Another week and it's another massive game for the Western Bulldogs’ women’s team, who have started out the 2018 AFLW season in impressive fashion. Sitting second on the ladder with two wins from two games, the Dogs are on the road again as they travel to Norwood Oval to take on the Adelaide Crows this afternoon, who are fighting just to stay alive in their quest for back-to-back flags.
Season 2018 couldn’t have gone to a worse start for last year’s premiers. Starting the year without the league’s reigning best and fairest Erin Phillips with a quad problem, the Crows lost their Grand Final rematch to the Brisbane Lions in the opening round of the home and away season. Last week, they were dismantled by a Melbourne side that looked every bit of a premiership favourite – The Crows looked lethargic in comparison to a Demons’ team that looked incredibly fit.
Sitting last on the ladder with two losses and percentage inferior to both Collingwood and GWS, who have also yet to register their first wins of 2018, expect the Crows to come out with a nothing to lose mentality against a Western Bulldogs outfit that are also firming as a premiership contender. After an impressive first round one win over Fremantle, the Bulldogs pulled out a gutsy and hard-fought win over the Brisbane Lions, to remain one of three unbeaten sides to start the 2018 season.
Last week’s win was a very tough game to grind out, they beat a tough opponent in the Brisbane Lions, they did it in very stifling conditions and they had to battle out the second half without number one draft pick Isabel Huntington, who injured her knee in the second quarter. The fact they held off the Lions shows how serious the Dogs are going to be in season 2018, but they can’t afford to have many more season-ending injuries happen to them this year.
Also keep in mind, that the Dogs are coming off a six-day break, whilst the Crows would’ve had an extra day’s recovery. Will their game up in Brisbane have serious repercussions on this Bulldogs team?
The Teams
Western Bulldogs
IN: Jess Anderson
OUT: Isabel Huntington (Knee)
B: Libby Birch, Lauren Spark, Nicole Callinan HB: Hannah Scott, Bonnie Toogood, Brooke Lochland MID: Aasta O’Connor, Emma Kearney, Kirsty Lamb, Ellie Blackburn HF: Monique Conti, Katie Brennan, Jenna Bruton F: Deanna Berry, Aisling Utri, Naomi Ferres INT: Tiarna Ernst, Hayley Wildes, Jess Anderson, Angelica Gogos, Bailey Hunt EMG: Emma Mackie, Kim Rennie
Only the one forced change for the Western Bulldogs, who are looking very good at the present time. Isabel Huntington will miss the remainder of 2018 with a ruptured ACL, who is to be replaced by former Melbourne key position player Jess Anderson, who is named for her Bulldogs’ debut. Anderson was delisted by the Demons at the end of the 2017 season, only to be signed by the Bulldogs as a free agent shortly afterwards.
Anderson comes to the Whitten Oval having played five games for Melbourne in the 2017 AFLW season, mainly playing as a key forward. However, she has shown at times that she can be used as a defender as well, but given that she’s in to replace a very valuable contributor to the Bulldogs’ forward 50, it looks more than likely that she will be playing as a key forward option.
Adelaide Crows
IN: Erin Phillips, Marijana Rajic, Rachael Killian
OUT: Angela Foley (Suspension), Talia Radan, Sally Riley (Both Omitted)
B: Marijana Rajic, Sarah Allan, Dayna Cox
HB: Stevie-Lee Thompson, Rachael Killian, Deni Varnhagen
MID: Rhiannon Metcalfe, Chelsea Randall, Ebony Marinoff, Erin Phillips
HF: Abbey Holmes, Jasmyn Hewett, Jenna McCormick
F: Ruth Wallace, Sarah Perkins, Jess Sedunary
INT: Rheanne Lugg, Jess Allan, Georgia Bevan, Justine Mules, Eloise Jones
EMG: Anne Hatchard, Sally Riley
The Crows have made three changes to the side that lost comprehensively to the Melbourne Demons last Saturday. No change more important than the inclusion of Erin Phillips. Last year’s league best and fairest missed the opening two rounds of the AFLW season with a quad injury and as a result, the team has suffered for it, such is her influence on this team. She will play her first game in 2018 along with premiership team mate Rachael Killian, whilst former soccer player Marijana Rajic will make her debut.
The former Adelaide United captain will be reunited with other former soccer players Ruth Wallace and Jenna McCormick, both of whom played with Rajic in the A-League’s women’s division. Rajic has pace and has the versatility to be a strong contributor to this Adelaide line-up. Making way for this trio include vice-captain Angela Foley, who will sit this game out after she was found guilty of kneeing Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce last weekend, whilst Talia Radan and Sally Riley are both omitted from the side.
Last Time They Met – Round 2, 2017
Western Bulldogs 2.11.23
Def By
Adelaide 7.6.48
With both sides registering wins in the opening round of the 2017 season, this game was a crucial game in terms of getting to the Grand Final and both sides showed how badly they wanted it in the first stanza. The Bulldogs peppered their shots on goal, registering five behinds in the opening term. The Dogs would butcher a lot of their shots on goal for the remainder of the night, registering just two goal from 27 inside 50 entries and the Crows made them pay dearly for it, running out 25-point winners.
Ebony Marinoff (18 disposals and six tackles) and Erin Phillips (17 disposals and four tackles) were the Crows’ best contributors in the midfield, whilst Sarah Perkins was a monstrous presence up forward, kicking two majors – the only multiple goal kicker that evening. The Bulldogs’ best players on the night were Emma Kearney (23 disposals and five tackles) and Ellie Blackburn (19 disposals) – both didn’t stop trying, whilst Kirsten McLeod was very threatening in attack, but could only register 1.4 for her efforts.
Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs
Kirsty Lamb
Lamb has been a big improver so far this season, moving from a half-forward role to a nearly full-time midfield role. She has started season 2018 strong and will be one to watch here as the Dogs do go up against one of the most formidable midfields in women’s footy today. Lamb has averaged solid numbers, averaging 16 disposals, four marks and three marks per game in both matches this season. Expect her to continue to play her role for the Bulldogs today as the third midfield option.
Bonnie Toogood
It will be interesting to see whether or not former Netballer Bonnie Toogood can back up her first two performances. The rookie selection was nominated for the Rising Star Award this week alongside team mate Libby Birch after their win over the Brisbane Lions. Since making the switch to Aussie Rules Football, Toogood has acquitted herself to the game quite nicely and has shown that she can play either forward or back as a key option.
Adelaide
Sarah Perkins
A huge game is ahead for the woman collectively known as ‘Tex’ in the AFLW. After kicking 11 goals for the Crows last year, Perkins has had a horrific start to the year, only registering one kick against the Lions, and last week could only manage the three disposals. It’s not entirely her fault however, as the Crows have so far lacked the polish that made them extremely tough to beat last year. It’ll be interesting to see how Perkins responds to the pressure that has been put on her this week.
Ebony Marinoff
In the absence of Erin Phillips, Marinoff has tried her best to fill the void in the midfield so far in 2018. Leading the league in tackles in 2017, last year’s Rising Star winner is averaging good numbers of 18 disposals and eight tackles this year after averaging 16 disposals and nearly 10 tackles per game in 2017. She was also one of the stars of the show the last time these two sides played, so expect another huge performance today from one of the AFL’s brightest stars.
Final Verdict
Having Erin Phillips into this side undoubtedly makes the Crows side a lot better, but will it be enough to get by the unbeaten Bulldogs? Who I think might be a little fatigued from their trip up to Queensland just six days ago. The Crows are still missing All-Australian defender Courtney Cramey – who I feel is critically underrated as a player – and now they are missing Angela Foley, who is a great leader.
I’m going to pick the Bulldogs to win, but it’s not without confidence. The Crows will be fired up and their season is on the line here today, they know a loss to the Dogs will be game over for them in season 2018 and they will want to avoid being in a position where they will have to contend with the wooden spoon. But the Dogs have so much to play for in their own right – they will want to keep themselves undefeated and in the top half of the AFLW table.
They will miss the likes of Izzy Huntington and Daria Bannister going forward, but the Dogs still have the depth to be a serious contender for the premiership in season 2018 and their gameplan showed last week that it can take down very good sides – they did hand Brisbane their first-ever regular season loss after all. I think the Dogs are going to get home in a thriller today.
Western Bulldogs By Two Points