By Roy Ward, Steve Barrett and Hannah Kennelly
Former player and commentator Kate McCarthy says the McClelland Trophy in its current format is not reflective of “who the champion club is”, calling for the criteria to include finals performances.
Hawthorn won the million-dollar trophy this year, which is awarded to the best-performed club across the AFL and AFLW home-and-away seasons.
Hawthorn’s triumph over Richmond secured the McClelland Trophy. Credit: AFL Photos
The Hawks finished on a combined 136 points, with 80 points in the AFLW (eight points per win) and 56 in the AFL (four points per win), however both their teams crashed out in the semi-finals.
Brisbane followed closely behind on 130 points, despite winning the AFL premiership and making it to, at least, an AFLW preliminary final.
“The problem I have with it being called the ‘champion club’ is the sense that it’s not really reflective of who’s the champion club across men’s and women’s because it’s a home-and-away award,” McCarthy said.
“If they want to maintain the home-and-away award, that’s completely fine, but I don’t think giving it the champion club title probably is fitting because clearly the last couple of years the Lions women’s have made the [grand] final or won and the men’s have either won or made the final too.
The Lions claimed their second AFLW flag in 2023.Credit: Getty
“I think the way it’s awarded is completely fine, but the label around it being ‘the champion club’, when really, we put a lot more value on finals then we do home-and-away games to determine a champion in AFL.”
The million-dollar McClelland prize is split between the club’s two playing groups, with $250,000 going to AFLW players, $250,000 to AFL players and the remaining $500,000 to the club.
McCarthy said another option could be to split the prize money between the minor premiers in the men’s and women’s league.
Where did Hawthorn go wrong?
When the final siren blared at Ikon park on Saturday night, the shattered Hawthorn players stood almost motionless, their promising finals campaign dashed by a single point.
Hawks captain Emily Bates shook her head in disbelief while several of her teammates crouched down with their head in their hands.
The young team were unable to stop a determined Port Adelaide, who came back from a 22-point deficit to clinch a 7.8 (50) 6.13 (49) win – the biggest comeback in AFLW history.
McCarthy said Hawthorn – who dominated the first three-quarters– lost control in the final term, falling victim to Port’s frantic and attack-fuelled game style.
“It’s hard to control the tempo of the game when the other team is going so quickly,” she said. “Hawthorn could have controlled it better. Especially in the fourth quarter, to just slow things down and take some heat out of the game. But because Port were playing so frantic, they [Hawthorn] bought into that and went a bit frantic themselves.”
The Hawks had 51 inside 50s to 29 for the Power, but 11 of their 13 behinds were missed shots; inaccuracy that came back to haunt them in the final term.
McCarthy said Port’s victory was a credit to coach Lauren Arnell, who has helped them develop an “attacking, exciting” style of footy that builds momentum.
Port Adelaide players celebrate their stunning semi-final win over Hawthorn.Credit: Getty Images
Hawthorn had an impressive home and away season, winning 10 games and claiming a top-two finish.
However, the nature of the AFLW fixture meant they only played three teams during the home-and-away season (Richmond, Adelaide and Fremantle) who ultimately qualified for finals.
“I know there’s been a bit of talk about Hawthorn having a so-called ‘easier draw’, which a lot of people thought was an advantage for them going into finals,” McCarthy said.
“Obviously, they only had one loss of the season which was fantastic, but it didn’t set them up well for finals … because they hadn’t had many close games up until this point of the season, and when you have close games, that’s when you learn the most.
“I think that disadvantaged them ... because they hadn’t had games that had really tested them, and in that sort of environment where a team’s coming back at you and coming hard before the final siren”.
McCarthy said Hawthorn would learn from Saturday’s semi-final loss, including how to manage the clock and control the tempo.
“They have a frantic game style in the sense they like to go quickly and spread the ground, but when you’re defending a lead, that’s probably the complete opposite of what you want to do.”
Final four gear up for prelim clashes, GF venue confirmed soon
North Melbourne will host the Power at IKON Park in next Saturday’s preliminary final while Adelaide will travel to Brisbane to play the Lions at Brighton Homes Arena that night with a grand final berth up for grabs.
This year’s AFLW grand final will be held under lights in a prime-time 7.45pm spot for the first time in the league’s history, with the venue to be confirmed after the preliminary finals.
According to AFLW rules, the highest-ranked qualifier hosts the grand final, so North Melbourne will host it if they win, while Brisbane or the Crows will be the home team if Port get through.
McCarthy said she’d like to see the grand final venue “locked in well in advance” to allow interstate fans to make travel plans.
“I think Marvel Stadium would be the best showcase for it,” she said. “I think it would be great to lock in the venue at the start of the season, so people know the date and time, so people can make plans.
“The week before makes it really hard.”
McCarthy said Port Adelaide – coming off eight consecutive wins – will be riding a “wave of emotions and momentum” heading into the clash against the ladder-leading Roos.
“I think North might be feeling a bit wary because of Port’s unpredictability,” she said. “It’s their ability to score so quickly ... if they put you under pressure, anything can happen.”
McCarthy expects to see Brisbane key forward Taylor Smith to step up during the Saturday’s battle against Adelaide.
From left: AFLW general manager Emma Moore, AFLW great Erin Phillips and Laura Kane, the league’s executive general manager of football.Credit: AFL Photos
“Taylor had a pretty quiet game last week, she was pretty well held by Emily Everist from Hawthorn,” she said. “I’d say she’d be working pretty hard over the break to have a big impact on this next game”
McCarthy said, while Brisbane “probably have Adelaide’s measure”, anything can happen in finals.
Port Adelaide triumph over Hawthorn in shock thriller
Port Adelaide 7.8 (50) d Hawthorn 6.13 (49)
Port Adelaide Power came back from 22 points down to punish a wasteful Hawthorn side and win one of the most enthralling finals in the AFLW’s history on Saturday night.
Ashleigh Saint and Ella Boag of the Power celebrate on the siren.Credit: Getty Images
In energy-sapping conditions, the Hawks had 51 inside 50s to 29 from the Power but 11 of their 13 behinds were missed shots, many of them in the first three terms which could have arguably put the semi-final away.
The Power, who have now won eight-straight games, threw everything at the Hawks in the final term and over-ran them, kicking four goals to one before a late behind from Sachi Syme put them a point ahead with a little over 90 seconds to play.
Injuries didn’t help the Hawks either with star forward Aine McDonagh, who had kicked a goal and was a figurehead forward, forced off for much of the second half after her left hand was accidentally studded leaving a deep, painful cut while several Hawks battled cramps as they tried to curb the Power’s momentum.
Matilda Scholz of the Power celebrates kicking a goal in the last quarter.Credit: Getty Images
Emily Bates (22 disposals) was relentless in midfield while Jaz Fleming, one goal, and Greta Bodey, two goals, were a constant threat for the Hawks. But they couldn’t stop the Power’s stunning finale.
“Shattered is the feeling,” Hawks coach Daniel Webster said.
“We need to let this feeling sink in. This needs to drive the group next year.”
McDonagh was in tears after her injury needing painkillers while Hawks head of leadership and former Australian basketballer Jenni Screen was shown holding a towel to cover McDonagh’s face as the team doctor glued the cut together.
She wanted to return but reportedly struggled to control the ball with her injured hand so the Hawks coaches kept her on the bench.
In the final minutes, Hawks 50-gamer Louise Stephenson hit the post from an open goal to make it a two-point lead and moments later the Power found Dowrick free and she put the Power in front.
But the Hawks didn’t drop their heads as Fleming won the ball on half-back and Bodey sent it deep into an open forward line where Kaitlyn Ashmore kicked a running goal for a one-point lead with two minutes to go.
The Hawks rushed a behind under pressure from the Power to tie the scores with 100 seconds to play, Power’s Sachi Syme won a turnover from the kick-in but missed an open shot at goal, it was enough to snatch back the lead and they held on for a memorable win.
Powerhouse Crows trounce Dockers, storm into AFLW prelim
Adelaide 7.7 (49) d Fremantle 1.6 (12)
Adelaide advanced to their fifth successive AFLW preliminary final after thrashing Fremantle by 37 points in the first semi-final.A commanding 4.2 to 0.1 third quarter, while kicking into a stifling northerly, paved the way for the Crows to cruise past the Dockers 7.7 (49) to 1.6 (12) in sweltering 37-degree conditions at Norwood Oval on Saturday.
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