AFLW Votes: Carlton vs Freo; Rd 7

[crashlander]

I thought Nic Stevens was hard done by. At least 3 Free kicks went against her.
1. Where she was tackled, got a handball and it was called a throw.
2. Where she ran through the pack to pick up the ball, got tackled as soon as she touched the ball, was held and slung after the tackle despite the ball being lodged out immediately after she touched it and got done for holding the ball.
3. I think there was one where she tackled someone but a free was not given, despite prior opportunity and no genuine attempt made.

I do not disagree. She will not be happy, especially as we lost by less than 2 goals. That is not the only time this year she has been penalized in supposedly 50:50 situations. Does she talk back to the ump? They certainly do not like her much.
But, unfortunately, she hasn't been able to perform as she would prefer. She would probably be the first to admit it. Our style of play does not allow for the sharing of the ball that Collingwood did both this year and last year and which allowed her to get a number of possessions.
She hasn't shown the elite kicking she is supposed to have. Quite the opposite. It may well be that she has taken one of the better players each week and has had to play more negatively (even though she has spent time on the wing). She has certainly been playing on smaller, faster players than she did last year. Last year she often took the tall forwards. The only time she didn't, she was on Darcy Vescio. Darcy gave her a football lesson, as Stevens would not play in front. She used to run off the bigger, slower players and make then worry about her. This has not happened this year.