Richmond captain Katie Brennan looms as a key figure in the Tigers’ semi-final against North Melbourne. Photo: AFL MEDIA
The home teams in this weekend’s AFLW semi-finals will be made to earn the double chance if they’re able to emerge victorious.
Will the Tigers, unbeaten in their previous eight matches before their qualifying final to Brisbane, learn lessons from their debut final that might help them beat North Melbourne at the Swinburne Centre?
And what about the reigning premier Adelaide? After storming to a commanding quarter-time lead over last season’s runner-up Melbourne, the Crows were overrun by the end and their captain’s battered, bruised and bloodied state, like a beaten boxer, kept her from taking a set shot at goal.
Chelsea Randall, that captain, has now been ruled out of this weekend’s action because of the league’s concussion protocol. But whatever the result of these cracking games, it certainly won’t get any easier for the winners, as they’ll be booking road preliminary finals against rested, powerful sides in Brisbane and Melbourne, who’ve played the whole season with an axe to grind after not capturing last season’s flag.
RICHMOND v NORTH MELBOURNE (Swinburne Centre, Saturday, 1.40pm local time)
Put aside the fixturing controversy the AFLW brought upon itself by booking this game within an hour, and 650 metres, of the Matildas’ AAMI Park soccer friendly against Sweden, if this mouth-watering Round 10 rematch is half as exciting as the original, it not only will be entertaining for fans, but physically and emotionally draining for the players.
In that match — as was often the case this season — the Kangaroos rued their inaccuracy in front of goal, kicking 3.9 (27) and having to settle for a draw as they wasted the hard work ball-winners Ash Riddell (21 possessions and one goal), Jenna Bruton (17 and one) and Mia King (20) had put in.
North Melbourne’s Sophie Abbatangelo was a dangerous dynamo up forward in the third term, but her radar was off and she kicked 1.3.
Despite the Tigers’ own inability to capitalise on the Roos’ waywardness and snatch a win, credit must go to them for putting Jasmine Garner — North Melbourne’s newly-crowned Coaches Association MVP — in a vice-like grip, holding her to a season-low 13 disposals, which is 10 below her average.
Mon Conti and Grace Egan each topped the 20-possessions plateau, but North Melbourne restricted Tigers captain Katie Brennan to two behind and her foil Courtney Wakefield to one goal.
The result of this clash, which Richmond insisted be played on its home deck rather than a neutral venue, may come down to simple math — the Tigers conceded the third-fewest points in the comp, and kicked seven more behinds than goals, while North Melbourne booted 13 more points than majors.
The Kangaroos also barely held on against Geelong in their elimination final as a result of not getting enough of the ball, while Richmond only played one good quarter against a raging hot Lions side.
This contest is a true coin flip, but home ground advantage, a big dose of belief and the opportunity to come of age with a win will propel the Tigers to a preliminary final.
GIL TIPS: RICHMOND
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ADELAIDE v COLLINGWOOD (Unley Oval, Saturday, 3.40pm local time)
For all the discussion about North’s wastefulness, Collingwood is actually the most inaccurate team this season, kicking a shocking 43.71.
So, what happened in Round 4 when these two sides met? A wet slog in which Adelaide kicked its worst score of the season (2.9), yet survived an off-target Steph Chiocci snap from the pocket with five seconds left in the match that, if it had gone through the big sticks, would’ve drawn it.
The Crows scraped home by five points, then walloped Greater Western Sydney the next week by a record 96 points.
All season, while Collingwood has played without injured All-Australian midfielders Britt Bonnici and Brianna Davey, newly minted All-Australian Chloe Molloy and Jaimee Lambert have admirably filled that breach.
And another All-Australian, Jordyn Allen, has been reliable in defence, along with Stacey Livingstone and Ruby Schleicher, whose knee injury makes her a test for this clash.
Exciting Collingwood young gun Eliza James was a revelation last week in the Magpies’ tense elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs, kicking a bag of four majors.
Adelaide, though, was haunted and humbled by Melbourne for the second time this season in their qualifying final.
The Demons quelled the Crows’ double threat of Anne Hatchard and Ebony Marinoff, limiting them to a combined total of 33 possessions, far below their average output, and holding dangerous forward Ash Woodland to one goal. And Adelaide will play without its inspirational captain.
The Pies, though, won’t like this stat: this season the Crows have immediately followed each of their losses with wins, a testament to their resilience.
Collingwood won’t like this stat, either: all three of their losses this season came against finalists.
Beyond the numbers, the Crows are far stronger through their spine, can beat opponents in either low-scoring affairs or shootouts, and are determined to reach yet another grand final or die trying.
GIL TIPS: ADELAIDE
