AFLW North Melbourne Football Club AFLW - Season 2024

[Hearts to hearts]

Do you have the body text?

Do I look like GR? Joking - I cut and posted the headline because it was the best bit.

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North Melbourne went goalless in the first half against the Cats on Friday. Enter Jasmine Garner. Here’s how the Kangaroos broke Geelong hearts – again.
Brayden May
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@braydenjmay

2 min read
September 15, 2023 - 7:40PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

1 comments

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North Melbourne has produced a stunning second half turnaround to break Geelong’s hearts at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
After being held goalless in the first half, North rallied in the third quarter to take the lead heading into the final term.
The visitors turned the game on its head in the second half as they held the Cats goalless, restricting them to just one behind.
North’s win continued their recent dominance over the Cats having beaten them in all six meetings in their history.

Jasmine Garner dominated again. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

Big guns put on a show​

Both midfields are stacked with talent and it was only rightful they put on a show in a head-to-head battle. Jasmine Garner, who is arguably the best player in the competition right now, put together another monster showing with 32 disposals, 12 clearances, 11 tackles and a goal. Garner is going to take some stopping for the league best and fairest. For Geelong, Georgie Prespakis was back to her best with 27 disposals in a best on ground display for the Cats after just 15 touches last week.

Emma King’s telling second half​

As many of her teammates did, Emma King lifted for the Roos after the main break and took several telling contested marks. Importantly, these helped to relieve the pressure at both ends of the ground and helped her side to control momentum in the second half.

Jasmine Ferguson tackles Geelong’s Chloe Scheer. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

Geelong’s fast starts​

The Cats are making a habit of racing out of the blocks to start season 8 of the AFLW. In each of their opening three games, Geelong has managed to keep their opponents goalless in the first term. Friday night’s effort came on the back of a strong defensive effort in the opening minutes as North dominated territory. The home side’s first two quarters confined North to just their second goalless opening half in their history. Cats captain Meg McDonald and Claudia Gunjaca were a key reason for their side’s performance in the first half with an outstanding display in defence.

Jasmine Ferguson’s the blanket​

Looking at just the stats you might have thought Roos defender Jasmine Ferguson didn’t have a big game but she was sensational. Opposed to Cats star Chloe Scheer, Ferguson blanketed her impact limiting the gun forward to just three disposals and one behind which came from a quick snap.

Scoreboard​

CATS 2.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 (22)
ROOS 0.1, 0.4, 3.6, 4.7 (31)
MAY’S BEST: Cats: Prespakis, Morrison, Bowen, M. McDonald, Gunjaca, A.McDonald Roos: Garner, M.King, Riddell, Ferguson, Kearney, E.King

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[Del191229]

Hey, I'm a tax payer and I appreciate a good bribe. I like living in a society that builds things and upgrades infrastructure. Like they're about to be doing with the Arden precinct.

They're not building us a 45k capacity clean stadium though.

 

[Del191229]

I really liked O'Shea's game tonight as well, she is a tough combative player who doesn't take a backward step. I think she must spend time on the training track with Mia King, because she has that "see ball, hunt ball" mentality that we all love in Mia. And to come from a sport that isn't as combative as AFLW it's a new skill set she has had to learn (especially tackling) and she has picked it up really quickly.

She comes from a part of Ireland famous for being combative though.

 

[Del191229]

Nice bit in the #kangaroos podcast interview with Jas Garner this week when she said O’Shea was the toughest player at the club, and recalled a training session soon after Erika arrived when Grace Campbell absolutely went through her and she bounced straight back up.

Erika looks like one of those Irish gangster girlfriends who is not only an enthusiastic participant in affairs - stashing the gun in her handbag when she and the fella are out etc - but gets 15 months for biting off a lady Gardas nose when they raid the gaff.

 

[Merlin007]

Great to see the enthusiastic and positive posting on this thread - well done all....

... and more to the point, well done to a good footy team. Keep it up

 

[ferball]

In some ways, that was as good a win as we have ever had. In past seasons, maybe not 2020 so much, the girls probably would not have fought back to get the chocolates, after a poor first half and being on the wrong end of a very, very poor display by the umpires.

I may be wrong, but to fight back like they did, I think augurs well for the girls this year. We are playing a brand of football that is in my opinion a class above many other clubs and if they can maintain that, then hopefully a top 4 position awaits and then who knows where from that.

Back to the umpires. I think the standard of umpiring is a huge issue for the AFL. It is simply not good enough. In the first half today, they were paying frees to Geelong, but not paying them to our girls for almost identical incidents. Two of Geelong's three goals were from frees, both of which in my eyes at least were really tough decisions against us. The first was to my eyes at least an insufficient opportunity for our girl to get rid of the ball. The second could have been judged as a high tackle by the Geelong player in my opinion.

Equally the ruck free and goal to Tahlia Randall, I thought was wrong and could have easily been paid the other way as a blocking free. But thank goodness it didn't because at least we got one back.

Tonight Melbourne lost the free kick count 24 to 18. In my opinion, same scenario, frees paid to Carlton but similar incidents not paid to Melbourne. Melbourne's poor kicking for goal cost them more than anything else, but the umpiring also had an influence on the result.

It was nine frees to three at half time. I think Geelong only had two frees paid in the second half tho.

 

[ferball]

Gatt's ceiling is so high. All Australian, best in the comp in her position stuff.

She naturally holds her width, she's fast, high footy IQ, goes when it is her turn, good kick.

Got those long arms and legs that let her just impact a contest at the last moment too.

Said it before but:

Taylah Gatt = The Gun.

 

[CURVE]

Gatt's ceiling is so high. All Australian, best in the comp in her position stuff.

She naturally holds her width, she's fast, high footy IQ, goes when it is her turn, good kick.

Got those long arms and legs that let her just impact a contest at the last moment too.

She’s now able to stay on her feet and stay in the contest when bumped by bigger opponents, there were a few instances in the first half where Geelong could have broken out of their defensive 50 but Gatt was able to stay with her opponent and halve the contest. I think she has been our biggest improver over the first three rounds.

 

[CURVE]

She comes from a part of Ireland famous for being combative though.

Isn’t that all of Ireland?

 

[speedy]

Just going off highlights, but should to score line read-

NM 4 goals
UMP’s 2 goals
GEEL 1 goal

Those first 2 free kick goals looked very iffy.

 

[Sillygit]

Just going off highlights, but should to score line read-

NM 4 goals
UMP’s 2 goals
GEEL 1 goal

Those first 2 free kick goals looked very iffy.

yea both those umps goals were bullshit.

first one COULD have been fine if that was the precedent of prior opportunity for the entire game, but in the next and all following tackles it's clear that it wasn't. second one she kicks it, doesn't matter if it's a shit kick, a kicks a kick. again reinforced by all the "handballs" and "kicks" that were play on for the rest of the game.

 

[Kangaroo Cat]

Its clear that the north gals took their fitness seriously in the off season, i would love to see a grandfinal this year, bris will be a good test.

 

[shinboner magic]

Mia did crunch her a few times in that second half.

She crunches the opposition and they start pushing at her. Mia ignores them and smashes again.
She’s a see ball , get ball type.
Love it.

 

[Merlin007]

Its clear that the north gals took their fitness seriously in the off season, i would love to see a grandfinal this year, bris will be a good test.

just my view of course, but I thought they were on course to win the COVID year

 

[Kangaroo Cat]

just my view of course, but I thought they were on course to win the COVID year

I agree, we missed a cracking match vs freo

 

[Sticksphat]

Forward line still needs tweaking. I think we can only have 3 of Eddey, O’Loughlin, Tripodi and Gavalas down there.

Yes, I think having Sheirlaw down there would have given us a much better, look, with her marking and agility. Gav looks like she is just a step of the pace at the moment.

 

[speedy]

She’s now able to stay on her feet and stay in the contest when bumped by bigger opponents, there were a few instances in the first half where Geelong could have broken out of their defensive 50 but Gatt was able to stay with her opponent and halve the contest. I think she has been our biggest improver over the first three rounds.

Has made massive inroads in her physicality from last year.

 

[Liam Boy]

They were just trying really hard to push the message of old, stagnant team vs exciting young talent exciting young midfield star studded young midfield. Enter Gatt, O'Shea, M. King, Eddey etc to upset the narrative. We have undoubtedly got a really strong senior brigade in Kearney, Garner, Riddell, Rennie, Wright, Bruton, Shierlaw, Bresnehan and Gavalas but the rest of the side is pretty young and will play a lot of footy together in coming years, alongside the players listed earlier of course. Garner and Riddell will probably dominate the middle for another 6 years at least, Kearney could and probably will play until she's 40.

 

[Liam Boy]

Just going off highlights, but should to score line read-

NM 4 goals
UMP’s 2 goals
GEEL 1 goal

Those first 2 free kick goals looked very iffy.

have to say the umps had 3 and we had 3 then. the behinds clinch it for us

 

[Del191229]

Said it before but:

Taylah Gatt = The Gun.

Taylah Gatt: The Starts Talking

 

[Del191229]

She’s now able to stay on her feet and stay in the contest when bumped by bigger opponents, there were a few instances in the first half where Geelong could have broken out of their defensive 50 but Gatt was able to stay with her opponent and halve the contest. I think she has been our biggest improver over the first three rounds.

Eddey has gone from wee slip of a thing to absolute tank in a few years, aho burst through packs and tackles to kick goals.

If Taylah stays on that same trajectory she will be so hard to beat on her wing.

As you say she's already harder to shift, and she has full bore defensive instincts.

I don't like comparing W to blokes players, but I can't think of an appropriate comparison for her.

She could be Peter Matera good on her wing.

 

[Hazey1977]

Said it before but:

Taylah Gatt = The Gun.

Sorry there's no air time left for nicknames, "The Prez" used to all the gas!

On SM-G781B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CURVE]

BTW, where is the Nostril, has he been kicked off the forum or just no one the bitch about this week?

 

[The Nostradamus]

BTW, where is the Nostril, has he been kicked off the forum or just no one the bitch about this week?

Right here nuff nuff

 

[CURVE]

Right here nuff nuff

Ahh! So, no one to bitch about. Can't say anything positive, so won't say anything at all.