AFLW Agenda: All the hits and misses from week three
The already-struggling Bulldogs are about to learn how tough life is without Ellie Blackburn. And as ELIZA REILLY writes, her injury continued a cruel start to 2024 for the AFLW’s leaders.
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From a clutch effort after the siren to more Bulldogs’ misery, Eliza Reilly runs through the hits and misses from Round 3 in the AFLW Agenda.
What an unbelievable finish!
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 15, 2024
Relive the last two minutes of #AFLWGiantsSuns. pic.twitter.com/InWmRwSjrS
HITS
STANTON SLOTS IT
It’s been a tough start to the season for Gold Coast, last year’s finalists. But when we look back on their 2024 campaign, there won’t be many better moments than Jamie Stanton’s goal after the siren to level the scores against Greater Western Sydney. It obviously didn’t win Gold Coast the game and Stanton has copped some flack for celebrating as if it did. But two points are better than none. When Zarlie Goldsworthy kicked what many thought would be the sealer after a free kick in the goalsquare, there was 1:13 to play. When the ball returned to the middle, ruck Lauren Bella sensed the urgency and slapped it forward but Goldsworthy had worked Lucy Single underneath the ball. Single chased and laid a crunching tackle as Gold Coast put two numbers behind the stoppage.
One of them, Rowbottom, sent the ball long inside 50 and Stanton actually gave away a free for kicking in danger. The Giants attempted to find a relieving mark out wide but it was cut off by Daisy D’Arcy and in a ground-level frenzy, Stanton was tackled without the footy. Cometh the moment, cometh the Suns. After a brief pause to retreat to the top of her mark when the siren sounded, Stanton strolled in and slotted it from 40m on a slight angle. It’s one of the most clutch moments we’ve seen in the history of the AFLW. The Giants were on the other side of the equation in 2022 when Katherine Smith converted a 50m penalty from the square after the siren against St Kilda, the first time an AFLW game was decided after the bell. But the difficulty of Stanton’s kick was far greater. One of Gold Coast and Geelong will get its first win of the year on Saturday — but the Suns have momentum now.
PINPOINT PONTER
Boasting one of the best highlights reels in the AFLW, we saw a new side to Danielle Ponter’s game last year coinciding with more time in the midfield. But the Adelaide star reminded us how dangerous she can still be closer to goal with a career-high bag of give against the Hawks. Ponter picked up 10 coaches’ votes for her efforts, finishing with 22 disposals, nine score involvements, five clearances, and 476 metres gained.
An incredible performance from Danielle Ponter 😤#AFLWCrowsHawkspic.twitter.com/nlYsKGjAsk
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 15, 2024
She’s found that perfect mix of impacting in the midfield and then pushing forward with intent. Two of her goals came from general play, two from free kicks (including a 50m penalty) and one from a mark inside 50, proving she can make it happen anytime, anywhere. The Crows have lost Eloise Jones for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury which may require Ponter to spend more time inside 50 but she’s proven she can have an impact wherever Matthew Clarke throws her.
MILLER DELIVERS
It was good to see Hayley Miller get on the end of the sealer against Port Adelaide after a tough year for the Dockers veteran. Miller was demoted as captain back in July in favour of injured utility Ange Stannett.
But with Stannett ruled out for the season with an ACL injury, Miller has been required to suck it up and form part of a rotating game-day captaincy arrangement despite the fact her peers voted her out. The 28-year-old was stand-in skipper against Port on Saturday and before she kicked the winning goal, she got the Dockers going with two clearances. She also had to spend more time on-ball after Aisling McCarthy, Fremantle’s best midfielder in the opening fortnight, was a late withdrawal. To find the pace and poise to break away from her opponent that late in the game tells you about her work rate given she was the only Fremantle player within 30m of goal on the fast break.
MISSES
BLACKBURN BLOW
The Western Bulldogs’ worst fears have been realised with news that Ellie Blackburn is set to miss the rest of the season after suffering a foot injury in the dying seconds against West Coast. I wrote last week that the Bulldogs have relied too heavily on the star midfielder and former captain this year. Well, now the Dogs have no choice but to find a way to compete without their spiritual leader given that Blackburn will need surgery to repair a ligament in her left foot. It’s already been a tough season for AFLW captains.
Body on the line kind of stuff from Ellie Blackburn 🙌#AFLWpic.twitter.com/jopYoAG9VU
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 12, 2024
Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood went down in round one with an MCL while Ange Stannett (Fremantle), Janelle Cuthbertson (Port Adelaide) and Sydney co-captain Chloe Molloy have all done their ACLs. Blackburn’s setback is a bitter blow for the cellar dwellers. She’s irreplaceable. The Bulldogs are currently ranked last in the AFLW for contested possessions with an average of 94 per game and before her injury, Blackburn sat sixth with an average of 16. Isabelle Pritchard has enjoyed a strong start to the season but she’ll need help. Could it pave the way for No. 1 draft pick Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner to spend more time in the midfield? The 19-year-old found the footy just five times in her first two games before being rested against the Eagles.
COLORS COLLIDE
The clash between Adelaide and Hawthorn was hyped up as one of the must-watch matches of week three. But it ended up being a nightmare for fans trying to tune in from home. Sure the footy was good as the Crows remained undefeated. But a dreadful jumper clash made it tough viewing. From the wide angle, it was nearly impossible to make out what team was what. Even some spectators at the game also said it was an issue. As the home team, Adelaide donned its tricolour guernsey and blue shorts.
But the Hawks opted for their brown away jumper and matching shorts which did little to distinguish the teams from afar. Essendon and St Kilda were able to avoid a jumper clash, the latter wearing its predominantly white strip. So why did the AFL tick off two dark kits? The league scrapped white shorts last year in a historic uniform policy shift to ease player anxiety, ruling out an easy fix. But was there a different set of coloured shorts either club could’ve worn to solve the issue? There’s plenty of potential for future clashes around the league so it needs to be addressed.
DEMONS’ DEMISE
Many predicted that Melbourne would be the biggest slider this season after a trade exodus. And the Demons have done little to disprove our theory so far. Melbourne went down to North Melbourne by 50 points on Sunday and a week earlier, it suffered an 18-point loss to reigning premiers Brisbane. Last season, both games would’ve been essential viewing. A win over Geelong in round one by two points was a highlight but it lost its shine given that the Cats have just two points on the board after three games. The Kangaroos’ defeat sounded all sorts of alarm bells though.
The Demons got well beaten in the midfield, losing clearances 30-24, contested possession 130-115 and inside 50s 45-21. Ash Riddell (32 disposals, two goals, 10 tackles), Jasmine Garner (27 disposals, six tackles, six clearances) and Mia King (24 disposals, 12 tackles, four clearances) did as they pleased and Kate Shierlaw cashed in up forward with five goals. North Melbourne feasted on the Demons’ mistakes, scoring 52 of its 71 points from turnovers compared to Melbourne’s two points. And despite finishing with 42 fewer disposals than North, the Demons lost the tackle count 88-74. There’s no doubt that Mick Stinear is one of the league’s best coaches. But he faces a mammoth task to turn things around ahead of a trip to Perth to face Fremantle.
Originally published as AFLW Agenda: All the hits and misses from week three
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