Women's Footy Crows AFLW Season 2023 Pre Season Discussion

[Firewalker]

Do you know whether Venning is willing to move interstate? I'm guessing she wasn't in the past. Abbie Ballard is an interesting comparison, drafted from West Adelaide where Venning plays and in Ballard's draft year I'd say Venning was the better player, but Ballard looked like she might have a higher ceiling. Venning is the kind of player that gets the job done, probably won’t become the best player in the league. But that’s ok, my assessment is that she is well ahead of some current AFLW players and if ever drafted will become even better with the support.

She put in for every state at the last draft but there were no takers, that was a very weird draft in hindsight most clubs still looked very insular despite more players being willing to move interstate.

Ballard was a little bit of a shock selection at the time, I had Venning and Gypsy Schirmer way ahead of her at the time, I may have even had Alex Ballard in front of her talent wise as well from memory. Watching her as a junior I thought Abbie was too slow to go to the next level but she’s turned herself into an ok player, she’ll never be a world beater and is a bit one dimensional but she reads the play well, tackles hard, can hit a target and can finish off in front of goal but what she lacks as a player did get exposed when Clarke tried to move her from the forward line to play more in the midfield around centre bounces & stoppages late in the season and she just simply couldn’t go with her opponents.

 

[Caputo]

Jersey numbers released still no 18

 

[Mutineer]

 

[cmndstab]

Good to hear Goodwin is already standing out

 

[Firewalker]

SANFLW Grand Final going to be shown on Sunday at 2pm local on Channel 7, South v Centrals @ Prospect, tipping Centrals to get revenge for their semi final loss and win, been very impressed with them this season, look well coached & have talent all over the field.

Other SANFLW news was that Glenelg’s Piper Window won the player of the year award last night as a 17 year old by 2 votes from Zoe Venning, well deserved lots to be impressed by with her as a player, funny as Venning and Window are very similar players but the difference being I can’t see Window not missing out on being drafted due to some kicking deficiencies she has; her attack on the ball is unbelievable, the fact she could be the 4th or 5th SA talent taken next year shows the Crows will need to cut the list hard at the end of the season.

 

[brucetiki]

SANFLW Grand Final going to be shown on Sunday at 2pm local on Channel 7, South v Centrals @ Prospect, tipping Centrals to get revenge for their semi final loss and win, been very impressed with them this season, look well coached & have talent all over the field.

I think the relatively smaller confines of Prospect Oval (as opposed to Noarlunga where the semi was played) will benefit Centrals.

Centrals have had their fair share of luck this season, winning 4 games by under a goal (while only losing 1 by under a goal), and they have turned coming from nowhere to win into an art form, but have also shown they can win big as well - Sunday's PF being one example. Their forward line can be incredibly efficient - the game against the Eagles the other week where they kicked 5.0 from their first five inside 50's an example of that (the men's side could learn a thing or two from them).

A couple of fun facts:

• This will be the first time Centrals and South have played in a League GF (men or women). South are the only side the men's League side have yet to play in a GF.
• Centrals first Preliminary Finals win for both the men and women were against Norwood (men in 1995, women last weekend)

 

[brucetiki]

What a Grand Final!

It was tight and tense all game, with goals at a premium.

While Centrals had a lot of possession, South’s incredible defence was tighter than Centrelink and chokes Centrals forward line.

Ultimately though, red time goals were the match winner for Centrals, with three of their four goals (including the sealer) kicked in the last minute of quarters.

South were gallant, and classy, in defeat, but what a story Centrals is. Along with the Eagles, they were the last team admitted into the League, and they had all the struggles that come with being one of the last sides in the League, finishing second bottom and bottom in the first two seasons. From there, they worked from the ground up, but slow starts to the 2021 and 2022 seasons curtailed their seasons.

This season was different. They won 3 of their first 4 and set the foundations for an incredible season. They had a bit of luck too, winning 5 games (including today) by less than a kick. They were exciting to watch and have been rewarded with a Premiership.

Well done Doggies ️

 

[Mutineer]

 

[jackster83]

What a Grand Final!

It was tight and tense all game, with goals at a premium.

While Centrals had a lot of possession, South’s incredible defence was tighter than Centrelink and chokes Centrals forward line.

Ultimately though, red time goals were the match winner for Centrals, with three of their four goals (including the sealer) kicked in the last minute of quarters.

South were gallant, and classy, in defeat, but what a story Centrals is. Along with the Eagles, they were the last team admitted into the League, and they had all the struggles that come with being one of the last sides in the League, finishing second bottom and bottom in the first two seasons. From there, they worked from the ground up, but slow starts to the 2021 and 2022 seasons curtailed their seasons.

This season was different. They won 3 of their first 4 and set the foundations for an incredible season. They had a bit of luck too, winning 5 games (including today) by less than a kick. They were exciting to watch and have been rewarded with a Premiership.

Well done Doggies ️

So happy for Rex. He was my coach over a decade ago.

 

[Firewalker]

What a Grand Final!

It was tight and tense all game, with goals at a premium.

While Centrals had a lot of possession, South’s incredible defence was tighter than Centrelink and chokes Centrals forward line.

Ultimately though, red time goals were the match winner for Centrals, with three of their four goals (including the sealer) kicked in the last minute of quarters.

South were gallant, and classy, in defeat, but what a story Centrals is. Along with the Eagles, they were the last team admitted into the League, and they had all the struggles that come with being one of the last sides in the League, finishing second bottom and bottom in the first two seasons. From there, they worked from the ground up, but slow starts to the 2021 and 2022 seasons curtailed their seasons.

This season was different. They won 3 of their first 4 and set the foundations for an incredible season. They had a bit of luck too, winning 5 games (including today) by less than a kick. They were exciting to watch and have been rewarded with a Premiership.

Well done Doggies ️

Deserved to win and a win for progressive women’s football, South’s tactics of congested numbers around the ball and in defence has been ever prevalent in the way a lot of women’s footy has been played where teams have just looked to absorb pressure and springboard on the counter.

A win based off Shelby Smith carrying that team on her back and inspiring them over the years, phenomenally tough and fit and attends every contest all game, 31 but I’d have her in a heartbeat in the Crows AFLW side, like a local version of Kiara Bowers.

Grigg and Huynh’s last quarter efforts got them over the line, unlike others still don’t think Grigg is in the top 5 talents of the 2024 SA draft class but her attack on the ball and ball carrier is kamikaze like. Hope Charlotte Riggs’ body holds up in the future because she’ll be a special player when she’s draft eligible in a couple of years time, very strong at CHB all year then has to play Ruck against a physically imposing 29 year old Soriah Moon due to injury and then has to play injured after she busts her own ankle.

Do hope that game costing brainfade free from South’s 18 year old Brooke Boileau doesn’t effect her as a player too much definitely has AFLW quality as a player.

 

[MRB37]

 

[Scorpus]

****. Yes. As it should have been

 

[Firewalker]

Good, needed to happen, made comment after being at a game last year that it was becoming a slight issue.

Will be interesting to see if this is an AFL mandated policy, Crows were the last ones with major differences others like Freo, Gold Coast and Brisbane all have minor differences.

 

[brucetiki]

The success in our OG guernsey probably delayed the change - you don’t want to change guernseys in the midst of a dynasty.

I’m glad we’ve made the change though, and love that both the men’s and women’s guernsey’s are the same.

 

[radiojake]

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.womens.afl

Jess Allan back to the Crows

did that get mentioned already?

 

[cmndstab]

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.womens.afl

Jess Allan back to the Crows

did that get mentioned already?

Yeah, she came over in the last trade period.

Given that Caitlin Gould seems likely to play as a mostly permanent forward now, and we didn't end up getting Leah Cutting, it was sensible to bring her back home. With Prowse having hopefully found a spot down back, we'll be relying on McKinnon and Allan to manage the ruck between them.

 

[radiojake]

'Highly significant': First professional female athlete diagnosed with CTE in landmark case

Adelaide premiership player Heather Anderson is the first known professional female athlete to be diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

www.abc.net.au

Heather Anderson diagnosed with CTE

 

[cmndstab]

'Highly significant': First professional female athlete diagnosed with CTE in landmark case

Adelaide premiership player Heather Anderson is the first known professional female athlete to be diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

www.abc.net.au

Heather Anderson diagnosed with CTE

Really sad to hear it. Good on the family for allowing scientists to study her brain, so at least maybe some small good can come from the tragedy.

It's interesting, the story we always heard was that she wore the pink headgear because her Mum was vision-impaired. But from this story it sounds like the real reason was her Mum was worried about concussions.

 

[Teen Wolf]

It's interesting, the story we always heard was that she wore the pink headgear because her Mum was vision-impaired. But from this story it sounds like the real reason was her Mum was worried about concussions.

She wore a black helmet from age 5 when she started playing rugby. Only wore the pink one much later.

 

[cmndstab]

I'm sure this means absolutely nothing, but I had to laugh at the comments from Lauren Young in the recent womens.afl article: 'Learning how to kick snags': SA talent savouring forward switch

"I was playing a new role this year, went from midfield to forward, so it was definitely good adapting to new positions.

"I'd say I'm a tall marking option (179cm), so I guess midfield wasn't the spot for that.

"When you go to AFLW, you're not going to kick an Anne Hatchard or Ebony Marinoff out of the mids, so it's good to be able to adapt to new positions. I've been learning how to kick some snags."

Sounds like she thinks she will end up at the Crows eventually

 

[Dirty Bird]

She wore a black helmet from age 5 when she started playing rugby. Only wore the pink one much later.

Honestly - Is Rugby the worst sport in the world for CTE?

I remember watching the Biographical Sports Drama - Concussion. And in it, they pointed out that the worst position for CTE in the NFL was OL/DL. These guys never got the big hits that the RBs/WRs did, so it confused people why these people were getting major brain damage. And with the nature of the game. ~80 times a game, these players would accelerate from 1 yard apart and that collision would cause the brain damage. Throw in practise over 2 decades. That's ALOT of hits that damage the brain.

It's why I feel Rugby might be the most dangerous sport. Sure, OL/DL in American football is terrible. But in Rugby you'd have similar instances, but at higher speeds and harder collisions and it'd be the whole team that it effects rather than 35% of a team that it does in the NFL. Take last night for example, John bateman had 49 tackles and 14 runs. That's 63 instances where 2 forces would meet and the brain would rattle. It's on the lower end of what an OL/DL would go through. But the force/contact would be higher as they start 10m apart and come in and collide, rather than 1 yard.

Now I'm curious, behind Rugby/American Football, what's the worst sport for CTE. I actually wonder whether it'd be worse for Soccer or Aussie Rules. Obviously a tackle that takes you to the ground in a sling would cause a concussion, but CTE isn't caused by just concussions. I wonder whether the consistent contact in headers (plus attempted headers with flying elbows near the head) could actually be more dangerous than Australian Rules Football. Especially when you consider the speed/force those crosses would come in at.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Anyway, why I came - I'm a little dissapointed with the badge selection. Randall, Hatchard, Marinoff or Allan?

I wanted Biddell.

But if I HAD to go one of those 4, just leant Marinoff. But ****, was hard. The North connection with Hatchard was temping.

 

[cmndstab]

Rhiannon Metcalfe takes up a coaching position with GWS, good on her


Meanwhile there was a nice article on Montana McKinnon today: AFLW: Selection squeeze motivating McKinnon

I'm still filthy she didn't get to play in the 2022 premiership, hopefully she can tick that off the bucket list this year!

 

[cmndstab]

Congrats to former Crows player Maisie Nankivell who wins a Suncorp Super Netball premiership!

 

[Firewalker]

Congrats to former Crows player Maisie Nankivell who wins a Suncorp Super Netball premiership!

Jeez I remember I rated her, she was hard as nails, may have been one of the only ones that did and am usually critical of cross-coders especially at that time but I thought with one more pre-season there was a very good defender there. Still a bloody tough nut from the rare times I’ve flicked over & seen the Thunderbirds play.