Western Bulldogs 3.4 4.6 6.7 7.7.49 Collingwood 1.0 3.0 4.2 6.5.41
Goals Western Bulldogs: Lochland 2, Toogood, Utri, O'Connor, Blackburn, Callinan
Collingwood: Edwards 2, Hutchins, Barden, Molloy, Bernardi
Alex Docherty's Best
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Conti, Kearney, Birch, Lamb, Bruton, Lochland Collingwood: Edwards, Garner, Duffin, D'Arcy, Molloy, King, Chiocci
Think back to where the Western Bulldogs' women's team were at this stage of the AFLW season last year. They had just lost their fourth game in a row and were staring at the prospect of a wooden spoon. In retrospect, not much had gone right at the Kennel in their first AFLW season, despite the fact they did in fact avoid finishing season 2017 in last place. Just.
Forward to today, where the Bulldogs have reversed their win-loss record from 1-4 to 4-1 and are sitting very pretty on top of the AFLW ladder after round five. Defeating Collingwood by eight points at Ted Summerton Reserve on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Moe. The win puts the Dogs a game clear on top of the ladder, following Brisbane's loss to Melbourne on Friday night.
The win also puts the Bulldogs in a very comfortable position to contest in this year's AFLW Grand Final. They led from start to finish, but Collingwood made them earn the four points every step of the way. In a match that had many hits, tackles and more 50-metre penalties than we're accustomed to watching in the women's league. Fans witnessed two reports in the first-half and an incident that may get looked at by Michael Christian during the week.
Collingwood captain Steph Chiocci got reported for rough conduct in the first quarter when she collected defender Libby Birch in the head, whilst she was attempting to pick up the ball. Whilst it looked very clumsy of Chiocci, the hit left Birch with a cut to the head, but was bandaged up and played out the game. Team mate Brittany Bonnici could also get looked at as she swung Emma Kearney into the Fox Footy Boundary Team, sparking a small scuffle between the two sides.
Birch will also come under scrutiny of the Match Review Panel, as she struck Moana Hope in the head in an attempt to spoil the ball in the second term. Hope got up and also played out the game, which could see Birch hopefully just slapped with a warning and available to play in next week's massive game. She came in a split second too late and collected her high – probably shouldn't have been on report. There was no malicious intent in Chiocci's hit either – just was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there was no mistake there was plenty of feeling in this contest.
The Dogs, as they did last week in their historic win over Carlton, started the game strong, kicking three of the first four goals of the game, setting up a 16-point buffer at quarter time. Bonnie Toogood opened up the scoring for the second week in a row – this time it was a dribbler from close range. The pressure displayed from the Daughters of the West resulted in only one Collingwood inside 50 for the entire quarter. That resulting in their only goal for the term, through Meg Hutchins.
That buffer was cut down by half-time as the Pies kept themselves in with a massive chance, unable to let the Bulldogs play the game on their terms, as they have so often done over the past month. Despite a ridiculous inside 50 count that read 22-4 in favour of the Bulldogs at the main break, a combination of the Dogs' inaccuracy at goal and the Pies' superb defensive work, lead to maybe one or two frustrated players in the red, white and blue. Emma Kearney certainly didn't shy away from being aggressive, pushing Bonnici on her backside after her tackle on the boundary line. The Dogs looked a little frustrated at times throughout the opening half.
Anytime it felt the Pies were going to press and snatch the lead from the Bulldogs, they usually had an answer for it. The margin extended to 17 points by the final change. With Bulldog goals coming either side of a free kick to Caitlyn Edwards, who made the Dogs pay for a clumsy error with a fourth Magpie goal. Bonnie Toogood forced a Collingwood turnover and assisted in getting Ellie Blackburn her first goal of the afternoon.
It was the fourth quarter however that would leave Collingwood supporters shattered. For the most part, they had dominated the Dogs and controlled the quarter, but however had sprayed numerous opportunities. This would eventually cost them the win as Nicole Callinan's goal midway through the fourth quarter put the Dogs ahead by 21 points seven minutes into the final term. But for the Pies, their season was on the line at this stage.
It was finally good to see Chloe Molloy go forward, which is where she should've been playing all throughout the season. And it payed off almost instantly, as she marked and goaled to give the Pies a sniff. She could've added another as she wheeled around close to the goals, but her snap connected horribly and trickled through for a point. Christina Bernardi made no mistake when she ran into goal from long range, slamming home another goal with less than two minutes to play and only eight points down.
Unfortunately for Collingwood fans, this was where all momentum was killed. What should've been a clearing kick in the middle and a mark inside 50 to Bernardi, to make it a two-point game, some ill-discipline from the Pies made it a Bulldogs free kick in the final 90 seconds of the contest. The Dogs would hold on to record a victory, that may not be as memorable as last week's, but this win is still very memorable in the context of squaring off in their maiden AFLW Grand Final.
Leading The Way
Emma Kearney had to face the hard tag of Brittany Bonnici – who did keep Daisy Pearce to nine disposals the weekend before – and whilst she still played a decent game (13 disposals and four inside 50s) this move from the Pies enabled a few other Bulldogs in the engine room to stand up and deliver. Nobody delivered more than the stand-in captain Ellie Blackburn, who was perhaps the most influential player on the ground on this day. She recorded 17 disposals and kicked a vital goal in the third term.
Fans at the game and watching at home were treated to a battle of two of the in-form frontrunners to this year's Rising Star award, as Chloe Molloy and Monique Conti – two young basketball prospects that turned down huge offers to play college basketball in the United States – went toe-to-toe. From this writer's aspect, you couldn't separate them after four quarters of footy, both of them played outstanding footy for players so young. Conti had 12 disposals and three marks, Molloy had nine disposals, two marks and two inside 50s.
Kirsty Lamb was the proverbial tough at the coal-face midfielder, recording nine disposals and seven tackles for the winners, as was Jenna Bruton, who had eight disposals, five tackles and three marks. Brooke Lochland continued her fine year up forward, being the only multiple goal-kicker for the Bulldogs with two majors from seven disposals and three marks and Libby Birch continues her outstanding year in defence, keeping another huge name in the AFLW goal-less. this time it was Moana Hope, who kicked four goals in the past fortnight, but struggled on this occasion.
The Opposition
The loss to the Bulldogs has effectively ended Collingwood's season. But all the same, there was a lot of fight and a lot to like about this side heading forward. In the past two weeks, they have beaten a side that was tipped to go far in the pre-season and they served it right up to the ladder-leaders to the very end. A fortnight ago, coach Wayne Siekman was facing criticism about the way he coached the Pies after starting the year with three losses in the opening three rounds, but he has turned it around.
Jasmine Garner played more defence than forward on Sunday, and had a very impressive stat-line. One that showed her record 13 disposals, seven marks, four rebound 50s and three inside 50s. She had very good support in the form of Jess Duffin, who had 11 disposals, seven marks and three rebound 50s in another strong game in defence. However, it was 21-year old Caitlyn Edwards that was the most impressive. She kicked a pair of goals for the Pies, as well as recording 11 disposals and six tackles for the match.
Emma King was very dominant in the ruck, recording a game-high 29 hitouts along with eight disposals for the game. However, the Dogs' midfielders were able to read where the hitouts were going to go. Christina Bernardi (Nine disposals, four tackles and a goal), Sarah D'Arcy (13 disposals, four marks and four tackles) and Collingwood captain Steph Chiocci (12 disposals and two marks) also played very well for a Magpies team that were gallant in defeat.
Next Week
A chance for the Western Bulldogs to cement their place in the 2018 AFLW Grand Final is up for grabs next week as they take on the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Manuka Oval next Saturday night in a game that will seriously test the Dogs, who are continuing to win games of footy without their captain Katie Brennan.
GWS have been a real surprise packet this season, and with their upset win over Fremantle in Fremantle on the weekend, it's seen the Giants jump to fourth on the AFLW ladder and just half a game behind the second-placed Brisbane Lions. GWS' women's team are actually a very good outfit and have taken many teams by surprise. If they'd held on against Melbourne in round one, then they could've actually been half a game behind the ladder leaders.
Stand-in captain Ellie Blackburn said after their win on Sunday that the ladies aren't focussed on getting to the Grand Final yet, and they are focussing on taking down this up-and-coming Giants side. They have a lot of potential and for a side that is well and truly in the hunt for their first AFLW premiership, they can ill-afford to undermine what GWS are capable of next week.