AFLW: Brisbane Lions storm into grand final, preparations for Springfield venue

The Brisbane Lions will give the new surface at Springfield its first test run three days before it hosts the AFLW grand final. Here’s the latest on GF preparation.

Adelaide Crows footballer Heather Anderson has been given permission to wear a pink helmet during the football games.

The surface of Brisbane’s multimillion-dollar Springfield base will be given its first test run on Thursday when the flag-favourite Lions train on the new ground for the first time ahead of Sunday’s AFLW grand final against Melbourne.

As the Demons brushed off any concerns over the fitness of star forward Tayla Harris after a shoulder injury scare in Saturday’s preliminary final win over North Melbourne, the Lions have slated Thursday’s main training session for the team’s first run on the ground.

Springfield’s Brighton Homes Arena was confirmed as the host venue for Sunday’s AFLW grand final after being ticked off by turf specialists last week.

The Lions locked in a home premiership decider – and a shot at a second flag – after beating Adelaide by 23 points in last Friday night’s preliminary final.

The club’s new $80 million facility at Springfield, which is about 40 minutes’ drive from Brisbane’s CBD near Ipswich, only opened a month ago and ground staff have been working “around the clock” to get the turf ready in time.

Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich said the Lions were set to have the first run on the ground on Thursday and believed the surface continued to look better each day.

“I’m not the groundsman but every day I walk into work it looks magnificent,” Starcevich said.

“We’ve had a couple of walks on it and it’s obviously brand new. It improves daily, so the fact they have got it up in a little bit over a month is astounding really.

“We will get a run on it at some point … the game is going to be on a Sunday so our training week will be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and I think we will get our main session there on Thursday.”

The Springfield venue, which is listed as having a capacity of 10,000, came into play to host the grand final after the Gabba and Metricon Stadium were both unavailable.

Lions’ general manager of infrastructure Jake Anson said the club had engaged the help of “national experts” to assist in preparing the turf, which was declared safe to play on after receiving two independent sign-offs last week.

“We’re fortunate in southeast Queensland to have the best conditions (hot and humid) in Australia for growing turf,” Anson said on 4BC Brisbane.

“Our groundskeepers have been working around the clock alongside teams who’ve worked at the Gabba, Suncorp Stadium and Royal Brisbane (golf club) working on the turf, as well as national experts who’ve flown in to help us.

“We’ve had two independent sign-offs on it this past week that it’s safe and ready to play on.”

Melbourne will travel to Brisbane for the match on Saturday and the Demons are confident forward Harris will be fit to take on the Lions after hurting her left shoulder in the opening quarter against the Kangaroos.

Harris had the shoulder taped and played out the preliminary final in what Demons coach Mick Stinear described as “a bit of discomfort”, but the club was confident the injury would not hold her back ahead of the premiership decider.

Lions lock in decider, Crows’ emotional Anderson tribute

– Greg Davis

Brisbane roared into a home AFLW grand final next Sunday afternoon after tearing apart Adelaide with a convincing 23-point win in the preliminary final at Metricon Stadium on Friday night.

The Lions qualified for their fourth decider in six completed AFLW seasons on the back of a scorching four-goal second quarter to book a spot in the season showpiece at their new $75 million training and administration base at Springfield.

Brisbane will be odds-on favourites to capture their second flag to go with their 2021 premiership triumph after the emphatic way they put competition powerhouse Adelaide to the sword.

The Lions led by 29 points at halftime after kicking the only five goals of the first half with their swarming and suffocating defence and swift counter-attack proving way too much for the bombarded Crows.

Dakota Davidson celebrates a goal during the AFLW preliminary final. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

It was tight, tense and tough early with Brisbane midfielder Cathy Svarc booting the only major of the opening term but the Lions kicked away from the visitors in the second term with midfielder Emily Bates owning the Sherrin.

Brisbane key forward Jesse Wardlaw was dominant in the air and kicked two goals to take her season tally a record-equalling 22 while Lions captain Breanna Koenen was outstanding in defence and repelled Adelaide’s forward thrusts with clever and strong bodywork in marking contests to superbly lead by example.

And every Brisbane player in between did their job to catapult the Lions into the decider against either Melbourne or North Melbourne with their 11th win from 12 outings this season.

The only issue for Brisbane was ruck/forward Taylor Smith who suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter.

Isabel Dawes marks the ball in front of Madison Newman. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

BRILLIANT BATES LEAVES OMISSION ON SIDELINES

After her startling omission from the 42-player All-Australian squad named last week, Brisbane ball magnet Emily Bates let her football do the talking. Bates — who was judged the best player in the competition last season — was the one glaring name missing from the All-Australian squad given she has been one of the prime movers in Brisbane’s dominance of season seven. Bates had 12 touches to her name by halftime to go with three clearances and two inside 50s. She finished with 22 disposals, 10 contested possessions and four clearances. The selectors have had a shocker.

Dakota Davidson fires up her teammates as the Lions gain the upper hand. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

NEVER-ENDING GRAND FINAL FIASCO

The fact that the possible grand final venues for next weekend were not announced until a matter of hours before the first preliminary final is embarrassing for the AFL. The shambolic scurrying for a field to host the showpiece clash was a result of HQ taking its sweet time delivering the details of season seven of the AFLW, pushing the finals series into a collision course with cricket and summer concerts. Brisbane’s new Springfield base — which looked a long way from complete only just recently — might be OK but it will be the rush job of rush jobs to have it ready. Not good enough.

Crows players stand together during a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the passing of former teammate Heather Anderson. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

CROWS VISIBLY UPSET DURING TRIBUTE

Emotions ran high when a moment of silence was held for 2017 Adelaide premiership player Heather Anderson who passed away suddenly this week. The 28-year-old played eight games in Adelaide’s inaugural campaign in her trademark hot pink headgear.

Crows players appeared visibly upset during the moving pre-match ceremony. They donned black armbands with some players wearing pink scrunchies in their hair or dying their hair pink as a tribute to Anderson. Brisbane players also wore black armbands to honour Anderson and the late grandfather of small forward Courtney Hodder.

CROWS DEPART BUT DESERVE KUDOS

They were out-gunned and out-classed by Brisbane in the decisive first half but the Crows could leave Carrara with their heads held high after another deep push into finals football. Adelaide certainly proved this campaign they were not a one-woman team without superstar Erin Phillips. The Crows were aiming for their fifth grand final appearance and a fourth flag if they got over the top of the Lions but their spirited second half was too little, too late against Brisbane who beat them by 22 points at the same venue in Round 8.

Brisbane Lions players celebrate after the final siren. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

SCOREBOARD

LIONS: 1.0 5.1 6.3 7.4 (46)

Crows: 0.0 0.2 2.2 3.5 (23)

GOALS

Lions: Wardlaw 2, Hodder 2, Davidson 2, C Svarc

Crows: Gould, Ponter, Randall

BEST

Lions: Koenen, Bates, C Svarc, Wardlaw, Conway, Hodder, Anderson

Crows: Hatchard, Marinoff, Allen, Randall, Newman

INJURIES

Lions: Taylor Smith (ankle)

Craig Starcevich is excited at the prospect of a home grand final. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Starcevich: Springfield call massive boost for club

Brisbane senior coach Craig Starcevich says relief quickly made way for relishing the chance to play a home AFLW grand final after the Lions thumping 23-point victory over Adelaide in the preliminary final at Metricon Stadium on Friday night.

The Lions will host the Season 7 decider at their new training base at Springfield next Sunday after blowing the Crows off the park in the second term to qualify for the club’s fourth AFLW showpiece.

Starcevich cut a nervous figure throughout the match as he did not want Brisbane’s ladder-topping dominance to go to waste.

However, he had little to worry about as Brisbane led by 35 points early in the third quarter to set-up their shot at a second flag following their 2021 triumph.

Starcevich says that grand final experience will be invaluable during a “super exciting’ week for the Lions.

“Hopefully it counts for something that they’ve been there before. Knowing what the week looks like more than the actual day, that’s the bit that’s going to be more helpful. It’s still exciting whatever way you cut it,’’ he said.

“The excitement around the group is enormous. They’ve worked so hard to get to this point. It’s been a long year, we’ve played 25, 26 games this year so it’s been a pretty big year of footy.

“It would have been really disappointing tonight not to get this one out of the way and get to the next one and give yourself a chance of having a crack at winning it.

“It was a pretty good first half we put together … just really, really pleased with the way we started, absorbed pressure and delivered our own and got the scoreboard ticking over.”

Starcevich said the announcement about Springfield was a massive boost to the club after weeks of speculation about the possible site of the decider with the Gabba and Metricon Stadium both unavailable.

“It’s great. No doubt about that. We can at least now talk about it and focus in on that now rather than be the distraction that it was. I know what they’ve been like just training out there the last month and half so to get the chance to play there is super exciting,’’ he said.

“I think I’m confident (the new turf will be ready), I’m not the groundsman but everyday I work into work it looks magnificent. It improves daily.’’

Starecvich said the Lions would have their main session on Michael Voss Oval at Springfield this Thursday.

Meanwhile, Adelaide senior coach Matthew Clarke said the second term was the difference as the reigning premier Crows suffered their first-ever loss in an AFLW preliminary final.

“Their efficiency inside 50 that quarter, we won the inside 50 8-6, they kicked four goals one. That was the game. We tried to minimise that, for three quarters we could, for one quarter we couldn’t,’’ he said.

“They’ve had a really strong season and they’re going to the grand final… It’s more fun when you’re winning (prelims). We’re really disappointed but the reality of our season is that we haven’t been as consistent as we were last season.

“Proud we stuck at it. Turnover of five players is not insignificant. We had our challenges across the way. To fight on to this opportunity, we’re pleased with that.”

Clarke said the sad passing for 2017 premiership player Heather Anderson did not influence the result.

“I don’t think that was a factor at all. Clearly incredibly sad for the players and staff who knew here well, a tough week but we managed it well,’’ he said.

As for the eventual winner of next Sunday’s grand final, Clarke said, “I don’t know (who wins it) I don’t care.”

Recruit reveals emotional overload as Crows take next step

There’s a bit of same, same for Niamh Kelly ahead of Adelaide’s preliminary final against Brisbane.

But there’s also a whole lot of different for the Crows Irish recruit, who is looking to continue her remarkable story on Friday night against the Lions at Metricon Stadium.

The 27-year-old arrived at Adelaide from West Coast in June.

She came to the Eagles in 2019 as an international rookie, having grown up playing Gaelic football.

“I remember my first training session and getting absolutely mauled to the ground,” she said.

“I just wasn’t used to it, but now I absolutely love it.”

On top of the tackling, Kelly had to work her way around the new terminology of her new sport.

But she has taken to the game like a duck to water and has become a key part of the Crows side looking to make another grand final.

Heather Anderson, an army medic, was the first player to be drafted by the Crows from the NT. Picture Sarah Reed

It’s a far cry to what Kelly experienced in her three seasons at the Eagles, with finishes of 13th, 12th and 14th.

“Yeah definitely (it is nice to be playing finals), I’ve never been to a preliminary final,” she said.

“I loved my three years at West Coast getting to know the game.

“When I first came over I didn’t know anything, and I also met some incredible people there.

“But my experience here since July has been fantastic, I’m loving it.”

While it is Kelly’s first AFLW finals campaign, she did say there were some similarities to what she had experienced in Ireland.

“Leading up to a big game there are some similarities,” she said.

Niamh Kelly will play in her first preliminary final this weekend when the Adelaide Crows take on the Brisbane Lions.

“AFLW is a bit ahead of where Gaelic football is at the moment in terms of where crowds are.

“And Gaelic football is amateur also, it is a growing sport.

“So there are some similarities, but also some real big differences.

“I’ve been in a few of All-Ireland finals back home but it is a completely different feeling being in a preliminary final here.”

But it hasn’t been a usual preliminary final preparation for the Crows ahead of the clash against Brisbane.

Many of the players, and people at the club, are reeling after the tragic death of 2017 premiership Crow Heather Anderson at aged 28.

Kelly said it had been hard on the girls who played with Anderson and were close with her.

“It has been a real tough week, we are all deeply saddened by the news of her passing and all of our thoughts are with her family and friends,” she said.

“It has been a difficult week and a very emotional time for a lot of people at the club, especially the 2017 premiership players.”

‘Terrible situation’: Crows to honour Heather in prelim

Adelaide AFLW coach Matthew Clarke says it has been a “terrible week” for him and his side after the death of 2017 premiership-winning Crow Heather Anderson.

But Clarke says they will honour their former teammate when they take on Brisbane at Metricon Stadium on Friday night for a place in the grand final next week.

The 2017 premiership player took her own life at just 28-years-old on Sunday in Perth.

The Crows side that will take on Brisbane in the preliminary final features a number of Anderson’s former teammates including captain Chelsea Randall, star midfielders Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard and forward Stevie-Lee Thompson.

“She is one of our people, and particularly for those players and staff who played alongside her or were at the club with her it was just really tragic and sad,” Clarke said.

“We have tried to support those people the best we could but at the end of the day it is a terrible situation.

“There will be a couple of moments of reflection, which we will observe. The players will wear black armbands and pink shoelaces.

“It has been a terrible week to be honest.”

Heather Anderson played in a pink helmet during her football games.

Clarke said the 2017 team got together during the week and was confident that enough support had been provided to players and staff.

“We have a great support network in terms of welfare people and psychologists. It is also about being there for each other,” he said.

“But clearly whatever you are going through you can’t help but reflect back on the family and what they are going through.

“Ultimately there is still a game of footy to be played and while it has been a really challenging week there is also a joy in being a part of a footy team and it is a pretty good place to be at any time but in some periods of challenge it is a great place to be.

“So we look forward to being out there together as a team and making the most as an opportunity.”

The Crows and Lions again clash in a high stakes AFLW game, which Clarke said had become a feature of the competition.

“I think that is one of the exciting things in the AFLW which is still very young,” he said.

“Already there are these rivalries developing and it is a massive part of football and why people come to the game.”

Originally published as AFLW: Brisbane Lions storm into grand final, preparations for Springfield venue