AFLW Round 8: Sydney Swans v Essendon 3.10pm AEDT Sat 15 Oct 2022 Ikon Park

[joeykanga]

Huge step forward for first year team!

I agree...
You can definitely see the improvement and I think the tinkering with players in different roles found a really good balance today.
Some good things today:
We were able to keep the ball inside fifty for a lot longer albeit to what looked like the scoring end.
There was a variety of really good goals.
Privitelli clever and Hurley ran beautifully into space for a lead up and so Lexie Hamilton.
There were good players all over the park.
I'm not so fixated on results and would have lived for them to win. I think they have an amazing spirit.
The enthusiasm for the first 2 goals where a first gamer in her first kick and a first goaler kicked goals had so much infectious energy.
I think the support is amazing

I noticed Brett Kirk was helping with their training drills this week and to see Harley getting involved from the dugout this game also.

I'll be there for next week's home game against a really impressive opponent in Freo

- - - Updated - - -

Did anyone keep score?

Huh - perplexed

[aardvark]

They started to look like a football team today. So close! Apologies to Paige Shepherd, I didn't rate her but I do now.

[Meg]

Swans women were so close to their first win, losing by four points 7.2 to Essendon 7.6.

I was unable to watch this match live but have since watched the replay. Such an entertaining game. Our Swans women are really starting to click together, particularly evident in second quarter. Pity about their goalless third quarter which in the end cost them the win, but their intensity and competitiveness in the final quarter right to the siren were terrific. There was much to like.

Scott Gowans has won me, such a great choice for our inaugural AFLW coach. I loved his post-game statements about sticking to their plans not changing their set-up to try to win the match. He is building for the future.

I agree with Liz re Sofia Hurley, who was terrific. We did so well with our first two draft picks this year (Ham & Hurley) both of whom seem set to become stars of the comp.

It’s a real morale boost that both named NSW as their preferred state. In AFLW, players are allowed to nominate for the draft in a specific state. All states then draft from their individual pools.

This recognises that the players are semi-professional and combine work and/or study with their training commitments and playing football. For many players being drafted interstate would cause almost irresolvable problems.

Both Ham and Hurley are Victorians, yet named NSW as their preferred state (though Ham is commuting this year while completing her HSC in Melbourne). Ham has said it was a university and lifestyle choice for her, as she already has her sights set on a specific uni course in Sydney.

If the Swans can build a base of excellence of players who have chosen to move to Sydney, this should be a drawcard for other top interstaters in future years. The Swans partnership with UNSW has large potential to support this for the women who want to study.

I reckon we will have a strong competitive team within the next 5 years, and maybe earlier.

[Meg]

Three Swans’ players in the coaches’ votes.

VOTES PLAYER (CLUB)

10 Sophie Alexander (ESS)
6 Sofia Hurley (SYD)
6 Madison Prespakis (ESS)
3 Stephanie Cain (ESS)
3 Bonnie Toogood (ESS)
1 Paige Sheppard (SYD)
1 Lexi Hamilton (SYD)

[bloodspirit]

We have also used other factors to draw players here e.g. offering or finding them employment.

Brooke Lochland cited her desire to be near the beach as one reason she came to Sydney.

Totally agree Ham and Hurley are excellent selections who we are lucky to have recruited. I would say that Cynthia Hamilton, our home-grown talent (from Queanbeyan), is just as good.

[aardvark]

Apparently the AFL have admitted Molly Eastman's shot for goal in the third quarter was a goal not a point. Swans probably should have won the game.

[Meg]

Apparently the AFL have admitted Molly Eastman's shot for goal in the third quarter was a goal not a point. Swans probably should have won the game.

[bloodspirit]

Apparently the AFL have admitted Molly Eastman's shot for goal in the third quarter was a goal not a point. Swans probably should have won the game.

!!!!

That sucks! Should have been our first ever win. Would have been Molly's first ever goal. All the players thought it was a goal at the time.

[mcs]

https://twitter.com/DanielCherny/sta...9WazcNOlA&s=19

Thought it looked clearly a goal watching telecast, but this reverse angle shows it truly was a howler of a call.

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk

[Mel_C]

Apparently the AFL have admitted Molly Eastman's shot for goal in the third quarter was a goal not a point. Swans probably should have won the game.

I just saw behind the goal footage of the kick on the news and it clearly went through the goals without hitting the post. It was the same angle the goal umpire would have been standing, so I don't know how she couldn't see it was a goal. The players were certain it was a goal. I was listening to the game on the radio and they called it a goal and were surprised when it was awarded a point.

Thanks for the apology AFL 😏. It most probably cost us our first win.

[ootf]

The goal umpire involved saw the post wobble (poorly positioned looking along the line, wasn't the first time) and called a behind - unfortunately it was from a defender bumping into it. :-( If you watch the footage, the field umpire initially signals 'goal' then changes on the goal umpire call.
Disappointing for the team given their performance, perhaps last chance for a win this season on Saturday against the Dockers.

As others have mentioned, Triple H (Ham Hurley and Hamilton) looking good - and Paige Sheppard at 160cms doesn't shirk the midfield contests (15 possessions/4 tackles v Bombers).

It will be interesting to see what happens post season. Will the Swans retain a large part of the current squad to build on this year or will there be a major refresh?

[mcs]

The goal umpire involved saw the post wobble (poorly positioned looking along the line, wasn't the first time) and called a behind - unfortunately it was from a defender bumping into it. :-( If you watch the footage, the field umpire initially signals 'goal' then changes on the goal umpire call.
Disappointing for the team given their performance, perhaps last chance for a win this season on Saturday against the Dockers.

As others have mentioned, Triple H (Ham Hurley and Hamilton) looking good - and Paige Sheppard at 160cms doesn't shirk the midfield contests (15 possessions/4 tackles v Bombers).

It will be interesting to see what happens post season. Will the Swans retain a large part of the current squad to build on this year or will there be a major refresh?

Will be interesting to see what we do. I suspect it will be a case of doing all we can to maintain the main key core (The Triple H + a few others), then refresh some parts from there - but without drastic surgery if we can avoid it.

We seemed to take a strategy of trying to give a lot of players on the fringe 'a chance' in the first season. I suspect the intent there is to find a few diamonds in the rough, recognising not all will pay off or be good enough long term - but noting we can go to the draft to continue to build the core going forward, and we can gradually shape the list around that, while still giving some of those other players a couple of seasons to show whether they can make it or not at the top level.