Injury updates from the AFLW website with a somewhat misleading headline.

Harris under an injury cloud, ruck enters concussion protocols

– Sarah Black

 

MELBOURNE is hopeful Tayla Harris has escaped serious damage to her ankle, but the jury is still out on Tahlia Gillard’s knee after an eventful match sim against Hawthorn.

 

An official update is due on Tuesday after the pair had scans on Sunday. Harris is currently in a moonboot, but the expectation is that she has escaped with a rolled ankle.

 

Key back Gillard is on crutches, and while the extent of her knee injury is unknown, it is believed to be more serious than Harris’.

 

Tall Georgia Campbell will sit out this weekend’s practice match against Adelaide with concussion, while ruck Lauren Pearce has dodged the concussion protocols after a head knock, and is set to play.

 

The Dees have a number of players already sidelined, including Gab Colvin (MCL), Blaithin Mackin (hamstring), Denby Taylor (foot) and Grace Beasley (ACL), while Sinead Goldrick is still in Ireland, with Dublin playing in the Gaelic football Grand Final.

1 hour ago, Dees_In_October said:

Injury updates from the AFLW website with a somewhat misleading headline.

Harris under an injury cloud, ruck enters concussion protocols

– Sarah Black

 

MELBOURNE is hopeful Tayla Harris has escaped serious damage to her ankle, but the jury is still out on Tahlia Gillard’s knee after an eventful match sim against Hawthorn.

 

An official update is due on Tuesday after the pair had scans on Sunday. Harris is currently in a moonboot, but the expectation is that she has escaped with a rolled ankle.

 

Key back Gillard is on crutches, and while the extent of her knee injury is unknown, it is believed to be more serious than Harris’.

 

Tall Georgia Campbell will sit out this weekend’s practice match against Adelaide with concussion, while ruck Lauren Pearce has dodged the concussion protocols after a head knock, and is set to play.

 

The Dees have a number of players already sidelined, including Gab Colvin (MCL), Blaithin Mackin (hamstring), Denby Taylor (foot) and Grace Beasley (ACL), while Sinead Goldrick is still in Ireland, with Dublin playing in the Gaelic football Grand Final.

4 talls. Oh dear.

Goldrick's final at 4.15 local, Sunday 3 August.

5 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

4 talls. Oh dear.

Goldrick's final at 4.15 local, Sunday 3 August.

Yeah not ideal. At the very least, if Gillard's injury is season ending (hopefully not), I think we qualify for a replacement because it has happened in preseason. S.Taylor also comes into the mix. Beyond that, there's not much depth in the tall defenders, though I guess Harris could go back when recovered or some other shuffling from the forward line.

Timelines are vague at this stage, but reading between the lines, it's something like:

• Gillard (10-12 weeks) MCL

• Colvin (no timeline given, but will miss early season) Lower grade MCL

• Beasley (mid-season) ACL

• Harris (2-4 weeks) Ankle

• B.Mackin (TBA but sounds optimistic?) Hamstring

• D.Taylor (Possibly available for Round 1) Foot

• Campbell (Symptoms pending, likely available R1) Concussion

• L.Pearce (Available) Head/neck

• Goldrick (TBA) May be delayed due to wild celebrations :)

So at this stage we're minimum 4 players down for Round 1 (including Beasley, which was known) plus possibly B.Mackin and Goldrick.

In terms of having a replacement spot for Gillard, I'm not sure how that works if the injury only just rules her out for the H&A season length. I guess they'll wait for more on the injury to get a clearer timeline. All the best to Tahlia; at least she won't be alone in rehab (clutching at straws here!). It's a credit to her that she's such a loss to us for a young player.

Gilliard is a big loss.

not ideal to have so many injuries in pre season.

looking forward to the start of the women's comp given the big disappointment the men have been this year.

1 hour ago, BDA said:

Gilliard is a big loss.

No Gillard and no Colvin... very interesting to see what we do to stop taller forwards. Return to the Harris-as-a-defender experiment?

55 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

No Gillard and no Colvin... very interesting to see what we do to stop taller forwards. Return to the Harris-as-a-defender experiment?

Might be the way to go.

Zanker is improving year on year as our key forward.

I always have faith in Mick and the team to make the right moves.

I wish I had the same faith with the men and wish they'd use Mick as part of the coaching group. He could make an excellent match day strategist which we seemed to have missed since Yze departed.

Anyways, I love the way the girls play for each other and how well they recovered after a poor start last year.

It's going to be challenging again this year.

I can't understand why there aren't more demonlanders on the AFLW bus.

AFL is looking more and more like drama filled soccer players constantly throwing their hands in the air. The girls just get to work.

Anyone know how to watch the wonderful Goldy play in the granny this Sunday?

8 minutes ago, Brownie said:

Anyone know how to watch the wonderful Goldy play in the granny this Sunday?

TG4 will be live streaming the game

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

I can't understand why there aren't more demonlanders on the AFLW bus.

This surprised me as well. It's so much fun.

Good start by the girls - same connection, physicality and skills as I saw last week. Quarter time, 2 goals to 3 behinds. Withstood early Crows forward 50 dominance, with wind. Benefited from inaccuracy, then took over late. Paxy motors on!

Now with the breeze.

On 01/08/2025 at 09:21, BDA said:

TG4 will be live streaming the game

12.30 AEST time yeah?

4 minutes ago, Brownie said:

12.30 AEST time yeah?

11.30, Brownie. Link on Club website. Maybe 12.30 for 'TG4'(?) - second half starts then.

Half time. Dees 5.1, Crows 0.5.

Edited Sunday at 02:195 days by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

16 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Good start by the girls - same connection, physicality and skills as I saw last week. Quarter time, 2 goals to 3 behinds. Withstood early Crows forward 50 dominance, with wind. Benefited from inaccuracy, then took over late. Paxy motors on!

Now with the breeze.

1 minute ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

11.30, Brownie.

Half time. Dees 5.1, Crows 0.5.

Oh, is the praccy match being streamed as well.

I'm trying to watch Goldy in the granny in Ireland via tg4

On 01/08/2025 at 09:12, Brownie said:

Anyways, I love the way the girls play for each other and how well they recovered after a poor start last year.

On 01/08/2025 at 09:12, Brownie said:

I can't understand why there aren't more demonlanders on the AFLW bus.

On 01/08/2025 at 09:12, Brownie said:

The girls just get to work.

They are a joy to watch...

On 01/08/2025 at 10:31, The Taciturn Demon said:

It's so much fun.

Yep...

Very impressive half. I haven’t caught all of it but we look really fit. Outnumbering Crows at most contests, cleaner with our hands and hitting targets. The usual suspects dominating, Hanks, McNamara, Hore etc. Chaplin rock solid in defence.

1 minute ago, Brownie said:

Oh, is the praccy match being streamed as well.

I'm trying to watch Goldy in the granny in Ireland via tg4

I think Goldy's granny is 4.30 pm their time so 12.30 am tonight, our time, maybe?

They eventually got going after Crows had multiple entries in the 50. Good movement with short hit ups and getting the ball into better scoring positions. McNamara with plenty of possession, Heath tackling and covering the ground, Jatczak with some important marks, Ebert with a good start.

Ist quarter Melb 12 Crows 3

Straight goal kicking, Melb 31 Crows 5 at half-time

Crows dominated the early part of the 2nd quarter, backline doing enough to restrict and pressure them. We had some slings of the half-back (Chaplin) that created one on ones in the fwrd 50, but couldn't mark it. Then the experienced players got more involved, Hore, Hanks, Paxman later in the quarter as we kicked 3.

3 quarter time 7.1 43 to 5.7 37

Crows dominated the quarter early again, creting some easier opportunities to goal.

We responded late, with some pressure turning it and straight kicking to keep our lead after they evened the score.

Good turn around so as to wrestle back the momentum

Melb 8.4 52 crows 5.8 38

Start of the 4th, they are looking tired, as it turns into a scrap.

Melbourne push it into their 50 and hold it there.

Crows tried a few times to sling, the Dees backline stood firm and pushed the ball forward again.

Good hit out for them.

Ebert and O'hehir did well in their first run.

Edited Sunday at 03:215 days by Kev

4 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

I think Goldy's granny is 4.30 pm their time so 12.30 am tonight, our time, maybe?

Yep you're right. Bugger that. I'll watch a replay

***THERE'S A DEDICATED GAME DAY THREAD NOW***

But, praccies over and Round 1 a fortnight away, there's Goldy to barrack for as her Dubliners take on Meath in the 2025 All-Ireland final, under way at 1.15am our time.

4 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

But, praccies over and Round 1 a fortnight away, there's Goldy to barrack for as her Dubliners take on Meath in the 2025 All-Ireland final, under way at 1.15am our time.

Good luck Goldy...my favourite Demon.

Ladies Football: Dublin cruise to victory

Delighted for Goldy

(but I'm no fan of the dubs)

Every year I tune into early games in the season to see if my decades long addiction to the MFC with stretch to the womans game ( have I got that right I usually suffer the embarrassment of using the wrong term). For many years the standard of a lot of teams was poor and the games terrible to watch meaning I seldom watch more than half a game. The overall standard has improved, however I have still struggled to be interested compared to other sports that start in Spring. This year I have the added problem of being witness to the collapse of the men's team into irrelance and after the St Kilda game I doubt I will ever trust the men's team again. I hope this year turns the corner for me. So ladies give me something to smile about in 2025 footy.

4 hours ago, BDA said:

Ladies Football: Dublin cruise to victory

Delighted for Goldy

(but I'm no fan of the dubs)

Jim's team, too, BDA. Can you tell us more? A bit of the 'Collingwoods' or 'Geelongs' for you, perhaps?

2 hours ago, old dee said:

So ladies give me something to smile about in 2025 footy.

Just enjoy it for wha it is 'old dee'...it will never be the mens game but the endeavour, team first attitude and joy that our girls bring to the game make them a great watch for me.

I said above Goldy is my favourite Demon and she is & that includes the men.

...not the best skills but she takes the game on, is so competitive & always plays with good spirit along with such a big smile when the game is done.