AFLW Round 2: Brisbane Lions star Ally Anderson breaks league disposal record on huge Saturday
Brisbane star Ally Anderson has helped herself to a league-record 43 disposals in a huge day out against the Demons. And it wasn’t the only record broken on Saturday. See all the round 2 results.
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A record-breaking 43-disposal masterclass from Brisbane champion Ally Anderson put the Lions’ premiership defence back on track at Casey Fields on Saturday.
Melbourne lost no admirers in a gritty 18-point defeat, but what the Demons do keep losing is talls, with an elbow injury to Eden Zanker the latest blow in a crisis which threatens to engulf their season.
Zanker’s setback comes after Tayla Harris (shoulder) was ruled out for the season, and ruck Lauren Pearce was sent for surgery after a scaphoid fracture suffered at training this week.
If Zanker, who threatened early in the contest before the final-quarter injury, is sidelined, it would leave the Demons heavily reliant on captain Kate Hore up forward, and a makeshift combination of Rhi Watt and Georgia Campbell in the ruck.
ALLY’S RECORD-BREAKING DAY
Anderson’s midfield dominance took her past North Melbourne’s Ash Riddell (42 disposals) to a league-record 43 possessions just before the final siren.
The 2022 AFLW best and fairest had eight clearances but was also damaging on the outside as her running power proved the difference on a typically windy afternoon at Casey Fields.
Anderson, 30, played down her own output and credited the Lions’ strength and conditioning team with her relentless improvement carrying into a ninth season.
She said the win over the previous premiers had been an important response after a heavy home defeat to North Melbourne last week.
“I think it’s just a really good pre-season … the girls with training, we all push each other so hard, so we’re constantly getting better because of that,” Anderson told Fox Footy.
“It definitely was a hard pill to swallow last week … we’re pretty happy with our response to that.”
DEBUTANT SPARKS DEES
First-gamer Alyssia Pisano made the most of her Friday call-up to senior football and stepped up to put the Demons on the scoreboard after a goalless first half.
The 19-year-old small forward had not touched the ball in difficult conditions, but popped up in an electrifying passage to hit up a teammate inside 50 before pushing deep forward and leading up again to mark 25m out.
Pisano nailed her set shot and was mobbed by teammates in an important moment which lifted her side.
Dakota Davidson’s class shut down any prospect of a Demons’ comeback though, with the star forward sailing through two set shots including a brilliant effort from the boundary to finish with three goals.
Lions tall Taylor Smith also celebrated her 50th game in style with a booming left-foot goal from outside 50 during the opening term.
BOMBERS BRING DAISY BACK DOWN TO EARTH
– Eliza Reilly
After such a promising start, Daisy Pearce’s Eagles have come crashing back down to earth against Essendon.
Returning to Mineral Resources Park, the scene of West Coast’s one-point win over Richmond in round one, the Bombers denied the Eagles back-to-back wins for the first time in their history with a 16-point victory.
Essendon were more skilful, structured and better equipped for the heat of battle than they were in round one against Fremantle. The Bombers also covered comfortably for the loss of Bonnie Toogood (knee) and Amber Clarke (concussion), kicking 6.5 (41) to 3.7 (25)
BOMBERS OFF TO A FLYER
Essendon would’ve been eager to bounce back after a disappointing performance in round one against Fremantle. And the Bombers almost got out to the perfect start against the Eagles.
Madison Prespakis had a goal after the quarter time siren disallowed because she moved off her which came as a surprise to most at the ground but especially the Bombers who celebrated like they’d just gone three goals up. Even Essendon tweeted that it was a goal.
Maybe the Eagles were onto something because the ground announcer declared the end of the quarter and an advertisement played over the loud speakers before Prespakis had taken her kick.
In spite of the confusion, Essendon was the dominant side in the first term. The Bombers had 14-0 inside 50s in the first quarter, putting the Eagles defence under immense pressure while ensuring their forwards didn’t get near it.
Emily Gough got Essendon on the board but the highlight of the quarter was reserved for debutant Chloe Adams. A late in for Georgia Gee (calf), Adams intercepted Georgie Cleaver’s kick-in and kicked the first of her career.
The Bombers were also dominant around the ball as Prespakis (7 first term disposals) and Georgia Nanscawen (9) helped their team to a 10-4 lead in clearances.
Essendon’s ability to chain up out of stoppage with slick hands put the Eagles on the back foot. But thanks to the efforts of Beth Schilling (5 intercept possessions), the Bombers didn’t inflict as much damage as they could have.
TOOGOOD EVEN WITHOUT BONNIE
The big question for the Bombers this week was where their goals were going to come from in the absence of co-captain Bonnie Toogood (knee) and Amber Clarke (concussion) after the pair were involved in a sickening collision last week.
Essendon kicked just three goals against Fremantle last week and finished with an efficiency inside 50 rate of 28 per cent. But the Bombers clicked back into gear against the Eagles, finishing with six individual goalkickers.
Essendon steadily increased their lead as the game went on, adding two goals in the first, second and third quarters. They always found an answer and denied West Coast consecutive goals.
Sophie Alexander kicked the goal of the day, bouncing the footy like a basketball to her own advantage before slotting it off one step from 35 metres. Emily Gough provided a good option while Steph Cain got lucky when the Eagles tapped the ball directly into her path as she streamed into goal.
HARK THE HERALD
Jayme Harken’s long-awaited AFLW debut is a testament to the Western Australian talent pathway.
Harken was only added to West Coast’s list a fortnight before the season started as an injury-replacement player. And it took her just one game to break into the Eagles best 21.
The 28-year-old has done everything there is to do in women’s football. She’s a two-time Dhara Kerr medallist, going back to back in the WAFLW best and fairest earlier this year. She’s a premiership player for Claremont. And was also best on ground in the grand final triumph earlier this year against East Fremantle.
It was thought that Harken’s AFLW opportunity had gone past her given that she’s been one of, if not the best player in the WAFLW for the past few years. But a stint as a train-on during pre-season put her under the nose of Daisy Pearce and Harken’s professionalism and physicality couldn’t be ignored.
Harken didn’t look out of place, finishing with nine disposals, seven of which were contested and four clearances. She also laid a crunching hit in the second quarter, flooring her Essendon opponent.
SCOREBOARD
WEST COAST 0.0 2.1 3.4 3.7 (25)
ESSENDON 2.2 4.3 6.3 6.5 (41)
BEST
Eagles: Lewis, Schilling, Roberts, Thomas, Gibson.
Bombers: Prespakis, Nanscawen, Gay, Keaney, Cain.
GOALS
Eagles: Lewis, Western, Franklin.
Bombers: Jacques, Adams, Williamson, Vogt, Alexander, Cain.
INJURIES Eagles: nil. Bombers: nil.
2079 at Mineral Resources Park
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ELIZA REILLY’S VOTES
3 M Prespakis (ESS)
2 G Nanscawen (ESS)
1 M Gay (ESS)
MORE RECORDS TUMBLE AS HAWKS CELEBRATE IN STYLE
– Ed Bourke
Hawthorn shattered club scoring records for the second week in a row to continue its red-hot start under new coach Daniel Webster with a 47-point demolition of Collingwood.
But a horror two-minute period early in the final quarter might leave two key Hawks sidelined for an extended period in a blow to their chances of a maiden finals appearance.
Melbourne recruit Casey Sherriff was helped from the field with concerns for her lower right leg after it was caught underneath her in a tackle, while prolific forward Aine McDonagh left the game moments later after an accidental clash with Ruby Schleicher as she fell from a marking attempt.
The Hawks had brushed off the late withdrawal of captain and best and fairest Emily Bates (calf tightness) to surpass their previous record score by three-quarter time, but will sweat on her availability ahead of an important test away against Adelaide next week.
50-GAMERS CELEBRATE IN STYLE
Aileen Gilroy said earlier this week she was frustrated by the windy conditions at smaller AFLW grounds, but she rode the breeze at Victoria Park to perfection with a booming goal which carried 60 metres to open the Hawks’ account on Saturday.
The Irishwoman celebrated passionately to mark the start of her 50th game, while Sherriff also enjoyed a big moment before her injury with a composed set shot goal after an incisive pass from 18-year-old Hayley McLaughlin.
Sabrina Frederick took a game-high four contested marks, but her teammates lacked the polish of the Hawks as former skipper Tilly Lucas-Rodd continually fuelled their attacks with 27 disposals off halfback.
Collingwood captain Bri Davey was held to only 13 possessions after returning from an ankle injury, but worked her way into the game to finish with a team-high five clearances.
SCOREBOARD
MAGPIES 1.1, 3.4, 3.7, 3.8 (26)
HAWKS 2.2, 6.3, 11.4, 11.7 (73)
BOURKE’S BEST Magpies: Frederick, Bonnici, Rowe, Campbell, Davey, Schleicher. Hawks: Lucas-Rodd, Wales, Gilroy, Fleming, West, Breed.
GOALS Magpies: Frederick, Morris, Campbell. Hawks: Gilroy 2, McDonagh 2, Sherriff, West, Breed, Williamson, Hipwell, Bodey, Baskaran.
UMPIRES Chamberlain, Dundon, Manthey
INJURIES Magpies: nil. Hawks: Sherriff (ankle), McDonagh (collarbone/head).
VENUE Victoria Park
Did MCG move expose big AFLW problem?
– Ed Bourke
A breakout display from Port Adelaide forward Julia Teakle has powered her side to a historic MCG win as the Western Bulldogs’ horror start to the season continues.
Teakle, 21, booted three goals from her first three kicks to finish with a career-high 4.0, as the Dogs squandered a handful of basic opportunities on the way to their lowest ever AFLW score.
The Bulldogs had 29 inside 50s to Port Adelaide’s 30, but Teakle’s two polished snap finishes on the run and pair of set shots provided a stark contrast to their offensive woes.
It meant the Bulldogs’ scores in their last three games have been: 1.3 (9), 1.3 (9) and 0.6 (6).
While the Bulldogs and new coach Tamara Hyett face a daunting road to close the gap to rival sides, Port left the MCG with their own concerns after captain Janelle Cuthbertson (knee) and star forward Gemma Houghton, who went down seconds before the final siren with a leg concern, both appeared to suffer serious injuries.
FITNESS GULF EXPOSED
With only 16 players on the field, the MCG was always going to present wide pastures for both sides, and that spelt trouble for the Bulldogs.
Former coach Nathan Burke was vocal about his concerns over their fitness last season, and a gap appears to remain on even the most recent expansion sides after one off-season under the new regime.
The Power actually had 19 fewer uncontested possessions than their opponents, but their decision-making under fatigue was notably superior as former Bulldog Kirsty Lamb added to the pain by booting two goals including the opener.
Port Adelaide skipper Janelle Cuthbertson was assisted from the field.#AFLWDogsPowerpic.twitter.com/gpHausSQLJ
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 6, 2024
NEW CAPTAIN GOES DOWN
The Power will sweat on scans for new skipper Cuthbertson after the star defender landed awkwardly on her strapped left knee in a heavy marking contest collision during the third quarter.
Cuthbertson, 34, was ruled out of the game and tested for an ACL injury on the sidelines, before rejoining her teammates at the three-quarter time huddle with ice wrapped around her knee.
The loss of the 2021 All-Australian for an extended period would be a huge blow to Port Adelaide, who would struggle to replace her intercepting prowess against the top sides.
Cuthbertson was key to their competitive performance in the Showdown last week, with all nine of her disposals coming after winning the ball back from Adelaide.
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