AFLW Grand Final 2021: Brisbane defeats Adelaide in brutal decider
Brisbane AFLW coach Craig Starcevich has a blunt message for one of the loudest voices pushing for AFLW expansion. Recap the thrilling Grand Final decider.
Third time lucky is the catch cry for Brisbane after conquering Adelaide to be crowned AFLW champion.
The Lions, contesting their third grand final, made a gutsy stand in defence to triumph by 18 points at Adelaide Oval on Saturday and live up to the words on their banner which had read ‘Time To Level The Score’.
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The Crows completely dominated territory with twice as many trips inside their 50m, only to waste opportunity after opportunity in their pursuit of a third flag, the first of those after beating the Lions in the 2017 grand final.
However, the Lions' ability to pounce on their chances proved decisive.
‘BACK OFF’: COACH’S MESSAGE FOR KENNETT
Triumphant Brisbane AFLW coach Craig Starcevich has a blunt message for Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett, back off with the Hawks’ bid for a team in the league.
Starcevich, now a premiership coach after the Lions conquered Adelaide in the grand final at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, said the 14 team competition needed consolidating and there was no room for an immediate expansion.
He added the Lions had lost 16 players to other clubs and was not ready to revisit that pain just yet.
“If Jeff is banging the door down to give us a team, I’d say back off,” Starcevich said. “Where were you four years ago when we had to put in the initial application?
“Hold off, we need to get the competition strong and going really well.
“We have 16 players go to other clubs so we have done our bit to grow the competition. It is painful when it happens, now calm the farm for a little while and wait for a few years.”
The Lions were successful in subduing Crows superstar Erin Phillips, twice a grand final most valuable player.
However, Starcevich wants the medal for the best player in the grand final, won by Lions’ defender Kate Lutkins, to be named after Phillips in recognition of her impact on the league in its five years existence.
“Erin has had a massive input and her legacy should be acknowledged,” he said.
Starcevich also believes premiership glory will inspire young females to take up AFL in a city where the competition among sports was unrivalled in Australia.
As for the stunning defensive effort, the backbone of the Lions’ title victory, the intent to defend is ingrained in Queensland’s AFL players, according to Starcevich.
Lions captain Emma Zielke and Lauren Arnell announced their retirement after the win.
LIONS SETTLE EARLY
Brisbane was first to settle amid the intense pressure of a premiership decider and they had the Crows under the pump early.
Harassing, tackling and attacking the body and ball with tremendous intent, the Lions seemingly caught the Crows by surprise and rattled opponents with their ferocious attack.
The Lions had a massive territorial advantage in the first term and they set up nicely, preventing the home side from escaping from its defensive zone.
When the Crows did go forward and looked dangerous, they too often picked out a lone Lions defender and wasted opportunities. The Crows had just one scoring attempt from 10 visits inside their 50m in the opening quarter.
WASTED OPPORTUNITIES
The Crows were able to arrest the early onslaught from the Lions and, after winning the inside 50 count 10-6 in the first quarter, dominated that statistic for the second.
Such was their control of the territory, the Crows had 12 visits inside their 50 for the second term compared to just four for the Lions.
Yet that supremacy failed to be reflected on the scoreboard, adding 1.1 while the Lions made the most of their chances to bag two goals for the quarter.
The first of those goals was a stunning effort from Courtney Hodder. After the ball was banged deep into attack by the Lions, Hodder lashed out with her foot and made perfect connection to soccer the ball through for a major.
LIONS POUNCE
There was no more evidence of the trend of the game than six minutes into the third quarter when Jessica Wuetschner nailed her second goal.
The Crows had been camped in attack, but could not capitalise.
The Lions rushed the ball forward for a rare foray into attack and Wuetschner kicked the ball from 50 into a vacant goal square. The ball kept bouncing and eventually through for a goal to put the Lions 10 points clear.
THEY WERE TOO GOOD: CROWS COACH
In response to his side’s domination of the inside 50 count, Crows coach Matthew Clarke heaped praise on the Lions defence, describing it as brilliant, and claimed the visitors commanded the air.
“They were clearly well deserving victors,” Clarke said. “We were beaten by the better team, they were very, very good.
“It’s disappointing, but it’s impossible not to be proud of the girls for what they put in to get into this position. But to not be able to take the opportunity you create is devastating for the players.
“To not take the opportunity when it presents is what hurts.”
Clarke admitted Phillips had been managing her body and issues with her knees since round 4, having continually pushed her body beyond its limits.
“She is such a competitor it is impossible to persuade her to stop doing that,” he said.
Crows acting captain Angela Foley, who left the game in the third quarter because of a knee problem, is to have scans.
SKIPPERS SIDELINED
Both teams lost their captains in the third quarter because of injuries.
Just seconds after Emma Zielke left the game due to a hamstring issue, her Crows counterpart Angela Foley limped from the field after collapsing to the ground holding her knee.
Foley led the Crows onto the ground after regular skipper Chelsea Randall was ruled out of the game after being concussed in the preliminary final win.
Randall spoke to the Crows at three-quarter time while standing outside the boundary line, hoping to inspire the comeback.
BRISBANE 1.0 3.0 5.0 6.2 (38)
ADELAIDE 1.0 2.1 2.2 3.2 (20)
BEST Lions: Lutkins, Bates, Koenen, Anderson, Hodder, Conway, Wuetschner. Crows: Thompson, Hatchard, Varnhagen, Marinoff.
GOALS Lions: Hodder, Wuetschner 2, Arnell, Dawes. Crows: Thompson, Ponter, Jones.
INJURIES Lions: Zielke (hamstring). Crows: Foley (knee)
VENUE at Adelaide Oval
BEST ON GROUND MEDAL: Kate Lutkins (Lions)
Originally published as AFLW Grand Final 2021: Brisbane defeats Adelaide in brutal decider
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