Review AFLW Round 6 - Melbourne v Adelaide @ Casey Fields

[speccy]

Just before moving on to this week’s game, a special shoutout to Jess Allan’s performance (14 disposals, 25 hitouts, 6 tackles and 3 clearances) beat Lauren Pearce comprehensively who I still rate amongst the best in the league.

Was worried heading in as despite providing some glorious centre tap work in the GWS game had struggled to run out that match and the GC game but fought back hard on the weekend, her important handballs in transition were back and her ability to still crash in and compete in the last 5 minutes of the match was ridiculously important to the result.

Off of no AFLW football since 2021 it’s been a huge effort to have the influence she’s had especially in the 2 victories in Victoria against Richmond & the Dees.

Also a couple of other individual performances that stuck out;

• Despite having quiet patches throughout the game Charlton’s 3rd quarter was one of the best of her career so far, so many tackles & is responsible for multiple repeat inside 50s that quarter.
• Kelly’s pace changed the game in the 2nd quarter, Niamh absolutely destroyed the Dees on the outside and on transition, they simply had no answers for her and it forced them to try to turn the game into just a stoppage/clearance fest.
• Had to feel for Mueller on the day as sometimes it felt like she had to fight against a gigantic current by herself to try and repel lots of attacks in the 1st & last quarters, often the ball was shuffled out to her & she had to get it away under lots of pressure.
• Not hard considering previous form but Thompson looked better
• Newman has clearly been instructed to handball more rather than just blast a kick long - sometimes it payed off, other times it didn’t
• Ballard provided some very good ‘get out of jail’ relief for teammates
• Goodwin is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, she needs to be moved further up the ground as her mistakes are costly but her ability to Bee-Line the ball and break forward is close to elite.

The stats indicate Goodwin is an elite defender. Despite having the lowest game time of any defender by a long way and the 5th lowest in team she averages second highest number of intercepts for the team, has the 5th highest dispoal efficiency for the team, and the 9th most average tackles. Always picks up her direct opponent when opposition have ball and apart from a couple of occasions in the GWS game is rarley beaten in a one on one. Her direct opponents have had minimal impact in all games she has played. In addition she constantly presents as an option to switch play coming out of defence but is sadly mostly ignored by team mates who go for safe option of kicking downn the line. She has at times run 50 to 80 metres to privide option for overlap handball and ignored, but has the fitness to get back and pick up her opponent. Her elite and hard running deserves to be rewarded.

 

[Coopers]

The stats indicate Goodwin is an elite defender. Despite having the lowest game time of any defender by a long way and the 5th lowest in team she averages second highest number of intercepts for the team, has the 5th highest dispoal efficiency for the team, and the 9th most average tackles. Always picks up her direct opponent when opposition have ball and apart from a couple of occasions in the GWS game is rarley beaten in a one on one. Her direct opponents have had minimal impact in all games she has played. In addition she constantly presents as an option to switch play coming out of defence but is sadly mostly ignored by team mates who go for safe option of kicking downn the line. She has at times run 50 to 80 metres to privide option for overlap handball and ignored, but has the fitness to get back and pick up her opponent. Her elite and hard running deserves to be rewarded.

I haven't personally noticed a lot of that - but it's the kind of effort that will not go unrewarded long term. Those are elite traits and she's still young. It's good to see that perspective.