AFLW AFLW/VFLW 2024 - General Discussion

[W W Biscuit]

Need to recruit a ruck. Edmonds is a dinosaur and you can see the difference between her and the young rucks coming through.

She's.been well beaten today and continues to give away a lot of free kicks. She looks a bit tanked out there. Maybe she's carrying that injury she sustained a couple of weeks ago?

 

[Bulldogs85]

Hope Carruthers is ok

 

[Bulldogs85]

Well the girls improved from last season finishing the year with 4-7 record

 

[Fossie 32]

Yeah I agree unfortunately. She has no footballing ability and gives away far too many free kicks.

Harsh. She gives away too many frees but does well in tapouts and around the ground. Could improve but 'no ability'??

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Harsh. She gives away too many frees but does well in tapouts and around the ground. Could improve but 'no ability'??

I said no ‘footballing’ ability. She is clearly an athlete and she gives her all. She just looks very much like she came to the sport later in life. That was very common in the first few years of AFLW but now I think it sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[Fossie 32]

I said no ‘footballing’ ability. She is clearly an athlete and she gives her all. She just looks very much like she came to the sport later in life. That was very common in the first few years of AFLW but now I think it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Yikes sorry about the laziness but I disagree on no footballing abilty too!

 

[Oliver G]

A dead rubber for us to round out the year and the result was about as expected. A high stoppage game at a windy Fremantle Oval is never going to be one for the highlight reel.

We looked great in patches, especially when we got the ball in our forward half, going well above the competition average for inside 50 efficiency. Our talking and pressure was outstanding, in fact it was our highest-rated pressure game for the season.

Considering how many inside 50s Fremantle got, our defence held up well too, with Grant and Buttifant reading the ball really well in the air.

Pritchard’s stoppage work seems to get better with each game, the way she reads the ball off the hitout is very Bontempelli like in my opinion and once we get Blackburn back in there, we’re gonna be pretty hard to stop out of the centre.

I was really impressed with Gorham’s game today as well, her ground work is getting and better with each week, and given the windy conditions, going at 78% efficiency from 18 disposals was excellent.

Georgostathis and Fitzgerald continued with their strong second half of the season form and I thought Hartwig and Woodley got on top of the Fremantle defenders for most of the game. Would’ve been nice to give them a few more inside 50s.

We did look pretty tired in that last quarter, but we can’t really blame them for that, it’s our last game after a long season (in AFLW terms) with a very young team.

I’ll post a more comprehensive rundown of the season later this week, but I reckon if you’d asked most of our supporters prior to the start of the season how many matches we’d win, I reckon very few would’ve said as many as 4.

After a very rocky start, to win 4 of our last 7 is a fantastic result. We’ve got plenty to work on in the off-season but we’re definitely in a far better position than we were at the end of last season. Pritchard has been the clear standout, having to step into the #1 mid slot as well as taking on a more senior leadership role and while she’s been a very good player for us for a while now, this year she turned elite and it’s great that she’s now getting the recognition in the wider AFLW community. Berry, Edmonds, Fitzgerald, Georgostathis, Grant and Hartwig have also had to take on more of a leadership role and all have great seasons as well. It’s great that most of them have already signed on beyond this year.

Our draft haul from last year is looking really strong as well with Weston-Turner, Grigg and Buttifant all showing great signs, and while Barwick got fewer opportunities, she is coming off an ACL injury so is understandably going to take a little longer.

Gorham has had a very impressive second season with us and the continued development of Woodley, Carruthers, Wilcox and Gutknecht are all big positives as well. I’m looking forward to seeing what we do in the list management department over the next month or so, go to draft or do we trade out our top 10 pick and try to bring an experienced player in?

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I will be happy if we keep this core together, I think they will be a force with a bit more experience under their bel5.

 

[geoffjennings79]

Didn't get to see the game. But I'm curious how Newton played, and if anyone knows how she's been used by Freo this year? Mid?

 

[Oliver G]

Didn't get to see the game. But I'm curious how Newton played, and if anyone knows how she's been used by Freo this year? Mid?

Yeah as mid, she had a slow start but finished the season very strongly. Played pretty well today but went at 18% by foot.

 

[geoffjennings79]

Yeah as mid, she had a slow start but finished the season very strongly. Played pretty well today but went at 18% by foot.

Thanks OG. Still think that long-term she's a loss for us, but I've moved on. I hadn't seen many non-Dogs games this season, so was curious how she's travelling.

 

[W W Biscuit]

Thanks OG. Still think that long-term she's a loss for us, but I've moved on. I hadn't seen many non-Dogs games this season, so was curious how she's travelling.

Newton's departure was the most random of last year's exodus. Lamb and Moody made more sense. Does anyone know what prompted Newton, a Melbourne girl and a staple in our team, to just up and go to the other side of the Nullarbor?

 

[Testekill]

Newton moving on was a bit of a weird one but I also felt that she was stagnating with us and wasn't going to take that next step. Made the best move for her career

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Newton moving on was a bit of a weird one but I also felt that she was stagnating with us and wasn't going to take that next step. Made the best move for her career

AFLW salaries also remain a bit weird because they're tiered and not flexible to fit whatever within the salary cap.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Newton's departure was the most random of last year's exodus. Lamb and Moody made more sense. Does anyone know what prompted Newton, a Melbourne girl and a staple in our team, to just up and go to the other side of the Nullarbor?

The Freo coach, Lisa Webb was an assistant with us and they had a good relationship. The promise of more midfield time was also likely an attraction.

Still, it was another example of how much of a shambles our player retention has been. Both Newton and Lynch said very nice things about our club in FB posts after leaving. I'm suspicious that we are very uncompetitive when it comes to financial inducements outside the salary cap.

 

[dogwatch]

... I'm suspicious that we are very uncompetitive when it comes to financial inducements outside the salary cap.

LOL, that says a lot about the state of equalisation in the competition doesn't it?

The Boys' Club has never been 100% committed to equalisation anyway.

Lip service & feelgood PR = good.
Keep the networks happy = good.
Keep the small clubs quiet = good.
Genuine equalisation = bad.

 

[W W Biscuit]

The Freo coach, Lisa Webb was an assistant with us and they had a good relationship. The promise of more midfield time was also likely an attraction.

Still, it was another example of how much of a shambles our player retention has been. Both Newton and Lynch said very nice things about our club in FB posts after leaving. I'm suspicious that we are very uncompetitive when it comes to financial inducements outside the salary cap.

Aha, the old 'financial inducements outside the salary cap' trick (second time I've fallen for it this month).

 

[Bulldog1954]

I'm suspicious that we are very uncompetitive when it comes to financial inducements outside the salary cap.

Puma sponsorship money from outside the cap is how we lost Brennan and Conti, suspect not much has changed since.

 

[Fossie 32]

Puma sponsorship money from outside the cap is how we lost Brennan and Conti, suspect not much has changed since.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Puma sponsorship money from outside the cap is how we lost Brennan and Conti, suspect not much has changed since.

Employment has also been a factor. That's how we lost Kearney and McCarthy.

You are right about Conti and Brennan. Up until last year, clubs were able to pay unlimited sponsorship monies (Additional Service Agreements) to two Tier 1 players.

Thankfully under the latest AFLPA agreement, these are now capped but whether the AFLW is cracking down on outside the salary cap monies remains to be seen.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Employment has also been a factor. That's how we lost Kearney and McCarthy.

You are right about Conti and Brennan. Up until last year, clubs were able to pay unlimited sponsorship monies (Additional Service Agreements) to two Tier 1 players.

Thankfully under the latest AFLPA agreement, these are now capped but whether the AFLW is cracking down on outside the salary cap monies remains to be seen.

and Huntington, who was able to arrange her quite intense medical studies with being a league footballer in Sydney where the club was able to be more flexible, whereas we weren't able to do that.

I've made the points earlier in this thread as to what a mess the AFLW was in terms of introducing teams to both fairness in existing and new teams in terms of the quality of players they're allowed to recruit, as well as the fact that the league has died off in part because fans haven't been able to support teams with consistent players year on year. The AFL have dropped the ball in a football operations sense, largely when Nicole Livingstone was at the head of it (she had networks in government and the wider women's sport world, but would know stuff all about actually operationally running a football competition in terms of drafts, salary caps, distribution of talent etc.)

 

[Bulldogs85]

AFLW 22under22: Trio selected in squad

Trio of Dogs earn nominations in 22under22 squad.

www.westernbulldogs.com.au

Western Bulldogs young guns Isabelle Pritchard, Sarah Hartwig and Jess Fitzgerald have been selected in the AFLPA Torrens University 22under22 squad for 2024.

Pritchard, 22, has been one of the Dogs’ most consistent performers this season, averaging 19.9 disposals, 5.6 tackles and 5.2 clearances.

Fitzgerald, 22, has also enjoyed an impactful campaign, averaging 15.7 possessions, 4.5 tackles and 3.1 clearances across both the midfield and half-back.


Hartwig, 22, has averaged 6.4 disposals, 3.5 tackles and kicked eight goals, creating plenty of opportunities inside the Dogs’ forward 50.

If voted in the final team, it will mark a second time for both Pritchard (2022) and Fitzgerald (2021), and a maiden inclusion for Hartwig.
The fan-voted concept, presented by Torrens University Australia, recognises the best 22 players aged 22 and under for the entirety of the AFLW season.

For a player to be eligible for the squad of 44, they are required to play a minimum of five games of the home and away season.

Voting is open now until midnight on November 13, with the final team to be announced via the AFL Players’ Association social media channels on November 20.

 

[dogwatch]

AFLW 22under22: Trio selected in squad

Trio of Dogs earn nominations in 22under22 squad.

www.westernbulldogs.com.au

Western Bulldogs young guns Isabelle Pritchard, Sarah Hartwig and Jess Fitzgerald have been selected in the AFLPA Torrens University 22under22 squad for 2024.

Pritchard, 22, has been one of the Dogs’ most consistent performers this season, averaging 19.9 disposals, 5.6 tackles and 5.2 clearances.

Fitzgerald, 22, has also enjoyed an impactful campaign, averaging 15.7 possessions, 4.5 tackles and 3.1 clearances across both the midfield and half-back.


Hartwig, 22, has averaged 6.4 disposals, 3.5 tackles and kicked eight goals, creating plenty of opportunities inside the Dogs’ forward 50.

If voted in the final team, it will mark a second time for both Pritchard (2022) and Fitzgerald (2021), and a maiden inclusion for Hartwig.
The fan-voted concept, presented by Torrens University Australia, recognises the best 22 players aged 22 and under for the entirety of the AFLW season.

For a player to be eligible for the squad of 44, they are required to play a minimum of five games of the home and away season.

Voting is open now until midnight on November 13, with the final team to be announced via the AFL Players’ Association social media channels on November 20.

The nominations are great and a suitable recognition for their excellent season, especially in a side that finished bottom half of the table.

Historically we don't do well on fan-voted awards (as distinct from merit-based awards) so I'm not expecting they'll make the final 22. However it underlines that we have some great up and coming talent.