Gold Coast record their first AFLW win as wasteful Tigers lose newcomers clash
Both teams came into today without an AFLW win. And the Suns shone brightly to claim a historic victory, with inaccurate kicking proving costly for the Tigers late in the piece.
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A tantalising Gold Coast Suns have become the first 2020 AFLW expansion side to secure a win in year four of the league after defeating fellow newcomers Richmond by 11 points.
One week after taking it right up to fourth year side the GWS Giants, the Suns decisively beat the Tigers for three quarter before surviving a late scare to run out 33-22 winners.
Neither side could be split in a tightly contested first quarter as both expansion clubs visibly carried frustration from losses last week into the first 15 minutes.
Jamie Stanton struck first for the Suns in her 25th AFLW game after a punishing run inside forward 50.
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Paige Parker marked on the edge of the square and had the vision to spot her teammate charging into space, kicking to grass which allowed Stanton to run onto the kick and dribble it through the goals.
Former Collingwood sharp shooter Christina Bernardi levelled the playing field shortly after, swooping on a loose ball that managed to clear both Suns defenders and roll towards the goal square.
Just six years after acting as a getaway driver in a bank robbery, Richmond livewire Tayla Stahl wrote the final chapter in footballs ultimate redemption story when she kicked the Tigers second and the first of here AFLW career.
Stahl very nearly had a second within five minutes of play but was denied a goal by a stray Suns hand on the goal line.
The Suns precision kicking game plan and structure behind the ball finally reaped reward in the dying stages of the first quarter when forward Kate Surman showed great intent to chase down her opponent and earn a holding the ball free kick.
Richmond failed to return the ball, earning Surman a 50 metre penalty which she squeezed through the sticks a stroke after the quarter time siren.
The conversion levelled the score at 14-14 as Surman hobbled to the bench and confirmed her gut running with a brief sideline spew.
In front of a 7,071 home crowd at Metricon Stadium, it was the Suns who shone early in the second.
Inaugural Suns AFLW goal scorer Britany Perry established her position as one of the league’s most dangerous forwards, perfectly reading an inbound kick from Kate Surman.
With outstretched arms, Perry marked the ball and turned her opponent to charge towards an open goal and kick the Suns third.
With a goal and a goal assist to her name, Surman’s work rate soon found herself at the end of a precision kick from defender Jade Pregelj inside the attacking arc.
From 40m out on a slight angle, she kicked truly to give her side a 12 point buffer.
In her milestone match, Jamie Stanton demonstrated the courage the league has come to expect of her late in the first half when she ran back with the flight of the ball, ribs exposed, and collided heavily with a Tiger.
Her courage was to no avail as the umpire had picked out a holding free kick moments earlier, gifting Stahl another shot at goal which she tugged late.
With the Suns leading 27-16 at the start of the third quarter, heavy legs saw the sting of the first half recede from the contest.
Both sides struggled to generate any deep inside 50’s until a second year midfielder Jacqui Yorston, sporting trademark long sleeves, pounced on a loose ball late in the quarter and floated the Suns fifth through.
Leading by 17 points, the Suns appeared to put the cue in the rack late as Richmond did all the attacking but without much reward.
Bernardi was nearly the most dangerous player on the ground, marking ball after ball but failing to convert.
A late run down tackle by Tiarna Ernst sealed the game as the siren sounded and crowned the Suns 33-22 winners.
SCOREBOARD
GOLD COAST 2.2 4.3 5.3 5.3 (33)
RICHMOND 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.10 (22)
VOTES
3 Jamie Stanton, 2 Kate Surman, 1 Phoebe Monahan
BEST
Gold Coast: Stanton, Surman, Ahrens, Kaslar, Dunn, Perry, Pregelj
Richmond: Monahan, Bernardi, Sansonetti, Stahl, Conti, Brennant
GOALS
Gold Coast: Surman 2, Perry, Stanton, Yorston
Richmond: Bernardi, Stahl
Reports Nil
Roos bounce back with stars leading the way
Adam Smith
Pre-season premiership favourites North Melbourne have brushed off a surprise round one defeat to keep their unbeaten record in Tasmania intact and open their AFLW 2020 account.
The Roos bounced back against a wayward GWS at UTAS Stadium, pulling away as the match unfolded to record a 6.1 (37) to 2.7 (18) victory.
Led by All-Australian centre half forward Jasmine Garner _ who flashed her improved aerobic capacity in spending more time in the middle _ and skipper Emma Kearney, North made better use of its opportunities in the first half before unleashing their skills by foot in the second to break the game open.
Garner finished with 20 disposals and kicked her side’s first two goals, while Kearney had 21 possessions in another brilliant showing.
Fellow midfielder Jenna Brunton also collected 20 touches, and was just as effective defensively in applying a team high seven tackles.
The two teams were locked at a goal apiece at the first break before Garner put the hosts ahead early in the second courtesy of a snap from 20m out.
The Giants then began to grab momentum but frittered away chances in front of goal, with Rebecca Privitelli missing a set shot 30m in front and Haneen Zreika running into an open goalsquare shortly after only to pull her kick left.
Emma King made the visitors pay when she converted a holding the ball free kick to stretch the lead to 10 points and when Elisha King nabbed the opening goal of the second half it was an advantage the Giants could never peg back.
“It is a relief to get on the board and I think more so the way we played as well,” coach Scott Gowans said.
“Our pressure was amazing and our ability to pressure them anytime they got a run on with ball movement was important.
“The one thing that didn’t change [from last week ]was our pressure and I was super confident if we could change lanes with the footy and be really brave with it and keep the same pressure, we could get the result against GWS today.”
The only sour note was a head knock to Kaitlyn Ashmore in the second quarter.
For the Giants, Alicia Eva had an equal match high 21 disposals and eight tackles, Alyce Parker was busy with 16 possessions while Jessica Allan controlled the ruck contests but GWS was unable to fully cash in.
“We are an honest team at the minute but probably lack a bit of fineness,” coach Alan McConnell said.
“Once we get our hands on the ball we don’t maximise our opportunities, we don’t give our forwards quick ball when we should and then at other times when we should be going slow we are trying to go fast.”
SCOREBOARD
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.0 3.0 5.1 6.1 (37)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.0 1.3 1.4 2.7 (18)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Garner 2, Emma King, Elisha King, Abbatangelo, Gillespie-Jones
Greater Western Sydney: Zreika, Tully
BEST
North Melbourne: Garner, Kearney, Bruton, Riddell, Randall, Gillespie-Jones
Greater Western Sydney: Eva, Parker, Steane, Hicks, Bennetts
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Ashmore (head knock)
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Reports: Nil