AFLW 2021 Rd 4: Carlton vs Richmond at Ikon - Sat 3:10

[kruddler]

I thought the Tiggers were pretty poor, achieving only low scores. Be very interested in the Krudmeister's take on our performance and how we should have done against the Tiggers.

Tigers haven't won a game......ever.

But, they are not a poor side. They have plenty of talented players, they just haven't played enough together.

They nearly beat the pies last week and played very well today. Given the short season, they won't make finals this year, but put your money on them for next year because they will make finals. Nobody knows who they play next week, but they will win against 80% of the league despite their record.

I called it pre-game that Conti was too good to tag and that Brennan was the one we needed to worry about. She has underperformed due to injury in her career, but when fit, she is amongst the game elite. We couldn't stop her, but we limited her influence....just enough. I called for Jess Edwards to play on Brennan as, 1. Edwards has little influence on the game offensively, and 2. because her best games have been as a stopper (Kept Erin Phillips to 1 goal previously). But we went with Harrington, largely, and still got beaten. Edwards on the other hand was barely sighted all game. Back to the stands next week IMO.

Of our girls....
Grace Egan is going from strength to strength. Every week she looks more like she belongs. Has class, vision and good disposal. Just needs a touch more urgency at times as she does get caught. But, still in our bests.

Abbie McKay is not the same player she was pre-2021. She is a beast who belongs. She ran around with Sarah Hosking for most of the game and matched her for hardness as well as ball winning ability. Having a great year.

Darcy Vescio proves she isn't passed it (Thank Kelli Underwood  : ) far from it. She just needs opportunity. Her disposal count has been lacking in previous games, but her 1%ers are always high. Often doing the team things that lead to goals, this game she was on the end of some. Of course it helps that her old mate, and podcast co-host,  O'Dea looks for her at every opportunity. It helps O'Dea has the skills to find her too.

Prespakis....doesn't know how to fail. Another BOG for mine. 2 goals, plenty of clearances, and touches....majority of which are lace out to a teammate. I don't think she should be in trouble for her 2 tackles on Sarah. If they get cited, there is an equally bad example of a (sling) tackle on her less than a minute before the Hosking one that should be looked at too. Thankfully Prespakis fell flat on her back and not her head, but it was dangerous none the less.

Georgia Gee....like Vescio...she doesn't need to do much, her pressure and 1%ers are always there, but with her smarts and skills, a handful of touches from her leads to goals to others. Like Vescio, she only had it 9 times, but those 9 count. She wears the same number, and plays the same position, as the great man Eddie Betts. She is about as influential and damaging with the ball in hand as him too.

Jess Hosking played about her best game to date and had =3rd amount of touches behind Egan and Mon Conti. She's had a big week and it could've been easy for her to get lost in the buildup, but she not only delivered, she took it to a new level. My only issue with her was she put purple in the shampoo bottle and not Navy Blue. How good would it have been with Sarah running out with blue hair!  ;D

McEvoy deserves a mention too. Coming back from a fractured cheekbone she wasn't herself last week. She admitted to not getting tackled and not laying a tackle last week. 2nd week back and all that nervousness was gone. Back in the contest, using her body and slinging out those handballs to teammates. Welcome back.

Plenty of other girls deserve a mention...but i'll give one to the coach.
Half nailed it after the first quarter. He realised we weren't focused on the game, the contest, the moment, and shook them out of it and the girls responded. I've been telling everyone every week that the girls have more hunger and heart than our boys have shown. They don't give up....ever....and won't die wondering. Kudos for delivering yet again, despite the poor first quarter.