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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Megan Maurice

Sportwatch: Melbourne City win W-League, Giants and Port dominate in AFL and more - as it happened

GWS Giants entering stadium
It was a round of no fans in stadiums and some passing attention paid to social distancing measures as many Australian sports continued play. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Summary

Well that ends our strange night of sport. I hope it’s proved a decent distraction from the general horrors of existence. A win for Melbourne City in the W-League grand final brings that season to an end, while the Demons, Dockers and Kangaroos progressed to the second week of finals in the AFLW. The men’s competitions ticked on with their competitions, how long they’ll continue, we don’t know, but for now the general assumption from competition organisers seems to be that the seasons will play out.

Stay safe everyone, keep washing your hands, stay in your houses and hopefully we all get through this together (while obviously staying very separate).

AFL: GWS beat Geelong 17.3 (105) to 11.17 (73)

A much higher scoring match than the Port and Suns game, but equally dominated by one side. The Cats put up a bit of a fight at times throughout the game, but the Giants remained in control and punished any mistakes the Cats made. Toby Greene and Harry Perryman picked up four goals each, while Jacob Hopper was everywhere with 22 disposals and seven marks to his name. An impressive start to the season from the Giants, looking to make up for the disappointment of the 2019 grand final.

AFL: Port Adelaide beat Gold Coast 10.16 (76) to 4.5 (29)

This one looked like a fait accompli by the end of the first quarter and things kept on tracking that way throughout. Port played a grinding style of match that wore their opponents down and didn’t ease up the pressure at any point. It wasn’t high scoring, but they kept possession and they scored when they needed to to ensure the pressure never came back on them. Todd Marshall and Mitchell Georgiades both finished with two goals for the match and Tom Rockliff was much more a rock than a cliff, dominant with 26 disposals.

AFLW: While we’re waiting for these last couple of games to end that seem pretty much like a done deal (wait for that to come back and bite me it might be a good time to read this story from Kasey Symons on the shortened AFLW season.

AFL: GWS lead Geelong 13.3 (81) to 8.7 (55)

The Giants extended their lead this quarter, building on their lead from half-time. The Cats were able to step up the pressure mid-way through the quarter, but a late goal from Jeremy Cameron took the wind out their sails and the Giants headed into the break with the momentum. Harry Perryman managed his third goal for the game, he has looked very strong in front of the posts.

AFL: Port Adelaide lead Gold Coast 9.9 (63) 4.5 (29) at three-quarter time

The Suns have managed to make a tiny dent in this deficit, but they aren’t getting nearly close enough. Port are doing a good job playing the possession game, just starving the Suns of the ball and keeping their own score ticking along. Plenty of scoring opportunities across the board for Port, sharing the duties around between plenty of players and making it tough for the Suns to work out who to shut down. Plenty of fans showing their love for the team from afar as well.

Updated

A-League: Western Sydney Wanderers 1-1 Sydney FC

A late goal from Kwame Yeboah saved the Wanderers from a loss in the Sydney derby. A fairly easy goal for Yeboah, who caught a deflection from a Simon Cox kick that sailed past the keeper for a goal. The Wanderers had a slight edge in possession, but it was pretty even all over the park, a draw seems like the right result for a match that was so tight.

NRL: Cronulla 10-12 Melbourne

Finally a try was scored in the 59th minute - Cronulla’s Billy Magoulias was the one to break the drought, reading a kick through the line to run on to score. But then Melbourne hit back through Tui Kamikamica just two minutes later to lock the scores up again. Cameron Smith nailed a penalty goal with three minutes to play, after Cam Munster was stripped of the ball in a two on one tackle and that was enough to secure the win for the Storm.

Women’s sport: A good piece from Madeleine Pape during the week on how the pandemic puts a halt to the momentum of the women’s sport movement across the world.

If you’re looking for a bit more sport to fill the void with so much cancelled, English cricket commentator Mark Church is re-enacting some commentary from classic cricket matches with his family members - some more enthusiastic participants than others. This one with his young daughter Isabelle on the famous Gatting ball is a classic.

AFL: GWS leads Geelong 9.1 (55) to 6.6 (42) at half-time

A solid quarter from the Giants, who didn’t let themselves panic when the Cats closed the gap late in the first quarter. They pulled their lead back out and continued to put the pressure on in defence and attack to ensure the Cats had to work hard for every possession. Stephen Coniglio, Daniel Lloyd and Harry Perryman each have two for the Giants, who remain very accurate on goal.

AFL: Port Adelaide lead Gold Coast 9.6 (60) to 3.2 (20) at half-time

Port have kept on building on their lead in this quarter and the poor old Suns haven’t been in the match for some time. Todd Marshall and Steven Motlop each managed a second goal, as Port were able to score freely all quarter. Touk Miller is working hard for the Suns, with 14 disposals for the half, but there’s not enough pressure being applied to slow this Port side down at the moment.

Cricket: Some strong and sensible messaging from Usman Khawaja today on Twitter - urging people to take Covid-19 seriously. Cricket Australia have led from the front, as they often do in difficult situations, immediately cancelling their competitions and urging community cricket to follow suit.

NRL: Cronulla lead Melbourne 4-2 at half-time

Another low scoring game in the NRL, with only three penalty goals to trouble the scorers in the first half. It was scrappy and defence-heavy with both teams denying the other chances at the line. Cronulla struggled to put their attack together, with plenty of opportunities going to ground.

A-League: Wanderers 0-1 Sydney FC at half-time

A good first half from the Sky Blue, who found the net through Adam Le Fondre in the 35th minute. It was set up through a great pass from Milos Ninkovic, who split the defence for a shot from Kosta Barbarouses that rebounded to Le Fondre for the goal.

AFL: GWS lead Geelong 5.0 (30) to 4.2 (26)

Kind of the opposite pattern going on in this one, the Giants looked like they’d blow this one out early, then the Cats came back late in the quarter to bring the scores closer together. Sensational kicking from GWS, who have been right on target with all five of their goals. Daniel Lloyd has two for the orange and grey, while the Cats have shared their four goals around. Lachie Whitfield is also looking in good form for the Giants, with 10 disposals for the quarter.

AFL: Port Adelaide lead Gold Coast 4.2 (26) to 1.1 (7) at quarter time

This was looking like a fairly close one up on the Gold Coast, but Port stamped their dominance on the match in the last few minutes of the quarter. Mitchell Georgiades, Steven Motlop, Brad Ebert and Todd Marshall have the goals for Port, while Ben King snagged one for the Suns.

AFL: Another great read from during the week, this time from Scott Heinrich on the struggles the AFL faces in this season like no other.

The sport of Australian football...will survive Covid-19. But the road to liberation will be a rocky one littered with disruption, insecurity and financial hardship. The 2020 season will forever have an accompanying asterisk in the annals of the game.”

A-League: Well the Sydney FC v Wanderers game is underway (still 0-0 for now) and as we’ve already discussed, it’s been a strange old week in Australian sport and the A-League is no exception. David Squires sums it up in his usual style, reflecting on playing football amidst a pandemic.

Updated

NRL: Roosters 8-9 Sea Eagles

Well I wasn’t far wrong in my prediction that we might see the first crowdless golden point game! The match stayed neck and neck throughout, with a penalty goal from Reuben Garrick sending the Eagles ahead in the 63rd minute, before the Roosters were also given a penalty goal in the 67th minute. If the referees were asking ‘How’s Trent?’ tonight they would have been told that he was feeling quite even tempered.

Daly Cherry-Evans broke the deadlock in the 76th minute with a field goal and Sea Eagles were able to hold out from there. A sensational effort from prop Addin Fonua-Blake with 27 tackles and 194 metres gained for the match.

AFL: Sydney beat Adelaide 11.8 (74) to 11.8 (71)

Although the scoreline didn’t show a huge win, for the most part it looked convincing from the Swans and they will be happy to walk away with the points to start the season. A late goal from the Crows made things very interesting with just over a minute remaining, but a good opportunity from Taylor Walker to go ahead drifted to the right for a behind and Sydney held on for the win.

Isaac Heeney almost bagged his fifth goal for the match, but only managed a behind in the last quarter - still a sensational effort from the midfielder.

The Swans song sounds quite haunting echoing around the empty ground as the players go back to their ‘social distancing’ measures of elbow bumping after spending all game falling all over each other.

AFL: A good summary from Jonathan Howcroft during the week on the opening round of the AFL - a very different opening round to usual.

NRL: Meanwhile, while people all over Australia and the world are losing their jobs, their freedom of movement and their lives, Wayne Bennett comes out with the frankly baffling claim that he won’t be policing the isolation policy that the NRL has put in place. AAP has more.

Bennett won’t police NRL isolation policy

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is seen walking amongst the empty grandstand seats on full-time after losing the round two NRL match to the Brisbane Broncos.
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is seen walking amongst the empty grandstand seats on full-time after losing the round two NRL match to the Brisbane Broncos. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

While NRL coaches have put on a united front backing a self-isolation policy for players amid the coronavirus pandemic, South Sydney mentor Wayne Bennett says he can’t guarantee his players will follow the measures. Coaches have thrown their support behind introducing radical safety measures that are still being finalised by the NRL and union officials in a bid to protect the players and keep the competition running. It is believed players are expected to be told to avoid venues where they can come into contact with the public like pubs, restaurants and shopping centres.

“Our coaches are completely respectful of the requirements and directives to keep the game moving and our coaches are keen to continue to lead and support with other key leaders in clubs,” Rugby League Coaches Association CEO Kelly Egan said in a statement on Saturday.

However, Bennett admitted he was not sure how the measures on players could be policed. “I’m not so sure about the self-isolation, in terms of we have to go shopping, we have to go to shops ... it’s probably not the right word to use, isolation,” Bennett said after the Rabbitohs’ 22-18 round two loss to Brisbane. “If I’ve got to go to the shops tomorrow and buy something I’m going to go, that’s what’s going to happen. They are young men, and if they (meet up with) a mate or something they might think that’s not too bad but I’m not going to be the policeman on it. They’ve been told what the ramifications are. I don’t know if sitting home all weekend, I don’t know if they’ll do that, I couldn’t guarantee you that.”

However, Parramatta coach Brad Arthur was confident players would do the right thing in order to keep the NRL running for as long as they can amid the pandemic.

“They (players) know how important it is to the game, we commend the NRL for the stance they have taken,” he said. “And we have to play our part which is just not on the field but it is also doing as much as we can to isolate ourselves for the safety of everyone but also to continue for the game to run.

“We understand the importance of not only what we can do on the field but taking it (pandemic threat) serious to keep everyone rolling along. At the end of the day we get the opportunity to still continue to do what we love. For a lot of people that has been taken away - we are the lucky ones.”

AFL: Sydney leads Adelaide 11.4 (70) to 9.2 (56) at three-quarter time

Not much time left in this one in Adelaide - the Swans are looking in control for now. Issac Heeney has been on fire for Sydney, with four goals in the first three quarters. Adelaide are struggling to keep the pressure on at the moment, with the Swans allowed a bit too much space to do as they please. They will need to tighten up considerably in the fourth quarter to have a chance at taking this match.

NRL: Roosters 6-6 Sea Eagles at half time

This game is being played at Leichhardt Oval for some reason, which is quite convenient for the people who live in the surrounding houses and can avoid the lockout by just watching over their back fences. The Roosters started off the scoring with a penalty goal, the Eagles quickly reciprocated, then each team scored an unconverted try. Could they be heading for the first no-crowd golden point match? Is that a useful thing to be first at? So many questions.

NRL: In the first NRL game of the day, the Raiders and Warriors battled it out for some time to see who could play worse and the Warriors were ultimately the winners of that contest. Unfortunately it seems the NRL gives the points to the team that’s the least terrible and in that regard, the Raiders were the technical ‘winners of the game’ with a 20-6 victory. Things are tough for the Warriors at the moment, with Australia and New Zealand’s borders now closed, they must remain in Australia for the duration of the competition or the border closure. How long it continues, we can’t predict, but for now most players are away from their families and presumably doing it pretty tough.

AFL: A close one also in the first AFL game of the day, with Essendon beating Fremantle 9.9 (63) to 8.9 (57). Jacob Townsend scored three goals for the Bombers, while Dylan Shiel did a power of work to finish with 35 disposals and five marks.

Time to run through some results from earlier today! There has been plenty happening, between the AFLW finals, AFL round one, NRL round two and some A-League to come later tonight.

First to the other AFLW semis, they were two very tight matches that came down to the final minutes of the games. Collingwood fought hard and stayed close all game, but ultimately couldn’t overcome the Kangaroos, who held on for a two point win, 5.4 (34) to 5.2 (32).

In the other game, the Giants were in control all match, but Melbourne defied the odds with a couple of sensational late goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They triumphed 4.5 (26) to 3.8 (26).

AFLW: Fremantle beat Gold Coast 12.8 (80) to 1.4 (10)

After a couple of close games in the AFLW semis today, this one felt a bit flat, an easy 70 point win to the Dockers, who have been the form side of the competition so far. Sabreena Duffy was in the points, with three goals for the match, while Kiara Bowers with 14 tackles and 22 disposals to her name was one of the Dockers’ hardest working.

W-League Grand Final: Melbourne City 1-0 Sydney FC

A strange grand final, but one Melbourne City were happy to celebrate regardless. Just the one goal was scored in the match - during the first half - but it was enough to secure the win for the home team. You can re-live the match through Richard Parkin’s live blog, or enjoy Ella Reilly’s match report. Or do both, I won’t stop you!

Preamble

On a weekend when Australian sport tries to pretend that social distancing only counts before and after the whistle blows, here is Sportwatch. While the rest of the world discovers AFL and NRL and gets really into the A-League and W-League, we keep on pretending that things are semi-normal and watch a whole bunch of sport in a whole bunch of empty stadiums. So, let’s go!

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