AFLW R5 Game Day: Bulldogs v North Melbourne @ Punt Rd

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The prerequisite for avoiding the stocks is showing up and engaging. You’re in a safe space!

Agree with your point about connection with the players, the movement has hurt and this season is probably the turning point on that front. The lens on the game definitely shifts when you invest in following the individual development as well as the teams.

Just add to the “bad footy” view. There’s definitely moments of frustration when we see an avenue to goal wasted with a lack of dare, or a simple skill error, but in context, those experiences exist at every level of the game. We’ve got enough of it under our belts to know roughly what the range of game styles look like and can go in and make judgments based on reasonable expectations around this competition, on its own. So we can and should feel free to notice and discuss bad footy in this competition, but it should be based on this competition. That’s the measure of good faith here for me.

We might not get the quick, clinical movement and assured marking of the men. But we do get the excitement of defenders coming up to the contest to meet the ball, speedsters breaking lines, rewards for taking grass and keeping the ball moving to advantage and I suspect everyone’s favourite part: fierce physical contact. Goals are more valuable. Points too. Contested marking is a huge factor in whether you win or not. Every contest has a higher emphasis on an individual win.

Yesterday there was a great example of Bennets, Lynch, Lamb and Wilcox winning the footy out wide and they kept going down the line. Series of three or four contests giving it back and getting it back playing a tactic that is supposed to work (in mens footy). They finally shortened it up, took a risk to run and carry and get the overlap. It was chaotic and a scramble. Next kick was to advantage and Blackburn won a free. Wilcox scores in that chain and we look like stealing the W. Not to be. But an example of how good footy didn’t look like what we expect good footy to look like.

Great post!

[bornadog]

I think the AFLW is getting better every year, but I also find it very frustrating to watch with the number of turnovers by all teams. Simple things like passing to a team mate and the handballing is often woeful. Once the younger generation continue to play footy, the senior teams will also improve.

The men's game has been around for about 140 years, so has had plenty of time to develop. Many of these players didn't start playing till a few years ago, so have no junior grounding.

As for the venue - well I have been their a few times to watch Footscray in the VFL and it is not easy to watch, especially yesterday when I was on the outer wing and most of the play was on the grandstand side.

Next few home games will be in Ballarat and we are finishing up at Prince's park.

[josie]

I’m ok with standard - vast improvement compared to first years and getting better each season. The standard of umpiring on the other hand, especially inconsistent interpretation of HTB or incorrect disposal, is often poor. I also think quarters should be a bit longer, say 5 mins. The loyalty of good players like Blackburn, Lamb and Fitzgerald have also kept me invested. With our team being quite young if we can hold onto our good players I can see us competing well in next 5 years.

Agree that Punt Road oval is a poor fan experience. How could the AFL not foresee a big crowd the day before a GF?