Round one of the AFLW season has come and gone and with a lot to dissect from the opening round, I thought I’d share with you 11 things that I liked from the weekend. From players, to passages of play to just teams overall, There was plenty to like from round one.
Lucy McEvoy
All eyes were on Carlton and Richmond on Friday night at Ikon Park. One of mine was on Richmond and how they were going to perform against a side that many expect will be playing for a spot in the business end for Finals. The other was on Carlton young gun Lucy McEvoy and how she would play in her first game, albeit in front of over 15,000 spectators. She played predominantly forward but still did plenty of nice things when she did have the footy in hand. I loved her mark going back with the flight with Lauren Tesoriero coming at her at full pace. She ended up with 12 disposals, five marks and four tackles on debut. It’s not Prespakis-level numbers, but it was still very impressive.
And Then There’s Georgia Patrikios
From one talented teenager to another. I had the pleasure of watching both McEvoy and Georgia Patrikios live this weekend and along with Gabby Newton - who I thought was solid without playing a starring role - I’d say Patrikios gets the spoils this week for a stellar performance against the Bulldogs. She had a game-high 18 disposals and watching her use the footy, you’d be forgiven if she had been playing at the top flight for years. She, along with Molly McDonald and Olivia Vesely will be just a few Saints players that will hold down the fort at Moorabbin for the next decade.
The Low-Scoring Game
I’ve read the comments from all the morons on social media about this game, and look maybe the 9-8 scoreline might not entice the casual footy fan. But if you take the scoreboard away and just watched GWS and Gold Coast play in appalling conditions for four quarters, then you’d see two sides that threw everything on the line just to get over the line. Some would say that is your traditional winter-style football, with just the rain teeming down. Also I will add in this section that watching Alyce Parker strut her stuff in that second half was an absolute joy to watch, she will no doubt get the three votes here.
Eden Zanker
It’s been called the AFLW’s version of Lazarus. Buy into that if you must, but I've got to say that Eden Zanker’s performance is the epitome of Melbourne’s 2020 season to date - gutsy as all hell. Next to Adelaide, Melbourne’s list is the most ravaged with injury. Zanker looked down and out early in the game against North Melbourne, clutching her arm after she was tackled. It looked bad, but she managed to not just run out the game, but she kicked what would eventually be the game-winning goal against the early premiership favourites in North Melbourne. This Melbourne team are going to look scary once everyone is fit and firing.
Brisbane Lions
This team just keeps on surprising me. I don’t care too much if it is an injury-stricken Adelaide team that they beat. The list that took them to the first two Grand Finals, had been pillaged and raided by expansion clubs over the past two seasons. In the practice match against GWS they couldn’t buy themselves a goal. However, in this contest against the reigning premiers, they kicked five of the first six goals of the match and never gave the Crows a sniff. Either Craig Starcevich is a genius, or the Lions genuinely thrive on being the underdogs. I’m inclined to believe that there’s a mixture of both in there. Also Kate Lutkins looked back to her 2018 best, and that is a very dangerous proposition.
Anne Hatchard
It was this time last year that we were only scratching the surface of what was going to be a breakout season from Anne Hatchard. Fast forward 12 months to today, and we saw the Adelaide midfielder not only just continue to punch in stunning performances, but she has smashed down the door that leads to the game's elite midfielders. On Saturday, she broke the league record for disposals in a game that was set by teammate Ebony Marinoff last year. Hatchard recorded 34 disposals and was far-and-away Adelaide’s best player in what was overall a very disappointing night for the Crows.
Rocky’s Goal Of The Year
One round down and we’ve already got us a goal of the year contender that will be hard to beat. If you didn’t watch Fremantle vs Geelong, then you missed a beauty. Richelle Cranston gather the footy on the edge of the centre square. With Evie Gooch breathing down her neck, she took one bounce as she went inside 50, handballed a few metres further afield for the footy to bounce back to her and then from about 30 metres out she dobbed it with no issues to give the Cats back the lead in the second quarter. They didn’t get the result they wanted, but that was a huge highlight.
Sabreena Duffy
Whilst we’re talking about this game, on the other side of the ledger, watching Fremantle young gun Sabreena Duffy put Geelong to the sword with such a clinical display up forward. Last year - her debut year - she kicked eight goals in eight games. This year she has already kicked half that in one match. She would kick four of the Dockers’ six goals. She showed last year that she was a star in the making as Freo rised from cellar dwellers to genuine flag contenders. She looks like she’s about to go up another gear in 2020 and at the moment, she's firming for the favourite as the league's leading goalkicker.
The Returning Players
I’m sure that there might be a few more (And I apologise in advance) but I want to highlight four individuals: Ash Riddell, Chloe Molloy, Nina Morrison and Sophie Conway - these four were all out for long periods last season due to injuries and AFLW supporters were robbed of four talented young women. Given already the AFLW’s history with knee injuries occurring and then re-occuring, it’s fantastic to see both Morrison and Conway get through their games unscathed. Molloy kicked the Pies’ first goal of the match in the second quarter and Riddell was one of North’s best in their heartbreaking loss to the Demons.
Bec Goddard on Commentary
I am a huge Bec Goddard fan. I love her insights on the game and she isn’t afraid to speak what’s on her mind. I wished that she was still in a coaching capacity at AFLW level, but it is what it is. I did catch her thoughts on why the AFLW gave reigning premiers Adelaide an away game in Brisbane to start the year, whilst the side that they not just beat, but they absolutely obliterated in Carlton get handed season opener? To quote her from the weekend: “I’d love to see the people of South Australia get rewarded for 53,000 people turning up at the Grand Final, Friday night lights at Adelaide Oval.” I’m not a South Australian, but this is something I can get behind.