Laying it all on the line
It was a match worthy of its billing with top spot and almost a guaranteed place in the inaugural AFL Women’s Grand Final at stake. Players from both sides threw themselves at the footy, and each other, all match. Crows co-captain Chelsea Randall showed no regard for her own safety with her typical all-or-nothing assault at the contest. Brisbane forward Sabrina Frederick-Traub didn’t know what hit her when Randall bulldozed her way to the ball midway through the third term, much to the delight of the local crowd. Erin Phillips had a match-high 15 contested possessions in another fine performance, while tackling machine Ebony Marinoff added another 14 tackles to her season tally. The duo lead the competition in each statistic respectively. There’ll be some sore bodies in the aftermath, with Crows duo Talia Radan and Jenna McCormick and Lion Shannon Campbell among those to leave the field throughout the contest following heavy collisions. Crows women’s coach Bec Goddard said it was “definitely, 100 per cent” the most physical match of Adelaide’s season so far.
Lose, learn and live to fight another day
Saturday night’s defeat could prove to be a timely lesson for the Crows as the race to the AFLW Grand Final continues to ramp up. It felt like a finals-like atmosphere between the two undefeated teams at Norwood Oval. The Crows cracked in to win the contested possession count convincingly 114-91 and dominated inside 50ms 36-18, yet were unable to get the job done. Rushed handballs, stray kicks and poor decision-making hurt the home side in comparison to the slick and efficient Lions, who claimed victory despite winning less possession and having two fewer scoring shots. It’s a harsh lesson for the Crows, but one that coach Goddard is confident her players will learn from.
“A loss isn’t a loss if you learn from it, and I expect that we will very quickly,” Goddard said post-match.
Perkins’ passion
Gun goalkicker Sarah Perkins relished a special moment after slotting her first goal of the game midway through the second term. Adelaide donned black arm bands during Saturday night’s match to show their respects after Perkins’ Aunty passed away on Tuesday. Perkins slotted a beautiful set shot during the second quarter and acknowledged the heavens in an emotionally-charged celebration, before being swarmed by her teammates. Fittingly, the 23-year-old was again among Adelaide’s best, playing an important part in her team’s opening goal, booting two majors herself, and laying five tackles.
“You saw how Perkins reacted when she kicked her goal tonight. That’s the real passion of the group, that team spirit that we want to see. She’s a part of our family,” Crows women’s coach Bec Goddard said of Perkins post-match.
Footy fans parade back to The Parade
It was almost a scene from yesteryear to see Norwood Oval abuzz with activity as fans poured into the iconic venue. The 12,108 attendance figure eclipsed the AFL’s NAB Challenge match between Port Adelaide and West Coast two years ago (9,212) and was the biggest crowd at the venue in almost 27 years. It was also the largest crowd the AFLW Crows have played in front of this season despite several other events in the CBD, including the Clipsal 500 Supercars and the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Those who chose women’s footy were treated to another entertaining bout between two quality teams.
The road to the AFLW Grand Final
The premiership race is officially down to four teams – Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Carlton – with two rounds remaining in the inaugural AFL Women’s season. The Crows can knock the Demons out of top-two calculations when the two teams collide next Saturday afternoon at TIO Stadium in Darwin. The Blues need to defeat Fremantle on Friday night and ideally peg back some percentage, but are still mathematically a chance if they fall and the Crows also have their colours lowered. Brisbane already has one foot in the AFLW Grand Final and is guaranteed a spot if Carlton and Melbourne both lose next week, but the Lions can seal the deal themselves with victory over the Western Bulldogs or the Blues in the final two rounds. One more win may also be enough to earn hosting rights for Grand Final day, depending on other results.
