AFLW: Scores and reports from every week 1 finals match
Carlton were through to an AFLW preliminary final after defeating Brisbane until the AFL handed down its decision to cancel the season. Find out who stood up in the very last week of AFLW for season 2020.
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In football’s most uncertain time, one thing was a certainty.
Carlton wasn’t going away easily.
Last year’s AFL Women’s runners-up are through to a second consecutive preliminary final, but in a cruel twist they will not take on North Melbourne next weekend.
The Blues’ 29-point win over Brisbane on their home deck had all of its hallmarks – pressure, flair and starring roles from those who have stepped up in the wake of the team’s 2019 grand final loss.
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There was Georgia Gee, the speedy goalsneak.
There was Madison Prespakis, who’s gone from rising star to one in her own right.
And Tayla Harris, too.
All the things we love about footy, on what may yet become our last taste for a while.
It was a “really professional” performance, coach Daniel Harford declared, with the hope of playing next week still flickering.
“It’s all foreign territory, and we’ve never known what’s going to happen in the next hour, let alone the next day or the next week,” he said.
“My motto with the girls has just been ‘follow the bouncing ball and just see what happens’. Until we’re told we’re not playing, we are, until we’re told we’re not training, we are. So let’s just move with it and embrace what we have … the opportunity we have.”
As the coronavirus crisis clamps down on Australia, who knows if there will be preliminary finals played next week?
The league will debate that with further announcements expected on Monday after governments flex tough new measures as they attempt to stop the spread of the rampant virus.
But it was clear that the Blues had adopted the mentality that coach Daniel Harford set earlier in the week – “let’s enjoy it while we’ve got it”.
The pressure was fierce.
While Brisbane, fresh off the rollercoaster of being thrown a semi-final on the road after AFLW rushed towards an expanded finals series, held firm early it was 20 minutes of power that straddled the half-time break that set up the Blues.
And they celebrated in style, with Nat Plane busting out the worm in the middle of the team song on Ikon Park.
“Pretty usual behaviour from Nat Plane,” teammate Chloe Dalton laughed.
“But without the crowd there, we thought we’d hype ourselves up a little bit, so it was good fun.”
HARRIS REPORTED, NERVOUS WAIT AHEAD
Tayla Harris has been in All-Australian form this season but it wasn’t her performance that had her in the sights of umpires on Sunday.
With the season called off, the 22-year-old has a much less nervous wait on Monday, after she was reported for sling tackle on Lion Emily Bates in the third quarter of Carlton’s semi-final victory.
Perhaps playing to Harris’ favour was that Bates was hit in the head by teammate Breanna Koenen’s leg on the way down – there was not direct contact between her head and the ground as a result of Harris’ action.
Either way, match review officer Michael Christian is in for a busy day with Melbourne skipper Daisy Pearce also in the book for an errant elbow on Saturday.
ROBBED OF REVIEW
The lack of goal review in AFL Women’s could have proven costly for the Blues.
Star midfielder Prespakis was robbed of a goal early in the third quarter, but luckily for Carlton, it didn’t matter.
The ball – which sailed through - was called as touched off the boot, but replays indicated that it actually wasn’t.
Cue chaos on the bench as Blues coach Daniel Harford let his feelings be known, jumping out of his seat and clearly vocal with no crowd to drown him out.
NO TIME FOR LIONS’ LIFT
Brisbane had been “on top of the world” three weeks ago, coach Craig Starcevich said.
But that’s AFLW – from blemish-free to banished in less than a month.
“We’ve encountered three pretty good teams in the last three weeks,” he said.
“The energy and the confidence just dip a little bit. That’s the normal cycle of a footy season – if you’re in a mens’ comp, you win your four (games), you lose four, lose two or three and then come out of the cycle … if you’ve got a longer season, you get to do a little bit more.”
SCOREBOARD
CARLTON 1.0 2.2 4.6 6.8 (44)
d
BRISBANE 1.2 1.2 2.3 2.3 (15)
GOALS
Blues: Gee 3, Harris, Vescio, McEvoy
Lions: Wuetschner, Wardlaw
BEST
Blues: Harrington, Prespakis, Gee, Vescio, Dalton, J.Hosking
Lions: Anderson, Lutkins, Bates, Svarc, Wuetschner, Conway
INJURIES
Blues: Prespakis (ankle)
Lions: Campbell (back)
Reports: Tayla Harris reported for rough conduct on Emily Bates
ROOS SURVIVE HUGE SCARE, HEARTBREAK FOR PIES
When Collingwood young gun Chloe Molloy marked the ball and kicked from 45 metres to put the Magpies in front, North Melbourne coach Scott Gowans checked the clock.
There was about 90 seconds remaining.
When she missed, there was little he could do but sit back and watch, wracked with nerves.
“With about 50 seconds to go, (North Melbourne football manager) Laura Kane said to me ‘we can’t do anything now’,” he said post-game.
“We train for scenarios like that, and you’ve really just got to let your leaders run it on the field. The pleasing thing was, I can’t actually wait to go back and watch behind-the-goals (vision), because the amount of communication we had to set things up and lead the way on field is what you’re relying on in that situation.
“From a coaching perspective, it’s out of your hands.”
Much to his relief, the ball found its way to the reliable hands of Jasmine Garner — who was this week crowned the AFLW coaches’ player of the year — who with a strong mark in defence, assured a two-point victory and a preliminary final berth for the flag favourites who almost fell victim to a boilover.
The Kangaroos fell narrowly short of finals last season, which Gowans admitted he had used as fuel for his players.
“That disappointment of last year … was real,” he said.
“Today, that was the tick that we were almost looking for in the season, to get through a final.
“To get that monkey off our back under pretty intense heat, it’s a really big step forward for this group.”
ROLLERCOASTER ROLLS TO AN END
To say it was a week of wild emotions for the Magpies is an understatement.
On Wednesday night, the team was coming to terms with what they believed to be fact – that they wouldn’t play in this year’s finals series after a miscommunication from AFL House.
Some 30 minutes later, they were in.
Collingwood’s big names did everything they could to wrest momentum from North Melbourne in an epic third quarter — Sharni Layton in the ruck, Britt Bonnici and Steph Chiocci in the middle.
But while it wasn’t to be this year, captain Chiocci said she was nothing but “proud”.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved this season – we’re certainly not satisfied, though,” she said.
“This is one of the first times that I’ve had real confidence and belief in our group. And it’s no disrespect to our past, but it’s more what we’ve built here is really exciting. We’re really feeling like a family. It’s no surprise to me that we’re playing that way.”
ROOS ON THE HOP
They’ve been the flag favourites all season and showed exactly why as they withstood the Collingwood onslaught to progress.
Skipper Emma Kearney starred and was again ably assisted by Ash Riddell, who notched 22 disposals, six tackles and five clearances, while Jasmine Garner proved the match-saver.
Kearney, who played in the Western Bulldogs’ 2018 premiership, said the team “won’t need to change too much”.
“It’s quite bizarre (circumstances) really,” she said on 7.
“Super proud with the way we came out in the second half. Credit to Collingwood they were outstanding all day. We just had to grind that one out. Move on to next week.
“We’ll review our game and focus on what we can control. I think the girls have been playing some excellent footy so far. I won’t need to change things too much. I think it’s just about enjoying the footy and that’s when we play our best footy.”
NO CROWD, NO WORRIES
Ikon Park and its surrounds were a ghost town as social distancing reigned supreme on a day that would have normally seen thousands out in force.
Pies supporters had embarked on a stealth mission to hang signage of support for the team in the carpark, with the team having the advantage of having played before an empty house last week.
But it didn’t mean things were quiet.
Both teams were in full voice, while club officials were rampant in their support from the benches, which pleased Gowans.
“We needed to create our own environment,” he said.
“You form your own little community and hopefully we did the club proud.”
There’ll be no crowds for the remainder of the AFL Women’s season at this stage, meaning it will be a far more low-key decider in a fortnight than last year’s full house if things continue, meaning the support on hand will become more vital than ever.
SCOREBOARD
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.1 2.3 4.4 5.4 (34)
d
COLLINGWOOD 1.0 4.1 4.1 5.2 (32)
GOALS
Kangaroos: Bateman, Ashmore, Wright, Gavalas, Abbatangelo
Magpies: Membrey 2, Cann, Molloy, D’Arcy
LAUREN WOOD’S BEST
Kangaroos: Kearney, Riddell, Garner, Ashmore, Bruton, Gavalas
Magpies: Bonnici, Molloy, Chiocci, Layton, Lambert, Davey
LAUREN WOOD’S VOTES
3 — Emma Kearney
2 — Ash Riddell
1 — Brittany Bonnici
INJURIES
Kangaroos: Nil
Magpies: Nil
Reports: Nil
DEES ‘SAVE THE GAME’ IN LAST-GASP THRILLER
Lily Mithen has booted a matchwinning goal in the final minute of a dramatic AFLW semi-final to deliver Melbourne a three-point win over GWS at Giants Stadium.
The goal umpire hardly moved as Mithen marked in the pocket and calmly kicked her second goal, putting the Demons in front with just 25 seconds remaining on the clock.
The COVID-19 lockout ensured that screams of “SAVE THE GAME” from the Demons’ bench were then heard around the ground.
The Demons, who stormed home with three fourth-quarter goals and will face Fremantle or Gold Coast in a preliminary final, triumphed 4.5 (29) to 3.8 (26). Shelley Scott and Sarah Perkins also kicked goals in the fourth-quarter comeback, the latter a sensational long-range effort from a tight angle. Saturday was meant to mark the first time a club had hosted an AFLW-AFL double header for premiership points.
The coronavirus pandemic meant the stakes were even higher in the curtain- raising knockout AFLW contest played behind closed doors.
Irishwoman Cora Staunton and Jess Dal Pos, both members of GWS’s leadership group, stood up with goals in what looked to be a decisive third quarter of the topsy-turvy clash.
Staunton, who inspired teammates throughout her comeback season after breaking the tibia and fibula bones in her right leg, showed brilliant goal sense to snap truly after crumbing her own marking contest. — AAP
SCOREBOARD
GWS 0.2 1.4 3.7 3.8 (26)
def by
MELBOURNE 0.1 1.5 1.5 4.5 (29)
GOALS
Giants: Schmidt, Staunton, Dal Pos
Demons: Mithen 2, Scott, Perkins
BEST
Giants: Parker, Bennetts, Beeson, Zreika, Hetherington, Tully
Demons: Paxman, Birch, D.Pearce, Mithen, L.Pearce, Zanka
INJURIES
Giants: Nil
Demons: Nil
Reports: Nil
DOMINANT DOCKERS ANNIHILATE SUNS
Fremantle have announced themselves as the clear favourites for this season’s AFLW flag after pummelling Gold Coast by 70 points in Saturday’s semi-final in Perth.
The Dockers were never troubled in the 12.8 (80) to 1.4 (10) win at Fremantle Oval, with the result setting up a preliminary final against Melbourne. Hayley Miller (20 disposals, six clearances) was vital in helping Freo win the midfield battle, while Kiara Bowers (22 disposals, 14 tackles) added important grunt and hardness.
Sabreena Duffy (three goals) and Gabby O’Sullivan (two goals, three score assists) were among the players to cash in, while forward Roxy Roux provided her usual spark.
Jacqui Yorston (22 disposals, three clearances) tried her best for Gold Coast, but the Suns were completely outgunned apart from patches in the opening quarter.
Fremantle ended the regular season with a perfect 6-0 record, and their performance against Gold Coast is sure to send a shiver through their flag rivals.
North Melbourne were the other standout team during the regular season, but they almost got knocked out of the premiership race on Saturday before winning their semi-final over Collingwood by two-points.
The Dockers’ firepower through the midfield and up forward was on full display against the Suns, as well as their rock-solid defence led by Evangeline Gooch. Gold Coast knew they were up against it coming into the match. Not only were they playing their fourth straight match away from home, but they matched against an unbeaten team laden with starpower.
Gold Coast dominated the clearances 9-2 in the opening term, but Fremantle made the most of their opportunities to lead by eight points at the first break. Paige Parker’s goal for the Suns late in the opening term would prove to be their one and only goal for the match.
Fremantle fixed their clearance woes in the second quarter, winning that stat 10-1 as they extended their lead to 27 points.
The hard work in the middle by Miller was complemented by pieces of individual brilliance up forward.
Gemma Houghton took a great high mark before nailing her set shot from the boundary.
But it was Roxy Roux who stole the show on the stroke of halftime, taking a huge pack mark before kicking truly from 35m after the siren. The second half followed the same script, with Fremantle unleashing maximum damage – both on the scoreboard and on their opponents’ bodies. Several Gold Coast players had to be helped from the field nursing various bumps and bruises, with Tiarna Ernst and Jasmyn Hewett later ruled out with concussion. — AAP
SCOREBOARD
FREMANTLE 2.3 5.5 8.6 12.8 (80)
d
GOLD COAST 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 (10)
GOALS
Dockers: S Duffy 3 G Houghton 2 G O’Sullivan 2 K Flood 2 A Sharp E Antonio R Roux
Suns: P Parker
BEST
Dockers: Bowers, E.Antonio, K.Antonio, O’Sullivan, Miller, Roux, Duffy
Suns: Yorsten, Pregelj, Surman, Ahrens, Stanton
INJURIES
Dockers: Nil
Suns: Hewett (concussion), Ernst (concussion)
Reports: Nil
NORTH COACH: CROWNING AFLW PREMIER A ‘PRIORITY’
—Lauren Wood
Crowning an AFL Women’s premier is important to the burgeoning competition – no matter how it happens, North Melbourne coach Scott Gowans believes.
The league rushed forward its finals series to begin this weekend, banishing the two final home and away rounds in an attempt to end the competition before the effects of coronavirus and efforts to curb its spread take further hold.
As it stands, another fortnight of competition remains with the grand final currently set for April 4 or 5, but Gowans said he would be willing to cram games in and said he believed crowning a premier should be a priority.
“I think so. I wouldn’t be a fan of stopping it now and then coming back in say, October,” he said.
“But if it had to, it had to.
“My preference would be even if we didn’t get another game, if they somehow came up with a premier based on the results from this weekend. Whatever it is, it is. But I think my preference would be to finish it – however it finishes – from now.
“If we get the next two weeks in, great, that’s fantastic. But if not, I’ll support whatever decision they come up with.”
He said North Melbourne – which defeated Collingwood by two points in Saturday’s semi-final at Ikon Park – hadn’t discussed the physical element of rushing the preliminary final or grand final ahead of time, but said clubs were resigned to “make the best of it”.
“From a high performance perspective, that’d be the only one that I think they’d probably say you’d need a certain number of days (between games),” he said.
“But again, we have our main sessions on Wednesdays, so I would imagine by Wednesday, you’re ready to go again. It is what it is.
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“These times are really tough for everybody, and I just think the AFL are doing the best they possibly can in a really difficult situation. It’s frustrating from an admin point of view, for everyone.
“But we’re all in the same boat. The pleasing thing was, I know in a few conversations with people in clubs that are at other clubs … you’ve just got to run with it. You’ve got to accept it and make the best of it.”
He said his team could only take the current crisis “moment by moment”.
“We’ll find out if we’re training Monday night and if there is a game next week,” Gowans said.
“It’s one of those situations where you’ve just got to see what happens and be guided by the people in the right places.”