Alyssa Bannan stars as Northern Knights claim NAB League Girls grand final rematch against Calder Cannons
Northern Knights kicked off the NAB League Girls season with a thrilling grand final rematch win over Calder Cannons as Alyssa Bannan puts AFLW recruiters on notice with five goals.
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Alyssa Bannan gave AFLW recruiters a taste of her potential as the Northern Knights kicked off the NAB League Girls season with a thrilling six-point win over Calder Cannons.
The Knights prevailed 8.5 (53) to 7.5 (47) in a rematch of last year’s grand final, thanks to Bannan’s deadly accurate five goals straight.
Knights coach Marcus Abney-Hastings said the AFL Academy member had some rare athletic traits at her disposal.
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“She was unstoppable one-on-one. She’s fantastic in the air but when the ball hits the ground that where she comes into her own,” Abney-Hastings said.
“What Alyssa does on the field is fantastic, but what she does off the field is better – her energy, leadership and positivity is infectious.
“She’s really athletic. In my three years with the Knights I haven’t seen anyone like her in the NAB League.”
Bannan finished with 11 disposals, while Maeve Chaplin led the Knights with 16 touches and Jess Fitzgerald collected 15.
Calder star Georgie Prespakis was the leading disposal-winner at RMIT University Oval with 19 while teammate Jessica Zakkour collected 18, laid eight tackles and kicked two goals.
After stress fractures ruined her 2019, Ash Snow returned in style, finishing the game with 12 disposals, six tackles, two rebound 50s and three inside 50s to go with a goal.
One of eight Knights debutantes, ruck Georgia Kitchell was a standout with eight tackles.
“Snowy didn’t play much last year … she had stress fractures in her leg, so she’s like a new recruit for us,” Abney-Hastings said.
“She played half-back for the first half and then went into the midfield and really held her own.
“Georgia comes from a basketball background and her follow up work around the ground is a real strength and the way she was able to give us first use in midfield was fantastic.”
Kitchell, April Woodward, Ella Smallacombe, Brooke Plummer, Phoebe Nelson, Michaela Molenberg, Grace Wake and Olivia Bandera all made their first appearances on Saturday.
In his third year of NAB League Girls and second as senior coach, Abney-Hastings was in awe of the swift improvement in skills.
“The standard of football was unbelievable, it’s by far the best standard I’ve seen,” he said.
“The quickness of ball movement, the ferocity of tackling … (AFLW) recruiters will be licking their lips over the next two years with the talent coming through.”
The Knights host Geelong Falcons at RMIT in Round 2, while Calder Cannons return to Highgate Reserve to play Dandenong Stingrays.
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