AFLW R3 - Carlton vs St. Kilda @ Moorabin - Sat 5:10pm

[kruddler]

Fixture took a little while, but its up and we are playing at moorabin for the first time in 27 years or something ridiculous.

Hopefully this is the one that gets the ball rolling for the girls.

[crashlander]

Fixture took a little while, but its up and we are playing at moorabin for the first time in 27 years or something ridiculous.

Hopefully this is the one that gets the ball rolling for the girls.

At least it shouldn't be a pile of mud this time. It usually is when we go there to play.
More importantly, we have to show something after the last 2 weeks' disappointments.
It also sounds like a couple of our missing sheep will have returned. I don't know how fit any of them will be, but our team will look stronger on paper.

The 'Aints also have a number of former Blues in their lineup. Hopefully we can keep them quiet.

[kruddler]

The 'Aints also have a number of former Blues in their lineup. Hopefully we can keep them quiet.

3 former blues in the leadership
2 of them are captains.

Its just like the old days, Saints are where our players go when we don't want them anymore.

[crashlander]

My daughter and I will be at this one, assuming I can get a ticket tomorrow. Bit of a pain having to wait until the last minute to get a ticket. 

[kruddler]

Still waiting on teams, but we should be getting 3 injured blues back this week

Gab Pound (hand)
Mua Laloifi (Concussion)
Lucy McEvoy (cheekbone)

are all due to return.

We are still waiting on Brooke Walker to return from her foot injury....maybe 2 more weeks before she can resume full training.

Not sure how fit she will be, but i reckon she'll miss more games than she plays this year. Hopefully we can make finals and she can be fit and raring to go for them because we are definitely a better side with her in it

[crashlander]

The game appears to be going on tomorrow, but without a crowd. That is very disappointing, as I was looking forward to going.

[crashlander]

Team for this week:
Backs: Charlotte Wilson  Daisy Walker
Half-backs: Jess Hosking  Kerryn Harrington Madeline Guerin
Centreline: Lauren Brazzale Grace Egan Mimi Hill
Half-forwards: Darcy Vescio Tayla Harris Georgia Gee
Forwards: Alison Downie Katie Loynes
Followers: Breann Moody Abbie McKay Madison Prespakis
Interchange: Mua Laloifi Lucy McEvoy Gab Pound Elise O'Dea Nicola Stevens
Emergencies: Jessica Edwards Natalie Plane

Jess Edwards can probably think herself a bit unlucky to be dropped: she'd never had that many possessions before. Alas, they didn't always lead to Carlton scores.
Nik Stevens can probably feel that she was a little lucky: she wasn't very effective last week at all.
I don't see Alison Downie spending much time at FF: she isn't getting many possessions these days, although her ruck work is still decent. I do think that young Selina Gibbs will get time in the ruck sooner rather than later.
I would be tempted to have Darcy Vescio playing in defence: she smart enough to run off her opponents and it gets the hard tag off her. As our 2nd key forward she is always up against taller opponents. I'd rather have someone else as a marking target to take the pressure off Darcy.

[kruddler]

Team for this week:
Backs: Charlotte Wilson  Daisy Walker
Half-backs: Jess Hosking  Kerryn Harrington Madeline Guerin
Centreline: Lauren Brazzale Grace Egan Mimi Hill
Half-forwards: Darcy Vescio Tayla Harris Georgia Gee
Forwards: Alison Downie Katie Loynes
Followers: Breann Moody Abbie McKay Madison Prespakis
Interchange: Mua Laloifi Lucy McEvoy Gab Pound Elise O'Dea Nicola Stevens
Emergencies: Jessica Edwards Natalie Plane

Jess Edwards can probably think herself a bit unlucky to be dropped: she'd never had that many possessions before. Alas, they didn't always lead to Carlton scores.
Nik Stevens can probably feel that she was a little lucky: she wasn't very effective last week at all.
I don't see Alison Downie spending much time at FF: she isn't getting many possessions these days, although her ruck work is still decent. I do think that young Selina Gibbs will get time in the ruck sooner rather than later.
I would be tempted to have Darcy Vescio playing in defence: she smart enough to run off her opponents and it gets the hard tag off her. As our 2nd key forward she is always up against taller opponents. I'd rather have someone else as a marking target to take the pressure off Darcy.

Edwards.....lucky to be in the side, did well, but not in our best 21. Harsh reality.
Stevens.....kinda agree, although i thought her game last week was better than week 1. I just don't think she is a forward....certainly not a 2nd key forward.
Downie and Moody need to work together better. Moody better suited forward and in ruck contests. Downie better around the ground. Arrange it so that can happen and we'll be better off. Perhaps Downie from centre and back and Moody from centre and forward. Agree on Gibbs. I had her as a smokey for R1. Time is coming for her.
Vescio is a smart player and she does help out down back very well for essentially a small forward. There was talk of more midfield time which hasn't really materialised yet. She is dangerous, so we need to use her in dangerous spots. Mid or forward is where she can be most damaging. As with Bri Davey back in the day, you need 3 of them, one for each area of the ground.

Plane out is a bit stiff. Heart and soul of the club, but she is starting to be overtaken by the younger, fitter, faster girls.
Hammans out....possibly a week too late, but i think it needed to happen. Good signs, just better players to choose from.
Vernon inj....may struggle to get back in to the side especially with Mua and Pound back.
McEvoy back offers much needed flexibility/versatility. Be interested to see where she starts...and where she is moved to when the heat is on.

Walker in....alas not the one we wanted, but Daisy making her debut should be celebrated. Be interested in seeing what she offers our side. Hopefully Brooke continues to smash her rehab. Still weeks away.

This is by far our strongest side for the year, albeit not the strongest possible without B. Walker in it.
If we cannot win with this side, then major alarm bells should be sounding. Up to this point there have been legitimate reasons why we have been found wanting (injuries).....not now.

Show us what you got girls.

[crashlander]

You are correct, Krudd, Stevens isn't a key forward. The tackling and defensive pressure is good, but isn't enough. Stevens doesn't take big marks, she doesn't lead much, she takes few marks of any sort and she doesn't kick goals as a crumber or with set shots.

Is there a spot in the midfield or defence for her? I can't see one.

[kruddler]

You are correct, Krudd, Stevens isn't a key forward. The tackling and defensive pressure is good, but isn't enough. Stevens doesn't take big marks, she doesn't lead much, she takes few marks of any sort and she doesn't kick goals as a crumber or with set shots.

Is there a spot in the midfield or defence for her? I can't see one.

She was good in defense. Her biggest issue was dropping intercept marks which lead to crumbing goals. I think our defenders are better without her there, and thats nothing against her, just that we are spoiled for defenders.

Ideally i'd like to see her as a winger. Used a link up between defence and attack. Not sure if she is fit enough though.