Will Collingwood’s Jasmine Garner dethrone Blues goalkicking ace Darcy Vescio in AFLW02?

CARLTON’s Darcy Vescio was the leading goalkicker in AFLW01, but rising Collingwood forward Jasmine Garner is set to go bang after undergoing a dramatic physical transformation over the off-season. They will go head-to-head on Friday night.

Who will come out on top in the battle of key forwards? Jasmine Garner and Darcy Vescio will go head-to-head on Friday night. Picture: David Caird

KEY forwards Darcy Vescio and Jasmine Garner will go head-to-head at Ikon Park on Friday and by seasons’ end could be battling it out for the league’s goalkicking gong.

Carlton’s high-leaping star Vescio was the AFLW’s leading scorer in season one, while Collingwood’s Garner was a forward on the rise.

They’ve both made changes to their game for AFLW02, with Garner’s transformation obvious — she’s dropped about 15kg to adapt to the fast-paced style.

“Getting up the ground and getting back just as quick, I think that’s how a lot of goals are scored,” Garner said.

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“Before the AFL season I’d never used the gym before. I knew that I had to work hard if I wanted to be competitive.

“I feel a lot fitter. Moving around the ground, picking up the footy, it’s definitely a big change for me.

“I’ve pretty much had to buy a new wardrobe, but it’s good.”

Even Vescio is predicting big things for her opponent.

“Watching Jassy in the practice game, you can see how well she’s moving,” Vescio said.

Who will come out on top in the battle of key forwards? Jasmine Garner and Darcy Vescio will go head-to-head on Friday night. Picture: David Caird

“She’s so solid when she gets the footy. You were spinning around people, it was like a new Jassy Garner.”

“I’ve never done that before,” Garner chimes in with a grin.

“She’s always been super talented in the air,” Vescio continued.

“She’s got a massive kick and now she’s got awesome fitness. She’s one to watch.”

Vescio found herself getting mauled by opponents as last season wore on, always attracting the best defender, so she has worked on her strength in the off-season.

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“Getting injured in the VFL (Vescio had a PCL injury) has probably worked well in terms of being able to build upper body strength and work on your core,” she said.

“I’m just trying to have a bit more strength in one on ones, just trying to hold my ground a bit better.

“I noticed that opposition will try to be quite physical with me and they don’t give me much room to move. That’s fine, I just have to adapt to that.”

Vescio generally plays close to goals and stands to benefit from the addition of ex-Lion Tayla Harris to the Carlton set-up.

Darcy Vescio booted four goals and was best on ground in last year’s season opener.

“Tayla’s been great, she’s got good hands, a big kick, she’s been patrolling around the 50m arc and she gets it in nice and deep,” Vescio said.

The Magpies also look different. Mo Hope has been playing in the midfield as well as forward and backline general Meg Hutchins has moved into attack.

“We’re just changing it up, everyone’s just trying to be versatile,” Garner said.

Garner kicked the first goal in AFLW before the Magpies were smashed by the Blues.

“At the time I didn’t think of it as being the first ever goal, I was just excited we got six points on the board and then after that it went downhill — I don’t think we kicked another goal,” Garner said.

“Mo actually made a T-shirt (with a photo of Garner celebrating that goal) and she made a few and gave them to my family so there’ll be a few of them floating around (on Friday night).”

Jasmine Garner celebrates kicking the first goal in AFLW history last year. Picture: Getty

Vescio’s night, which included being named best on ground after four goals, couldn’t have gone any better, really.

“She tore us up,” Garner laughs.

“We were all disappointed but at the same time, we were all pretty happy, what we had achieved, the crowd we’d had. It was weird after the game.”

There was relief that the game they loved had been embraced.

“One of the biggest things going into the season was: Are people going to like it?” Vescio said.

“We’d been in a little footy bubble for so long, the same people would watch us and they liked it, but when it’s exposed to the wider public, you’re not sure how they’ll respond.

“To have that from day one, it changed the game. It changed our perspective.”

Following the euphoria, there came talk of the lack of goals kicked in games.

Jasmine Garner and Darcy Vescio at Ikon Park ahead of the AFLW season opener on Friday night. Picture: David Caird

Garner said the shorter game affected the scoring; this year time-on has been added for the final two minutes of each 15-minute quarter.

“The girls are fitter and stronger, more skilled and there’s the time as well, “ Garner said.

“I think the goals will come.”

Vescio said the number of goals was largely irrelevant, as long as you kicked more than the opposition.

“There was a bit of external noise about it, I was saying that goals in our league were like soccer goals, they’re sort of so precious,” Vescio said.

“But that was to be expected with how contested the footy was. We’re all a lot fitter this year, you know your teammates.

“I think footy’s such an exciting game, I think marks, tackles, spoils, smothers are just as exciting as goals.”