AFLW Port Adelaide vs Crows - Round 6 @ Adelaide Oval

[Ford Fairlane]

Can't agree with you re the umpires showing compassion. This is supposed to be an elite level competition, not under 12s, so this 'show some mercy' stuff shouldn't come in to it at all. If they see a free kick, they have to pay it.

The problem is, and this goes for the men's comp too, the rules of this sport are so subjective and left up to interpretation (and sometimes imagination) that it's literally impossible to have any consistency in the umpiring from one game to the next. And that is where it actually does seem like an under 12s competition.

Don't disagree with what you're saying, but it's clear to me that the interpretation of free kicks in the games I watch closely favour the better known players and more established teams.

So pay some of those frees the same way to the lesser teams. Keep people interested, especially given the gulf between the top teams and new/also rans.

 

[raptalia]

If Port appointed an AFL Coach who was 36, didn't play a game of Aussie rules until he was 18 and had played just 36 AFL games we would think they were mad. We tried to go with an all female leadership in the AFLW Admin and Coaching departments and while that has merit last night we were up against a team coached by someone with 30 years experience in the game and 250 AFL games under the belt.

We will get better but we also have some off field tweaks to make during the off season. As I posted previously a decent skills coach would not go astray and perhaps someone to mentor Lauren Arnell and help her out. This is as much a learning experience for Lauren as it is for many of the the players.

 

[Capital Power]

If Port appointed an AFL Coach who was 36, didn't play a game of Aussie rules until he was 18 and had played just 36 AFL games we would think they were mad. We tried to go with an all female leadership in the AFLW Admin and Coaching departments and while that has merit last night we were up against a team coached by someone with 30 years experience in the game and 250 AFL games under the belt.

We will get better but we also have some off field tweaks to make during the off season. As I posted previously a decent skills coach would not go astray and perhaps someone to mentor Lauren Arnell and help her out. This is as much a learning experience for Lauren as it is for many of the the players.

Whilst I can see the merit in this, we all know what the Club would do if given the same position - they'd just give Ken the extra responsibility of doing this. I'm happy to stick with the current team and allow them to develop.

I'm all for a mentor for the AFLW coaching team if it is someone who will work with their individual skills and talents, and who is an outsider without an axe to grind. A skills coach is a no-brainer, but we don't even have one of those for the men.

 

[radiojake]

totally understand the gripes about the umpiring - across the board for the entire 7 AFLW seasons it has single handedly been the most frustrating aspect of the league - not the skill, not the low scores, the umpiring - it's like they've thrown in umps who have come straight from some u15 development squad or something -

when Melbourne knocked off Adelaide in Rnd 1, I had a Dees mate text me "it would have been nice to roll you lot without the armchair ride" - every AFLW team cops it because the umps are that bad you can routinely expect it

Didn't get to watch the entire game last night and will watch the replay tonight but from what I can tell the Port endeavour and attack on ball never dropped and that's where it all starts so keep on supporting and getting behind them - I've been lucky to have had the aflw last couple years to tie me over while our men suck , but i dont think it would take much to find yourself as invested with the women as the men's side too

good luck rest of the season

 

[cmndstab]

Agreed that the umpiring in AFLW absolutely stinks. Last night the Crows got an armchair ride, until Q4 when they went the classic AFL square-up after the game is long dead. The umpiring almost always seems to favour whichever team is winning which really doesn't help with the lopsided scores.

I promise I'm not being trying trite when I say that your mob is going to be pretty good in time. You've got some serious tough nuts, obviously Ewings is a star but the team as a whole looks like they want to play tough footy. Ballard is quality, De Melo has real x-factor, and you guys have the good Dowrick. I'm jealous that you guys got O'Dea as well, one of my favourite players in the comp and never shirks the issue. Arnell is also a gem, had to laugh at her giving the weary side-eye to Rucci in the presser after the game The top-end junior talent in SA is as good as anywhere in the country so you guys should be up there in a few seasons.

Mostly I just wanted to say kudos to you guys for embracing the team so much. Ten pages here for one game is more than Melbourne supporters post in an entire season, even when they play in a Grand Final!

 

[Janey]

Apart from the technical side of coaching, a lot of Lauren's role with a startup, and young, team would have to be supporting and motivating the girls. Every game they play, regardless of whether they are getting well beaten, they never drop their heads and their effort is there right to the final siren. They are always determined to improve, and just regroup and look forward to the next game. That's not an easy thing to do and I think it's a credit to Lauren and the leadership from Erin and the more experienced players that they do that.

The addition of a skills coach and a more senior mentor for Lauren would be great, maybe for next season. There's a lot to like about this team and plenty of promise.

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

If Port appointed an AFL Coach who was 36, didn't play a game of Aussie rules until he was 18 and had played just 36 AFL games we would think they were mad. We tried to go with an all female leadership in the AFLW Admin and Coaching departments and while that has merit last night we were up against a team coached by someone with 30 years experience in the game and 250 AFL games under the belt.

We will get better but we also have some off field tweaks to make during the off season. As I posted previously a decent skills coach would not go astray and perhaps someone to mentor Lauren Arnell and help her out. This is as much a learning experience for Lauren as it is for many of the the players.

Unpopular opinion incoming.

This is the elephant in the room for mine.

I don't want to criticise Arnell too pointedly given the situation. New team. Young and/or inexperienced players. The senior players she does have are aging or are very meh. And injuries to boot. She deserves the time some time to build a team and a game plan and then get assessed based on wins and losses.

But the decision to appoint her was clearly a 'we exist to make our communities proud' sort of decision and less of a 'we exist to win premierships' decision. Her coaching experience before joining the club was 2 years coaching the Brisbane Lions AFLW Academy team in what appears to be a part time capacity.

Our gameplan, if you could call it that, is yucky at the moment.

Going from one controversial opinion to another. Missing out on either Hatchard or Marinoff from the Crows was a major **** up and we should have prioritised those two over Phillips (and Houghton). Even Montana McKinnon would have been fantastic. We should have offered them as much as possible, and maybe we did and we just couldn't get it over the line. But nevertheless, with one of those two players I think we are much more competitive.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Mostly I just wanted to say kudos to you guys for embracing the team so much. Ten pages here for one game is more than Melbourne supporters post in an entire season, even when they play in a Grand Final!

I genuinely think the fact that so many supporters are so disillusioned with the men's side right now is helping to drive interest in the AFLW side. Hinkley finally good for something!

 

[wannabejack]

Our AFLW side is fresh and offers me some hope for the future.
Currently our AFL side is stale and offers me no hope.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Lauren clearly learned from her meeting with John Cahill

An outsider's Port Adelaide AFLW homecoming - InDaily

indaily.com.au

Learning the “Port Adelaide way” – a style of football that Port Adelaide people believe defines Port Adelaide to be different to others – has come quick too. Arnell recently met with Port Adelaide’s record-breaking SANFL coach and inaugural AFL mentor, John Cahill.

“We exist to win premierships, 100 per cent. Our list will reflect that,” Arnell said. “I was fortunate enough to meet with Jack Cahill a couple of weeks ago. The Port Adelaide trademarks of what kind of player comes into our men’s and women’s program – you will see a correlation between the two. Hard, contested footy. Good kick. High footy IQ. Competitive as hell. You will see that across both programs.

“Jack said: ‘We weren’t dirty but if there was a ball to be won you go to win it’. That is certainly how I will be coaching. Win one on one.”

 

[moses]

Shame the result was so lopsided because i thought Port brought some real pressure to the contest.

Crowd was also fantastic and a credit to the port fans for getting out in force to support their women.

Best of luck for the rest of the season. Looking forward to taking my kids to a Showdown Grand Final one day!

 

[cmndstab]

I genuinely think the fact that so many supporters are so disillusioned with the men's side right now is helping to drive interest in the AFLW side. Hinkley finally good for something!

Believe me, I understand that! Hell, our AFLW side achieved the impossible of actually giving us something positive to say about Phil Harper.

Going from one controversial opinion to another. Missing out on either Hatchard or Marinoff from the Crows was a major * up and we should have prioritised those two over Phillips (and Houghton). Even Montana McKinnon would have been fantastic. We should have offered them as much as possible, and maybe we did and we just couldn't get it over the line. But nevertheless, with one of those two players I think we are much more competitive.

I'm not sure you could have done much more to get Hatchard and Marinoff. The Crows pay them a bucketload and they have established strong ties with the club.

McKinnon may have been gettable, or even Prowse. They may still be gettable after this season. I agree that you guys desperately need a quality ruck.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Arnell has been fantastic. We beat a similar expansion side 68-2 a couple of weeks back if anybody has forgotten.

We played one of the top 2 sides in the comp missing our best player AND our #1 ruck. Close to half our team are teenagers. Boag and Doumanis were playing their first ever AFLW games. Goodwin in game 3. Duursma in game 4.

I understand high expectation but if you want success you need to be patient with this side. We have a stack of high ceiling talent and will have even more to come in the next draft given the advantages we will be given in the SA pool, but it will take time for this side to be competitive against all clubs and to play in finals.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I'm not sure you could have done much more to get Hatchard and Marinoff. The Crows pay them a bucketload and they have established strong ties with the club.

McKinnon may have been gettable, or even Prowse. They may still be gettable after this season. I agree that you guys desperately need a quality ruck.

Not sure we ever even really went for Marinoff did we? That one was always gonna be impossible.

Hatch was the big fish that we couldn't land (yet) - I'd say we will ask the question yearly though.

Not sure on the ruck - McGrath is out injured at the moment but she has been competitive to dominant every game she played. Right now we are just asking a lot of Levicki.