Essendon will hope AFLW captain Bonnie Toogood has averted a severe knee damage after a sickening collision with teammate Amber Clarke within the Bombers’ 43-point opening-round loss to Fremantle.
Clarke was concussed however cleared of a neck damage, whereas Toogood may have scans after struggling a “heavy knock” to her knee within the incident that marred Saturday’s 10.4 (64) to three.3 (21) defeat in entrance of 2820 followers at Windy Hill.
Key ahead Toogood was steaming ahead to take a mark inside 50 when she collected teammate Clarke, who had run into her path seemingly utterly unawares, within the second quarter.
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The pair clashed heads, then Clarke’s head bounced on the bottom when she landed.
Clarke was taken from the sector on a stretcher.
Together with her day over, star goalkicker Toogood was visibly distraught on the sidelines. She was cleared of concussion and returned to take a seat on the bench to look at on with ice on her proper knee.
“We’ll get it scanned and see,” coach Natalie Wooden mentioned.
“Clearly she’s fairly upset, principally from being a very essential chief for us and she or he wished to be on the market making her contributions and attempting to assist us put our greatest foot ahead.”
Essendon led by eight factors on the time – after Daria Bannister kicked the opening aim on return from an ACL tear – however had been rattled by the incident.
Electrical Fremantle took full benefit, reeling off 4 unanswered targets to take management.
“These moments, they’re huge. We heard that from the sidelines and that jolts everybody and I believe it did jolt us,” Wooden mentioned.
“To the group’s credit score although we actually fought by means of, proper right down to the tip. Like that final quarter, down by six targets and we had been nonetheless attempting to maneuver the ball how we wished to maneuver it.
“It not solely rattled us somewhat bit but it surely threw out our rotations – you lose two forwards … that half caught us off guard as properly.”
Bannister kicked her second aim to chop Fremantle’s result in 12 at halftime.
Lisa Webb’s Dockers additionally led by 12 at three-quarter time and nabbed 5 unanswered targets within the last time period to ship an excellent thrashing on the street.
“With a minute 30 (seconds) to go, they had been simply ruthless and it’s one thing that we pleasure ourselves on, consistency over 4 quarters,” Webb mentioned.
“We’ve nonetheless obtained so much to enhance on but it surely was a lovely begin.”
Essendon teammates Amber Clarke and Bonnie Toogood collide. (Photograph by Michael Willson/AFL Images by way of Getty Photographs)
Fremantle’s “unimaginable” Irish recruit Aish McCarthy, who crossed from West Coast over the low season, was dominant, racking up 23 disposals and kicking two targets, whereas Aine Tighe completed with 4 majors.
Hayley Miller (17 disposals), who was demoted from skipper to vice-captain in favour of the injured Ange Stannett in pre-season, was busy whereas defensive recruit Ash Brazill was influential.
Essendon midfielder Georgia Nanscawen (25 disposals, 11 clearances) was prolific, together with recruit Maddison Homosexual and on-baller Madison Prespakis (25 touches, seven clearances).
(AAP)
Dees conquer Cats regardless of late ‘time-wasting’ controversy
Melbourne will sweat on the health of key ahead Tayla Harris after she tweaked her left shoulder within the Demons’ Kate Hore-inspired AFLW round-one win over Geelong.
Melbourne trailed by 11 factors halfway by means of the third time period earlier than Hore sparked a run of three consecutive targets to grab a 6.6 (42) to six.4 (40) win at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
Harris, 27, required therapy on her already heavily-strapped left shoulder after innocuous incidents within the first and third quarters.
She left the sector at three-quarter time for what she referred to as “precautionary” causes after coping with the difficulty in pre-season.
“Clearly I’ve had some shoulder points alongside the way in which, and simply one other little incident, it’s spherical one,” Harris advised the Seven Community.
“The ladies are doing an superior job, I really feel prefer it’s a chance to look at the present. Yeah, right now it’s (precautionary).”
The Cats have excessive expectations after reaching the preliminary last final season and showcased their good strain all through the sport.
The good Hore (three targets, 23 disposals, six clearances) stepped up each time the sport swung in Geelong’s favour.
Gun Cats trio Amy McDonald (28 disposals, 9 clearances), Georgie Prespakis (21 touches) and Nina Morrison had been influential, together with versatile tall Jacqueline Parry (two targets).
Geelong obtained off to a flyer, booting the primary two targets of the sport.
However Hore, who’s splitting her time between midfield and assault, ignited the Demons, kicking the subsequent two targets.
As rain began to fall, the Cats restored a six-point halftime lead by way of a beautiful snap on the run from Rachel Kearns.
With Melbourne trailing by 11 within the third time period, Hore took a terrific one-handed mark and kicked her third main, earlier than Sinead Goldrick added one other.
Blaithin Mackin (25 disposals) put the Demons in entrance simply earlier than the ultimate change.
Geelong drew stage earlier than Eden Zanker restored Melbourne’s lead.
There was late drama when Parry was given a free kick after Melbourne veteran Paxy Paxman failed to offer the ball straight again to the umpire, as an alternative passing it to teammate Lauren Pearce.
Parry minimize the deficit to 2 factors, however Melbourne held on to assert some redemption for final season’s heartbreaking semi-final exit at Geelong’s fingers.
“It was such a tricky battle all night time, so many momentum swings,” Hore advised the Seven Community.
“However simply tremendous pleased with our ladies to get it performed and struggle during to the tip.
“However these final 30 seconds they had been actually coming – so good to carry on.”
Melbourne host reigning premiers Brisbane Lions at Casey Fields subsequent Saturday whereas Geelong play grand finalists North Melbourne at Arden Avenue Oval on Sunday.
(AAP)
Marinoff dominates Port in Crows’ Showdown win
Adelaide’s Ebony Marinoff has produced one other dominant show to steer her aspect to a 14-point win towards Port Adelaide of their AFLW season opener.
The good Marinoff collected a game-high 29 disposals within the Crows’ 7.7 (49) to five.5 (35) victory at Alberton Oval on Saturday night time.
Adelaide’s co-captain, famend as among the many competitors’s premier gamers, propelled her aspect contained in the attacking 50m zone eight occasions, gained 5 clearances and laid 10 tackles.
“She’s an unbelievably constant performer,” Adelaide coach Matthew Clarke mentioned of Marinoff.
“Since she has been within the competitors, she hasn’t completed exterior the highest three of our b and f (greatest and fairest award), in order that speaks to what we’re going to get week-in, week-out.”
Adelaide’s Jessica Allan booted two targets and dominated the rucks with 30 hitouts whereas teammates Anne Hatchard (22 disposals, 12 tackles, one aim) and Madison Newman (19 possessions) had been additionally standouts.
The Crows had been by no means headed however Port, winners simply thrice of their preliminary two AFLW seasons, confirmed pluck towards the three-time premiership winners.
“We took some steps ahead after which there’s some issues in our management that we are able to tackle, I believe fairly shortly,” Energy coach Lauren Arnell mentioned.
“The Crows kicked 7.7, we gave them 5.2 from our defensive 50 stoppage (targets), so sloppy.”
Port’s 50-gamer Ashleigh Saint (15 touches, one aim), Abbey Dowrick (14 touches, one aim), Sachi Syme (18 disposals) and Shineah Goody (one aim, 15 possessions) all battled gamely.
However Crows star Marinoff was unable to be managed – the five-time All Australian set the tone for Adelaide with a commanding first quarter.
Marinoff gathered eight disposals that includes three inside 50s to assist her aspect create a 12-point benefit at quarter time, 3.1 to 1.1.
The Energy closed the hole within the second time period with majors to Shineah Goody and Gemma Houghton, punctuated by a aim from Adelaide’s Allan from a ruck infringement.
The Crows held an eight-point buffer at halftime, 4.4 to three.2, and stretched their result in 15 factors early within the third quarter when Chelsea Biddell marked and goaled.
However the Energy struck towards the tide when Dowrick sprinted into an an open aim from a uncommon attacking foray.
The Crows, regardless of having 20 extra inside 50s than Port at three-quarter time, led by solely 10 factors, 5.7 to 4.3.
Ruck Allan’s second aim gave the Crows a 16-point break simply two minutes into the ultimate time period and settled the end result earlier than a crowd of 5194 spectators.
(AAP)
Debutant’s record-breaking quick begin powers Giants to Bulldogs belting
The Western Bulldogs’ AFLW rebuild has hit its first pace bump in an emphatic 63-point defeat to Higher Western Sydney.
Tam Hyett’s tenure as Bulldogs coach began with a loss after the Giants slammed by means of 9 unanswered targets to triumph 10.12 (72) to 1.3 (9) in windy situations at Manuka Oval on Saturday.
Hyett, an assistant coach in Melbourne’s 2022 girls’s premiership season, was handed the job of revamping the Bulldogs after final season’s wood spoon.
The membership gained just one sport and it value Nathan Burke his job after 5 seasons.
“We all know that there’s going to be hiccups alongside the way in which. That is one in all them,” Hyett mentioned.
“We’ll be doing every thing in our management to be higher.
“Spherical one, not preferrred to have a hiccup like this however … there’s loads of learnings out of right now and I do know we’ll be higher for the run.”
In the meantime, Cam Bernasconi’s Giants will cherish their biggest-ever victory after recording solely two wins to complete sixteenth final 12 months.
Alyce Parker was excellent within the GWS engine room and completed with one aim, 29 disposals and 7 clearances to mark her fiftieth sport.
Nicola Barr (29 touches), Zarlie Goldsworthy (4 targets) and Eilish O’Dowd (two targets) additionally performed starring roles.
“What we wish to see this 12 months is simply progress,” Bernasconi mentioned.
“We spoke about our capacity to play a system so it’s not a fluke if you play properly.
“Now, the problem for us is to verify we are able to do this subsequent week towards Richmond.”
For the guests, former captain Ellie Blackburn (25 disposals, 9 clearances) impressed whereas Alice Edmonds took 37 hitouts to the Giants’ complete of 9.
The brand new-look Bulldogs aspect featured 4 AFLW debutants in 2023, No.1 choose Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, Brooke Barwick, Elaine Grigg and Cleo Buttifant and 4 membership debutants in Lauren Ahrens (Gold Coast), Analea McKee (Brisbane), Ellie Gavalas (North Melbourne), Jasmyn Smith (Gold Coast).
O’Dowd produced a goal-of-the-year contender on debut inside 15 seconds from the opening siren.
The Irish recruit gained the faucet towards Edmonds and bolted straight by means of the hall to open the scoring from inside 30 together with her first disposal and set a brand new league report for the quickest aim scored.
The Bulldogs recorded only one level earlier than the primary break, with the hosts main by eight factors.
McKee hit the scoreboard within the second time period for the one Bulldogs aim of the sport, however Goldsworthy’s aim restored the Giants’ buffer after a 50m penalty was paid towards Grigg for encroaching the mark.
GWS then kicked 5.6 to none to construct a 44-point lead at third-quarter time.
The Bulldogs notched yet another level within the last time period to complete with their equal lowest-ever AFLW rating.
