AFLW - Game Day discussion - Season 2021

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Do the girls use a smaller ball. It looks smaller and as a result more difficult to bounce to me. Even during the warm up the players seemed to be having trouble bouncing the ball.

Yep smaller ball. Size 4?

[Raw Toast]

I reckon it's the same one they train with mate.

Yeah, but still harder to handle, especially under pressure I think, plus harder to kick accurately, gets caught by the wind, and Melbourne is often very windy in summer, and doesn't go as far from what I've heard (and a bullshit excuse of making it smaller due to smaller hand-sizes. The men are generally heaps bigger than they were 30 years ago, but they haven't increased the AFLM ball size...). But anyway, that's a discussion for another time.

I am hoping that I can get some sports scientist colleagues of mine who specialise in kicking to do some testing of elite men and women with both ball sizes.

[bornadog]

I really can't tolerate the few changes in rules for the women. Aussie Rules should be one set of rules for all.

The one that really erks me is the throw by the umpire, ie coming in 20 metres from the boundary - why do we have to have this BS. Last touch also stinks.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

I think the players were pretty cooked in the last 10 having played one down nearly all night, which didn’t help with the decision making, but I think the standard of play this year has largely been a step up. The intensity of that game was very high.

Agreed.
A lot of inexperience in that team. The backline withstood some extreme pressure for the last ten minutes. Last year they would have lost this game.
Lamb takes so many hits but just keeps going. Blackburn did what Blackburn does.
Of the young players, Fitzgerald, Georgiostathis and Hartwig made good contributions.
A bit more poise needed. But after 7 straight losses the win will do them good

[Raw Toast]

How good was that???

A truly brilliant game to be at - wonderful atmosphere at the Whitten Oval, and a stirring comeback from a team which was down a vital defender from the first minute of the game.

I'll write more later, and look forward to seeing the replay, but that's the most enjoyable game of footy I've been to for some time.

Our team showed a heap of character, guts, courage, and commitment to the contest. Pressure was unbelievable, and I love that as a foundation for a game-plan, although it's hard to sustain (limited season helps, though I hate the limited season). But just manic intensity. Reminded me of the level that the men played during the 2016 finals series (and the pressure from the women was also elite in the 2018 finals).

Some of the decision-making did leave a lot to be desired, some shocking disposals as well, and the umpiring was diabolical yet again. Just horrendous officiating, and Carlton were clearly going the woman early and especially late. Ugh.

To me it looked like the game was just a bit too fast for us in most of the first half. We were great generally when they had the ball, but over-eager to get rid of it, even before we'd touched it, in the first half. Maybe we had that modern footy disease of being unable to deal with dew, but the amount of times we were unable to handle the ball cleanly was very frustrating. Still, we got significantly better at that as the game went on, and Carlton started getting sloppier as the intensity of our pressure got to them.

But I loved how we consistently took the game on, generally backed each other up, and overall, seemed to be structured up pretty well also. It's in our recent genes for a Dogs team to give up at least one goal over the back, but we pushed our forwards high at key moments, and created our own space over the back which gave us a couple of goals, and should've given us more.

This is a team that so far - two games into a season which is ridiculously short - seems committed to playing attacking football, and I like that. There's obviously some learning to go along with that, and I liked hearing from MJP that we'd improved some aspects from last week. But after the general drudgery of most of the Groves years (apart from when he got out of the way in 2018), this is a marked improvement. I'm not yet sold on Burke, but nevertheless, I'm getting happier at the moment.

And the recruiting team is looking pretty good right now. Fitzpatrick is looking glorious in just her second game, Hartwig is seriously flashing significant talent, Georgostathis was often fantastic (but just touch the *&%*& ball on the ground in dewy conditions), Lynch was heroic late (needs to be better at giving a quick handpass to advantage under pressure), Brown is looking increasingly solid, and Newton is beginning to look like someone who will be able to seriously impose herself on the contest.

And then you have Blackburn who was brilliant - so clean amidst the fumbling from others, able to insert herself at the most important moments, and such a good inside and outside player. Awe-inspiring. It seems so far that we're able to rest her a bit more as well, so hopefully she can maintain this level through the season.

Huntington wasn't quite as dominant as last week, but was still very important. Carlton sent two players to her whenever they could, and I think we did ok with that, as it helped create both space behind Huntington, and the free player was able to do a bit of damage.

Kirsten McLeod might not have been sleeping well if we'd lost it. That first miss was a shocker. But she redeemed herself, and has that lightning in a bottle quality. It was especially impressive that she was able to impact in big moments in the final quarter, after getting banged up in the third.

Finally, for now, while I was very glad for Tayla Harris' shanked kicks, and didn't enjoy her roughhouse tactics, she is incredible to watch in full flight soaring over the pack to mark the ball. Seeing it live is something else - everyone present knows that the ball is hers to grab, even while others are striving to make it a contest.

[Raw Toast]

I really can't tolerate the few changes in rules for the women. Aussie Rules should be one set of rules for all.

The one that really erks me is the throw by the umpire, ie coming in 20 metres from the boundary - why do we have to have this BS. Last touch also stinks.

Agreed re the general rules.

I think the last kick rule creates unnecessary havoc, and leads to some of the complaints that MJP was rightly making. The players become overly worried about kicking towards the boundary, even though that's still a better option than coughing the ball up straight down the ground.

But in essence, the women have fought for over 100 years to be able to play the same game as the men, and then the buggers in charge change the rules on them, with the patronising comment that it will make the game more watchable...

That all said, I don't mind the concept the throw in coming a bit more infield (though less than currently in AFLW), to help ease congestion and the ball ending up over the boundary again. But it simply has to be the same in both the AFLW & AFLM competitions, or what is the point.

[Raw Toast]

Yep smaller ball. Size 4?

Yes. Men play with a size 5. Women played with a size 4.5 (which was still unnecessarily small in my opinion). But then the AFL decreed that women needed to have a size 4 ball in AFLW (and all the other state competitions as well).

This was based on a study at another university that has never been released, which was done very quickly, and I'm not sure that it even involved any testing.

If you think about how much bigger the men now generally are (eg Bontempelli and Cripps playing in the midfield, when they're taller than Polly Farmer was), yet they haven't increased the size of the ball, whereas someone like Caleb Daniel presumably has pretty small hands, but also has the best hands in close of anyone on our AFLM team.

In addition, the feedback I've had from the almost-elite men (VFLM level) that I know who've tried to kick the smaller ball, is that it's harder to kick accurately, more affected by the wind, and doesn't travel as far as the size 5 ball.

All of which hampers the spectacle of the women's game. In addition, if it is true that it's harder to kick as far (and the AFL argues the opposite*), then it complicates the tactics of the game. Because so much of the tactics of the men's game is based on kicks that can break the game open by getting beyond congestion to players in space. (It's not the only way of breaking congestion, the inboard 45 degree kicks can do that as well, but nevertheless, switching play often relies on at least one long kick.)

By now, a lot of us are often wanting that longer kick when watching a game of footy, but while some players like Tayla Harris (and Blackburn at times!) can still give it a roost, the difficulty of doing it regularly also creates a different type of game.


*As I noted earlier, I'm hoping that I can get some colleagues of mine to test both elite women & men with both ball sizes so that we get a clear indication one way or another.

[Twodogs]

I reckon it's the same one they train with mate.

True but the ball being smaller would take a lot of getting used to bouncing it effectively when you've probably grown up bouncing a normal sized one. You'd have to throw it a lot further in from of you to get it to come back to you comfortably. It's a big change.

[Grantysghost]

Decent shot.



Link to tweet

[soupman]

In addition, the feedback I've had from the almost-elite men (VFLM level) that I know who've tried to kick the smaller ball, is that it's harder to kick accurately, more affected by the wind, and doesn't travel as far as the size 5 ball.

When my partner decided to play we bought a size 4 footy to practice with. It feels odd at first (you feel like a god with the extra ball handling skills the upsize in hand affords you) but you quickly get used to it. In my experience its pretty much the same as the proper sized one. I might have a marginally shorter range with it, and i guess it would be affected by wind more, but for the most part it's the same and I think stuff like Blackburns long goal tonight shows that it isn't really a limiting factor.

As for it being patronising and unnecessary, sure.

True but the ball being smaller would take a lot of getting used to bouncing it effectively when you've probably grown up bouncing a normal sized one. You'd have to throw it a lot further in from of you to get it to come back to you comfortably. It's a big change.

Disagree. Maybe if it was their first week with it, but they've done 5 pre-seasons with them now. If a player hasn't figured it out by now I think that's more a reflection of their shortcomings than the ball.

As an aside if you want a truly stuffed footy the balls they make you use in AFL 9's are genuinely atrocious. I guess to make them less intimidating for the casual players they are trying to attract they've made them lighter and almost rounder. Nightmare to kick with any force, really hard to kick clean drop punts with and it tends to bounce out of your hands. And you are truly at the mercy of the wind.

[SonofScray]

Last night was great.

The side played with all the foibles of any Footscray team in recent history, failed to get reward for effort early, let the ball out the back too easy in transition. But, they also did a few things that absolutely embody the spirit of our Club. Those things made the difference and to watch it at Whitten Oval after such a long break without live footy, it was magic.

1. Physicality. Players like Lamb and Ellie really set a standard and as the heat was turned up, we ratcheted up how hard we hunted the ball and the body in a few occasions. There was a contest in the goal square that was like a car crash. Just the most desperate, viscous attack on the contest you could ask for.

2. Doggedness. Just hung in there. Given last season, I thought it’d be tough to get a result on what I saw early on. We had just enough performers to keep our nose in the trough. Bought time to adjust, kept the scoreboard in check and then turned it around.

3. Stretched the game. Thought we opened things up with hard running with the footy, good use of the handball and long kicking to space. Goals from long kicks inside 50 and competing well at ground level were pleasing.


I’ll have to watch the replay to confirm my thoughts, it was difficult to see early in the game.

[Hotdog60]

For my 4000 post I owe an apology to Issy Huntington who I thought missed the sitter in the goal square.

Now I'm looking at you Kirsten.....

[Happy Days]

Missed the game last night so just catching up now. Seems like it was absolutely awesome though. Kirsty McLeod has a level of danger about her game that very few others in the league do.

[Happy Days]

Can we get a team-wide direction to stop taking players on 10m out directly in front of the oppositions goal?

Blackburn continues to be the best kick at the whole club.

[Bulldog4life]

Yes. Men play with a size 5. Women played with a size 4.5 (which was still unnecessarily small in my opinion). But then the AFL decreed that women needed to have a size 4 ball in AFLW (and all the other state competitions as well).

This was based on a study at another university that has never been released, which was done very quickly, and I'm not sure that it even involved any testing.

If you think about how much bigger the men now generally are (eg Bontempelli and Cripps playing in the midfield, when they're taller than Polly Farmer was), yet they haven't increased the size of the ball, whereas someone like Caleb Daniel presumably has pretty small hands, but also has the best hands in close of anyone on our AFLM team.

In addition, the feedback I've had from the almost-elite men (VFLM level) that I know who've tried to kick the smaller ball, is that it's harder to kick accurately, more affected by the wind, and doesn't travel as far as the size 5 ball.

All of which hampers the spectacle of the women's game. In addition, if it is true that it's harder to kick as far (and the AFL argues the opposite*), then it complicates the tactics of the game. Because so much of the tactics of the men's game is based on kicks that can break the game open by getting beyond congestion to players in space. (It's not the only way of breaking congestion, the inboard 45 degree kicks can do that as well, but nevertheless, switching play often relies on at least one long kick.)

By now, a lot of us are often wanting that longer kick when watching a game of footy, but while some players like Tayla Harris (and Blackburn at times!) can still give it a roost, the difficulty of doing it regularly also creates a different type of game.


*As I noted earlier, I'm hoping that I can get some colleagues of mine to test both elite women & men with both ball sizes so that we get a clear indication one way or another.

Sorry to correct you RT but Caleb even though small in statue has big hands for his size.