Swans in the VFLW

[aardvark]

2024 REBEL VFLW COMPETITION
Sydney Swans v North Melbourne
Round 4 • Saturday 13 April 2024 • 1:05 PM

It's at Henson Pk if anyone's missing their dose of footy and would like to go along.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

A lovely day on the grass, but what a colossal blow out.

More of the Swans AFLW team coming online, Smith, Hurley, Mitchell, Molloy.
I wonder how the ACL recovery of Bullas and Collier is going. Are still with the club?

CynthiaH wasn't wearing her helmet, so I didn't recognise her until the first of her goals made me check. Maybe she doesn't think she'll need it away from the midfield?

For the second week in a row Sheppard has been making herself extremely busy.

[liz]

I saw Bullas sitting with a group of other non-playing AFLW squad members (Heads, Morphett, Sargent-Wilson, O'Sullivan, maybe a couple of others) a short distance from where I watched the second half. So that suggests she (Bullas) is still at the club.

It was an impressive performance all around, albeit against an opposition largely bereft of AFLW standard players. Some of what they displayed - most notably some impressive set shot conversion - should translate to AFLW level if they get the chances, opposition-independent as it is.

I was impressed by Vale's game patrolling the defensive 50m arc. Sure, there wasn't a huge amount of pressure down there (either physical or psychological) but she still showed calmness, clean hands and sound disposal.

My eye was also caught by the pace of blond-ponytailed number 16 weaving around the wing and half-forward. I had to look her up to learn it was Sarah Dargan. Beruldsen was another not afraid to use her pace to run around opponents.

[aardvark]

Liz 16 was Sarah Grunden. Pick 16 in the last draft.

[liz]

Liz 16 was Sarah Grunden. Pick 16 in the last draft.

Yeah, I knew that. I have no idea where I dredged the name "Dargan" up from my mind. When I wrote that it was with our draftee from last year in mind.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

There was a Sarah Dargan with the Swans in 2022

Apparently North didn't play any of their AFLW listed players against us. I hope Casey do better in that regard.

[liz]

That was another impressive performance by our VFLW team this afternoon. The first quarter was just a goal fest. Casey managed to slow us down for the rest of the game, but there were still passages of impressive ball movement and some great finishing. Molloy's goal was outstanding.

Once the game was under control you could see them trying some different things, as Gowans has foreshadowed they are trying to do. In the final quarter, kicking into the wind, they chose not to kick at all for periods, instead trying to move the ball the length of the ground via handball. It didn't always work, but it was fun to watch them try.

Gardiner just continued to do what Gardiner does. Ham continued to demonstrate she is emerging as a top quality player. Beruldsen continued to show her wheels and much improved game sense. She could be a handful up forward.

Once we get to the AFLW season, you'd have to think that Privitelli, McEvoy, Morphett and Tarrant are automatic inclusions into the side. Maybe Lochland too, though I think she might have to fight for her spot. And then we have the likes of O'Sullivan and Steane also yet to be seen in this VFLW campaign but who will also fight to win a spot in the AFLW side.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Hey-la-day-la Ally Morphet's back.

No Gardiner, No Tarrant, No Privi, No McEvoy - No worries.

Kennedy excellent - how on earth was she overlooked. Ham also briliiant. Bella Smith looking our best tall forward option (sorry Lexi) - I think Giselle is the better option for 2nd ruck/miscellaneous-KPP-role and will relegate Lexi H. Heads seemed out of sorts, dropping several marks, but had her hands full with the size of Luke. Grunden didn't get a lot of posessions but those she got were class. Szigeti was good, not a 30-40 posession game as you'd get from Laura Gardiner but good.

So now they've obliterated the previously undefeated Hawks - gotta ask, how good are our women's team?
Undefeated, a percentage of 456%. The opposition had a sprinkling of AFLW listed players this week, but we had a full AFLW level team.

Last game next week is outside the SCG against Collingwood.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

So now they've obliterated the previously undefeated Hawks - gotta ask, how good are our women's team?

Hopefully Scott got what he wanted from these VFLW guest appeareances.

Collingwood were definitely switched on.
For the first (and only) time we took on an ALFW quality opposition - and not only didn't we slaughter our opponent we actually lost.
Eliza Vale topping the posession count followed by Steane. Surprising no--one they aren't Gardner/Molloy.

Juneja looked very good - presumably we'll simply get her as a concession selection when the time comes.

[liz]

Hopefully Scott got what he wanted from these VFLW guest appeareances.

Collingwood were definitely switched on.
For the first (and only) time we took on an ALFW quality opposition - and not only didn't we slaughter our opponent we actually lost.
Eliza Vale topping the posession count followed by Steane. Surprising no--one they aren't Gardner/Molloy.

Juneja looked very good - presumably we'll simply get her as a concession selection when the time comes.

I watched the first half from the Lakeside boundary before it started raining at half-time and I decided to head in to the SCG to keep dry. I probably only missed half of the third quarter that I might otherwise have watched before heading to the SCG anyway. I haven't gone back to watch the second half via replay but I might get around to it somehow. Given the final score was so close, I presume the Swans improved slightly in the second half because the Pies seemed on top during the first half that I saw.

The biggest difference to the other games was the pressure that Collingwood applied. The Swans had none of the space and time that they'd been gifted in other games. And while it wasn't raining during the first half, the ground was damp from the week's worth of rain, and clearly the ball was hard to handle. That brought undone most of the attempts to move the ball cleanly.

Despite the conditions and lack of team fluency, Ham again stood out to me as the classiest Swan out there. Morphett was OK - probably not with as much training under her belt as she'd like to have (and hopefully will have by the time the AFLW season starts). And she was up against Sabrina Frederick who, I imagine, is one of the trickiest rucks to compete against. She may not have the height or athleticism of Morphett but she has so much experience and knows how to use her bulk to make things difficult for any opponent.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Hopefully Scott got what he wanted from these VFLW guest appeareances.

Scott says the VFLW visit was very beneficial in this video Gowans on the new recruits to watch