04-06-2021, 06:53 AM
[9] Fitness:
It was true that we did not do well in last quarters this year. Our usual mode of play was to strike early and try to protect our lead. In generally low scoring games, that often doesn’t work. I’d like to think that our girls can run over anyone else at the end of a game, something we have seen in earlier years.
One of the major issues there was the decline of Ali Downie. In the past, we shared the ruck duties and usually had a fit and competent ruck ready to fire in the last quarter. This was not the case this year. Not only did Ali take relatively few ruck contests, but she struggled at them. As a result, Bree Moody did a lot more ruck work and ran herself into the ground. She was unable to lift in the last quarter because her workload was so much greater than it has been. There were a number of games when this was clear. Against Fremantle, for example, Moody killed her opponents in the first half. However, as the game went on, the Freo ruck combination wore her down. As a result, we managed very few clearances in the last quarter, while Freo managed a couple of quick goals from centre clearances. It was, literally, the difference between winning and losing.
In that game Serena Gibbs did some ruck work. At the moment her ruck work needs considerable improvement: she failed to perform under the pressure.
I stated earlier that I see her as more of a forward, as she was dangerous in the way she was moving around. But her ruck work was a definite negative.
This season there was a strict cap on training in the pre-season. There was little chance to work on the group’s total fitness as so many players had interrupted pre=seasons. We need to get around that somehow, so our girls have a fitness edge. It is very important going forward that teams fear us in the last quarter, because we keep going and they can’t.
[10] Disposal:
Over time our disposal was improved and the whole skillset of the AFLW has improved as well. However, we are not as skilful as some of our opponents. This was actually clearest when we played Richmond. They put a lot of pressure on the ball carrier, and we missed targets. They usually did not. We improved after that, but we do need to improve the whole skillset of the group.
Hitting targets wins games. We still don’t do it often enough.
[11] Recruiting:
I have been quite pleased with the recruiting in recent times. Getting Maddy P was a no-brainer, but some of our recent gets have been very good. Mimi Hill looked extremely good this year before she was injured. Charlotte Wilson had a down season, but she has speed and strength and has been an excellent pick-up. Maddy Guerin and Charlotte Hammans have been trades that could be successful yet. Both showed potential, although neither has made a permanent spot as yet. Daisy Walker has also shown a bit as a later draftee. She has pace and some good decision making. Her issue is her kicking, which looks awkward and can be a little awkward. The previous year we recruited Lucy McEvoy, Grace Egan and Mua L, all who have been great successes.
So far, so good.
We took a huge risk and paid a high price for Elise O’Dea from Melbourne. Elise had a good season and was a great competitor and leader, but at 29 her body is not allowing her to get to contests like it did. She is quite slow.
A real positive is Elise’s presence on the field. She is experienced and determined. But she may not last much longer. I find it very unlikely that her body will hold together as long as Katie Loynes’ and Ali Downie’s did (although both were held together by tape more than often than not in recent times).
I do understand the risk vs. reward argument, but I think we paid too much for someone at her stage of career, even if we did get Maddy Guerin affectively for free.
I hope she proves me wrong. Assuming she plays in 2021, she will be our oldest player by some margin. We are a very young team. We will need her on-field leadership.
However, I would be loath to do a similar trade this time around.
What do we need?
We desperately need another ruck to develop, one with athleticism and height. Perhaps we can interest another code-hopper from basketball or netball, as they are likely to have the height and the leap. North have done that well in recent times.
There may well be a young ruck coming through the VFL or underage competitions. This is our biggest need, as we dropped off significantly this year when Bree Moody tired. The only time she was truly beaten was against North, against a similar type of ruck who was that bit taller and could leap that bit higher.
We do need another taller marking target in the forward line, especially if Tayla Harris’ career is going to curtailed by her knee injuries. Serena Gibbs is showing promise but doesn’t take enough marks yet. Most of her goals game from snaps. Young Paige Trudgeon is still very much an unknown quantity. From what I’ve seen of her (not enough). She doesn’t look to have the athleticism, but she can take a strong mark. And her kicking is good.
I would like it if we traded for an early pick to get Maddy P’s sister. Not only is Georgie a little taller, but she is also a strong inside midfielder who could take over from Katie Loynes.
This would take some trading, but we have proven we are decent trade partners.
It was true that we did not do well in last quarters this year. Our usual mode of play was to strike early and try to protect our lead. In generally low scoring games, that often doesn’t work. I’d like to think that our girls can run over anyone else at the end of a game, something we have seen in earlier years.
One of the major issues there was the decline of Ali Downie. In the past, we shared the ruck duties and usually had a fit and competent ruck ready to fire in the last quarter. This was not the case this year. Not only did Ali take relatively few ruck contests, but she struggled at them. As a result, Bree Moody did a lot more ruck work and ran herself into the ground. She was unable to lift in the last quarter because her workload was so much greater than it has been. There were a number of games when this was clear. Against Fremantle, for example, Moody killed her opponents in the first half. However, as the game went on, the Freo ruck combination wore her down. As a result, we managed very few clearances in the last quarter, while Freo managed a couple of quick goals from centre clearances. It was, literally, the difference between winning and losing.
In that game Serena Gibbs did some ruck work. At the moment her ruck work needs considerable improvement: she failed to perform under the pressure.
I stated earlier that I see her as more of a forward, as she was dangerous in the way she was moving around. But her ruck work was a definite negative.
This season there was a strict cap on training in the pre-season. There was little chance to work on the group’s total fitness as so many players had interrupted pre=seasons. We need to get around that somehow, so our girls have a fitness edge. It is very important going forward that teams fear us in the last quarter, because we keep going and they can’t.
[10] Disposal:
Over time our disposal was improved and the whole skillset of the AFLW has improved as well. However, we are not as skilful as some of our opponents. This was actually clearest when we played Richmond. They put a lot of pressure on the ball carrier, and we missed targets. They usually did not. We improved after that, but we do need to improve the whole skillset of the group.
Hitting targets wins games. We still don’t do it often enough.
[11] Recruiting:
I have been quite pleased with the recruiting in recent times. Getting Maddy P was a no-brainer, but some of our recent gets have been very good. Mimi Hill looked extremely good this year before she was injured. Charlotte Wilson had a down season, but she has speed and strength and has been an excellent pick-up. Maddy Guerin and Charlotte Hammans have been trades that could be successful yet. Both showed potential, although neither has made a permanent spot as yet. Daisy Walker has also shown a bit as a later draftee. She has pace and some good decision making. Her issue is her kicking, which looks awkward and can be a little awkward. The previous year we recruited Lucy McEvoy, Grace Egan and Mua L, all who have been great successes.
So far, so good.
We took a huge risk and paid a high price for Elise O’Dea from Melbourne. Elise had a good season and was a great competitor and leader, but at 29 her body is not allowing her to get to contests like it did. She is quite slow.
A real positive is Elise’s presence on the field. She is experienced and determined. But she may not last much longer. I find it very unlikely that her body will hold together as long as Katie Loynes’ and Ali Downie’s did (although both were held together by tape more than often than not in recent times).
I do understand the risk vs. reward argument, but I think we paid too much for someone at her stage of career, even if we did get Maddy Guerin affectively for free.
I hope she proves me wrong. Assuming she plays in 2021, she will be our oldest player by some margin. We are a very young team. We will need her on-field leadership.
However, I would be loath to do a similar trade this time around.
What do we need?
We desperately need another ruck to develop, one with athleticism and height. Perhaps we can interest another code-hopper from basketball or netball, as they are likely to have the height and the leap. North have done that well in recent times.
There may well be a young ruck coming through the VFL or underage competitions. This is our biggest need, as we dropped off significantly this year when Bree Moody tired. The only time she was truly beaten was against North, against a similar type of ruck who was that bit taller and could leap that bit higher.
We do need another taller marking target in the forward line, especially if Tayla Harris’ career is going to curtailed by her knee injuries. Serena Gibbs is showing promise but doesn’t take enough marks yet. Most of her goals game from snaps. Young Paige Trudgeon is still very much an unknown quantity. From what I’ve seen of her (not enough). She doesn’t look to have the athleticism, but she can take a strong mark. And her kicking is good.
I would like it if we traded for an early pick to get Maddy P’s sister. Not only is Georgie a little taller, but she is also a strong inside midfielder who could take over from Katie Loynes.
This would take some trading, but we have proven we are decent trade partners.
Live Long and Prosper!