Geelong’s draft picks shine in one-point AFLW win against Collingwood

No.1 draft pick Nina Morrison had a dream debut, kicking the winning score for Geelong in a historic AFLW win. But it was a different story for star Collingwood recruit Sharni Layton.

Geelong runs on to the field for its first AFLW game.

Geelong’s women’s team has made history by claiming its first win in the AFLW competition in a thriller against Collingwood.

Herald Sun footy writer Eliza Sewell on the big talking points from the season-opener.

THE FUTURE, IT LOOKS BRIGHT

Geelong went to the draft and what treasure they found.

It was the kids who delivered the Cats their historic victory.

Nina Morrison looks a player. The No.1 draft pick was in the action from the get go with seven touches in the first term.

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Her set shot with just under three minutes to go hit the post, but the behind put the Cats in front and secured a historic victory for the new club.

She has a great short kicking game, took a quality contested grab and her spin across half-back to lose a Magpie defender was all class.

Danielle Orr is almost a decade older and has come to competitive football late, but she showed similar class. The bloodlines are strong — her brother is Kangaroo gun Shaun Higgins.

Olivia Purcell is another to watch.

The crowd roared when Morrison gathered the ball in the middle and handed it off to No.2 draft pick Sophie Van De Heuvel. Van De Heuvel was tackled and turned it over, but this one-two combination will become a regular call for commentators.

Danielle Orr of the Cats gets clear of Collingwood’s Ash Brazill.

THE NEW GAME

Geelong started with players pushed back and the Magpies were dominant.

But when Geelong settled, the Cats opened the game up. They moved the ball through the centre and had plenty of uncontested ball. It was exciting.

With 10 new rules you’d expect some confusion. It was the last-touch change that caused the most problems early.

A Collingwood defender kicked wide over the defensive 50 line. The ball appeared to touch Geelong ruck Aasta O’Connor on the chest before it went out, but it was tight and O’Connor worked her magic. The experienced ruck convinced the umpires otherwise and got the free kick.

The throw-in 10m inside the boundary meant the ball went into the corridor, reducing repeat stoppages. And the kick-in rule helped the ball move quicker out of defence.

There appeared to be less stoppages and it looked a more open game.

Sarah Dargan claims Georgie Rankin in a big tackle.

OPENING NIGHT

The Geelong family turned out in force, with 18,429 packing the stands.

But I like Ikon Park on a Friday night for the AFLW season-opener.

There was a great vibe at GMHBA Stadium, but it didn’t match the buzz of Princes Park.

And a Saturday night build-up is nothing on that Friday night slot.

Let’s hope the Blues play well this season and women’s footy can return to where history was made in AFLW01.

Mia-Rae Clifford wins the footy in front of a big home crowd.

REINVENT ME AND MAKE ME MAGNIFICENT

Mia-Rae Clifford is 32. She was a battling defender for the Dees in AFLW01 and was delisted after just seven games. Now she’s a Cat, kicking goals and looking dangerous as a forward.

The first goal of her AFLW career was a crafty snap after she collected the ball out the back of a marking contest.

Madeline Boyd is an AFLW journeywoman. She’s played for Melbourne, GWS and now finally her home club, Geelong.

Boyd hadn’t kicked a goal in nine games for the Dees or the Giants, but will go down in history as the Cats’first ever AFLW goalscorer. She looks like a hulking forward.

Maddy McMahon is a former WNBL player and a local Geelong netball star. She a Cats rookie, but the mother of three looked every bit the footballer last night.

Sophie Alexander was flattened by teammate Sharni Layton.

BRAZILL TOPS LAYTON

Sharni Layton was in a lot of the action but the former Australian Diamond failed to make much of a mark.

Late in the first term she ran through the protected area near Boyd and gave away a 50m penalty, gifting the Cats their first goal.

In the third she accidentally collected teammate Sophie Alexander in the head with a stray arm going for a high ball. Alexander, who kicked 1.2 in the opening term, was taken from the ground on a stretcher.

Layton warmed into the game, but a chest mark effort at centre-half forward confirmed her rookie status.

Ash Brazill, Layton’s former Magpies Netball teammate, was the best netballer on the field She showed plenty of dash in defence, darting and dancing and marking strongly.

Originally published as Geelong’s draft picks shine in one-point AFLW win against Collingwood