AFLW Autopsy Swans v Waalitj Marawar Saturday 3.05 pm @ Henson Park

[Callipygian]

Well, we play our final match of the season this weekend at Henson. The weather is slightly iffy but should be alright according to my weather app - possible showers in the morning but fining up in the arvo. Good conditions for footy.

We will be playing Waalitj Marawar aka West Coast who have had a good first season under Daisy Pearce as coach. They have registered 4 wins to our 2 wins. Nevertheless, they will have to travel and we will have a fighting chance of prevailing. We will be wearing our Indigenous guernsey for the second week in a row, first time for a home game.

Personally, between the mass of injuries and consequent form slump, plus not having recovered from 28 September, I have not been a good supporter this season and I have not been following as closely as I expected I would or as I did last season. Nevertheless I am planning to go and cheer on our women on Saturday.

There will be at least 2 changes to the team that took on the Lions on the weekend: Maddy Collier has been suspended for rough conduct; and Giselle Davies sustained an ankle injury that will keep her out. On the other hand, Ruby Sergeant-Wilson has recovered from illness and will be available for selection. Bullas, Cooper and Szigeti are others that might be recalled to the team. I can see Bullas being called in to fill the hole left by Collier but there are plenty of other possibilities. McEvoy could be shifted back and Szigeti plugged into the midfield, for instance.

For some players this will be their last game as Swans and even as AFLW players. The post-season list review and downsizing is yet to come but it is inevitable that a number of players will depart the club and some of them will surely be playing this weekend. So it's a great opportunity to cheer and thank them for their contributions.

Regardless of whether we win this week we can finish the season no higher than 15th. If we lose there's a possibility that GWS could leapfrog us. (Theoretically, so could the Suns and Collingwood - but there seems no real risk of that happening.)

Putting a positive spin on this, we have every reason to pursue the win and no risk of slipping an important position at the pointy end of the draft.

And here's the club's take on why you should go to the match: https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1685752/10-reasons-to-attend-round-10-this-saturday.

Cheer! Cheer!

 

[SwansProudly]

...

On the young side finding confidence
“There's been some real strength in the performances. We don't focus on the score itself in review. We basically take the lessons from what the opposition threw at us. I think we've got a lot of growth this year. It's been positive from a perspective that you learn different things of what sides do to you, how they stop your momentum and what they do when they get momentum.”

...

On how the group is feeling after the condensed fixture
“It was more just the lack of access to them from a training perspective, because we couldn't train and you're basically playing three games. Particularly in our situation, we're in a learning phase that we didn't get time to review properly and then go out and train it, so we found that we were making the same mistakes for three games in a row.

"That fourth game, when you come out of the condensed fixture, there's a little bit of fatigue there, so you're sort of sitting in that world of not training even post-condensed fixture, which makes it hard. I think it really hampered us from a learning perspective… probably more the lesson than the fatigue side of it.”

Key Quotes: Scott Gowans, Round 10

See what the AFLW senior coach had to say on Laura Gardiner, the condensed fixture and the last game of the season.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[kangle4]

Bit quiet in here

The Eagles are obvioulsy on the build but it is a lot more enjoyable watching us move the ball well and attack like we were last season.

 

[Mister B]

Was out but have caught the second and third quarters. Away from home so using my phone.

Girls have played smart footy in the wet. Playing on when they can, long balls with the wind, controlled balls against it. Ball handling when slippery has been pretty good and knocking it to advantage when they can’t get a grip on it.

Tackling has been sensational. Not enough of it rewarded. Seems the oppo have different rules for incorrect disposal / htb. Hope they can finish strong.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Well, I was supposed to be out today but I'm crook so I'm watching my first home game on TV.
Real energy getting the ball out, forward and into space. Everyone having a crack.
Tackling and pressure off the chart. Need to give the boys lessons. Sticking the tackles best I've seen this season.
Bit of barney at the third sticking it up them.
Missed 4 simple goals.
Sadly neither the umps or commentators have improved. Rubbish.

 

[Mister B]

The play leading up to Smiths snap goal. Oh my god. That is some of the best footy you will see in the game, men’s or women’s. Run and overlap. Sexy stuff.

 

[kangle4]

Good end to the season and hopefully having the injured players back next season will see us back in finals contention again. A ready to go draftee at pick 4 would be nice as well.

 

[Kiama Chris]

They played with more energy and freedom today and it made such a difference.
Hurley, Gardiner and Kennedy are a very tenacious midfield. One more of that quality will be fantastic, especially if she's a bit bigger.
I assume Mitchell must have been injured because we were a little undersized down back.
Lovely to see Smith get on the end of it. It's easy to forget how young she is.
Privitelli has such good hands but I wish she'd take her time.
Davies has been a good pick-up and it will be interesting what roles she and Lexi play when Morphett is fit next year.
So nice to finish on a high note and clearly Lochland is well liked and respected.

 

[Hanas]

Good to finish on a positive note. Some positive ball movement and run. I love Kennedy's determination, never gives up and good to see the forwards scoring a few. Bella Smith starting to find her feet and Privitelli worked hard but some composure might help her cause.
Wishing Brooke a happy retirement and good they could see her off with a win. All in all after a tough year there is some hope for next year.

 

[Callipygian]

Bit quiet in here

The Eagles are obvioulsy on the build but it is a lot more enjoyable watching us move the ball well and attack like we were last season.

I may have been quiet in the chat - but that's because I was busy being the loudest fan at the game!

Great way to finish the season. Awesome to see Bella kick 5! Agree with you Kiama Chris that Priv needed to take her time more with some of her shots at goal. Marked pretty well though. And still kicked 3.3. Gardiner, Kennedy and Hurley were brilliant, as usual.

Did Lochland get asked what the future holds for her in any of those post-game interviews, does anyone know?

 

[Kiama Chris]

I may have been quiet in the chat - but that's because I was busy being the loudest fan at the game!

Great way to finish the season. Awesome to see Bella kick 5! Agree with you Kiama Chris that Priv needed to take her time more with some of her shots at goal. Marked pretty well though. And still kicked 3.3. Gardiner, Kennedy and Hurley were brilliant, as usual.

Did Lochland get asked what the future holds for her in any of those post-game interviews, does anyone know?

I really think Gowans has the right idea about trying to play an exciting, watchable brand of footy. We looked so much better when we were able to get the ball clear. We still need another one or even two strong midfielders so Hurley and Hamilton can play in their best positions.
I reckon Gardiner might be the best player per kg in the comp. She is so good.
Wore a big smile at the end of the game, like the players and, I'm sure, Callipygian those in the crowd.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

That was the most enjoyable game by a Swans team since our men's prelim victory. The usual suspects for season 2024 in Hurley, Kennedy, Cynthia and Gardiner were excellent today. Smith did well to kick 5. Priv contested well but was wasteful. She could've had an absolute day out.

Today finally brought our club a victory after a very long wait - thank you girls.

 

[Voula]

I am away and don't have Foxtel so couldn't watch the game live. I'm embarrassed to say that I totally forgot about the game until 6:30 . I quickly checked the final score and was elated to see the result. I can't wait to watch my recording of the match for a change!

 

[Callipygian]

That was the most enjoyable game by a Swans team since our men's prelim victory. The usual suspects for season 2024 in Hurley, Kennedy, Cynthia and Gardiner were excellent today. Smith did well to kick 5. Priv contested well but was wasteful. She could've had an absolute day out.

Today finally brought our club a victory after a very long wait - thank you girls.

I had a similar thought but might even go as far as saying since the QF victory (which was another level altogether). I was at the prelim and, maybe because the game wasn't close and not as exciting as the GWS match, I felt pleased when we won rather than euphoric like after the QF.

Yesterday, the footy wasn't incredible, the stakes were low, and the match wasn't close, but still it had a lovely feeling. The W comp, and the women, have a great vibe. It was relevant to the vibe, notably in the last quarter, that it was Lochland's last game (even though she fluffed those two late shots at goal: that shot after the final siren in particular would have been a cool chance to go out kicking a goal with your last kick in footy). [There's a stat you don't hear so much about, compared to players who kick a goal with their first touch.]

Anyway, it's sweet to finish the season (a disappointing season, it must be said) with a good win (something that you probably don't generally get to do when you play finals).

 

[Ticky009]

Was out all weekend so forgive the lateness of the following posts after a great win by the team

 

[Ticky009]

 

[Ticky009]

 

[Ticky009]

 

[Aardvark]

Might just have saved her career...

 

[Callipygian]

Breakout game?

 

[Kiama Chris]

Breakout game?

She has the physical attributes but has lacked assertiveness from day 1. She's always been a good kick but her marking lacked conviction. I wonder if she's a very shy and retiring person. She could be a bit fitter so I hope the others get around her and encourage her to do extras and work on her agility and such.
If she comes on it will be a huge plus in an area where we need it.

 

[Callipygian]

She has the physical attributes but has lacked assertiveness from day 1. She's always been a good kick but her marking lacked conviction. I wonder if she's a very shy and retiring person. She could be a bit fitter so I hope the others get around her and encourage her to do extras and work on her agility and such.
If she comes on it will be a huge plus in an area where we need it.

Bella doesn't seem shy but perhaps not super-assertive. She seems really well liked and smiley around the group.

Couldn't agree more about it being a huge plus if she could turn into a 15-20 goal/year player! I'm astounded that she has only kicked 6 goals in her entire career to date. True she has spent some of that time playing as a defender... but still - 6 goals from 36 games. Let's hope she's broken out!

 

[Kiama Chris]

Bella doesn't seem shy but perhaps not super-assertive. She seems really well liked and smiley around the group.

Couldn't agree more about it being a huge plus if she could turn into a 15-20 goal/year player! I'm astounded that she has only kicked 6 goals in her entire career to date. True she has spent some of that time playing as a defender... but still - 6 goals from 36 games. Let's hope she's broken out!

Very self-deprecating in those highlights, except when she got into it with the WC defence, which I found very encouraging. Then it was a much broader smile.