Game Day AFLW R1: Crows vs GWS @ Thebarton Oval 4:35pm Sat 4/2/17

[WaynesWorld19]

Just on the weight loss issue. Who is this story about? ( I have edited one or two identifiers)


“To get the opportunity of being on an AFL list and seeing if you can handle it would be the ultimate,’’ said ??, who has shed an incredible 40kg since being spotted playing country footy by an Essendon recruiting scout two years ago.

?? weighed a beefy 150kg when Bombers scout Ron Thomas watched the player representative in the state country championships in Wagga, New South Wales.

Spoiler

Sam Baulderstone

Sarah Perkins

 

[Coopers]

Watched the game on TV, thought it was great entertainment.
A few big standout players, and notably they are our big signings:

• Captain - Philips with very clean hands and great agility, that's what gave her access to the ball and drew the free kicks. Clean hands really stood out in comparison to the other players.
  
• Captain - Randall a number of great plays coming out of nowhere to contest a ball and win it. What a leader.
• Marinoff - think she won every contested possession she went for.
• #23 Mules - lots of zip and pace around the place. Was impressive.
• The fullback - sorry not sure which player she was as her number was facing away from the camera. She had a number of kicks out from a GWS point that went 40+ meters to a chest mark. That's really impressive, and quite a weapon.

Looking at the general play I have thoughts:

• Players with long kicks are still a huge weapon, just like the mens game. Perkins showed that.
  
• Seems the players with clean hands around contests are going to be the guns. Not fumbling a pick up or handball receive is a big deal as the transition is slower so getting it moving forward has lots of value. More on this, GWS really missed a player like Philips in their forward line, who could take possession of a loose ball as we rebounded it very easily.
• Seems like there were a lot of run down tackles from behind. Not sure what to attribute this to - probably awareness + indecision with the disposal.

 

[Bovo]

It was early ......but in the 2nd half of the Buldogs game i thought the ball handling and kicking fell away as players got tired

What i noticed early, in particular Freo was their better ball handling and handball to players on the run

IN most of the games players were hand-balling to stationary teammates .....need to start giving the ball to players on the move to clear congestion

Interesting that the Crows coach prefers kicking to hand-balling ......this may prove to be a mistake, as team that move the ball around with handball seem to mount better attacks ......but maybe Bec realises our hands may not be good enough for this style??

Our handball definitely needs work. There were a lot of "get the ball out anyway we can" which resulted in handballing around the knees. The girls still have a way to go to control the ball at ground level (although the weather would have made a fair impact on that also), but it is important they learn to pass the ball around waist height.

I figure overall the girls have a huge disadvantage to the men in so many ways. They don't play as many games at an "elite" level which means it is going to take a lot longer to see improvement. Women's leagues are still in their infancy, it will be the next generation that will probably take the game to the next level.

Still, it is a journey I am happy to be part of as a supporter.

 

[spexau]

Bec Goddard said in her post-match that they want to focus on hard contested play to win the ball then use long direct kicking into space to transfer in to attack. With 16 a side I can see the merit of this style. I hope though that they don't neglect handball too much because it's clear we need some work in that area.

 

[PrideOf]

Everyone else has covered most of it, so I'll add this: I thought it was a bit of a throwback to old-school footy to hear that a player was also a PE teacher or a nurse, rather than the "Calder Cannons/Geelong Falcons Football Factory" bullshit we hear during the men's game.

These players had some great stories too - with Perkins' 40kg or Phillips' pedigree or the pink helmet for visually-impaired Mum or Bec Goddard's teary note to the players before the match. Made a nice change from the bland yeah-nah of the usual things we hear.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Im entitled to consider a female footballer attractive. Im also entitled to have an opinion on her football ability. Whilst those qualities are independent of each other, surprisingly I can assess (and comment) on both of them at the same time. At no stage has any reference to a Woman's football ability (her worth) been linked to her looks - not by me anyway. To do so would be ridiculous.

Considering a woman attractive is not "ogling at her". To suggest that men should remain completely impassive when viewing a woman (and vice versa for that matter) is to deny about 2 million years of genetic hardcoding, which goes to the very essence of our existence. Im allowed to find a woman attractive, and Im allowed to express that view. There's no judgement associated with that, positive or negative. Im pretty sure I said more than once, back in the day, that I hated Mods for being so good at football and a handsome bastard - was that shallow and judgmental too?

Jenny wants me to watch the football without any regard for anything other than the football. I'll take you to task then Nikki - have you ever watched a game of football and noticed a particularly good looking player? You dont need to answer, because you've said as much on the Cast more than once. And there's nothing wrong with that, because you're a human being.

I suggest you save your strident indignation for the men who have canned AFLW just because women are playing it, and let the rest of us humans just enjoy the footy, and the people who play it.

Go back over how you responded to Jenny. You said you won't listen to women unless they started dressing in a different way. That's incredibly offensive. We are not worthy of you listening to us unless we look a way that YOU deem acceptable. When women are fired from jobs because they refused to wear high heels, that's okay?

Also remember what you said on the cast on Tuesday night. I was incredibly offended at the time while you thought it was funny comment, I most definitely did not. I was stunned and resorted back to what women are trained to do almost from birth, be quiet, don't rock the boat, let it go.

Yes, we can and do find people attractive, but there is a societal equation that women are judged more on their looks as a quality of if they are able to do a job or not. That's the issue you are not understanding.

 

[cmndstab]

The fullback - sorry not sure which player she was as her number was facing away from the camera. She had a number of kicks out from a GWS point that went 40+ meters to a chest mark. That's really impressive, and quite a weapon.

Really good point, I noticed this too. I need to watch the replay and work out who it was.

In a comp where the majority of players can only reliably kick 30m, that's a huge weapon and it really stood out at the ground

 

[NikkiNoo]

Putting in a 40m line instead of 50m would be a good idea, having said that there were quite a few kicks in all the games that were close to carrying 50m including our first goal on the bounce

I'm wondering if they are going to need to tighten the rules a little as the girls are going in so hard that it seems that there will be multiple concussions. Some of it is how keen they are but part is inexperience and technique as they are running through players when they have their heads over the ball which I've seen in all the games

Would hate to see a massive injury and as Roo said science has proven females are more prone to serious concussion

I want to see this science because is it on participation numbers overall or as a percentage? What sports did they do a comparison on? Did they consider the ages and if there is comparable experience in the sport?

The NSW Rugby study from last year where they measured the g forces of players to see if there is a correlation between g force and concussion showed that there is not. Every person is different and one player was able to withstand insane amounts of g forces and no concussion symptoms and yet another player got the slightest touch and had severe concussion symptoms. This is where the information came from that helmets are essentially useless in preventing a concussion occurring. They are just a placebo.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

If they've been drafted, I'm sure that they've worked pretty hard. Lets not re-write history here. Just because none of them needed to drop 40kgs doesn't mean they've gotten it easy.

Just getting through a pre season would break most of us on here

 

[NikkiNoo]

I reckon you'll be wrong about 28, the fact that she lost 40kgs in 9months to realise her dream plus the fact that she is a big girl who can actually play will make her a crowd favourite and she will be one of the first to get sponsors. There's a reason why she was the one the TV crew went to interview after Erin Phillips.

Our game has always been able to cater for pretty much all body types and I love that she got to be out there and experience the start of her dream. That's why we love this sport.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I want to see this science because is it on participation numbers overall or as a percentage? What sports did they do a comparison on? Did they consider the ages and if there is comparable experience in the sport?

The NSW Rugby study from last year where they measured the g forces of players to see if there is a correlation between g force and concussion showed that there is not. Every person is different and one player was able to withstand insane amounts of g forces and no concussion symptoms and yet another player got the slightest touch and had severe concussion symptoms. This is where the information came from that helmets are essentially useless in preventing a concussion occurring. They are just a placebo.

Would be interesting to compare some studies

Overall on the 3 games I've seen this weekend there have been a number of close calls in terms of concussion ( including what appeared a few on Friday night) and I think they may need to look at how game is umpired and also more coaching re technique when player has head over ball

 

[cmndstab]

I want to see this science because is it on participation numbers overall or as a percentage? What sports did they do a comparison on? Did they consider the ages and if there is comparable experience in the sport?

I have no knowledge in this area at all, but I would hazard a guess that the "women are more prone to concussions" result is in general. IE if a woman is in a car accident, or falls of a ledge, etc. Women are smaller and lighter in general so I assume it takes less force to cause a concussion.

But in a sport where only women are playing, the amount of force imparted from a collision is going to be smaller too. Maybe if the women were playing the men there would be a greater risk of concussion for women, but I'm not at all convinced that women playing women have a greater risk of concussion than men playing men - if anything, I would guess the other way around.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Watched the game on TV, thought it was great entertainment.
A few big standout players, and notably they are our big signings:

• Captain - Philips with very clean hands and great agility, that's what gave her access to the ball and drew the free kicks. Clean hands really stood out in comparison to the other players.
  
• Captain - Randall a number of great plays coming out of nowhere to contest a ball and win it. What a leader.
• Marinoff - think she won every contested possession she went for.
• #23 Mules - lots of zip and pace around the place. Was impressive.
• The fullback - sorry not sure which player she was as her number was facing away from the camera. She had a number of kicks out from a GWS point that went 40+ meters to a chest mark. That's really impressive, and quite a weapon.

Looking at the general play I have thoughts:

• Players with long kicks are still a huge weapon, just like the mens game. Perkins showed that.
  
• Seems the players with clean hands around contests are going to be the guns. Not fumbling a pick up or handball receive is a big deal as the transition is slower so getting it moving forward has lots of value. More on this, GWS really missed a player like Philips in their forward line, who could take possession of a loose ball as we rebounded it very easily.
• Seems like there were a lot of run down tackles from behind. Not sure what to attribute this to - probably awareness + indecision with the disposal.

Kicking out after a point was mostly by Courtney Cramey. When she wasn't available we had one of our other long kickers take it. That is an obvious ploy by us and very different from the other teams who all had to do the short kick to the pocket for each of their kick outs in the other games so far. We seem to have a number of players on our team who can do quite nice long kicks. Phillips can as well, but I think they and she are protecting her thigh so that she can continue to play. We are essentially a break the lines and run and carry team which is an attractive style of play.

It was interesting watching the Bulldogs Freo game last night and no rain but they looked to have less composure than our team did in weather that was no conducive for clean skills!

Run down tackles are the same for any team, lack of voice from a teammate, composure, and not quite up to speed on the speed of the game yet. That will all improve over time.

Ebony Marinoff is just adorable in the way that labradors are adorable. Bec Goddard described her as a labrador when we drafted her with our first pick. It's stuck in my head ever since but it seems to be so very apt.

 

[NikkiNoo]

I have no knowledge in this area at all, but I would hazard a guess that the "women are more prone to concussions" result is in general. IE if a woman is in a car accident, or falls of a ledge, etc. Women are smaller and lighter in general so I assume it takes less force to cause a concussion.

But in a sport where only women are playing, the amount of force imparted from a collision is going to be smaller too. Maybe if the women were playing the men there would be a greater risk of concussion for women, but I'm not at all convinced that women playing women have a greater risk of concussion than men playing men - if anything, I would guess the other way around.

That study done in NSW last year I mentioned proved that the amount of force has no correlation to causing a concussion. It is just everyone's individual makeup that decides if they are more prone or not. They have further work to do on it to try and now find out why others are more susceptible or not. So far all the scientific proof is that the amount of force is not consistent in respect to concussions.

 

[cmndstab]

That study done in NSW last year I mentioned proved that the amount of force has no correlation to causing a concussion. It is just everyone's individual makeup that decides if they are more prone or not. They have further work to do on it to try and now find out why others are more susceptible or not. So far all the scientific proof is that the amount of force is not consistent in respect to concussions.

I'll have to take your word for it, but I find it hard to believe. I can believe that different people require a different amount of force to become concussed, but to say that force has no correlation?

Or is it just a case that people have a certain minimal force required based on their makeup, and anything beyond that is irrelevant?

 

[spenze]

I'd like to see 16 a side footy in the NAB cup this year, it seems to open up a bit of space

 

[WaynesWorld19]

This was as good as any Mens play

 

[NikkiNoo]

I'll have to take your word for it, but I find it hard to believe. I can believe that different people require a different amount of force to become concussed, but to say that force has no correlation?

Or is it just a case that people have a certain minimal force required based on their makeup, and anything beyond that is irrelevant?

The second point was what I remember reading from the study, that once there was the minimal amount for that person, then a concussion occurred and I think for the one player that had a much lower minimal amount there wasn't more severe symptoms they suffered when they received a greater force hit. The researchers were cautious about this because it was just that one person's results on the lower level. There is a wider study going to be undertaken I thought I read.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

The second point was what I remember reading from the study, that once there was the minimal amount for that person, then a concussion occurred and I think for the one player that had a much lower minimal amount there wasn't more severe symptoms they suffered when they received a greater force hit. The researchers were cautious about this because it was just that one person's results on the lower level. There is a wider study going to be undertaken I thought I read.

What we know is that for every research study undertaken, there's also a research study that contradicts the original study ......food is the classic, Margarine v Butter, Eggs good or bad, and so on

 

[WaynesWorld19]

WOW the publicity of the Womens comp may actually speed up the games penetration into the difficult Sydney Market .........again Rugby sitting on their heels

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Kicking out after a point was mostly by Courtney Cramey. When she wasn't available we had one of our other long kickers take it. That is an obvious ploy by us and very different from the other teams who all had to do the short kick to the pocket for each of their kick outs in the other games so far. We seem to have a number of players on our team who can do quite nice long kicks. Phillips can as well, but I think they and she are protecting her thigh so that she can continue to play. We are essentially a break the lines and run and carry team which is an attractive style of play.

It was interesting watching the Bulldogs Freo game last night and no rain but they looked to have less composure than our team did in weather that was no conducive for clean skills!

Run down tackles are the same for any team, lack of voice from a teammate, composure, and not quite up to speed on the speed of the game yet. That will all improve over time.

Ebony Marinoff is just adorable in the way that labradors are adorable. Bec Goddard described her as a labrador when we drafted her with our first pick. It's stuck in my head ever since but it seems to be so very apt.

Pressure was higher in the freo v dogs game

Our coach Bec looks really impressive , we've done really well there

 

[Jars458]

Great dsycfor the women players and the AFC in general. A great community event. The way they belted out the song was terrific. Proud of our team.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

WOW the publicity of the Womens comp may actually speed up the games penetration into the difficult Sydney Market .........again Rugby sitting on their heels

'Leading paper' is a loose term ( you think the advertiser is bad ) but it's fantastic nevertheless

I've been in Sydney 15 years and you would not believe the difference in interest , coverage , participation, media from then until now

This women's concept will only increase that

Sydneysiders are falling in love with AFL and even the ones that don't go to games can talk about what's going on and are happy for their kids to choose it to play over other sports

Footnote - the AFL have actually nailed it wiThe expansion into western Sydney , the crowds might be low but you'd be surprised re he participation in AFL across the west and these generations that fall in love with the game will eventually attend GWS games

 

[Jars458]

Talia Radan was my favourite did some really tough smart things.

 

[Scorpus]

IMHO this is important .....due to the various social reasons why so many girls drop out of sport and fitness (yes boys do as well) ....if young girls are seeing a variety of women playing AFLW with a variety of physical shapes, that to me is fantastic !

I think as the game matures and more people get involved, we'll see a similar trend in AFLW body types as what happened with the men though.

In future years I suspect AFLW players will be significantly taller than average and highly aerobically and athletically gifted.

For now, though, the diversity in player shapes and sizes will definitely encourage more young girls to play