AFLW Round 5: Melbourne v Brisbane Lions: A birth of something special

7.05 Friday 2^nd March 2018

Casey Fields

Yvette Wroby

 

On Sunday night last, I found myself driving from Caulfield to Clayton to nanny-sit my little drafted grand-daughter Sienna as her mother went into labour late into the evening. After a weekend of footy watching, my other watching skills were needed, and little Emelia was born three weeks early somewhere around 4am. First photos came shortly afterwards.

 

Meanwhile big sister Sienna slept well, and when she awoke in the middle of the night and saw the unfamiliar night face of Nanna Yvette, I showed her the photo of her new sister. She located her dummy and went back to sleep. The day we normally spent together was at her house, and it ended when we headed in for our first look at her new baby sister, late in the day.

 

This Nanna didn’t get much sleep, but she got a lot of nachas (joy and happiness) from her extra family. Footy generally took a back burner over the week, and I fell behind in my reading on the site.  I was there in spirit, but one sleepless night took its toll.

 

It was with some relief I plonked myself down on Friday night to watch Melbourne take on the Brisbane Lions. I remembered the shattered and angry face of Daisy Pearce from last week’s loss against a resurgent Collingwood.  I remembered that as I saw her take this game on with ferocity and took her team with her to beat the other hot, top two side.

 

With 22 possessions, 2 goals and 2 points, Daisy was clearly best on ground, and Paxman (24 disposals), O’Dea (22) were close behind.

 

The older brigade.

 

The warrior women of the VFLW.

 

In a fiercely contested game, Daisy led from the opening moments, and snaps from a stoppage two minutes in. The Dees showed intent, attacking again and again. Brisbane have stepped up too, but have no luck getting it past Melbourne defence. Both team are playing for their season, for top spots. There are sprays at goals and points, until Daisy again grabs the ball and scraps another goal. She already has 5 possessions and her biggest score in the AFLW.

 

Melbourne players have turned into tackling machines. If Melbourne can’t goal themselves, they sure as hell aren’t letting Brisbane score and the Lions are zero at quarter time. Kate Lutkins tried everything and had plenty of disposals.

 

Brisbane are attempting to step up and there are a few points when they can get it past the defence of Melbourne. Finally, Sabrina Frederick-Traub gets the ball, spins around and kicks straight, in her first for this season. She is magnificent. Brisbane look steadier though it doesn’t translate into scores, but they do keep Melbourne goal-less in this quarter, which is a temporary win.

 

Nat Exon is playing on Daisy and holding her accountable, but there is poor entrance by both sides and turnovers to boot. Brittany Gibson gets a 50 metre free and Frederick-Traub marks on the goal line and goals. They are back. There is 6 points the difference (from all the behinds kicked by a dominant Melbourne.) Tegan Cunningham steals the ball and goals. There is a clash of heads between Cunningham and Nicole Hildebrande later in the game and both walk or run off the ground.

 

There is a small crowd at Casey, not surprising for a venue which is impossible to get to in peak hour traffic and has no direct public transport route. Me thinks that we need to rethink where games are held, if we want more supporters to get to see their teams play. Timing, placement and venue.  With no seating available, it certainly put me off after such a busy week.

 

As Gibson goals from a pass from Frederick-Traub, and there is only 8 points the difference, I wonder from the comfort of my chair whether Melbourne’s inaccuracy in attack will cost them this game.

 

It is a tough tackling, hard-bodied game. How these athletes get off the ground after each battle, defies this Nanna’s mindset.

 

O’Dea creates an opportunity with a big bump on the opposition and Kate Hore snaps one through, putting Dees 14 in front with 10 minutes to go in the last quarter. There are better passages of play from the Lions which don’t help the scoreboard. Lauren Pearce is having a ripper game on Frederick-Traub. With a few behinds to Brisbane, there are two straight goals in it before Frederick-Traub pegs it back with her third.

 

There is angst from Frederick-Traub when Brisbane don’t get a last second chance to get one more score, as she suspects Daisy put the ball out of bounds deliberately.

 

It seems appropriate that Daisy Pearce has the ball in her hand when the final siren goes. It was messy, scrappy, rough and tumble, and incredibly tense game. But Melbourne have come away with a win, and Brisbane Lions with a lot to think about.

 

The end of the match sees me contemplating what comes ahead other than more intense babysitting.

 

Melbourne play Carlton at Ikon next week (winnable) then take on the Doggies at Whitten Oval – 50/50 in the last two games.

 

Brisbane have Pies and the Giants which is questionable. It depends on which Pies show up and how the Giants go against the Doggies.

 

The Doggies have the Giants and Melbourne. It will be fascinating last two rounds and it got me thinking that a Western Bulldogs v Melbourne Grand Final seems appropriate for Victorians – the two teams who started it all with exhibition matches to play.

 

I bet we’d have some great numbers to watch that rip snorter of a round 7 and Grand Final, especially if it’s played at a decent venue.

 

 

Melbourne                        2.3         2.6         3.10               4.10       (34)

Brisbane Lions                  0.0         1.1         2.2               4.4         (28)

 

Goals: Melbourne: D Pearce 2, Hore, Cunningham.

Brisbane Lions: Frederick-Traub 3, Gibson.

Best:  Melbourne: D Pearce, O’Dea, Paxman, L Pearce.

Brisbane Lions: Frederick-Traub, Bates, Lutkins, Ashmore

Crowd: 2100

Malarkey Votes: 3 D Pearce, 2 Paxman, 1 Frederick-Traub

 

Yvette Wroby an editor and contributor to The Women’s Footy Almanac 2017. Read more about the book HERE