AFLW 2022: Zimmorlei Farquharson plays starring role as Brisbane Lions demolish Carlton
Playing their first game in 16 days, Brisbane showed no signs of rustiness in demolishing the Blues, with Zimmorlei Farquharson showing why the Lions invested a first round pick in her.
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Brisbane young gun Zimmorlei Farquharson produced one of the most eye-catching AFLW debuts in recent memory as the Lions crushed Carlton by 35 points at Metricon Stadium on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old, who hails from Dalby on the Darling Downs, was Brisbane’s first round draft pick in 2020 and earned her senior debut after kicking three goals in a practice match against the Gold Coast.
With her very first touch, she streamed down the wing, bouncing once, and found Lions spearhead Jesse Wardlaw with a pinpoint pass that led to a goal.
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She had six disposals, three contested possessions, three inside 50s, a scoring assist and 201 metres gained by quarter-time and went on to finish with 12 disposals, five marks, 325 metres gained.
After her first two shots at goal sailed wide, she claimed her first career goal with a snap from hard up against the boundary line in the fourth term.
With her long white sleeves of Brisbane’s Pride Round jumper glistening under the Carrara floodlights, Farquharson was everywhere in the first half as Brisbane took a 12-point buffer into the first change and they extended it to 20 points by halftime.
“It was an amazing opportunity…I’m very proud of myself. The hard work has paid off,’’ Farquharson said.
Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich lauded her debut as well as the determination of his side as a whole after such a disrupted start to their premiership defence.
“She’s (Farquharson) a unique talent. I’ve been lucky to watch her through her junior days as well. She’s been this freakish talent all the way through her junior years,’’ he said.
“Grew up in Dalby, which is a long way from footy sophistication for want of a better word, so she’s still learning the ropes when it comes to professionalism and that sort of stuff. There’s no denying the talent.
“Tonight was super (from the team). A lot of them are still under the pump, Cathy (Svarc) and Maria (Moloney), with what they’ve gone through with Covid, they’re taking a while to come up.”
Brisbane were playing their first-ever AFLW match without defensive rock Kate Lutkins (ACL) while the leading goalkicker for the 2021 premiers, Dakota Davidson (foot), was also sidelined, but the Lions machine rolled on against the Blues.
The Lions were playing their first match since the thumping 30-point loss to Adelaide on January 9 in bthe first match of their premiership defence, with their next two fixtures postponed due to Covid.
But they looked as sharp, hungry and ruthless as ever with three quick goals to put the Blues on the backfoot, with Wardlaw cashing in with two majors to set the tone.
Emily Bates finished with 23 disposals for Brisbane while Orla O’Dwyer had 20 touches and over 500 metres gained for Brisbane who had good players all over the paddock.
Courtney Jones, Madison Prespakis and Breann Moody were the best for the badly beaten Blues.
But it wasn’t all good news for the Lions with some serious concern over a potentially serious knee injury to Taylor Smith.
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North Melbourne has rebounded from its loss to ladder-leading Adelaide last week with a 27-point demolition of GWS at Arden Street Oval.
The Giants were blown off the park in the first half, as they were held scoreless by the ruthless Kangaroos, who careered to a dominant 7.12 (54) to 4.3 (27) win, to re-enter the top eight.
The scoreboard flattered the visitors as North kicked the first seven goals of the game and finished with 12 more scoring shots.
The margin ballooned to 51 points late in the third term, but to the Giants’ credit, they kicked the last four goals to add some respectability to their performance.
It looked like a match between two sides in different divisions for much of the afternoon as the Kangaroos blitzed GWS in disposals (230-180), contested possessions (93-78), tackles (54-39) and inside 50s (38-20).
Industrious North forward Daria Bannister set up the win in the first half.
The livewire was involved in almost everything in attack, kicking two of the Kangaroos’ five first-half goals, and accumulating nine of her 12 disposals.
Usual suspects Ash Riddell (23 disposals, 11 contested possessions, six clearances and five tackles), Emma Kearney (16 touches and a goal) and Jas Garner (16 touches and a goal) also starred for the Kangaroos, while Chloe Dalton was the standout for GWS with 13 possessions and a goal.
The hosts came out breathing fire, dominating the clearances 6-3 and the territory battle in the opening quarter, registering 11 of the first 12 inside 50s to boot three goals and take a commanding 21-point lead at the first change on the back of ferocious pressure.
The Giants struggled to exit their defensive 50, and when they did manage to get it forward, their attacking set-up was in disarray.
The hosts’ inside-50 advantage at half-time was a colossal 21-6, ensuring the Giants’ last three first-half quarters have been scoreless.
The GWS scoring drought finally ended six minutes into the third quarter when Ally Dallaway missed a set shot from 30m out, but it did little to stop the North onslaught.
The Giants achieved a moral victory by keeping North scoreless in the final term, but the damage was well and truly done by then.
Giants find scoring tough
At quarter-time, the Giants had 10 players who had one disposal or fewer, compared to the Kangaroos’ five, as the visitors found themselves completely overwhelmed in the opening term — their fourth consecutive goalless quarter. GWS ended up going five quarters in a row without a goal, a drought that was finally broken late in the third term when Dalton converted a set shot from the goal square.
Kangaroos clobber GWS
The first half was a train wreck for the Giants. They were obliterated in contested possessions (36-58) and clearances (5-13), out-tackled 20-34, and the Kangaroos had the ball on a string with a whopping advantage in disposals (127-93). The match resembled more of a training drill as the hosts simply did as they pleased. Orange was a very fitting colour for the Giants who looked more like witches’ hats than footballers.
Randall goes for a ride
North’s Tahlia Randall took an absolute ‘speccy’ late in the third quarter when she climbed over the pack, took a ride over teammate Daisy Bateman and came down with a one-grab clunk. However, unfortunately for her, she couldn’t complete the play and missed a set shot from 20m out directly in front.
Huge concern as key Tiger goes down with suspected ACL
A late Fremantle flurry helped them hold off a valiant Richmond side, who lost their key defensive pillar with a suspected ACL, by 36 points.
Harriet Cordner has been one of the Tigers’ best players this season, taking the best opposition forward each week, but a second-quarter knee injury looks to have ended her season.
Richmond fought on in her absence and were just 10 points adrift of Fremantle at the final break, but a five-goal-to-one final term from the Dockers showed why they are fancied as a premiership threat this season.
A tight first quarter was highlighted by Fremantle’s tackling pressure around the clearances which stopped Richmond’s handball game.
Wayward goalkicking had it looking like both sides would enter the quarter-time huddle goalless, but a Gemma Houghton major with second left gave Fremantle a four-point lead.
Sarah D’Arcy kicked the first goal of the second quarter following a strong pack mark 20m out from goal and handed Richmond the lead.
But the injury to Cordner sapped the life out of Richmond and handed Fremantle the ascendancy as they barraged the goals.
Another goal of the year contender from Ebony Antonio, who baulked an opponent 60m from goal before running to the 50m arc and slotting the goal, had Fremantle 13-points up and running away with it.
But the Tigers found their fight and kicked the next two goals of the game, including a first career goal to Emelia Yassir, to cut the gap to just one-point.
A late Freo goal courtesy of Roxanne Roux gave her side some breathing space at the main break.
Dana East kicked the first goal of the third quarter, but the next two belonged to Richmond and had the Tigers within four points.
A controversial holding the ball decision on the siren gifted Houghton her second goal of the game and Fremantle a 10-point lead as the sides turned for home.
A five goal-to-one last quarter from the Dockers turned a close game into a nice percentage booster for Freo who has now started the season 3-0.
Conti v Bowers
Last season’s joint AFLW best-and-fairest winner locked horns with this year’s hottest player in a tantalising midfield matchup.
Bowers had notched eight tackles by quarter time and gave Fremantle a fierce defensive edge around the ball, but Conti’s ability to win and find the ball saw the Tiger star have a game-high seven touches.
Bowers ended up taking the points, finishing with 28 disposals, 16 tackles, and nine clearances, while Conti still managed an impressive 22 touches, four tackles, and two clearances, but wasn’t at her influential best.
Tackling machines
It’s no secret the Dockers set the benchmark for tackling in AFLW averaging 79.5 a game.
And it was their intense pressure around the ball that set the tone in the first quarter as Richmond tried to move the ball through stoppages.
The Dockers laid 23 tackles to Richmond’s six, successfully breaking up the Tigers’ quick hands around the clearances.
Another ACL?
There was a collective silence at Punt Road as Cordner lay on the wing clutching her knee in a scene all too familiar to AFLW fans this season.
Richmond’s key defensive pillar, Cordner, went down with a suspected ACL injury halfway through the second quarter.
The 29-year-old simultaneously attempted to stop and change direction as she desperately tried to apprehend an opposition player with the ball but crumpled to the ground.
It would be a devastating blow for Richmond and Cordner, as well as for the AFLW, after stars Bri Davey, Izzy Huntington, and Kate Lutkins all suffered ACL injuries in Rd 1.
FAST-FINISHING DEES LEAVE SAINTS IN A SPIN
Ronny Lerner
A final-quarter blast has seen AFLW premiership favourites Melbourne overcome a stern challenge from lowly St Kilda on Saturday to win by 41 points at Casey Fields and keep their undefeated start to the season intact.
Scores were level at the final change, but Melbourne were aided by a strong breeze in the final term, and goals from Tyla Hanks (two), Tayla Harris, Lauren Pearce, Daisy Pearce and Megan Fitzsimon finally put away the plucky Saints, who regained coach Nick Dal Santo after catching Covid last week.
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The Saints, who remain winless after three games this year, applied intense pressure to the Demons for most of the day, out-tackling their more-fancied opponents 74-53, but the Dees’ sizeable advantages in inside 50s (30-16), clearances (28-14) and disposals (234-191) proved decisive ultimately.
St Kilda had only won five of 17 matches heading into the clash and were rank outsiders with bookmakers.
But despite the Demons being boosted by the returns of Shelley Scott, Sarah Lampard, Casey Sherriff and Shelley Heath, who all missed last week due to Covid protocols, St Kilda defied the odds to seriously challenge the Demons for three quarters.
Harris was pivotal for the Demons kicking three goals to keep their heads above water as the Saints took it up to them, while Hanks (16 disposals), Kate Hore (14) and Lauren Pearce (13 and 20 hit-outs) in the ruck were all key to the win as well.
For the Saints, Tilly Lucas-Rodd was the standout with 22 touches and nine tackles.
St Kilda got the jump on the Demons but after registering the first seven inside 50s, could only open up an eight-point lead, and Melbourne’s first forward entry produced a Harris goal against the run of play to cut the deficit two points.
The second term belonged to the Demons, with five times the amount of inside 50s St Kilda had (10-2), but for all their domination, could only manage 1.5, and a late Nicola Xenos goal into the strong breeze ensured the Saints only trailed by three points at halftime.
It gave the visitors the necessary impetus to come out firing in the third term. They overwhelmed the hosts with increased pressure to level the scores at three-quarter time.
Xenos had the chance to put the Saints in front just before the final change, but missed a set shot from the pocket, and it proved to be their final scoring shot as the Melbourne deluge of goals swamped them in the final term.
HARRIS HURTS SAINTS
Harris gave the Demons the lead for the first time halfway through the second quarter when she took a superb pack mark against St Kilda defenders Lucy Burke and Rebecca Ott before converting the set shot from 35m out directly in front for her second major of the day.
VOGT GET SAINTS OFF TO A FLYER
The Saints got off to the perfect start as Jacqueline Vogt gathered the ball in the forward pocket and slapped it on her boot under pressure from a tough angle to snap truly for the first goal of the game after just 44 seconds.
SHIERLAW SHANK
Saints captain Kate Shierlaw could have doubled their advantage five minutes later when she took a huge contested mark, played on, took a bounce and ran to 15m out, but unfortunately for her, she missed a sitter from close range to deny herself a goal-of-the-round contender.
DEMONS 1.0, 2.5, 3.5, 9.10 (64)
SAINTS 1.2, 2.2, 3.5, 3.5 (23)
LERNER’S BEST Demons: Hanks, Harris, L.Pearce, Hore, Paxman, Lampard. Saints: Tilly-Rodd, Jakobsson, Phillips, Cutting, White.
GOALS Demons: Harris 3, Hanks 2, Hore, L.Pearce, D.Pearce, Fitzsimon. Saints: Vogt, Xenos, McDonald.
UMPIRES Bailes, Mitchell, Lopes
VENUE Casey Fields
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LERNER’S VOTES
3 T.Hanks (Melb)
2 T.Harris (Melb)
1 L.Pearce (Melb)
CROWS SEND STATEMENT IN AFLW DEMOLITION JOB
Jason Phelan
Adelaide’s unbeaten start to the AFLW season has continued in fine style in Pride Round, Ash Woodland and Justine Mules booting two goals apiece in a clinical 33-point win over West Coast.
The Crows braved sweltering conditions at Punt Road Oval and a stern first-half challenge by the Eagles to make it three wins on the trot with a 6.6 (42) to 1.3 (9) victory on Saturday.
Eloise Jones was everywhere for Adelaide, racking up 20 possessions and landing a superb long-bomb goal, with Erin Phillips (18 disposals and a goal) and Ebony Marinoff (23 touches and six tackles) also influential.
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“It was probably the best we’ve moved the ball in terms of opening up the ground a bit,” Crows coach Matthew Clarke said.
“We didn’t always finish the play at the end of it, but some of our general play ball movement was a highlight.
“We had three players come in for their first games too, which every team is going through, so to have them come in and play a role was really pleasing.”
West Coast drop to an 0-3 start to the season, but will take some positives from the effort with the score line not a fair reflection of their endeavour.
With star skipper Emma Swanson sidelined, Dana Hooker battled through a rolled ankle to finish with 18 possessions, with Mikayla Bowen and Aisling McCarthy also racking up 18 touches.
PHILLIPS FIRES
Phillips was lively from the outset, slotting the first goal of the day and turning provider with some pinpoint passing inside 50.
The Eagles trailed by a point at the first break after Aimee Schmidt made the most of the stand on the mark rule to convert from long range, but her impressive effort would be her side’s only goal of the contest.
MULES KICKS ON
After bags of four goals in her first two matches, Woodland took her season tally to 10, with her first major extending the lead to 13 points at halftime.
Mules was proving a lively foil in attack with goals in the second and third terms.
Her second came after some ill-disciplined play from Evangeline Gooch, who had a free kick reversed when she threw an elbow back into Mules’ face.
JONES GOES LONG
Displaying impressive endurance in the conditions, Jones featured at all points of the ground and she was in the right place at the right time late in the third quarter.
She ran past Rachelle Martin, who was beyond her range, received the handball and set sail from 45m to land an outstanding goal that made it a 25-point game at three-quarter time.
Prolific midfielder Anne Hatchard didn’t have her usual influence, the club revealing she was troubled by plantar fasciitis that forced her to the bench for the last quarter.
The win sets up a tantalising clash against fellow competition heavyweights Melbourne, with the Crows hopeful hamstrung skipper Chelsea Randall will return for the Norwood Oval encounter, with the Eagles set to take on St Kilda at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
EAGLES 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.3 9
CROWS 1.1 3.2 5.4 6.6 42
PHELAN’S BEST Eagles: Hooker, McCarthy, Bowen, Laurie. Crows: Jones, Phillips, Marinoff, Mules, Allan, McKinnon, Thompson, Woodland.
GOALS Eagles: Schmidt. Crows: Woodland 2, Mules 2, Phillips, Jones.
INJURIES Eagles: Hooker (ankle). Crows: Hatchard (foot).
Punt Road Oval
THE VOTES
3 Jones
2 Phillips
1 Marinoff
BRAVE CATS PUSH PIES TO THE BRINK IN CLASSIC
James Mottershead
Collingwood further established themselves as premiership fancies after holding off Geelong by 11 points in one of the best games of the season.
In a game dominated by fierce pressure and stoppages, the Cats threw everything they had at the Pies to nearly snatch a memorable win over their highly fancied opponents.
But the class of Collingwood shone through when it mattered most, as the returning Chloe Molloy kicked two goals, Jaimee Lambert and Mikala Cann stood firm in the middle, and Ruby Schleicher gave the Pies bounce off halfback.
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Geelong started the cleaner of the two sides, catching Collingwood out around the stoppages and having the first two scoring opportunities through Kate Darby, but the 31-year-old was wayward with both shots.
Aishling Sheridan snapped Collingwood’s first goal of the game from 30m out following a quick transition and inside 50 from Sarah Rowe.
Sophie Van De Heuval ran from defensive 50 to Geelong’s half forward line before delivering a kick to the advantage of Jordan Ivey who made no mistake with her set shot from 30m out.
The Pies hit their straps in the second quarter and were led by Eliza James whose forward pressure was telling when she kicked a goal to give Collingwood the lead.
Three minutes later Sophie Alexander won a free kick in the forward pocket after a run-down tackle. The 28-year-old went for an audacious banana from her set shot and split the middle, giving the Pies a deserved two-goal break from the Cats.
But Geelong lifted to have the best of the last five minutes of the quarter and a goal to Kate Darby was just reward for the pressure her side was heaping on the Pies.
The third quarter was an arm-wrestle as Geelong flooded numbers behind the ball, making it hard for Collingwood to penetrate their defence.
A late goal from returning star Molloy gave the Pies an 11-point buffer heading into the last quarter.
An early goal to Darcy Moloney cut the margin to just five points and had the Cats dreaming of snatching the win.
But a strong pack mark followed by a 50m penalty for Molloy gave the Pies the breathing room they needed to hold on.
PRESPAKIS TROUBLE
The AFL’s off-season tribunal adjustment that considers the potential to injure of high hits could cost Geelong star Georgie Prespakis a week.
The Cats put plenty of heat into star Collingwood midfielder Lambert, but a sling tackle early in the second quarter by Prespakis could have ended in a serious head injury for Lambert.
The 29-year-old Collingwood ace was rag-dolled to the ground after she had disposed of the ball.
It was the type of incident the AFL has looked unfavourably on in the past as the player who disposes of the ball isn’t expecting the tackle. Fortunately, on this occasion Lambert was able to brace herself at the last second to narrowly avoid a serious head injury.
FEARLESS CATS
From the first bounce it was evident Geelong had been given the green light to run at all costs.
Such was their mindset, the Cats had five more running bounces than the Pies in the first quarter.
It was highlighted by a brilliant run from defence by Van De Heuval who took two bounces, broke a tackle, and took another bounce before placing a kick perfectly inside 50 to Jordan Ivey who kicked a memorable Geelong goal.
MVP CHANCE
Lambert might be the most underrated player in the AFLW and could well be on her way to a competition best-and-fairest award.
The 29-year-old has starred for the Pies this season, finding the ball at will and driving Collingwood forward from stoppages.
Lambert had another 21 touches, nine tackles and seven clearances.
Originally published as AFLW 2022: Zimmorlei Farquharson plays starring role as Brisbane Lions demolish Carlton
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