Signing off on an incredible season
That’s all for me today. It’s hard to think how to sign off on this season; indeed so many of the women involved have spoken about never wanting it to end. Hopefully it doesn’t have to now, hopefully this is the bare minimum that women in AFL can expect from this moment forward. Thanks to everyone who made this happen, not just to those involved in the game now but those who paved the way for this to happen. You blazed this trail!
See you for an even bigger and better 2018.
History made
Don’t know about you, but I’ve got goosebumps!
Simply incredible! #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/2Q0oqzPUfl
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 25, 2017
Crows belt out the song
They’ve invited a bunch of young Auskick girls into the inner circle. Touching moment. Some of the young girls look scared, others stoked.
For the generations of women’s footballers who refused to say “no”, this is for you
Thans Andy Maher.
Susan Alberti, FYI, has the most resplendent orange jacket on for the presentation of the Cup. I love that woman.
Coach Bec Goddard mobbed by her players
These players couldn’t love their coach more.
Goddard quotes John Farnham:
We had the chance to turn the pages over
And we would write all we want to write
You can’t help but love the cheese.
What a feeling
This team! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ @eb_marinoff #AFLWGF #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/TzB0X7WYbk
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) March 25, 2017
Radan collects her medal
Did you know she’s a lifelong Adelaide Crows fan? She can see the romance in the AFLW Crows winning their first flag 20 years after the men.
Player of the match: Erin Phillips
Debbie Lee, a champion of women’s football, announces the inevitable. She’s gracious, and says the AFLW is the “best league she’s been a part of”. That’s big from her.
Amazing scenes after the siren
PREMIERS! #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/gxYJL7VMfK
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 25, 2017
Every young girl and boy now has the chance to aspire to be the best
Another quote-worthy moment from Crows co-captain Chelsea Randall.
Have to feel for the Lions though, will probably take a while for them to reflect on how much they’ve achieved.
We’re not the winners, women’s football is the winner
That’s Sarah Perkins after the siren. Well said ‘Tex’, but that’s thanks in no small part to you inspiring so many of us.
Well done Crows
WE'VE DONE IT! Inaugural AFL Women's premiers! 🏆 🏆 🏆 History has been made! #AFLWGF #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/K79LdauAWP
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) March 25, 2017
That’s got to hurt
Some Lions players are in tears, but so are their winning foes.
Ouch! #AFLWGF 📷: Sean Garnsworthy pic.twitter.com/0BwNBL9EHW
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 25, 2017
ADELAIDE wins first-ever AFLW Grand Final!
ADELAIDE WIN! Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.11 (35)
Absolute thriller of a finish. Lions were wasteful up forward in the last minute, needed to show more composure.
Updated
4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.11 (35) 01:10 remaining
1:10 remaining - Adelaide haven’t pushed anyone back. Ashmore gets penalised for a sling tackle on Phillips. Not sure about that.
4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.11 (35) 03:19 remaining
Two minutes to go. Very real chance of a draw here. Lions are pressing forward. Would force extra time.
Updated
Adelaide miss. 4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.11 (35) 03:19 remaining
Massive pack mark to Randall, but she misses. Small window still here for the Lions.
4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 04:12 remaining
Under 5 minutes left and Lions captain Zielke gives away a 50. Undisciplined from their leader.
4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 05:53 remaining
McCarthy is back in the game, as is Harris who lays a massive bump in the 50. The Crows defence are under all sorts, and the free goes to captain Zielke for a shot at goal. She can’t make the distance. Game on.
4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (29) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 07:27 remaining
Unbelievable desperation from both of these teams. The Lions have come alive and are pressing.
Brisbane goal! 4th quarter Brisbane 4.5 (28) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 08:13 remaining
Cometh the moment cometh Tayla Harris. She takes a massive contested mark and kicks a goal, putting the Lions back in contention.
Near miss for the Lions. 4th quarter Brisbane 3.4 (22) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 08:55 remaining
Brisbane are under all sorts of pressure but hanging in there. Frederick-Traub is doing everything she can to drag her team over the line. Free kick goes to Ashmore for a deliberate out of bounds. She misses.
4th quarter Brisbane 3.4 (22) vs Adelaide 4.10 (34) 11:00 remaining
It’s a tight opening, neither team can get the ascendancy yet. Pearce urges the Lions to play aggressive, attacking footy. Harris and McCarthy need to fire.
One more quarter
15,000 will witness one of these teams hold the cup aloft after this quarter.
@Adelaide_FC We have lead at every change , Now THIS IS IT!! GO GIRLS 💪 WE CAN DO IT 💙💛❤️ #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/FkSNBwUO9e
— Lisa (@Leese12) March 25, 2017
Three-quarter time stats
Crows still ahead on clearances (22-9), inside 50s (38-18) and contested possessions (102-84).
Phillips is leading them all with 19 disposals, 2 goals, 5 marks and 6 tackles. Her teammate Cramey has 17, while Emily Bates has 15 for the Lions.
Updated
Phillips dominating
Just waiting on a replay of a HUGE grab Phillips took in the third-quarter. Was even better than her mark of the year contender, I’d say.
When it's crunch time... You can always rely on @erinphillips131 to step up 🙌🏻 #AFLWGF @aflwomens pic.twitter.com/qkdz7igylH
— Anne Fedorowytsch (@AnneFed) March 25, 2017
Three-quarter time
Brisbane 3.3 (21) vs Adelaide 4.9 (33)
The crows lead it by 12 points before the final quarter. Have they done enough? We know there aren’t as many goals in AFLW, but at 4.9 they should probably be much further in front.
Updated
Almost for Brisbane. 3rd quarter Brisbane 3.3 (21) vs Adelaide 4.9 (33) 01:20 remaining
Massive contested mark to Harris. That’s 17 and a half minutes into the 3rd quarter for her first possession. Pearce says she’ll nail it but it goes right.
Adelaide goal! 3rd quarter Brisbane 3.2 (20) vs Adelaide 4.9 (33) 03:51 remaining
Guess who? Phillips kicks another to silence the crowd. That’s 10 goals for the season.
Brisbane goal! 3rd quarter Brisbane 3.2 (20) vs Adelaide 3.9 (27) 04:57 remaining
Great goal to Frederick-Traub against the flow. Just threw the boot at it and it goes through. Is this a defining moment?
Updated
Injury to Heather Anderson. 3rd quarter Brisbane 2.2 (14) vs Adelaide 3.9 (27) 05:41 remaining
Looks like a shoulder to Anderson - she has a history of shoulder injuries and this may risk her Army medic career. Terrible news.
This game has gone up another notch. The crowd are vocal but the Lions can’t convert.
Updated
3rd quarter Brisbane 2.1 (13) vs Adelaide 3.8 (26) 09:39 remaining
Brisbane marquee Tayla Harris is shifted back and into the ruck. Still can’t get into the game - hasn’t had a single possession! Her teammate Kate McCarthy can’t get into it either. Kaslar however is dominating Perkins, another worthy mention for BOG.
Updated
Adelaide pressing. 3rd quarter Brisbane 2.1 (13) vs Adelaide 3.8 (26) 11:49 remaining
A massive bomb from Randall just falls short. Brisbane need to wrest the momentum back somehow.
Adelaide goal! 3rd quarter Brisbane 2.1 (13) vs Adelaide 3.7 (25) 13:19 remaining
Varnhagen lines up for second goal but it drops short. Phillips crumbs for another captain’s goal. Has to be BOG so far.
3rd quarter Brisbane 2.1 (13) vs Adelaide 2.7 (19) 15:00 remaining
We’re back on in the AFLW grand final!
From the coaches
Goddard tells her players to tidy up their conversion, pointing to their superior inside 50 numbers as evidence they should be further in front.
Meanwhile, Starcevich reminds the Lions that it will be their desperation and pressure acts that decide such a tight game.
That didn’t take long
Review the opening goal of the game, less than 20 seconds in thanks to Kellie Gibson.
Goal in 20 seconds, starring Kellie Gibson! Not a bad way to start the day #weflyasone #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/TegUaHWsBy
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) March 25, 2017
Lions fight to remain undefeated
The Brisbane Lions are doing their best to avoid the nightmare of going undefeated all season - only to lose the Grand Final.
One goal down at Half Time.
— Brisbane Lions AFLW (@lionsaflw) March 25, 2017
Just two quarters to go in Season 2017. Can we do it? #AFLWGF #AllForTheFlag pic.twitter.com/ALvAjv5USq
AFLW Mark of the year
You can also review the AFL marks of the year.
Some familiar names here too, with Erin Phillips, Tayla Harris and Carlton hero Darcy Vescio appearing. Vescio topped the goalkicking at the end of the season after she proved that that 4-goal effort in round 1 was no one-off.
AFLW All Australian Squad
While it’s half-time, check out the AFLW All Australian Squad.
Unsurprisingly, these two teams dominate, with a staggering nine Lions and five Crows named.
Updated
Half-time stats
Crows still dominating the clearances (14-6) and inside 50s (26-11), but as we reported earlier, this hasn’t always mattered for the Lions. That’s true again, with only a goal in it. Still, the Crows are looking sharper.
Top disposals: Erin Phillips (12), Georgia Bevan (10), Emily Bates (9) and Samantha Virgo (9).
Updated
Half-time
Brisbane 2.1 (13) vs Adelaide 2.7 (19)
Absolutely ferocious half of footy, Adelaide dominated that quarter but the Crows could only manage 6 behinds, to 1.1 for the Lions.
Updated
2nd quarter Brisbane 2.0 (12) vs Adelaide 2.6 (18) 03:25 remaining
A jittery Brisbane can’t clear the Adelaide 50 but the Crows haven’t capitalised so far.
Updated
The crowd
14,300+ at the ground today. Very impressive given the Gabba debacle.
Brisbane goal! 2nd quarter Brisbane 2.0 (12) vs Adelaide 2.3 (15) 05:50 remaining
That was much-needed. Frederick-Traub takes a beautiful contest mark, bounces twice and misses, but she’s taken down after the kick. Down the field free goes to Wuetschner who makes no mistake.
Brilliant tackle from Kate Lutkins saves a goal. 2nd quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.3 (15) 08:39 remaining
Erin Phillips looking very dangerous. Adelaide almost get out the back for a goal but some desperate defence from Brisbane saves the day.
2nd quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.3 (15) 09:45 remaining
Lions looking a little rattled, but Ashmore inspires them with a long run down the wing. Tayla Harris can’t get in the game.
Adelaide almost kicks one. 2nd quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.2 (14) 11:38 remaining
Randall to captain Phillips who takes a trademark contested mark 40m out. Passes off to Courtney Cramey. We’ve got a goal review, but it’s a point.
Quarter time stats
Leah Kaslar has 6 for the Lions, while Georgia Bevan has 6 for Adelaide. Lions lead possessions 54-47 (20 handballs to 9 for the Crows), but Adelaide dominating Inside 50s (11-7) and Clearances (7-4).
Here’s that brilliant Deni Varnhagen goal
The Crows are slotting them from everywhere! What a silky finish from Deni Varnhagen. #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/rZZWgIbPPH
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 25, 2017
Quarter time!
Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.1 (13)
Quarter time in the AFLW grand final. Sam Lane says the atmosphere is like the first game of the season at Ikon Park, and the QLD crowd is well one-sided.
1st quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.1 (13) 1:00 remaining
Leah Kaslar is topping the disposals, and has the better of Sarah Perkins at the moment, but Perkins has been giving plenty of her trademark aggression. She’s been tackling everyone, and has beautiful hands in close.
Adelaide Goal! 1st quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 2.1 (13) 3:35 remaining
Deni Varnhagen kicks her first goal since Round 1 and it’s a beauty! Quick snap from the pocket and it lands just over the line.
1st quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 1.0 (6) 6:30 remaining
It’s tight, contested footy at the moment. Stuck inside and around the Adelaide forward 50. Players are nervous and ferocious at the contest.
Updated
Goal! 1st quarter Brisbane 1.0 (6) vs Adelaide 1.0 (6) 11:08 remaining
Free kick to Frederick-Traub and she passes off to Wuetschner, 10 out. Snaps the goal. All tied up.
1st quarter Brisbane 0.0 (0) vs Adelaide 1.0 (6) 13:05 remaining
Goal! (already)
Rhiannon Metcalfe and Sabrina Frederick-Traub go up in what is sure to become an iconic image. First inside 50 and a brilliant goal to Adelaide within the first 20 seconds! Kellie Gibson kicks it from 40 on a sharp angle.
First bounce
Here we go. Just a minute or so now. Daisy Pearce is choked with emotion:
I always hoped this day would come. I couldn’t have dreamt of it going as well as it has.
Girls out in force
Some great photos emerging of the young girls at the game. What a moment for every girl who has ever dreamed - and can now dream of - playing in a Grand Final.
Our @HyundaiAus junior mascot Maddi + #1 ticket holder Zimra #AllForTheFlag #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/Ro15eOmfWH
— Brisbane Lions AFLW (@lionsaflw) March 25, 2017
Here come the ‘home’ team
Huge roar for the Lions here on the Goal Coast. They said they’d play anywhere, but they’d be relieved to have the home state advantage.
Erin Phillips runs out with her twins
They are too cute. Nobody can deal. Phillips’ wife Tracy Gahan gave birth to the twins in the U.S. in early November last year. Phillips and Gahan met over seven years ago when teammates at the Adelaide Lightning.
What do the stats tell us?
Now that the game is close, let’s take a close look at some stats. Many of the AFLW stats have confounded experts to date – a fact admitted by Lions coach Craig Starcevich at the AFLW Grand Final press conference. As Daisy Pearce has pointed out, the Lions are eighth in clearances, fifth in contested possession, seventh for tackles, fifth for inside-50s and in the bottom three for goals kicked – yet they remain undefeated.
Nonetheless, they do have a fear-inducing forward line, with Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Tayla Harris taking 25 contested marks between them.
Conversely, the Crows look like winners on the stats sheet, leading the competition in contested possessions, inside-50s, long kicks, metres gained and goals this season.
It’s unclear whether the women’s game will end up having different key statistical markers to the men’s game, or whether the Lions have simply been unconventionally successful. It’s another one of the intriguing questions to emerge from this inaugural season.
Getting close now
The two teams will soon make their way onto the ground. Game starts in 20 minutes.
Today we're creating history 🙌 #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/GEZyczO25k
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 25, 2017
Pre-game entertainment is on
It’s Megan Washington - Aria award-winning artist.
For the record, she’s much better than the AFL men’s grand final pre-game entertainment.
Not that the bar is set very high.
AFLW MVP and Rising Star
On Channel 7 Western Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan and Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce have put in their votes for the inaugural ‘MVP’ (best and fairest?) and Rising Star.
Brennan nominates Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide) for the Rising Star, and Pearce agrees, with a special shout-out to her Melbourne teammate Lily Mithen.
Brennan nominates Pearce for the MVP, while Pearce nominates Erin Phillips, “hands down”.
I think it’ll be Phillips, just. Can’t wait to see what she does today.
Nerang station is packed
Queenslanders are out in force in Nerang, waiting for shuttle buses to the ground. Good to see such support for women’s footy in a non-traditional AFL state.
Crowds at nerang station #AFLWGF pic.twitter.com/CXosKWBYY0
— Sarah Bock (@bock_sarah) March 25, 2017
Game starting time
Just to clarify!
QLD: 12:55pm (AEST)
VIC: 1:55pm (AEDT)
SA: 1:25pm (ACDT)
Yep, I am confused too.
Goals of the AFLW season
There’s three nominees for this year’s AFLW goal of the season - and they are all playing in today’s Grand Final. You can watch and vote for your favourite here.
Take your pick from Katie Ashmore’s brilliant soccer goal from the boundary, Kate McCarthy’s epic 4-bounce sprint to goal, and Erin Phillips’ captain’s launch from 55m.
The crowds are coming
Finally some good PR for the AFL - plenty lined up at Metricon Stadium!
Huge lines for the #AFLWGF with gates about to open @lionsaflw #AllForTheFlag #AllForOne @brisbanelions @aflwomens pic.twitter.com/D7jsOtmEmM
— Steele Tallon (@SteeleTallon) March 25, 2017
Sarah Perkins on life before AFLW stardom
The Adelaide media are all over today’s match. Crows hero Sarah Perkins is on the front of The Advertiser and has opened up on being an ‘outsider’ who was in a bad mental state before her AFLW journey:
The way I describe it is that I gave up on life a little bit — I wasn’t enjoying my football.
Perkins was famously overlooked by all Victorian clubs on draft day. She recalls being hugged by the face of AFLW, Daisy Pearce, who reminded her that she was a shot at free agency. The rest is folklore.
Her Mum, for one, is overjoyed to see her daughter happy again:
“I’m just so happy for her. She seems to have gone across to Adelaide and become herself again.”
Just don’t tell them she’s a Victorian.
Coach Bec Goddard’s ‘love letters’ to her players
Plenty of media for the AFLW today. One of today’s commentators, Sam Lane, has a brilliant portrait of Crows’ coach Bec Goddard in The Age. The story details how the Crows players treasure Goddard’s personalised, handwritten messages. Goddard emerges as a truly modern coach: able to tap into each player’s self-doubts and inspiring them to self-belief.
Captains’ photo with the cup
🏆🏆 #AFLWGF
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 24, 2017
(📷 by @Adelaide_FC Instagram) pic.twitter.com/snlV8ypTEi
Here’s two beaming and familiar faces – Emma Zielke and Erin Phillips are both gripping tightly onto the Premiership AFLW cup. Which one (or two, since Phillips shares the captaincy with Chelsea Randall) will hold it aloft after today’s game?
Today’s teams
Items of interest: Courtney Cramey has been racing the clock to be ready for the game of her life after suffering a concussion during the first quarter of the Crows’ final round win over Collingwood. Hopefully she is right today, because her courage has inspired her team. Her teammate Dayna Cox is also in the side after her jumper punch to Collingwood’s Alicia Eva caused a melee last week. Cox will be breathing a sigh of relief after she accepted a reprimand from the Match Review Panel for the ‘low impact’ incident.
Brisbane Lions:
Samantha Virgo (5), Leah Kaslar (11), Shannon Campbell (20), Tahlia Randall (16), Kate Lutkins (13), Breanna Koenen (3), Megan Hunt (6), Kaitlyn Ashmore (10), Sabrina Frederick-Traub (14), Kate McCarthy (9), Jordan Membrey (27), Tayla Harris (7), Jessica Wuetschner (23), Sharni Webb (4), Emily Bates (1), Emma Zielke (8)
Interchange: Nikki Wallace (24), Jamie Stanton (17), Nicole Hilderbrand (22), Selina Goodman (19), Brittany Gibson (25), Alexandra Anderson (18)
Coach: Craig Starcevich
Adelaide:
Heather Anderson (19), Georgia Bevan (4), Talia Radan (6), Anne Hatchard (33), Deni Varnhagen (9), Angela Foley (3), Dayna Cox (31), Ebony Marinoff (10), Erin Phillips (13), Stevie-Lee Thompson (14), Courtney Cramey (22), Sarah Perkins (28) Kellie Gibson (2), Sarah Allan (39), Justine Mules (23), Sally Riley (8)
Interchange: Chelsea Randall (26), Rachael Killian (7), Abbey Holmes (1), Rhiannon Metcalfe (11), Jenna McCormick (5), Jessica Sedunary (17)
Coach: Bec Goddard
Preamble
Welcome to the history-making AFLW decider between the undefeated Brisbane Lions and the Adelaide Crows. It’s Kate O’Halloran here. We aren’t at the Gabba, but none of the players or coaches want to talk about it anymore. The AFL and Queensland government are banking their hopes on free public transport to the ground getting as many to Metricon as possible.
There’s a heartfelt excitement building around this game. Players from both teams have said this is the happiest day of their lives; win or lose. We’ll see about that after the siren.
The Crows will be hoping best-and-fairest favourite and co-captain Erin Phillips will prove a steady hand in the heat of battle. Phillips is your ultimate versatile athlete; a Dallas Wings WNBA star and Australian Olympic Silver medallist. At a presser yesterday, she said that she would rate an AFLW premiership on the same level. She’ll be well supported by cult hero Sarah Perkins, who almost single-handedly dragged the Crows into the final, as well as one of my favourites, the influential swingwoman and co-captain Chelsea Randall.
The Lions have relied on an even spread of performers, but they too have their heroes. I’m looking forward to seeing goal-of-the-year contender Katie Ashmore’s trademark spark; the elite running skills of leading Lions goal-kicker Kate McCarthy; and the steely leadership of Emma Zielke, which this week drew praise from Lions great Leigh Matthews. Getting to the big dance is a lion-hearted effort for a team written off before the season began.
Please note that we’ve also had a rule change for the Grand Final: there will be time on for the first time this season. Probably something AFLW fans will welcome, but another example of the AFLW evolving on the run.
Will post today’s teams next.
Kate will be here shortly. In the meantime, check out John Butler’s take on the AFL’s commitment to women’s football.
Updated
