Brisbane inflict Carlton’s first loss of AFLW season in congested affair at Ikon Park
THE AFL is unlikely to be happy with the spectacle at Ikon Park on Saturday night as Carlton was beaten in a congested affair at Ikon Park, with the Lions getting the last laugh over former teammate Tayla Harris.
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BRISBANE cut the bars and broke past Carlton’s armed guards to get out of jail at Ikon Park on Saturday night.
Carlton — which clamped down for most of the night — got within a goal in the last quarter but the Lions put the foot to the throat to secure a 22-point win.
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After hammering Carlton early, the Lions struggled to capitalise before they took the game on to break the Blues stingy and watertight defence open with flair — and it worked.
Kate Lutkins set things alight. Used to driving Army trucks, the 29-year-old steered the Lions with her usual courage and class, while Emily Bates finished with 20 disposals, six tackles and four marks.
The final quarter was a different game to the first three — open, free-flowing and with plenty of goals.
Before then? Well, neither team — as both are known for — gave much away.
But when the Lions rammed through consecutive goals in the final term, the Blues’ defensive tactics were unlocked.
On the road, no less, which is proving to be the Lions’ specialty.
MEMO? WHAT MEMO?
CARLTON looked to largely ignore the “spirit of the game initiative” that was issued by the AFL after the opening round, playing one and sometimes two extra players in defence on Saturday night. But it proved costly on several occasions when the Blues were left lacking numbers when they went to rebound back into attack, going goalless until almost 14 minutes into the third quarter. They blocked things up, with every player in one quarter of the ground at one point. Brisbane even tried it at times, too. Don’t think HQ will be happy.
BRI-LESS BLUES
BREANN Moody stood up in the absence of captain Bri Davey — who was felled with an ACL injury in last week’s win over Greater Western Sydney — and was solid as a rock as the extra in defence for the Blues, but the skipper was sorely missed. The lack of Davey’s dash and command in the backline was evident. The Blues were also forced to play one down for three quarters with Georgia Gee out after a concussion, then Lauren Brazzale out for the final term with a shoulder injury.
TOUGH NIGHT FOR TAYLA
FORMER Lion Tayla Harris was given plenty of attention early, with Brisbane’s Leah Kaslar coming straight to her. Facing her former teammates for the first time since leaving Brisbane at the end of last season, the Blues forward took a nice grab, had a play-on shot at goal quashed and missed one from 45m, but could she be in the sights of the league’s match review officer Michael Christian on Monday? The 20-year-old appeared to land a neat right-hand hit to the head of Kaslar in the third quarter. Could be an anxious wait.
KASHING IN
“SEE you in Round 3,” Kaitlyn Ashmore had chirped to former teammate Harris before the AFLW02 season got underway and her presence was felt. She looks dangerous every time she gets the footy in her hands. Enjoyed the fruits of her labour in front of goal and shared the love with fellow forward Jess Wuetschner, whose goal from the boundary was something to savour.
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