Week two of the AFLW season kicks off tonight with two sides that recorded victories the previous week.
The Western Bulldogs will play their first home game of 2020 against old rivals Melbourne at the Whitten Oval under the Friday night lights, in what could be another amazing installment to a rivalry that has dated back to the exhibition games - which started in 2013 and in turn, started the movement to bring the AFLW to light.
The exhibition games will go down as historic occasions in women’s football itself, but the past few years have seen both Melbourne and the Bulldogs play games that have had me on the edge of my seat. Season 2018 was the game that saw the Bulldogs eke past Melbourne by two points to get into the Grand Final, which they eventually won as we all should know by now.
Last year saw the Demons pip past the Bulldogs by a point. By this stage, the Bulldogs were out of Finals contention, but Melbourne were still in with a chance. This was killed off the following week as Adelaide obliterated them, but still the game in question was an important game for Melbourne to win and keep their chances of playing Finals footy alive.
This year’s contest between the two sides has the pieces set in place for a beauty. Both teams are coming off cracking wins - Melbourne over premiership contenders North Melbourne and the Bulldogs over competition newcomers St. Kilda.
The Demons have gone into this season understrength, losing quality players like Katherine Smith, Shae Sloane and Bianca Jakobsson for the season with either injury or work commitments. They will also be without Lily Mithen and Lauren Pearce - both critical components in the middle for the first half of the season. The Bulldogs look a rejuvenated side, full of a good blend of youth and experience after several players departed via expansion or trade in the past two seasons.
With both teams stuck in a conference where wins against sides in the same conference will be critical - five of the seven teams in conference B won in round one, including the Dees and the Dogs - games like these are going to be so important going forward.
The Teams
Western Bulldogs
IN: Eleanor Brown, Ameila Van Oosterwijck OUT: Izzy Huntington (Concussion), Celine Moody (Ankle)
B: Angelica Gogos, Lauren Spark HB: Katy Herron, Ellyse Gamble, Naomi Ferres C: Bailey Hunt, Kirsty Lamb, Gemma Lagioia HF: Gabby Newton, Bonnie Toogood, Kirsten McLeod F: Elisabeth Georgostathis, Deanna Berry FOL: Kim Rennie, Ellie Blackburn, Aisling McCarthy INT: Eleanor Brown, Dani Marshall, Nicole Callinan, Hannah Scott, Amelia Van Oosterwijck EMG: Nell Morris-Dalton, Hannah Munyard
Two forced changes from the Bulldogs will see Izzy Huntington and Celine Moody ruled out with injury. Moody injured her ankle in the opening minutes last weekend and will be sidelined for about a month, whilst Izzy Huntington will at least miss this game after she was concussed in the last quarter. They will bring in Eleanor Brown for her first game of 2020, whilst the Dogs have named a sixth debutant of the season with small forward Amelia Van Oosterwijck named on the bench. She was taken pick 62 in last year’s AFLW Draft.
Melbourne
IN: Niamh McEvoy OUT: Maddie Guerin (Omitted)
B: Libby Birch, Meg Downie HB: Sarah Lampard, Sinead Goldrick, Daisy Pearce C: Shelly Heath, Tyla Hanks, Chantel Emonson HF: Kate Hore, Eden Zanker, Shelley Scott F: Tegan Cunningham, Aliesha Newman FOL: Harriet Cordner, Karen Paxman, Maddie Gay INT: Gabby Colvin, Casey Sherriff, Niamh McEvoy, Ainslie Kemp, Elise O’Dea EMG: Brenna Tarrant, Maddie Guerin
The Demons have brought in a debutant for tonight’s game, bringing in Irish recruit Niamh McEvoy for the big game. Recruited from Dublin, McEvoy was picked up over the off-season as well as a fellow Irishwoman in Sinead Goldrick, who made her debut last week. McEvoy was unavailable for selection due to illness, but given her success in Gaelic Football over her journey, and given the AFLW’s overall success for bringing in Irish talent thus far, expect her to make some noise straightaway. The inclusion comes at the expense of Maddie Guerin.
The Big Question
Western Bulldogs - Can The Bulldogs Exploit The Absence Of Lauren Pearce?
There’s no denying that Lauren Pearce is a top-three ruck in the competition, if she isn’t the best overall. Last year was a career year for Pearce, which was topped off by being named in the ruck in the AFLW All-Australian and then winning the VFLW best and fairest for Darebin. Kim Rennie did a great job in the ruck against St. Kilda and I’ll back her in again this week to get the job done, especially with Celine Moody now out for the next three to four weeks. I also liked Dani Marshall as the back-up ruck option last week.
What’s that adage: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it?
Melbourne - How Many More Injuries Can This Team Take?
I’m a firm believer in a great team getting the job done, no matter who is out on the park. Adelaide showed last week against Brisbane that, with all their injuries, they shockingly couldn’t get the job done. Melbourne against a nearly full-strength North Melbourne side, just got over the line, but they showed all throughout the match that they could go pound for pound against a premiership favourite. If they lose a critical piece like a Karen Paxman or a Tegan Cunningham or a Meg Downie - it has potential to spell trouble, but sleep on them at your own peril.
Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs - Kirsty Lamb
I’ve been waiting to see Kirsty Lamb go up another gear since the 2018 premiership. Last year didn’t go according to plan, but it was still a solid season nonetheless. However, after her game last week against the Saints, it looks like that time to step up has arrived. She was everywhere in that game last Sunday and was arguably the second-best midfielder in the red, white and blue - behind Ellie Blackburn of course. But for mine, it wasn’t by much. These two and the other midfielders will have their hands full this weekend against an elite on-ball brigade. I’m tipping Lamb to have another big one.
Melbourne - Libby Birch
I will admit, it is a tad heartbreaking to see an ex-Dog leave the club, especially one as talented and as hard-working as Libby Birch. Even more so if she is playing great footy at the new club. But make no mistake about it, she will play a key piece in defence and one that the Bulldogs will have to work out if they’re to win two on the trot. Who she matches up on remains to be seen, but the Dogs must be wary of her much-improved ability to read the ball and take intercept marks when required. She was huge in the win against North Melbourne - I expect her to be huge again here.
Final Verdict - Western Bulldogs By Three Points
This is a tip that comes with very little confidence. I thought after last week, the Dogs showed in that first quarter that their best is very capable. The Saints managed to stifle the free-flowing game a fair bit, but they still showed their best in spurts and it did result on the scoreboard before the final few minutes. At home, the Bulldogs I think play better than they do on the road. They were 1-2 last year, but really it should’ve been 2-1, if inaccuracy hadn’t been so cruel to them against Carlton.
In saying that, the Dees will have the players to push them to the very limit. Tegan Cunningham kicked the match-winner the last time these two sides squared off and will be one of a few that loom as players The Dogs must shut down. Daisy Pearce has done some nice things across half-back in the pre-season and last weekend and how she impacts could easily affect the result of this match.