AFLW R8 2023: Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, 1.05pm EST Sat 21 Oct Whitten Oval

[liz]

I can't believe I missed our best result of the season! Does anyone know how long it typically takes for there to be a full replay?

At my place it's available on demand!

[Mark26]

At my place it's available on demand!

That sounds like an open invitation to all RWO members. What should I bring Liz? 😂

[Mel_C]

We received more than we gave away. I can recall two we did give away - one after CHamilton encroached on the mark deep in our forward line. And another after a very heavy tackle on Sheppard that left her on the ground groggy and for which the Dogs won a HTB free. I didn't quite see what the 50m was for but I suspect there was some remonstration against the tackler that held up play.

I can't for sure say we didn't give away a third. I do recall us getting a few but I wasn't keeping count. One was against a Dogs player running through the mark. Another was while Molloy was taking a set shot (and missing), which gave her another opportunity from the goal square. I didn't really see what that infringement was.

We lost the overall free kick count comfortably (15-9) but I don't think that reflects a lack of discipline. The Dogs seemed to get a few soft ones, whereas soft ones to us were let go. It wouldn't be a game against the Dogs if it landed any other way. And they won a handful of blatant HTB frees against us, which is something we still give away too often when players think they have more time or less pressure than they do, and don't take the first option. Ham and LHamilton were guilty parties today, Molloy might have given one such away, and there was the one against Sheppard noted above.

I will keep an eye out when I watch the match. I saw the Sheppard tackle on the news. I'm not surprised if we remonstrated.

No surprise that the Bulldogs won the free kick count!

[stellation]

Those were some confuddling comments from the commentators at the start of the third quarter, wondering whether Laura Gardiner "might" be in AA contention. Huh?

That discussion had Stella Jr and I more than just a tad bemused- particularly when it was asked, then followed up with "she's second in coaches' voting". She's been outstanding this season, and a genuine two way player- top 5 in both disposals and tackles, the only other player doing that is Ebony Marinoff (pretty good company to be keeping, particularly when you're discussing AA).

[liz]

Unsurprisingly Malloy nailed ten votes in this week's AFLCA voting. The next two highest vote-getters - Gardiner and Hurley (seven and five votes respectively) should come as no surprise either. Hurley has been solid all season and you can see her getting more assured each week. I imagine working alongside Gardiner is helping her heaps. The two of them are pretty similar in height and build and the way they play, and you can see them becoming a quietly potent double-act in years to come as they gain more experience.

Coaches' votes, R8: Lion chasing down Roo, six perfect 10s

They tweaked the RS nomination criteria at the start of the season (possibly just for this year) to allow players who have previously been nominated to be nominated again this season so long as they meet the other criteria. That means Hurley is eligible to be nominated again this year. Fingers crossed that Saturday's performance - her best of the year, notwithstanding the quality of the opposition - might see her get the nod in an hour or two.

Sarah Black included her last week in a list of players in with a shot of claiming one of the remaining nominations.

Young guns still with a shot: Best remaining Rising Star hopes

[liz]

Yay! My wish has been granted. Well deserved, Sofia.

Hurley earns second Rising Star Nomination

[liz]

And in more news arising out of Saturday's game, the Bulldog who lay the tackle on Sheppard has been charged with rough conduct and sent straight to the tribunal. The tackle that the commentary team spent the next fifteen minutes telling us was perfectly fair.

Admittedly it wasn't typical of the kind of tackle that has been penalised at the tribunal in that it wasn't a double-action or even really a sling. But if the standard applied is that a player has a duty of care to her opponent, and should not tackle in a manner likely to cause head injury, this one doesn't pass muster. It should matter not that Sheppard was unaware that the tackle was coming and so didn't "brace herself" for contact.

MATCH REVIEW: Western Bulldog Britney Gutknecht sent to Tribunal, Giant and Sun banned

[Mark26]

And in more news arising out of Saturday's game, the Bulldog who lay the tackle on Sheppard has been charged with rough conduct and sent straight to the tribunal. The tackle that the commentary team spent the next fifteen minutes telling us was perfectly fair.

Admittedly it wasn't typical of the kind of tackle that has been penalised at the tribunal in that it wasn't a double-action or even really a sling, if the standard applied is that a player has a duty of care to her opponent, and should not tackle in a manner likely to cause head injury, this one doesn't pass muster. It should matter not that Sheppard was unaware that the tackle was coming and so didn't "brace herself" for contact.

MATCH REVIEW: Western Bulldog Britney Gutknecht sent to Tribunal, Giant and Sun banned

I finally watched the match and it was a disgusting moment imo. I don't mind an aggressive tackle, but Sheppard was blindsided and very vulnerable. Therefore, the tackler needs to show some duty of care, which she did not.

What was even more abhorrent were the biased commentary team who kept raving about it, even after it was clear that Sheppard was being assessed for concussion. What we are beginning to discover about such head knocks is no joke and the long term effects are scary.

I hope the offender gets the full penalty. She needs to miss games. More than that, I hope Sheppard is okay and can bounce back quickly.

[Mel_C]

And in more news arising out of Saturday's game, the Bulldog who lay the tackle on Sheppard has been charged with rough conduct and sent straight to the tribunal. The tackle that the commentary team spent the next fifteen minutes telling us was perfectly fair.

Admittedly it wasn't typical of the kind of tackle that has been penalised at the tribunal in that it wasn't a double-action or even really a sling. But if the standard applied is that a player has a duty of care to her opponent, and should not tackle in a manner likely to cause head injury, this one doesn't pass muster. It should matter not that Sheppard was unaware that the tackle was coming and so didn't "brace herself" for contact.

MATCH REVIEW: Western Bulldog Britney Gutknecht sent to Tribunal, Giant and Sun banned

She got off 😤

[Mark26]

She got off 😤

It's a disgusting outcome. A sniper tackle that results in a concussion and the result is nothing to see here.

[stevoswan]

It's a disgusting outcome. A sniper tackle that results in a concussion and the result is nothing to see here.

Again (this is three times at least...Hickey, Blakey and now Sheppard) it seems that if you tackle a Swan player....there is nothing to see here. It is disgusting.