AFLW Round 1 – Adelaide v Western Bulldogs: Gather the Pack and Low Numbers

 

Adelaide Crows versus Western Bulldogs
Saturday, February 2, 8:10 pm
Norwood Oval, Adelaide

 

For me, footy is expanded rather than footy is back, because I have been practising and training footy throughout the year and we had a game in the previous weekend.

 

But it’s good to have AFLW back in action. It means I need more time for my footy involvements. Watching games is good not only to write but also to help me improving my footy skills. And it helps me improving writing as well.

 

On the game day, I had a day off but it was for the Dingoes’ training in Osaka. And then socialising followed at a local pizza izakaya (Japanese pub).

 

We had a small gathering of the pack session at the training. Matt, Ryan, two Anguses and I were on the footy field.

 

I arrived at the park at 2 pm, an hour earlier than the official start time of the club training. Leaning my back and kicking to practise both kicks and marks had just come back on my program after the injury on my left ring finger.

 

Kicking was good even if I had limited drills with the fractured bone. That’s reflected on my status of footy never ends these days.

 

Lads (Ryan, Angus and another Angus) arrived before 3 pm and we started kick to kick outside the fence.

 

Later we got inside the field and some pups were running as their exercises and owners’ were socialising. A friendly French bulldog loves coming to us. The lady owner apologises for interrupting our drills, but I welcome him and pat him.

 

Then Matt has finally turned up and we had a fun drill of handballing and catching footy in a way that cricket fielders catch for wickets. Attacking footy drills where everyone had to touch footy to compete seconds to score goals followed. Young blokes were fast to push us hard. At last as always, we finished the training with goal kicking. Unfortunately I got nervous at the session and need to overcome and kick accurately to be a good small forward.

 

Watching the replay on Monday morning, Peta Searle was on a commentary team and made a comment that it was an exciting time for St Kilda. She can’t wait coaching the AFLW club.

 

Unlike to our recent match against the R246 Lions, the professional women’s game was an intense one. Girls gathered the pack at footy.

 

The home team dominated firstly. They delivered footy in the wing, but the first opportunity to score a goal was given to our co-captain and my footy mate Harry Simington’s training mate, Katie Brennan.

 

Good distance and good angle for the hardworking female pup, but missed and only a behind was her reward. She might have felt under the pressure like how I do at goal kicking drill with the Dingoes? Or hot condition (31 to 34 degrees) hardened her performances?

 

I was impressed with Hanna Scott for taking two incept marks in the Doggies defence zone. Spark is another player to be admired. Her mark and making turn over were reflected on running pups on field.

 

Later Spark has taken another incept mark after the opposition skipper’s marking. But Phillips found open space well with her basketball experiences.

 

Finally Crows flew high. Chloe Scheer ran forward and took a brilliant mark. Her position was good for an easy goal and the job was done easily. It was the first goal of the game.

 

The tough contests continued in the second quarter, until Katie’s co-captain Ellie Blackburn kicked to the right direction and the Queenslander took a mark.

 

Brennan’s leading for the ball and running to take a mark was like the French Bulldog chasing my footy at the park. Easy shot was done and the margin was narrowed to three.

 

After McLeod’s behind, KB was running towards the flying ball kicked by a Crow defender. She took a mark and didn’t miss a great opportunity. Her action put the Bulldogs in front by two points.

 

Only behinds were scored at the last half of quarters. I found the play patterns at the third quarter. Kick, tackled, fumbled, collected and tackled.

 

The above sentence was written in my notebook for this article to describe how girls played footy, mostly in general. But it can be only at the game as high scores were marked at other AFLW games at the same weekend.

 

Gather the pack
Around footy in this professional game
Showed passions at my footy training

 

Low numbers
On scoreboard at the AFLW game
Of players we had at the Naniwanomiyaato Park

 

But we had a good Saturday sunny afternoon on the footy field and then good food and drinks afterwards. And the Bulldogs won.

 

One thing I admit is that I cannot wait for the mighty Saints to play such inspiring games next year.

 

Meanwhile I have been reading the inspiring AFLW book entitled Roar written by an outstanding journalist, Samantha Lane.

 

KB was what I was reading about around the match and I learn a lot from her story.

 

She’s a hardworking player, like myself. But I need to relax more. She had struggled and overcame. I need to adopt her attitudes.

 

However I need to allow myself to do slightly and not put myself too much pressure on.

 

Thanks to AFLW, I get busy on my own footy, watching games and writing here. Like KB, I would need better time management to minimise stress level…

 

WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.2 2.3 2.4 2.6 (18)
ADELAIDE 1.1 1.7 1.10 1.11 (17)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Brennan 2
Adelaide: Scheer

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Scott, Birch, Spark, Mackie, Brennan
Adelaide: Marinoff, Phillips, Rajcic, Hatchard, Scheer, Varnhagen

OUR VOTES
3. Brennan (WBU); 2. Spark (WBU); 1. Scheer (ADE)

Umpires: Broadbent, Bryce, McGinness

Official crowd: 7830

 

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About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

Comments

  1. Yvette Wroby says

    Thanks for your thoughts Yoshi. It’s good to know that you team practice is back. It’s good for your health and I hope your finger heals soon. It was a good match to watch and this week I am going to Western Oval to watch the Dogs play Geelong Cats. Keep writing and playing.

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