Summary
And that’s the end of that chapter. A tip of the hat to the women’s ODI team, with star turns from Jess Jonassen and Ellyse Perry deserving of special praise. A couple of excellent AFLW games, a not-so excellent A-League game - and, of course, the elephant in the room. Or rather, the elephant on the rugby field that trampled all over the Rebels during their 112-0 hammering. It’s still early days for the Super W of course, but wince-inducing results like that aren’t exactly a good look. Let’s hope they can sort the competition balance out soon. Anyhoo, that’s a whole different debate. Thanks for joining me, catch you next time.
A-League round-up
AAP: A last-gasp goal from Tarek Elrich gave Western Sydney a share of the points against A-League leaders Perth in their final game at Spotless Stadium.
It appeared Chris Ikonomidis’ first-half goal would be enough to ensure Tony Popovic’s return to Wanderland was a triumphant one. However Elrich gave a long-suffering crowd of 7,181 reason to cheer when he struck home from long-range in the 94th minute on Sunday.
There was little energy from the home side and their fans from the start. A lack of atmosphere, which included another boycott of the club’s active supporter group, matched a lifeless first half showing. Their ineptitude could have been a result of coach Markus Babbel being forced into fielding a makeshift back three due to injuries and suspension.
Their plight was made worse when youngster Jordan O’Doherty was stretchered from the field due to a suspected ACL injury in the 14th minute. That pain doubled not long after when Diego Castro found an unmarked Ikonomidis, who helped on a low cross under Vedran Janjetovic for the opener. It was the former Wanderers striker’s eighth goal of the season. It took the Wanderers until the third minute of injury time to finally test Glory gloveman Liam Reddy, however Oriol Riera’s header was palmed away.
The home side picked up their running in the second half and, coupled with Perth’s inability to put the game away, slowly grew into the match. The Glory only had two looks at goal compared to Western Sydney’s eight in the second half, the last of which came from outside of the box by Elrich.
Meanwhile, Newcastle missed the chance to move one win outside the A-League top six with a scoreless draw against Adelaide United at McDonald Jones Stadium. With sixth-placed Wellington losing on Saturday to Sydney 1-0, seventh-placed Newcastle had the chance to close the gap to three points with seven rounds remaining but they offered little in attack on Sunday after a hectic schedule of games.
Playing their fourth match in 12 days, the Jets were backing up from Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss to Kashima Antlers which ended their Asian Champions League run in Japan. Without key attacking weapon Ronny Vargas (hamstring), Newcastle looked flat against the fourth-placed Reds, who went closest to scoring when Craig Goodwin managed to get in behind the Jets’ defence in the 42nd minute but powered his shot into the crossbar.
The Jets forced a save from Paul Izzo in the 67th minute when substitute Joey Champness’ miscued volley almost lobbed in under the bar. Neither side, though, put the opposing goalkeeper under regular pressure in a game of mainly half chances.
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A-League: FT - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
And the Newcastle forwards are put out of their misery. Job done for Adelaide, who never really went for it. But then they didn’t need to. Unlike Newcastle, who only seemed to (attempt to) turn up the heat in the final 10 minutes. It’s easy to forget they created a few sights of goal, because their finishing was so poor it felt like they were barely half-chances. A messy affair with the right result.
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A-League: 90 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
No one howls quite like Thomassen when someone attempts to slide tackle him. That’s a first-class, Halloween-style scream on the flank - and he gets nothing for it. Except maybe a nomination at the Oscars.
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A-League: 88 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
A group of Jets fans are bouncing around with their shoes in their hand. Madness I tell you. Newcastle just can’t find a way through. Oooo! Superb cross from Jackson, perfect for the onrushing O’Donovan - middle of the goal, free header, close range - and he completely misses it. Oh dear.
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AFLW round-up
AAP: North Melbourne remain unbeaten in the AFLW after downing Melbourne by four points in a tense encounter at Casey Fields. Ruck-forward Emma King booted three goals, including a critical fourth-quarter effort that ensured the Kangaroos ran out 6.2 (38) to 5.4 (34) winners to sit four points clear on top of Conference A.
The 186cm King proved to be the X-factor for the Roos, who were brilliantly led by midfielders Jamie Stanton (21 disposals) and Emma Kearney (15 disposals). North trailed during the final term before King was paid a questionable push-in-the-back free kick and kicked truly from 20m out to wrestle back the lead.
Speedy forward Aliesha Newman starred for the Demons with two majors while Karen Paxman gathered 25 touches in a compelling duel with Kearney. The defeat leaves Melbourne in a battle to make the finals given only two teams progress from each conference. The Dees sit in fourth place in Conference A, trailing second-placed Adelaide and third-placed Fremantle by four points with three home-and-away rounds remaining.
In the earlier game, GWS were victors for the first time this season after holding off winless Collingwood by nine points in blustery conditions at Morwell.
The Giants broke the game open with four first-quarter goals and the hot-start allowed them to run out winners 5.6 (36) to 4.3 (27). Alan McConnell’s team capitalised on the strong wind which saw just one point kicked against the breeze for the entire game. Kicking with the wind in the last quarter, the Magpies made a late charge by kicking two majors while keeping their Conference B rivals scoreless but the early deficit proved too much.
Ace Giants midfielder Alicia Eva (22 possessions) played a major role in defeating her old side, while Rebecca Beeson and Courtney Gum were also outstanding. Tait Mackrill got the Giants off to a flyer after snapping a goal in the first minute before Louise Stephenson made it two shortly after with a brilliant left-foot effort from the pocket.
Irish recruit Cora Staunton, Yvonne Bonner and Jess Dal Pos were GWS’ other goal-kickers. “They were hard conditions out there and both teams had a fair bit riding on it so it was good for the girls to get a result,” Giants coach McConnell said. “It required a little bit of a different approach to ball use; you needed to be a bit slower going up in the wind and go fast the other way and occasionally we got it wrong.”
A-League: 80 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
When I said it had been pretty average tonight, I may have been sugarcoating it. I certainly won’t miss the words “back to Moss” when this is over. At least Boland is trying something different. From just over the half-way line, he launches a long-distance chip, but Moss isn’t THAT far off his line and gathers it comfortably. On target at least.
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A-League: 72 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
It’s been pretty average tonight, especially in terms of finishing and creating chances. Very little on target. It reflects worse on Newcastle than Adelaide, who have probably played the better football and aren’t as desperate for all three points. Jair hits one straight down the keeper’s throat with little power. Sums up Newcastle’s night in front of goal. There’s still time though.
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Here’s the women’s ODI report from our own Jonathan Howcroft.
A-League: 62 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
Oooo, Thomassen flies to the floor in the area, yelling his head off for a penalty. Nothing doing. VAR agrees. And the slow-motion replay confirms he wasn’t even close to being touched. A reminder that referees have tough jobs because in real time I did a sharp intake of breath and was surprised when I didn’t hear the whistle. Should’ve gone to Specsavers.
A-League: 52 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
Hmm, I’m still not sensing the urgency I was hoping for at half-time. In fact it seems a bit same-same from both teams. Petratos finds himself in some space from about 25 yards out, but drags his shot wide. Adelaide still getting in some good positions but letting themselves down with the final ball.
A-League: HT - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
All square at the break. About right I reckon - neither side has done enough to earn the lead. Adelaide have seen plenty of the ball in the Jets half, particularly in the opening 30mins but it was the Jets who arguably had the best chance, O’Donovan so close to getting a toe on a dangerous cross into the box. Hopefully someone takes the game by the scruff of the neck after the break.
AFLW: FT - Melbourne 5.4 (34) lost to Kangaroos 6.2 (38)
Tense stuff. The Demons look devastated at the siren as North Melbourne juuuust hold on to their unbeaten record. Excellent clash between two good sides, but North still the team to beat. They’ve bought themselves some breathing space in the conference. Tough on the Demons who are looking down the barrel.
AFLW: 4Q (1min left) Melbourne 5.4 (34), North 6.2 (38)
I thought the A-League would be taking all my attention at this time of the evening but this is turning into a cracker. Little in it as we enter the final minute and both teams scrapping as if their lives depended on it. Hearts in mouths every time someone takes a shot - every kick counts at this stage.
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A-League: 32 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
Seven corners for Adelaide. You’d think they’d have had more clear chances with that sort of statistic but, meh. They’ve had plenty of possession in good places but Newcastle have stood up. In fact, they almost score on the counter - a great ball in the Adelaide box somehow eludes everyone - O’Donovan just inches from making a connection to steer it goalwards. That’s about as close as anyone’s got so far. Hard to see where a goal will come from at the minute. Needs someone to liven things up. Where’s Pochettino when you need him?
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AFLW: 3Q - Melbourne 4.4 (28), North Melbourne 5.1 (31)
Just about to start the final quarter and all the momentum is with Melbourne but North are leading where it counts. Just three points in it. This is possibly the hardest North have been tested so far this campaign - but can the Demons get over the line? Excitement she wrote.
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A-League: 20 mins - Newcastle 0-0 Adelaide
We’re under way in the Hunter and it’s all a bit cat and mouse at the minute, most of the game being played in midfield. Newcastle pressing all over the pitch but the Reds don’t look particularly flustered, nor do they look especially composed either. The Jets fluff a set-piece right on the edge of the box that they’ve clearly been working on, Jair with a little dummy beforehand. Bet it looked great in training. Not so good when it bounces harmlessly off the wall.
Women’s ODI: Australia beat New Zealand by 95 runs to retain Rose Bowl
That’s all she wrote. Perry (107 no) set it up and Jonassen (27-5) finished it off, choking the life out of the New Zealand batsmen. It’s Schutt who gets the final wicket though, a fairly simple catch for Haynes to dismiss Jensen (21), who had dug in despite wickets tumbling around her. New Zealand all out for 152 after 37.5 overs. Australia take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
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AFLW: HT - Melbourne 2.3 (15) - North Melbourne 4.1 (25)
Still pretty tight at Casey Fields but North in the ascendency after that second quarter. They’re shaping up as the team to beat as we edge closer to the business end of the comp.
Women’s ODI: New Zealand 144-9 (36 overs) chasing 248
It’s escalated quickly in Adelaide. The last 30 mins have turned the game from tightly poised to almost over - Australia running through the Kiwi middle order and tail end to close in on victory. Jonassen has done the damage, in fact she was on a hat-trick after taking out Kerr and Tahuhu in the previous over. Just a matter of time now. She’s got figures of 24-5.
Super W: FT - Rebels 0-112 Queensland
It’s all over. Although I could have said that at half-time. Seventeen tries no less. The Rebels utterly outclassed, with Queensland only taking their foot off the gas for the final couple of minutes. Ominous stuff from Queensland.
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Super W: 77 mins - Rebels 0-112 Queensland
For once, that’s not a typo on this blog. It really is 112 - not 11 or 12. It’s a century for Queensland. And still a few minutes to go.
Speaking of the Matildas, here’s a great piece from midweek by Richard Parkin about the arrival of Ante Milicic. At least that’s the end of the Stajcic saga, right guys? *coughs nervously*
The A-League approacheth, and so the obligatory David Squires plug must be wheeled out. All hail Squiresy, for making the rest of us Guardianistas look like amateurs. Hilarious as usual.
Here are the highlights from the Waratahs’ 26-0 win over the Brumbies in their Super W opener yesterday. I say highlights but in truth it was a scrappy one, bit of rustiness from both teams I suspect - although they will be shuffling uncomfortably if they’re watching Queensland. No cobwebs there.
AFLW: Q1 - Melbourne 1.0 (6), North Melbourne 1.1 (7)
Anyway, let’s turn our attention to something a little less disturbing. It’s the end of the first quarter in today’s other AFLW clash and there’s just one point in it. That’s more like it. Plenty of pressure around the ball and neither side dominant. The unbeaten Norths have the slightest of edges. Tough one to call at this stage.
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Super W: 57 mins - Rebels 0-79 Queensland
Remember when I said it was looking ugly for the Rebels? Well it’s gone full Cohaagen at the end of Total Recall. They cooked up a story and threw the Rebels into a meat grinder. (Apologies for mixing my Arnie* film references.)
*Not Graham Arnold, the other one
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Cricket: ODI - New Zealand 98-3 (22 overs) chasing 248
Another one bites the dust in New Zealand’s reply. It’s a big one too. Sophie Devine falls for 47 lbw to Jonassen - just when it looked like the visitors were starting to take control. Nothing between the teams at this stage.
AFLW: Collingwood 4.3 (27) lost to GWS Giants 5.6 (36)
Fair play to the Pies who huffed and puffed but the huge gap at the end of the third quarter proved too much in the end. The Giants kept scoreless for the final quarter but they did enough to get over the line against the breeze.
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Super W: HT - Rebels 0-53 Queensland
Yeesh. It’s looking very, very ugly for the Rebels, who looked like a broken team for that last 10 minutes. Queensland running riot. They clearly mean business this season after falling agonisingly short in last year’s grand final thriller. There were hopes that this year’s comp would be a little more balanced but after the Tahs result, and the way this one is shaping up, it doesn’t bode well for the Super W’s lesser lights. Still very much a fledgling comp though.
It looks like Cameron Bancroft has put the sandpaper scandal behind him (or he’s at least doing a better job of hiding it than he did the actual sandpaper). He’s belted an unbeaten century for WA against NSW after ending his ban.
Here’s the AAP report:
Western Australia opener Cameron Bancroft has carried his bat for an unbeaten century against NSW in his Sheffield Shield return after a nine-month ban. Bancroft scored 138 in a marathon 358-ball innings to almost single-handedly keep WA’s innings together at Bankstown Oval, as the visitors were dismissed for 279 just before lunch on day two.
After batting through two elongated sessions on a rain-affected day one, Bancroft moved from his overnight 73 to bring up his 12th first-class century off 276 balls. WA resumed at 5-183 on Sunday with debutant Brad Hope (eight) dismissed in the first over.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals before Bancroft picked up the scoring rate with the fall of the ninth wicket, hitting sixes off successive Steve O’Keefe deliveries. Bancroft and Sam Whiteman (66) put on an opening stand of 119 on Saturday but only No.10 Liam Guthrie was able to join them in double figures.
It is the third time Bancroft has carried his bat at first-class level. Bancroft returned to Twenty20 cricket in late December after his highly-publicised suspension ban for ball tampering during Australia’s Test against South Africa in Cape Town last March.
Paceman Trent Copeland (4-81) and spinner O’Keefe (4-78) shared the wickets for NSW on day two.
AFLW: 3Q - Collingwood 2.1 (13) GWS Giants 5.6 (36)
It’s three-quarter-time between the Pies and GWS, with the Giants in control. Collingwood have the breeze for the final quarter but it will take a big effort to turn things around and save the season.
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Women’s ODI: New Zealand chasing 248 for victory
Over to the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide where the Australian innings wrapped up on 247-7, led by an unbeaten 107 off 110 balls from Ellyse Perry. Awesome stuff from the all-rounder, who has also just bowled a maiden and made an early breakthrough with the wicket of Bates. The tourists are currently 33-2 in reply, with Down just gone lbw. Harsh. Looked like it was missing.
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Preamble
Afternoon everyone, and for all you Liberal Party fans out there (the Guardian’s key demographic) who are desperately searching for inspiring women to potentially stand at the upcoming election, look no further. Women’s sport takes centre stage today with Super W, the women’s ODI and AFLW action. There’s also a smattering of A-League fun in the evening.
Over in Adelaide, the women’s ODI between Australia and New Zealand is already well under way. The Kiwis have just started their reply. I’ll jump into that shortly, but the current main picture for this blog should give you a clue as to who the star was in Australia’s innings.
Also in full swing is the AFLW clash between winless Conference B clubs Collingwood and the Giants, which despite their struggles this season is still intriguing because a quirk of the system means both teams can still qualify for the finals. Or as the headline in today’s Age put it: “Everything to play for in pointless encounter”. Nice. In about an hour we switch focus to the much stronger Conference A, where Melbourne take on front-runners North Melbourne, who are the only unbeaten side still in the comp after Fremantle’s loss last night.
Just starting in the Super W, the Rebels are taking on Queensland. I’ll keep you posted on that too, but it looks like the Waratahs are very much still the team to beat after yesterday’s shellacking of the Brumbies.
Then it’s off to the Hunter for the A-League clash between the Jets and Adelaide. The Reds will be desperate to bounce back after that shock loss to the Wanderers last week, while Newcastle are stuck in the A-League limbo of seventh place – six points behind sixth, and six points ahead of eighth. Following that it’s the Wanderers hosting Perth, although I’ll have said sayonara to the blog by then… but I might tag on a match report because, what can I say, I live to give.
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