Melbourne and GWS vow to play attacking game styles to improve scoring in AFLW

MELBOURNE and GWS have promised to play attacking game style this season in a bid to help AFLW grow as criticism continues to come for the lack of scoring in the opening round of the season.

Richelle Cranston booted three goals in Melbourne’s win, including the matchwinner. Picture: Getty

MELBOURNE and Greater Western Sydney have promised attacking game styles this season in a bid to help AFLW grow.

The two sides kicked seven and six goals respectively in their Round 1 clash at Casey Fields on Saturday in what was a far more entertaining match than the competition’s dour season-opener between Carlton and Collingwood on Friday night.

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The Blues and Magpies’ clash was criticised after the two teams combined for just five first-half goals before a goalless second half, the match coming despite rule changes being implemented this season that were supposed to create more free-flowing, high-scoring football.

Neither coach seemed concerned by the lack of scores on Friday night, Carlton’s Damien Keeping saying post-match it “felt like we were creating opportunities” while Collingwood mentor Wayne Siekman said he was unaware no goals had been kicked after halftime.

Richelle Cranston booted three goals in Melbourne’s win, including the matchwinner. Picture: Getty

However, the Demons and Giants have vowed to bring attacking flair to the competition, labelling their goal tallies yesterday just the beginning.

“Today you saw a high-intensity game for four quarters and it’s only going to get better,” Melbourne coach Mick Stinear said.

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“We really want to work on our composure and our ball use and play a really attacking style and hopefully we see more and more goals on the scoreboard but that was a good snapshot of what’s to come. It’s really exciting for women’s footy.”

GWS coach Alan McConnell, in his first season in the job, said more scoring was not only what the competition needed but also what his side needed.

Melbourne and GWS have promised to play attacking game styles to improve scoring in AFLW.

“We kicked 21 goals in a season and we kicked six in a game,” he said.

“We kicked 11 in a practice match. It’s too hard to play the game and not reward yourself with goals. Overridingly our philosophy is we’re going to kick more goals. To kick more goals you’ve got to win the ball and we were no good at contested ball last year so that’s what we’re focused on.

“To be honest I care about the competition but I care about our girls more and if you’re averaging a goal every 20 minutes and the goals are what gets you up and about, it’s just too hard. So we want to kick more goals. If that’s what the competition wants, then we’re on that gravy train cause that’s what we want to do too.”

The average combined score per game in the AFLW last year was 65 points.

Originally published as Melbourne and GWS vow to play attacking game styles to improve scoring in AFLW