AFLW Round 5 – Fremantle v GWS: Donnellan v Eva (Staunton steals the show)

Round 5, Fremantle vs GWS

5.05pm 3 March

Fremantle Oval

 

Today can shape up to be the day of midfielders.

 

In particular, Fremantle’s Kara Donnellan and GWS’ Alicia Eva.

 

Kara Donnellan, originally from Victoria, played state league football with St Albans Women’s Football Club in 2012.

 

Moving to Perth in 2013 to play with Swan Districts in the West Australian Football League, Donnellan built up her football profile to be named captain of the Swan Districts side.

 

At the beginning of 2017, she was named inaugural captain of the Fremantle AFLW side.

 

Further, she was named in the first AFLW All-Australian side last season and also kicked the most goals for Fremantle.

 

Alicia Eva also grew up in Victoria, playing footy with East Malvern Knights through her teenage years, before being stopped as she was the only girl.

 

She then began coaching the Calder Cannons, before being picked up in the Victorian Women’s Football League by Melbourne University.

 

Prior to 2017, she was chosen in Collingwood’s Women’s team, where she vice-captained them through the first AFLW season.

 

At the end of 2017, Eva was also selected in the All-Australian team and was named Player’s Player.

 

Eva was traded to the GWS Giants for the 2018 season, where she was named vice-captain.

 

Last week, both women dominated, with Donnellan collecting 15 disposals and ten tackles, while Eva gathered 23 disposals and eight tackles.

 

Both players, at their best, are match winners.

 

But today is a new day and with both teams’ seasons on the line, they’ll be looking to their respective leaders Eva and Donnellan to bring home the four points.

 

The first ten minutes are dominated by the Giants, with Phoebe McWilliams kicking their first from directly in front.

 

Eva is unsighted so far.

 

Freo’s Stacey Barr kicks her team’s first to level the scores at six a-piece.

 

Eva’s first touch comes with six minutes to play.

 

Donnellan lays a ferocious tackle minutes after, lifting her team.

 

Cora Staunton kicks a great second effort snap, putting the Giants six points in front.

 

Donnellan kicks the ball into Freo’s forward line where play stays until the siren.

 

The Giants are up by six points at the first break.

 

While Eva has four touches and Donnellan has three, the game is still open for someone to take charge and lead their team to victory.

 

Coincidentally, both players have their right shoulders strapped.

 

The second quarter starts slowly, with the game lacking rhythm.

 

Despite dry conditions, play is clogged and no team seems to be able to break away.

 

Eva and Donnellan are collecting their possessions in the back half.

 

They’re playing similar games, starting in the middle but eventually being pushed backwards.

 

The Giants captain Amanda Farrugia kicks her team’s third goal and puts them 12 points in front.

 

Fremantle are being forced wide, relying on long-bombs rather than pin-point deliveries to their forwards.

 

GWS’ Staunton assists Courtney Gum in kicking the Giants’ fourth to end the first half.

 

Giants 4.1 25 to Freo 1.2 8

 

Eva has seven touches, Donnellan has five.

 

And although the focus was on Eva and Donnellan, GWS’ Cora Staunton was most influential, creating multiple opportunities for the Giants.

 

Donnellan has the first kick of the third quarter and collects a few early touches around the packs.

 

Just when Freo look to lift their intensity, Cassie Davidson gives away an undisciplined 50 metre penalty.

 

GWS’ Rebecca Beeson uses this to her advantage and kicks her teams fifth, giving them a handy 23-point lead.

 

Gabby O’Sullivan kicks one for the Dockers, bringing them up to double figures.

 

Staunton is back, steam rolling a Docker. She seems to be running today’s game along with her Giants teammates.

 

Jacinda Barclay takes a big pack mark off a Staunton bomb and kicks the Giant’s sixth.

 

Fremantle have gone into hibernation, with Donnellan nowhere to be seen.

 

Amy Lavell misses an easy shot and Fremantle fumble late opportunities to keep them in the game.

 

Giants lead by 23 points at three-quarter time.

 

Donnellan starts the final term with the first touch again and works around the footy in Freo’s backline.

 

She’s encouraging, leading and attempting to create something for her team, but time is against them.

 

Steph Cain kicks the Docker’s third, seen through by Donnellan with three minutes on the clock.

 

The game’s intensity dies down and GWS hold on to win comfortably by 18 points.

 

Freo’s best were their two key defenders, Dana Hooker and Ebony Antonio, both picking up 19 disposals.

 

Kara Donnellan gathered 13 touches and ten tackles, but lacked impact.

 

Alicia Eva was quiet, but useful around stoppages, collecting 11 disposals and five tackles.

 

However, today was not about the midfield stars or even the number of disposals that decided the outcome.

 

It was about quality touches and use of the footy from the likes of GWS’ other stars.

 

Cora Staunton was the perfect example.

 

While she only picked up nine disposals, each one created chances for her teammates, which all added up to the end result of a GWS win.

 

And even though Donnellan and Eva did not make a major difference for their teams, it’s great to see the improvement of the lesser known stars from both sides.

 

Fremantle 1.0, 1.2, 2.3, 3.3, (21)

GWS 2.0, 4.1, 6.2, 6.3, (39)

 

GOALS

Fremantle: S. Barr, G. O’Sullivan, S. Cain
GWS: C. Staunton, J Barclay, R Beeson

 

Crowd: 2,571

Umpires: Simmonds, Johansen, McPhee

 

VOTES: Cora Staunton (GWS) 3, Courtney Gum (GWS) 2, Dana Hooker (Fremantle) 1

 

About Anna Pavlou

Anna 'Pav' Pavlou is a current student and a born and bred Melburnian who has a passion for sport and sharing people's stories. She is an intern journalist for AFL VICTORIA and writes for The Roar, the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA Media), the Mongrel Punt and is a Melbourne Cricket Club contributor. She also appears on North West FM 98.9 radio show. Most winter weekends you'll find her down at the Ross Gregory Oval in St Kilda, supporting Power House FC, who play in Division 2 in the VAFA. She works as the Division 2 writer for the VAFA. She completed work experience with 3AW Radio and has been published in The Age as well as with Carlton FC and Geelong Cats. Check out her website below for more sport pieces!

Comments

  1. Kasey Symons says

    Great report Anna, GWS have certainly come into form – Eva surely the trade of the season, dominating for the Giants.

  2. Yvette Wroby says

    Thanks Anna. GWS are in with a chance. It’s exciting to see what happens this weekend.

Leave a Comment

*