News Non-Crows AFLW 2024

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What's the deal with Bates? Is there any reason she's not already on an AFLW list?
Always thought it was a pity she was never given a chance, her kicking is not that great which is the only reason I’ve been able to put it down to, also when she first started at Glenelg her fitness maybe wasn’t at the highest standard but she improved that to be competent enough and when she moved over to Victoria to play for Collingwood’s VFLW team a few years ago I always thought it was on the basis there might’ve been a handshake agreement that they would pick her up but it strangely never happened.

No doubt she would be competent at AFLW level, a couple of others in that top 5 (Venning & Smith) would be as well.
 
Always thought it was a pity she was never given a chance, her kicking is not that great which is the only reason I’ve been able to put it down to, also when she first started at Glenelg her fitness maybe wasn’t at the highest standard but she improved that to be competent enough and when she moved over to Victoria to play for Collingwood’s VFLW team a few years ago I always thought it was on the basis there might’ve been a handshake agreement that they would pick her up but it strangely never happened.

No doubt she would be competent at AFLW level, a couple of others in that top 5 (Venning & Smith) would be as well.

She won the B&F over in Collingwood's VFLW side too, right? Very strange. Still only 28 years old too.

Fingers crossed she'll get a chance soon. From memory, players can nominate to be available all over the country now if they want to, right?
 

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She won the B&F over in Collingwood's VFLW side too, right? Very strange. Still only 28 years old too.

Fingers crossed she'll get a chance soon. From memory, players can nominate to be available all over the country now if they want to, right?
Yeah she dominated that VFLW comp too, both Venning and Bates have already been in a few drafts listed as available to different states now and been overlooked so their prospects are probably unlikely, recruiters just want that next wave of ‘grown up playing the game’ 18 year olds in those drafts which is fair enough I suppose.

Venning might be young enough to still be around for Tasmania’s entry later this decade, that might open up some spots for more mature players around the league.

Will be interesting what happens with Nikki Nield’s future as if you asked Phil Harper & Matthew Clarke would they prefer to have her on the list in front of a few others in the current squad and I think the answer would be yes.
 
South Adelaide got atonement 12 months on from last year’s SANFLW grand final, unfortunately as historically with this fixture it wasn’t exactly a classic. Just don’t understand why South with a much superior team on paper and with better players across all lines compared to their opposition played the exact same negative crowd the stoppages and flood back behind the ball style that cost them last years GF and almost cost them in the 2nd half of this game. That coach of theirs is certainly not one for the “look of the game” but just got away with it this time round.

The experience of ex-Sun Jordan Hickey in the middle of the ground and experienced Ruck Soriah Moon clogging up Norwood’s 50 saved South in the 2nd half. 18 y/o Esther Schirmer also showed why she’ll be drafted later this year as she held up Norwood’s attacks, thought Nikki Nield showed why she’s currently out of the AFLW system as thought she played a shocker and was pretty counterintuitive for South around the ball.

Unfortunately for Norwood it was just left to their usual suspects Buethke, Lee and Halfpenny, thought Kiana Lee showed why she’s the most improved in recent SANFLW seasons and could be one of the better State League players outside the AFLW system.
 
The SANFL tried very hard to gift the flag to Norwood - and South still won the flag!
Always interesting how views can differ on umpiring, actually thought South got the rub of the green especially in the 2nd half and especially when the umpires put the whistle away late where there were a few obvious frees Norwood should have got in their 50, given South totally shut up shop in the 2nd half they did get a little lucky.
 
South Adelaide got atonement 12 months on from last year’s SANFLW grand final, unfortunately as historically with this fixture it wasn’t exactly a classic. Just don’t understand why South with a much superior team on paper and with better players across all lines compared to their opposition played the exact same negative crowd the stoppages and flood back behind the ball style that cost them last years GF and almost cost them in the 2nd half of this game. That coach of theirs is certainly not one for the “look of the game” but just got away with it this time round.

The experience of ex-Sun Jordan Hickey in the middle of the ground and experienced Ruck Soriah Moon clogging up Norwood’s 50 saved South in the 2nd half. 18 y/o Esther Schirmer also showed why she’ll be drafted later this year as she held up Norwood’s attacks, thought Nikki Nield showed why she’s currently out of the AFLW system as thought she played a shocker and was pretty counterintuitive for South around the ball.

Unfortunately for Norwood it was just left to their usual suspects Buethke, Lee and Halfpenny, thought Kiana Lee showed why she’s the most improved in recent SANFLW seasons and could be one of the better State League players outside the AFLW system.

I was there and Norwood also played into South’s game by never really looking at switching the ball and just kicking down the line.

Thought that Burns and Arkun both had good games down back for Norwood too.
 

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I know it's only trial matches, but Melbourne have lost to both Carlton and Port in this year's trial matches. They lost several important players including Birch, Gay, Sherriff, West and Wilson in the trade period last year. Daisy is now long gone. Harris has a quad injury, Purcell just got a fractured face. Last year they got bundled out of the finals in straight sets.

What do we reckon? Is the sun setting on their period of dominance, or are they just waiting for the real stuff to start?
 
I know it's only trial matches, but Melbourne have lost to both Carlton and Port in this year's trial matches. They lost several important players including Birch, Gay, Sherriff, West and Wilson in the trade period last year. Daisy is now long gone. Harris has a quad injury, Purcell just got a fractured face. Last year they got bundled out of the finals in straight sets.

What do we reckon? Is the sun setting on their period of dominance, or are they just waiting for the real stuff to start?
I think they might have a little bit of a drop off but still have enough strength with their game style that can make bottom bit of the 8, like you mention their stability and retention of their list which was seen to be a strength of their’s as a team much like the Crows seemed to be shaken at the end of last season, it did look like a group that was sick of the same voice so if they do have a couple of early losses that could change things.

Think you can take something from a few of those practice games, the later expansion teams Essendon & Hawthorn seem to be flying after a few pre-seasons and are coming on at a rate of knots, Port also will naturally be better and probably will get a bit of the jump I thought they might’ve got last year, finding help for Dowrick in the middle with Lamb and Goody is huge for them.

Gold Coast much like their men’s team are going to be ridiculously hard to beat at home and have that tough as nails midfield trio of Rowbottom, Whitford & Single who are ridiculously good, North will come out breathing fire after falling short last season and will belt some teams especially early in the season, whereas the Lions are just going to sit in the background not play near their best footy at times but Starcevich will somehow get them to do enough.

Have them (North, Brisbane, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Essendon, Melbourne and Port) in no particular order as probably my top 8.
 
I know it's only trial matches, but Melbourne have lost to both Carlton and Port in this year's trial matches. They lost several important players including Birch, Gay, Sherriff, West and Wilson in the trade period last year. Daisy is now long gone. Harris has a quad injury, Purcell just got a fractured face. Last year they got bundled out of the finals in straight sets.

What do we reckon? Is the sun setting on their period of dominance, or are they just waiting for the real stuff to start?
Long gone. They'll still be middle of the pack I reckon, but won't be competing with the top teams like North, Brisbane, Crows.
 
Channel 7 getting the work experience kids to handle the coverage in the van for the opening game of the season was a bold cheapskate move that doesn’t look like it’s paid off for them.

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Sydney get up 8.2 to 4.11 in the end. Pretty decent scalp first up for them!
Just a replay of last year with both sides, Sydney can play some ugly stuff and concede a fair amount of inside 50s but then can just go bang, bang, bang and kick 3-4 goals in a row quickly in a quarter which they did in the 3rd which won them the game, where as Collingwood’s inside 50s conversion continues to be there problem.
 
Zarli Goldsworthy is my favourite non crows player, she's amazing could win league best and fairest one day, so much talent
Easily the best forward in the league and only 19 years old. Strong in the air, good at ground level and has a strong kick on her.
 
So looking like a few upsets already this round with St Kilda up by 5 goals at H/T on the Gold Coast - Dal Santo has them playing a very efficient system. Bombers getting smashed also a bit of a surprise, just so ridiculous reliant on Toogood - her injured kills them and mine & many other fantasy teams. Dockers talls are always ridiculously hard to match up on and with McCarthy now in the middle they’re one to watch out for, could be a huge chance to play finals on talent alone.
 

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