Travelling like Burke and Wills

After god knows how many games since the first men's practice match of the year I've finally hit the wall for anything short of finals footy. Thanks then to guest reporter Craig T for returning to cover for me. Short thoughts from me at the end, and in random italics mid-post, but otherwise over to our correspondent...

I’ve always felt Brisbane have been able to get 'up' for big matches better than most AFLW teams. When they won the flag two years ago, they lost three of ten H&A games to teams that didn't get within a bull's roar of the finals, but were unbeaten in five matches against Melbourne, Adelaide and North. And given the comments from their camp this past week it was obvious this was a game they were extra focused on.

Now, we shoudl have been just as focused of course, but I get the impression that Mick Stinear's philosophy is more about consistency. Either way, I expected them to come out breathing fire and we'd need to be ready for it. So it transpired, the pressure around the ground was intense with neither team able to string together any controlled possessions, but Brissie did seem a little more direct which always helps in a hot contest. 

Despite this, the first half of the first quarter was pretty even, but in the second half they did pepper the goals, and had several chances. In fairness there was probably only one miss you'd reguarly expect to kick, the rest were rushed snaps that were always going to be iffy. But four points down at quarter time wasn't too bad a return, and I hoped we’d weathered the storm and could take control as things settled.

(This was the third time Brisbane has held us scoreless in an opening quarter, and we'd won both the other games so even though not one other person on the planet considered this a factor, and even I knew it was bollocks, it made me strangely optimistic about winning. Would also be good for the historical record if they lost by a kick after the siren again - A)

We had the better of it once the second quarter started, and Harris got clear of her defender to mark directly in front and kick the first goal of the match. On the night she hit many marking contests but wasn't clunking them as well as she usually does. She's been a bit off for a couple of weeks. The rib bruising probably hasn't helped, but I suspect she's not too far off and will hopefully hit form in the finals. Tayla at her clunking best would make a massive difference when it matters.

Another player who I feel has been a bit down on her usual high standards the last couple of weeks is Hanks. Both this week and last she's been slow to get into it, and I hope it's not the loss of Purcell having pushed her to try and do more that's starting to take a toll. Fitzsimon has tailed off a little as well, possibly for the same reason. Liv’s absence does leave a big hole.

Neither team made much headway for some time, but Brisbane went close, only stopped when Gillard produced a great effort to stop a certain goal, running down and putting just enough pressure on Eleanor Hartill to make her miss from 15 metres out. At this stage Brissie were 0.6 to our 1.2 and I started to wonder if we might be in for a bit of luck with the opposition just not taking their chances. 

(This is the third time this year a team has got to 0.6 against us, which is weird - A)

Shortly, after when Kate Hore was held at a ball up 20 metres out and slotted our second from the resultant free those thoughts intensified, but Brisbane soon went from inside defensive 50 to the other end for an out the back, off the ground, well out of the air to be honest, goal to Smith. We got a quick reply, winning the centre clearance and courtesy of a snap out of traffic via Zanker. Then, in the last few seconds Eden got another, taking a free kick for a hold in a marking contest and slotting it through after the siren. 

This ball movement up to it was possibly our best all night, going Hore to Pearce to Hore to Heath to Zanker. It meant a 14 point lead at half time which was very useful given the intensity of the game. We were looking much more dangerous up forward with controlled shots to Brisbane’s rushed attempts. Unfortunately, the game did not continue in that vein. Brisbane got the first of the quarter early on when Shelley Heath put down Charlotte Mullins a little late after her shot missed. It was probably there, but no more so than Paxy being bowled over in similar fashion after a shot later in the quarter. 

Mullins' goal cut the margin to eight points. It was then after Paxy’s non-free that Brisbane took the ball down the field to Dooley out the back to cut the margin to three points. Generally I don’t like to bag the umps and place too much significance on their errors, but with six minutes to go in the quarter we could we have seen a critical moment. It was still three points our way when Hore wasn’t paid a mark 20 metres out plumb in front that even the commentators called out, and was then pinged for holding the ball. 

Pushing the lead back out to nine points could have taken the sting out of the slight momentum Brisbane had. But it was not to be. The efficiency rate had switched around, and towards the end of the quarter it was noted that despite both teams having similar a number of 50m entries Brisbane had kicked four goals to our one point.

Their last two both came courtesy of Conway snaps, and she was also having a big impact around the ground. She’s someone who, when in range will always try to get the shot off – don't fall for her dummies that she's looking for a team mate as an option!

Brisbane now had a nine point lead and things were becoming serious, but as in the second quarter we nailed a goal after the siren. Harris marked just inside 50 with less than ten seconds remaining, and left it till three to go before she laid off the pass to Chaplin who had to outmark said Conway 20 metres out on a light angle just before the siren sounded. For a defender who had never kicked a goal she slotted it like a pro and we were back within touching distance.

The last quarter was back to being a high pressure grind with only the one goal scored. Sadly, it was Brisbane’s, via a wild snap from Ruby Svarc with nine minutes to go. We weren’t without our chances. Zanker missed two sets shots that were eminently kickable, and Hore the type of snap she specialises in. Zanker also had a chance with a snap she didn’t quite connect with, and for much of the last few minutes were were doing all the attacking but just couldn’t nail the goal to get within a kick. (The spirit of the 2022/2023 men's team is strong, probably right down to their finals record - A)

Speaking of Zanker, her contract expires at the end of this season and rumour is she's had a new one sitting in front of her for some time but hasn't signed. Word is she is has a connection out west and is being chased hard by and both the Dockers and Eagles. I wonder if Daisy might be the trump card for West Coast. If she goes it will be a huge loss, one of the best key forwards in the comp at 26 years of age. I have no idea what compensation, if any, we would receive, as when it comes to AFLW trades the AFL seems, to quote Monty Python, "make it up as they go along".

So, in the end a nine point loss. While disappointed, I’m not as down on the result as I might usually be. For all of Brisbane’s endeavour, and from what was said this past week they really got up for the match and we weren’t that far from winning it on their turf. If Kate gets paid that mark, if Eden kicks either of her last quarter misses we could easily have still won. I think they gave it their best shot and still only just got past us. If we meet them again in two weeks at Princess Park, hopefully with Goldie and Georgia Gall back, maybe even Grace Beasley if she’s ready, I will give us a real chance of reversing the result.

Hopefully, the next close one will go our way. And as many as you like after that. If they come in the finals, all the better.

2025 Daisy Pearce Medal votes
5 – Kate Hore
4 – Shelley Heath
3 – Tahlia Gillard
2 – Eden Zanker
1 – Maeve Chaplin

Apologies to Hanks, Pearce, Harris, McNamara and Fitzsimon

Leaderboard
Adam here - and bloody Nora it's getting spicy at the top. Also, based on historical voting patterns for defenders Chaplin's not going to lose the defender award from here so she can put that next to going from fill-in player to flag winner in her most treasured footy memories.

32 - Tyla Hanks, Kate Hore
22 - Maeve Chaplin (WINNER: Defender of the Year)
--- Can still win with three finals ---
16 - Tayla Harris
13 - Eden Zanker
--- Can still win with four finals ---
12 - Eliza McNamara
8 - Megan Fitzsimon
7 - Shelley Heath
--- Can't win ---
6 - Olivia Purcell 
5 - Paxy Paxman
4 - Tahlia Gillard, Lauren Pearce (LEADER: Ruck of the Year)
3 - Sinead Goldrick
1 - Saraid Taylor (LEADER: Rising Star Award), Ryleigh Wotherspoon

Goal of the Week
No real outstanding ones this week. Give it to Chaplin for a nerveless first ever goal after the siren. But I doubt it will remotely challenge the clubhouse leader. (Correct, it did not - Editor)

Next week
Down the highway. We should win, and if we do it probably means a rematch with Brisbane, but this time at Princes Park (Fine time to start playing games at decent - weather permitting - neutral venues - A) not up there. As I said, I'd be reasonably confident we can turn the tables. First things first, we need to beat Geelong. I may head down for my first Kardinia Park match, that I can definitely recall, since Kelvin Templeton kicked eight for us on Easter Monday 1983 and we won from from six goals down at quarter time. And while I am not superstitious, I've been to eight of our women’s matches this year and haven't seen us lose. The three I've watched on the idiot box have been defeats, so just in case I'm the good luck charm I'd better go. 

It's me again (incorporating Final Thoughts)
Thanks again to Craig, and stay tuned for another surprise guest reporter next week. My thoughts on this game are that we got the close, competitive loss against a good team that proves we can beat anyone (well, maybe not those on a record winning streak) on our day. It's just a matter of lining up the right day and a game. Wasn't this one, even with the Lions doing their best to miss everything in the first quarter.

I was watching, but was so distracted that I missed the Chaplin goal while dealing with some generic family crisis. Didn't even find out she'd opened the account until after the game, so it's probably best that I didn't try to pretend to have been fully into it. BUT - have you noticed our last quarters against competent, league-standard opposition have been putrid? Whether we beat Geelong or not, if the fourth quarter is a slog again then I'm going to start printing commemorative MFC Straight Sets Fourpeat merchandise.