Courtney Cramey: Did the conference system work? Not if you’re the Roos or Demons

Crows joint vice-captain Courtney Cramey reflects on her side’s big win over the Demons and gives her verdict on the AFLW conference system.

We started the year kicking points and ended the minor round kicking goals.

• Ruthless Crows blitz Demons
• Crows to push for Oval final
• AFLW conference system slammed
• Crows to play AFLW final at Adelaide Oval

We started the year kicking points and ended the minor round kicking goals.

And in doing so, we eclipsed the biggest winning margin by a team in season 2019 — beating the Demons by 10 goals on Saturday (the season’s previous biggest winning margin had also been set by us: 42 points when we defeated Fremantle in Round 4).

We flew to Melbourne on the weekend knowing destiny was in our hands — win and we would secure a home final.

In the final round of the home-and-away season there were still a number of sides remaining in the hunt for a top-two spot in their conferences, and a passage to the finals, but the mathematics weren’t something we dwelled on during the week.

Despite the final margin, it was a tough contest early against the Demons, but scoreboard pressure gave us a buffer going into quarter time.

It would be a display of goal-pressure dominance from there on in, with 10 contributors to the scoreboard and first AFLW goals for Irish recruit Ailish Considine and Ebony Marinoff. It wasn’t until the last quarter that we allowed the Demons a goal, which highlighted a strong defensive game, as we won 10.8 (68) to 1.2 (8).

Now the two conferences’ ladders are finalised, this weekend it will be Carlton taking on Fremantle and us facing the Cats. The last time we met was in Round 3, when we came away with the win at Norwood Oval by 29 points.

What we know about our great game is that finals footy brings a whole new intensity and Geelong will leave nothing out there this weekend.

They will be led by courageous captain Melissa Hickey, and their backline general Bec Goring, in another battle we must win.

Focusing on how we want to play won’t change. Respecting the opposition is important but what will remain within our control will be how we want to play, what we do well and how we can do it better.

So, did the conference system ultimately work? If you’re the Kangaroos and Melbourne, who are forced to reflect on the season that has been over a few cold ones, you might be a bit bitter watching Carlton and Geelong battle it out this coming weekend.

But ultimately, every team knows it must win games of footy to give itself the best chance and we will continue that mantra at Adelaide Oval on Sunday at 12.40pm.

Originally published as Courtney Cramey: Did the conference system work? Not if you’re the Roos or Demons