it mattered.
I didn't see the game, but I have it recorded. I look forward to watching it. That sort of effort in those conditions where we were NOT the favourites was the sort of thing the boys can try to emulate.
MELBOURNE 2.3 3.3 3.5 3.6 (24)
CARLTON 1.1 2.1 4.1 6.4 (40)
GOALS
Melbourne: Hore, Perkins, Scott
Carlton: Walker 2, Gee, Harris, Egan, Prespakis
BEST
Melbourne: Paxman, Hore, Gay, Sherriff, O'Dea, Pearce
Carlton: Prespakis, Plane, Dalton, McEvoy, Harris, Laloifi
INJURIES
Melbourne: Lampard (left knee), Goldrick (leg)
Carlton: Nil ????? Kerryn H?????
LATE CHANGES
Melbourne: Nil
Carlton: Nil
Reports: Nil