AFLW Round 2 – Fremantle v Brisbane: Dockers get Harris’ed by Lions

I sit down to watch the Fremantle ladies in their first home match just after attending a one-year-old’s birthday party.

 

Our two-year-old is dancing around with three balloons she brought home–symbolically purple, white and pink – and insisting I hold on to the string of one of them while with my other hand I’m holding a bottle that’s feeding our bouncing six-month-old boy, multi-tasking at its finest.

 

It’s getting close to bedtime but with the three hour time difference things are just heating up in Freo.

 

This report could be sketchy with so many distractions!

 

But I’m glad to be out of the sun this week after watching the Dogs vs Freo match in person last weekend, helping with the banner and getting heat stroke. See Di Waddingham’s First round report for the details.  The couch might be safer!

 

Will Freo’s fortunes improve tonight?

 

The first quarter play seems fast. A spare player in the defence appears to be the strategy for both sides with it working more effectively for Brisbane… unfortunately. The wind also appears to be a factor.

 

A fifty metre penalty gives Fremantle the ball and Gabby O’Sullivan takes the opportunity to get Fremantle’s first goal. It’s the first ever home goal for the Freo women. The Dockers trail the Lions by one point at the end of the first term. I’m feeling hopeful.

 

Dana Hooker and Gemma Houghton are doing well in ruck and moving the ball out of the centre in the second quarter and Freo are getting a lot of the ball. A high penalty is paid to Lara Filocomo but no score results.

 

Tayla Harris takes a superb mark; she seems to be getting in way a bit too much! Freo’s Tayla Bresland then gets Freo’s second goal, again the result of a 50 metre penalty. The Dockers are in the lead, I’m hoping it is not brief.

 

I spot Fremantle landmarks and familiar sites on the telly which take me back to watching the Freo Men play at the same ground in the Ansett Cup when the club was first formed, coupled with memories of the years when I would walk from my Freo workplace to watch the players train.

 

Somehow when I look up from staring at my baby Freo is a point behind. Stacey Barr has goaled for Freo by pushing though and taking advantage but Brisbane has responded quickly with Sabrina Fredick-Traub goaling.

 

Brianna Green, with her distinctively braided hair, leaves the ground with an injury to what appears to be her arm. Her season is done; it’s a broken collar bone.

 

Half time, Freo down by two points, our toddler heads for the Bath. I’m no longer required to hold a pink balloon and can take a few notes for this report!

 

Freo’s No.32 Kim Mickle, Olympic Javelin throwing is her other athletic pursuit, also limps from the ground. Looks like a knee injury. Early in the third quarter Brisbane getting another major. The ball just seems to see-saw between the 50 metre lines at both ends.

 

A toddler with mini Freo flags is standing in front of the telly.

 

Brisbane break away and despite strong efforts from Kirby Bentley and Houghton out of the mid field, the Lions sneak another couple of points.

 

By the fourth quarter Fremantle need two or three straight kicks for a first home win. I’m losing hope. Eleven minutes in and eight points behind Dockers’ Captain Kara Donnellan has the ball just within goal range.

 

She ops to trick the opposition with a kick to herself and a pass off to a team mate. The deception doesn’t come off, a point results. With two minutes to go Brisbane get another point and the game is sliding out of Freo’s reach. Freo have possession then lose it. When it seems possible the Dockers could get a goal and walk away with the 4 points Tayla Harris just spoils the party. She goals with 46 seconds to go. Wow, she can mark superbly!

 

The Lions get another shot on the siren, it’s just a point. So close suddenly becomes a 13 point loss for Fremantle. Brisbane now has everyone’s attention in this new competition. Who’d have thought!

 

I’d better put the children to bed.

 

Fremantle: 1.1    3.1     3.2     3.5 (23) Brisbane:   1.2    3.3     4.5     5.6 (36)

 

Goals Fremantle:  Gabby O’Sullivan, Tayla Bresland, Stacey Barr

Brisbane:  Tayla Harris 2, Jessica Wuetschner 2, Sabrina Frederick-Traub

 

Best

Fremantle: Barr, Bentley, Filocamo.

Brisbane: Harris, Frederick-Traub, Zielke, Hunt.

 

Crowd: About 10,000

 

My votes: Tayla Harris (Brisbane Lions) 3, Sabrina Frederick-Traub (Brisbane Lions) 2, Stacey Barr 1 (Fremantle)

 

About Liz Roberts

Melbourne based Fremantle Dockers member. On Dockers bandwagon since day one. Former country newspaper reporter.

Comments

  1. Yvette Wroby says

    Well done, feeding and bathing and footy. Parenthood and footy crazies. Excellent stuff.

  2. Thanks Liz, from a fellow worker in Freo (at the hospital). I’m glad we have some girl’s support in Melbourne. I am also devo the boys move to Cockburn this week. No more peering through the fence at them training on my way from the car park! :-(

  3. Liz Roberts says

    Thanks for the encouragement Yvette. I needed this week.

    Lorri, Back in the late ’90s I worked for Fremantle Council so could just pop by the oval. We took my daughter to training in January when visiting the Family in Perth as we knew it was the last time we would be able to before the Cockburn move. Oh the memories!

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