AFLW Round 1 – Things that I learned and predictions/tips for Round 2

There are stories after the first round of games of the AFLW season 2019.

 

Collingwood have lost their opening rounds 3 years in a row.

 

Geelong players who had been together in the VWFL played well together in the AFLW.

 

The Western Bulldogs travelled to SA and beat Adelaide for the first time ever.  They were the more accurate team and had a never say die attitude. Next week at their first home game, they will unveil their flag.

 

Brianna Davey is back for Carlton but cannot play forward, centre and defence.  If you listened to the commentary, Bri was needed everywhere against a dominant North Melbourne-Tasmania. Their forward set up is too star-heavy and their midfield just couldn’t feed them the ball.

 

North Melbourne-Tasmania proved to be a revelation and their raiding of great players from other clubs paid off.  They also have a connection to Melbourne Uni VFLW and all of these women played like a team possessed.  Emma Kearney, former Western Bulldogs Premiership team member, and the winner of the 2018 AFL Women’s Best and Fairest was a great captain on her team’s first outing. They also had newcomer Ashleigh Riddell from Melbourne University [and Fitzroy! – Ed.], Alison Drennan (Best and Fairest joint winner from Southern Saints); Kaitlyn Ashmore, Britanny Gibson & Jamie Stanton all from Brisbane; Moana Hope from St Kilda Sharks/Melbourne Uni, Jasmine Garner from the Sharks, Jessica Duffin and Emma King  all from Collingwood, Danielle Hardiman from Carlton and Jenna Bruton from the Western Bulldogs/Sharks. There was a mix of experience and some fresh Tassie faces. North have a super talented list and showed pure class and dominance.

 

Carlton, on the other hand, are missing a midfield.  They were all newbies; they will have to reset.  They seemed to have no game plan once North got loose.

 

Bec Goddard was great in the commentary team at the Brisbane Lions and GWS game on Sunday.  I miss her humour and her straight forward talking and it’s great that Fox have roped her in to their commentary team.

 

The Melbourne v Fremantle game was a highlight for me.  You would see one team dominate and then the other; both just kept pushing till the end in ridiculous heat conditions.  The skills, goal kicking, passing and play were the best for the weekend.  Freo are coming. Melbourne will be disappointed. Melbourne needed Daisy to play as well as help coach and commentate and prepare for the arrival of twins. For Fremantle, it was their first away win.

 

The Brisbane Lions v GWS game was close throughout, and GWS have improved.  The Lions know how to win when it comes down the line. Just not in Grand Finals yet.

 

The Conference system is interesting and will be tested this year.  North Melbourne-Tasmania sit on top of Conference A with a huge percentage boost.  With games tending to be tight (see every other game this weekend), they may still be up top come the final game in Conference A. Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle will have to fight hard to be that other team in the Preliminary final and North have to keep it up. The top three teams are North Melbourne-Tasmania, Fremantle and Western Bulldogs.

 

Conference B is interesting, with Brisbane Lions, GWS and Geelong Cats looking good early.  Collingwood have improved and Carlton look unlikely to contend. Brisbane Lions and Geelong are the top of Conference B. Carlton have the worst percentage thanks to their thrashing by North Melbourne-Tasmania.

 

One game was a runaway, every other of the 4 games were decided by 1-4 points.

 

There is not one Victorian game in Round 3.

 

Fremantle was the only win I didn’t tip in the Footy Almanac tipping competition.

 

I am already hanging out for next week!

 

 

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Predictions and Tipping:

 

I got all but Fremantle in the first round of Almanac tipping. I don’t think many saw that coming.

 

GWS Giants v North Melbourne-Tasmania will be a ripper Friday night game. Can the improved Giants stop the run of North?  I have tipped North, but only just.

 

Collingwood Magpies v Melbourne Demons: I thought Collingwood were unlucky against Geelong, with three injuries that derailed an otherwise good regrouping for this reshaped team.  I have tipped them against Melbourne. Can the Dees get there without their superstar captain Daisy and Mel Hickey?

 

Western Bulldogs v Geelong Cats: I tip the Western Bulldogs (I am a member after all) and I think they played with great heart in Adelaide to come away with their first win against the Crows. That said, the Cats will give it their all. The Western Bulldogs will play at home and with confidence after last week and their premiership will give them confidence.

 

Carlton Blues v Adelaide Crows: I think the Crows may crush Carlton unless Carlton have put more experience in the midfield to feed the ball properly to their amazing forward line.  I have tipped Adelaide but I’d like to see Carlton win.

 

Fremantle Dockers v Brisbane Lions: I have picked Freo due to home advantage and their pure guts from last week.  The Lions will be as strong as ever, but I sense there’s a change at Fremantle that might see them burst out again like they did against Melbourne.  Again, I wouldn’t be surprised if Brisbane beat them either.

 

The Almanac wing at Whitten Oval will be just to the right of the coaches boxes, on the grand stand wing.  Hope you all come and say hi.