The report from tonight’s game
Blues take first blood in AFLW opener
A dominant display has delivered Carlton victory in the first AFLW match at Princes Park.
In front of a crowd of as many as 24,000 the Blues started nervously, but after 10 minutes where the Pies were on top and kicked the first goal they were never headed again.
Fans were locked out before half time, with such huge interest in the first game of the new competition that league CEO Gil McLachlan personally apologised to those who couldn’t get in.
Led by four goals from Darcy Vescio and a steel-trap defence which denied the Pies clear scoring opportunities the Blues took over at the start of the second quarter. Along with Vescio, Brianna Davey was Carlton’s best with 26 disposals and a goal as she pushed forward to join in the rampage.
The Pies were restricted to one goal, as star forward Moanna Hope was squeezed by the Blues defence.
With the league’s Grand Final decided by the top two teams on the ladder after the first seven games, percentage will be crucial and Carlton are off to the perfect start.
Carlton 7.4.46
Goals - Vescio 4, Arnell 1, Davey 1
Best - Vescio, Davey, Arnell
Collingwood 1.5.11
Goal - Garner
Best - D’Arcy, Barden, Bonnici
Siren! An incredible night!
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 3, 2017
Full-time: @CarltonFC 7.4 (46) defeats @CollingwoodFCW 1.5 (11). @BriannaDavey and @darcyvee leading the way! pic.twitter.com/HbyYWhVdt5
The blood feud runs deep:
Hi Adam
As a Collingwood fan can I just say that football has been the real winner tonight. Not Carlton.Pete
Full time
Carlton 7.4.46
Collingwood 1.5.11
The Blues have done it easily in the end, after 10 minutes at the start of the game were Collingwood were on top Carlton shot away and were never challenged again.
With their dominant defence led by Brianna Davey (26 touches, 10 more than any other player), forwards like Darcy Vescio and Bianca Jakobsson and an impressive performance from captain Lauren Arnell they were irresistible for the last three quarters.
Goal!
Carlton 7.4.46
Collingwood 1.5.11
Bianca Jakobsson marks a short pass from Gab Pound. She puts the exclamation mark on the thumping by finishing from next to no angle 30 metres out. The Blues fans are excited, they’ve hammered their biggest rivals tonight.
It’s Vescio again, and she is in everything. She misses but it’s no drama, her side are going to win comfortably.
It’s Vescio again - Lauren Arnell misses narrowly to the far side and extends the margin to 28 but the Carlton superstar teed her up for the shot with a short pass to her captain inside 50.
We’ve got four minutes left, and Collingwood don’t look likely to score another goal. Insert obligatory political comment about President Trump employing Carlton’s defence to act as his wall.
The Blues have got their own injury problems, with Nat Plane on crutches. At this rate anybody who missed out on being drafted will get their chance to play a senior game by Round 2.
.@biancajakobsson takes a big mark in Carlton's forward-line. The Pies are struggling to reduce the 27-point deficit #AFLWBluesPies pic.twitter.com/InwCAT5D45
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 3, 2017
Collingwood’s horror night continues as Steph Chiocci is also helped off the ground after a big hit. Their six woman bench is now down to two, and with such small lists I wonder how clubs are going to fill their side if they suffer an injury plague? Presumably you can sign a free agent from the local leagues if that happens.
Big grab over the top of two opponents from Carlton’s Bianca Jakobsson. She looks for Vescio (and why wouldn’t you?) but the ball falls free. Just a few seconds later Jakobsson is on the end of another mark. Her 14th disposal just falls short and is knocked through for a point. The Blues lead 38-11 with nine minutes left.
A reminder that the Grand Final will be played between the top two sides, making percentage crucial in case of a tie. That’s great news for the Blues if they can extend their lead.
Collingwood’s Helen Rodan - sister of former AFL player David - is also out of the game. The night just gets worse for the Pies.
Updated
The last quarter is underway - the Pies need to start scoring quickly if they want to be any chance. Carlton are the first to attack though, and the Carlton players can just about start warming up the vocal cords. The league has decided that the teams will sing the song on the ground after the game, which will be a great visual if not the jauntiest song on offer.
You know things are going well when there’s a spontaneous outbreak of public transport.
Just in from Ikon Park - Extra buses will be available after the match to take fans back into the city. #AFLWBluesPies
— AFL (@AFL) February 3, 2017
Three Quarter Time
Carlton 6.1.37
Collingwood 1.5.11
Things are looking grim for the Pies, not sure many teams have ever increased their goal tally by 700% to win in the last quarter.
The Blues have been fantastic, they always look dangerous when the ball goes forward and their backline is putting on a clinic. On an extremely restricted sample size they look like a very good team. Will be interesting to see how the other six sides yet to play stack up against them.
Goal!
Carlton 6.1.37
Collingwood 1.5.11
It’s Vescio again! She gathers forward, turns her opponent and rolls a snap through goal. It was set up by a fantastic gather and handball by Lauren Arnell. A good old fashion Captain’s Handball.
One of the ever popular below the knee contact free kicks goes to Collingwood’s Sarah D’Arcy. She’s 40 metres out and tries a short pass but it’s cut off by this steel trap Carlton defence. Melbourne’s one goal in their warm-up game is looking a lot better after seeing the Blues in action.
Goal!
Carlton 5.1.31
Collingwood 1.5.11
Good kicking is good football, and Carlton are taking their goalscoring opportunities. A clean handball from Vescio lands with Brianna Davey, who adds to her already huge night with a goal. She’s now had 17 touches, six more than anyone else.
Collingwood are already one player down on the bench and have lost Stacey Livingstone with an arm injury. They have a mountain to climb now.
The ball has spent the last couple of minutes locked inside Carlton’s forward 50. To the surprise of nobody who has been watching this game it was set up by Vescio, this time swooping down the wing. A bad bounce cost her a chance to find a target, but she recovered and propelled the ball towards goal.
It eventually made it to the line but Collingwood held on and stopped the Blues from scoring. We’ve got just under seven minutes left in the third quarter and Carlton are 14 points in front.
Collingwood look more dangerous already this quarter, but Carlton’s defence are swooping on every attack. The Magpie forwards will need to find space if they’re going to challenge in the remaining 10 minutes of the third quarter.
Moana Hope has her first chance of the night, nudging her opponent under the ball the mark a quick kick inside 50 but with an open goal beckoning she sprays it to the right. Carlton lead 25-11 but it’s not over yet.
The third quarter is on. Once again we’re momentarily trapped in the middle as the teams try to get the ball clear. The Pies are the first to break from the square but only find Blues. Collingwood go forward again, but King gives a free kick away to Downie in the ruck contest and Carlton are clear.
If you’ve been inspired to catch an AFLW game this weekend your other options are:
- Adelaide vs GWS Giants at Thebarton Oval (1635 CDT, Saturday)
- Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle at Whitten Oval (1940 EDT, Saturday)
- Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions at Casey Fields (1705 EDT, Sunday)
The leading possession getters so far,
11 - Brianna Davey (Carlton)
8 - Lauren Brazzale (Carlton) and Amelia Barden (Collingwood)
7 - Lauren Arnell (Carlton), Nat Exon (Carlton), Caitlyn Edwards (Collingwood)
For Collingwood, the long goalkicker is Jasmine Garner while Darcy Vescio has three for Carlton and one for Arnell.
The hitout battle is tight, with Emma King playing a lone hand with 15 against Alison Downie’s 9 and Breann Moody’s 6.
Half time
Carlton 4.1.25
Collingwood 1.4.10
With 24,000 people in the ground, fans locked out and league executives apologising on a megaphone it’s all gone a bit World Series Cricket.
After being dominated from the middle of the first quarter the Pies looked much better late in that term, but those missed chances in the last few minutes might come back to haunt them.
The contest has been tough, with players crashing in from every angle, and the scoring has followed the pattern of the exhibition matches and this year’s pre-season matches. Goals are like gold, the teams that develop a reliable route into attack are going to prosper in this competition.
We’ll back back shortly for the second half. If you’re at the game let us know how you’re faring with the big crowd.
Amelia Barden has a shot from 50 metres out after the siren but doesn’t make the distance. Carlton lead by 15.
Right on cue Jess Cameron marks on a tough angle. She becomes the first player to be mozzed by a commentator when described as the best kick in the competition shortly before hitting the post. 50 seconds left, Carlton lead 25-10.
Collingwood are back on the board again, this time with a rushed behind after a rolling ball towards the square. There’s two minutes left until half time and they will be desperate for a goal.
Goal!
Carlton 4.1.25
Collingwood 1.2.8
Welcome to the Darcy Vescio Show. Carlton go forward and she’s in space to take advantage of tough defensive work by her teammates. The handball pops over the top, she runs into an open goal and the Pies are in all sorts of trouble here.
It’s the Blues leading 19-8 midway through the second term. Brianna Davey stepping up for @CarltonFC with 10 disposals #AFLWBluesPies pic.twitter.com/GPf8kOL2Xd
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 3, 2017
The game has turned right on its head, ironically Carlton are playing better than they did in the first quarter but aren’t kicking goals. They’re keeping the ball forward though, which is denying Collingwood opportunities.
The Pies do get a chance to go forward after a holding the ball free kick in the middle of the ground, but Hope is unable to beat Exon in the marking dual.
Lauren Arnell is back, and she sets up a chain of play that ends in a Vescio mark. I never knew I could enjoy watching a Carlton player so much...
The Blues head towards goal but Collingwood defuse the attack on the line. Carlton head down the other end, but spurn a good chance with an open goal beckoning. First score of Q2 - Carlton lead 19-8.
Updated
The second quarter is on, and we’ve got another series of repeat stoppages in the middle of the ground. Collingwood are the first to go into attack, but the Blues defence mops up and thumps the ball back into the middle of the ground.
It only gets as far as Pies vice-captain Alica Eva, who pumps inside 50. The Blues are lucky to get out of a tackle with a ball that drops to the boot (or perhaps hit the knee) at the last minute. No score yet in Q2.
Does he take requests?
Gillon McLachlan just apologised to those who have been locked out via the public address. Extraordinary scenes
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) February 3, 2017
Lauren Brazzale is leading disposals with 6 at quarter time, while Jasmine Garner kicked the first goal of the season/ever! #AFLWBluesPies pic.twitter.com/u9PKMIda3k
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 3, 2017
Who knows what the capacity of Princes Park is these days, but whatever it is this crowd has cracked it. The game is now officially a lockout, which is a fantastic result. The crowd is being rewarded with a tough game so far.
I’m sure there are killjoys moaning about the skill level. I follow Melbourne so nothing can faze me. It’s been good fun so far, just sit back and enjoy.
Updated
Quarter time
Carlton 3.0.18
Collingwood 1.2.8
After a nervy, frantic start where the ball was stuck in the middle for the first couple of minutes the Pies were the better side by far in the opening minutes. They got the first goal, but two against the run of play put them on top before that last cherry on top gave them a handy lead. So far Moanna Hope has been well held, with goalkicker Jasmine Garner the best of the Pies attack.
The only bad news for the Blues is that Arnell went off in the hands of trainers just before that last goal. She’s walked back on seemingly unhindered for the quarter time address so I’d expect her to be back for the start of the quarter.
Goal!
Carlton 3.0.18
Collingwood 1.2.8
We’re into time on and the Darcy Vescio show continues. From a ball up in the square she runs through, plucks the ball out of mid-air and gleefully slams home from the square. What’s the equivalent of the Brownlow and how do bet on her to win it?
Here’s a look back at the first goal, that’s the only joy the Pies have had up front so far.
Jasmine Garner makes history! She’s kicked the opening goal for @CollingwoodFCW and the Pies lead 7-0 #AFLWBluesPies @garnerjasmine pic.twitter.com/YoWNwqYWcQ
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 3, 2017
Goal!
Carlton 2.0.12
Collingwood 1.2.8
The Blues have hit the front against the run of play, captain Arnell snapping truly after hard work from Darcy Vescio. The Blues superstars are on fire.
Garner is causing chaos in the Pies forward line, after kicking the first goal she wins a holding the ball free kick inside 50. Her pass ends in Brianna Davey doing what a goalkeeper does and punching it away from danger.
Pies by two.
Reader Peter spotted this piece of key analysis in the pre-game show
Great to hear Sam Lane point out that researchers have told the AFL women have smaller hands. Science is great!
Goal!
Carlton 1.0.6
Collingwood 1.1.7
As predicted the Darcy Vescio half back flank experiment is exposed as a swizz when she wins a free kick in a marking contest and goals from a slight angle for the reply.
The Pies have dominated the early minutes, that’s a great result for the Blues to reply quickly after conceding.
Goal!
Collingwood 1.1.7
Carlton 0.0.0
Jasmine Garner takes advantage of a contest behind her to drop in front 25 metres out directly in front. She converts and makes history as the first goalkicker in league history.
Another look at the huge crowd that’s turned up for tonight’s game.
Standing room only at Ikon Stadium #AFLW pic.twitter.com/u62MOeAomL
— Myriam Robin (@myriamrobin) February 3, 2017
More equality as we see the first player being given unwelcome advice from over the fence.
The Pies are on the board first, Chiocci shrugs a tackle and has a flying shot from 30 metres out that misses to the right
Carlton 0.0, Collingwood 0.1 after five minutes.
We’ve got a lot of congestion in the middle of the ground as the two sides crash in, and it’s finally cleared as the Pies captain Chiocci wins a free. She gets the first meaningful touch of the game, but the two sides are nervous and are turning the ball over. The first inside 50 comes from Collingwood retreating into their own defence.
First bounce
It’s a new competition! Collingwood has won the toss and are kicking to the right of your screen/mobile connected device.
Emma King gets the first hitout, and we’re immediately into a repeat stoppage as the players stack on in the middle of the ground.
The women have truly reached equality, 44 players are lined up to listen to the same tape of Julie Anthony’s singing Advance Australia Fair that the men get for all special occasions short of the Grand Final.
Updated
The teams had mixed results in their single pre-season games. Collingwood lost to the Western Bulldogs 3.3.21 to 4.7.31, while Carlton won comfortably over Melbourne 8.4.52 to 1.3.9.
The teams are out on the ground and we’re 10 minutes from the first bounce. Carlton coach Damien Keeping has identified the Pies’ forward line as a big danger and suggested that his defenders have put a lot of work into them.
Collingwood’s Wayne Siekman has identified his side as strong, physical and intending to play an exciting brand of footy.
Players to watch:
Much of the pre-season hype has surrounded Collingwood’s star full-forward Moana Hope. A dominant goalkicker in the local competition, her proven ability to hit the scoreboard may be crucial in a season where we’re not expecting high scoring games.
Emma King, she of the charismatic jumper number, is the Magpies’ other marquee player. The two time WA state ruck comes from the dominant Coastal Titans club and will be a handful for the Blues to stop in the centre tonight. Western Australian rucks jumping all over an opponent, where have I heard that before?
Steph Chiocci, a four-time All Australian, will be Collingwood’s inaugural captain. The captain of Diamond Cricket in the VFL Women’s competition, she’s primarily a defender who can also play through the midfield and forward. Ironically Chiocci is from a family of rabid Blues fans.
Carlton’s marquee players are former international football goalkeeper Brianna Davey and Darcy Vescio. Davey played for the Western Bulldogs in exhibition matches before returning to the W-League to win a title with Melbourne City, now after dominating as a defender in the Victorian Women’s Football League she’ll be one to watch in defence and the midfield tonight.
Vescio is a three time premiership player with the Darebin Falcons and also represented the Bulldogs in the exhibition games. Well known as a goal-kicker she’s oddly enough been named on the Blues’ half-back flank this evening, despite kicking two of her side’s six goals in their recent practice match thumping of Melbourne. It wouldn’t be an AFL game without a coach unconvincingly trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the opposition.
Lauren Arnell is Carlton’s captain, she kicked 37 goals in 19 games for Darebin Falcons last year. During her career with the Falcons she’s played in eight premierships, which is a reasonable pedigree to bring into the new competition. The league will be full of premiership players, and some are going to have to get used to not doing it as easily in the national competition as they usually do locally.
Updated
The AFL will be thrilled at this turnout, and poor old Princes Park will under all sorts of stress.
Check out this crowd! #AFLW #AFLWBluesPies pic.twitter.com/TqejlwXq4Z
— Nick Mason (@nahbutsrsly) February 3, 2017
Tonight’s teams, courtesy of afl.com.au. A reminder that each team will play 16 a side, but with two extra players on the bench. No doubt this is being viewed with much interest by the AFL as they ponder reducing the number of players on male teams as well.
Congratulations to Collingwood ruck Emma King, who for reasons unknown has decided to don #60 when there’s only 28 players on the list. There should be more of it. In other team news we miss out on Febey-esque confusion as Carlton’s Sarah Hosking goes it alone without identical twin Jess.
A lot of these names will be familiar to fans who watched the series of exhibition games between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
CARLTON
B: L.Brazzale 12, D.Hardiman 31, S.Last 7
HB: S.Hosking 10, K.Gillespie-Jones 5, D.Vescio 3
C: N.Plane 32
HF: L.Attard 14, I.Ayre 22, L.Arnell 13
F: S.Audley 26, B.Davey 1, K.Loynes 2
FOLL: B.Moody 16, A.Downie 30, M.Keryk 4
INT: N.Exon 15, T.Lucas-Rodd 18, J.Kennedy 23, A.Brown 27, B.Jakobsson 35, G.Pound 6
Emergencies: K.Darby 8, K.Shierlaw 25
COLLINGWOOD
B: C.Edwards 1, M.Hutchins 25, S.Livingstone, 12
HB: S.Chiocci 17, N.Stevens 21, C.McIntosh 20
C: L.Tesoriero 7
HF: A.Eva 2, J.Garner 43, S.D’Arcy 4
F: E.Grant 5, M.Hope 23, J.Cameron 27
FOLL: E.King 60, A.Barden 38, B.Bonnici 8
INT: B.White 33, T.Morgan 26, C.Bernardi 6, S.Casey 22, R.Schleicher 18, H.Roden 11
Emergencies: P.Cula-Reid 3, M.Kuys 9
A few Magpie loyalists must have a tear in the eye playing a home game at Ikon Park (nee Princes Park, Optus Oval, MC Labour Park and goodness knows what in between).
The game was originally scheduled for Collingwood’s Olympic Park training ground, but as that’s effectively a suburban park with few facilities for fans the AFL correctly read how public interest was going and moved it to a larger venue.
Speaking of Princes Park, it’s not just the first time a women’s game will be played for competition points at the ground but it may very well be the first Australian Rules game ever played under lights there. We’ve found night game evidence of Great Britain thrashing Australia in a 1992 night rugby league test, and a farcical Australia vs AC Milan football match where the first half went for 36 minutes on a ground where the cricket pitch had been covered in green dye. If you know of any others please get in touch:
A little girl studying the Footy Record at the #AFL Women’s League season opener. My heart soared. #AFLW #equality pic.twitter.com/9MYljjfrye
— Steph Puls (@StephPuls) February 3, 2017
As we warm up, have a read of this gem from Nicole Hayes:
But it wasn’t until the following week when I wandered past this young daughter and her middle-aged mum – the two of them alone, in the middle of the oval, playing that age-old backyard game out there for anyone to see – that I began to measure the enormity of what was happening. Professionalising the competition, broadcasting the games, paying the players… It gave women’s footy an authority, an authenticity and a presence it had never enjoyed before.
And I began to see mothers and daughters everywhere, playing kick-to-kick, just like it was an everyday thing. Like it was their game too.
Welcome to our coverage of this historic night in Australian rules football, as we witness the birth of a new competition. Traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood have done battle in a variety of men’s competitions over the years - from seniors, to reserves, under 19s, fourths, Little League and the Voice Of The G’s Playstation Challenge - now they meet in the first official game of the AFL Womens league. First bounce is at 7.45pm AEDT.
It’s not the first national league for women, in fact it’s well down the list of seniority, but the birth of the competition has seen unprecedented media coverage for female club sport in Australia. There are already large crowds filing in to Ikon Park, probably the largest since the ground stopped hosting AFL home and away games in 2005.
Crowd is keen!@aflwomens #AFLWBluesPies #AFLW pic.twitter.com/A8ljeYK5eg
— Marie Kelly 🖋 (@mk_writes) February 3, 2017
Updated
Adam will be here shortly. In the meantime, check out Russell Jackson’s take on some of the forebears who should be acknowledged today, and a book that pays tribute to them.
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