TG is only 21?! She’s just so composed.

Also really enjoyed the nous of Gemma Rigoni, thought her disposal really advantaged the receivers.

31 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

Idk if he played mini-golf but I do know he didn’t get his face painted. I did! 🤡

LJ!

12 hours ago, Dees_In_October said:

Also hope to hear from first-time Casey attendee @FarNorthernD Were you shocked by the relative lack of wind?! Did you get your face painted? Play some mini golf?

Had a blast. I met Ghostie and got a hug. Loved the feel of the place, bit like suburban footy back in day but without the biffo.

First group I saw as I was getting out of the car were a group of Muslim Demon supporters, the [censored] community were well represented, lots of young families and a couple of drag queens were wandering around. Come to think about it, given this very diverse group were all there to watch the elite comp of women's footy it really was nothing like watching suburban footy back in the day 🤣.

As for the footy I thought the skills look better in ‘real life’ than they do on tele. They also hit bloody hard.

The game has already been well commented on here but I thought Zanker, Hore, Eliza Mac, Hanks and Fitz were probably the difference. Paxy good too as was Shelley Heath. Agree that Rigoni had her most prominent game but she was playing on Zippy who was probably the Swans best. She is going to have to develop more of a tank next off season though as she ran out of petrol tickets in the last.

Brisbane in Brisbane will be big next week eh.

I'm cheering on the bombers here hoping they can do us a favour against the Lions (and they lead at qtr time)

I feel a little dirty

9 hours ago, FarNorthernD said:

Had a blast. I met Ghostie and got a hug. Loved the feel of the place, bit like suburban footy back in day but without the biffo.

First group I saw as I was getting out of the car were a group of Muslim Demon supporters, the [censored] community were well represented, lots of young families and a couple of drag queens were wandering around. Come to think about it, given this very diverse group were all there to watch the elite comp of women's footy it really was nothing like watching suburban footy back in the day 🤣.

As for the footy I thought the skills look better in ‘real life’ than they do on tele. They also hit bloody hard.

The game has already been well commented on here but I thought Zanker, Hore, Eliza Mac, Hanks and Fitz were probably the difference. Paxy good too as was Shelley Heath. Agree that Rigoni had her most prominent game but she was playing on Zippy who was probably the Swans best. She is going to have to develop more of a tank next off season though as she ran out of petrol tickets in the last.

Brisbane in Brisbane will be big next week eh.

Glad you enjoyed! I know what you mean about it being like suburban footy but also very much not! 😂

That's so interesting what you say about the skills looking better live. Part of that might have been the lack of wind!

So true re: Rigoni. Plus the likes of Ebert, O'Hehir, Mahony, etc., it's still early days in terms of building that next level of fitness as well as the concentration to play out games.

11 hours ago, Dees_In_October said:

Glad you enjoyed! I know what you mean about it being like suburban footy but also very much not! 😂

That's so interesting what you say about the skills looking better live. Part of that might have been the lack of wind!

So true re: Rigoni. Plus the likes of Ebert, O'Hehir, Mahony, etc., it's still early days in terms of building that next level of fitness as well as the concentration to play out games.

It was such an enjoyable game to watch, in large part because the skill level was so terrific.

Some of our kicking was brilliant, and theirs too actually.

But there was also great footy iq on display.

We're starting to see the impact of most players evidently having started playing footy from auskick on.

Players are looking so much more natural across the board - natural, instinctive, high skill footy players like Hore and Hanks (who has gone up a level this season- I think in large part because she's playing with such confidence) no longer look like outliers.

One area where that is super evident is, as I noted a couple of weeks back, the standard of marking. Chalk and cheese to the first few seasons. Players in all teams are reading the flight brilliantly and showing textbook technique- as a result so many mote marks are getting clunked.

It really changes the game because intercept marking has become a driver of transition, forwards are taking advantage of good kicks inside 50 and the game is less random because teams are controlling the ball more.

But picking up your point about the wind DIO, the AFL just simply have to play all AFL games at grounds that provide AFL level protection from the wind, which in Vic would limit games to Docklands, Okon, Taxpayer Park - and soon Mars stadium in Ballarat (the new stand is almost complete).

Wind makes all footy more difficult, but particularly women's footy. I just don't get why the AFL don't ensure, as far as is possible, all AFLW games are played in optimal conditions.

Allow the skills of the players to shine, which in turn will result in higher scoring games, less scrappy contests, fewer rolling mauls and more highlights. All of which brings new fans, promotes AFLW and gives fox and seven a better product.

I really wonder if the AFL understand what they've got with the AFLW - I don't think it's overstating things to say women's footy, if properly nutured and invested in, will future proof AFL footy.

Once Tassie comes in, I worry there simply won't be enough elite footballers who are also elite athletes. The only protection against that is increasing participation. Girls wanting to play footy, and having the opportunity to do so, makes it so much easier for families that also have boys playing footy to make it all work (one reason why both my kids, male and female, both played basketball).

Leaving that aspect aside all the young girls wanting to play footy from auskick on creates lifelong footy fans and drives interest in the game.

Which translates into more viewers (and bigger rights dollars), bigger crowds and increased membership sales.

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by binman

57 minutes ago, binman said:

Chalk

Speaking of chalk, one of the many fun things we got to do yesterday was drawing on the ground with every colour of the rainbow chalk. Every colour except for our shades of red and blue. Didn’t stop this eejit from writing Go Dees when everyone else was drawing rainbows and hearts and flowers…

PS they wouldn’t let me draw D & balls… spoilsports ☹️

5 hours ago, binman said:

It was such an enjoyable game to watch, in large part because the skill level was so terrific.

Some of our kicking was brilliant, and theirs too actually.

But there was also great footy iq on display.

We're starting to see the impact of most players evidently having started playing footy from auskick on.

Players are looking so much more natural across the board - natural, instinctive, high skill footy players like Hore and Hanks (who has gone up a level this season- I think in large part because she's playing with such confidence) no longer look like outliers.

One area where that is super evident is, as I noted a couple of weeks back, the standard of marking. Chalk and cheese to the first few seasons. Players in all teams are reading the flight brilliantly and showing textbook technique- as a result so many mote marks are getting clunked.

It really changes the game because intercept marking has become a driver of transition, forwards are taking advantage of good kicks inside 50 and the game is less random because teams are controlling the ball more.

But picking up your point about the wind DIO, the AFL just simply have to play all AFL games at grounds that provide AFL level protection from the wind, which in Vic would limit games to Docklands, Okon, Taxpayer Park - and soon Mars stadium in Ballarat (the new stand is almost complete).

Wind makes all footy more difficult, but particularly women's footy. I just don't get why the AFL don't ensure, as far as is possible, all AFLW games are played in optimal conditions.

Allow the skills of the players to shine, which in turn will result in higher scoring games, less scrappy contests, fewer rolling mauls and more highlights. All of which brings new fans, promotes AFLW and gives fox and seven a better product.

I really wonder if the AFL understand what they've got with the AFLW - I don't think it's overstating things to say women's footy, if properly nutured and invested in, will future proof AFL footy.

Once Tassie comes in, I worry there simply won't be enough elite footballers who are also elite athletes. The only protection against that is increasing participation. Girls wanting to play footy, and having the opportunity to do so, makes it so much easier for families that also have boys playing footy to make it all work (one reason why both my kids, male and female, both played basketball).

Leaving that aspect aside all the young girls wanting to play footy from auskick on creates lifelong footy fans and drives interest in the game.

Which translates into more viewers (and bigger rights dollars), bigger crowds and increased membership sales.

I agree with lots above @binman

I wonder about the venues though.

There's a problem with Places like Docklands though. They're just devoid of atmosphere.

It's a balancing act between having grounds that have that fantastic suburban footy vibe and look more populated and interesting on TV versus well sheltered grounds that don't have the atmosphere.

It's a balancing act I suppose.

It's great to have grounds where kids can go and kick a footy around and get really close to the players etc.

We definitely have an advantage when the wind howls down at Casey as we now know how to attack with the breeze and then defend against it.

Doesn't always lead to the best skills though as you say

5 hours ago, binman said:

But picking up your point about the wind DIO, the AFL just simply have to play all AFL games at grounds that provide AFL level protection from the wind, which in Vic would limit games to Docklands, Okon, Taxpayer Park - and soon Mars stadium in Ballarat (the new stand is almost complete).

Wind makes all footy more difficult, but particularly women's footy. I just don't get why the AFL don't ensure, as far as is possible, all AFLW games are played in optimal conditions.

I agree, it would make a huge difference. Our team has turned it into something of an advantage, but you have to wonder how we'd go if we played at Ikon all the time. Though there are drawbacks to those venues as highlighted by @Brownie At the very least, I wish they would consider Docklands for a Grand Final. It's sold out three (?) years in a row. Neutral W fans in Vic would absolutely turn up (if nothing else, to beat the Adelaide Oval record for the 2019 AFLW GF). But the AFL has already ruled that out for this year.

Another thing they should consider but probably won't is the ball itself. While easier to handle, it's pretty widely accepted now that the smaller ball is harder to kick for distance and penetration, especially in windy conditions.

6 hours ago, binman said:

Leaving that aspect aside all the young girls wanting to play footy from auskick on creates lifelong footy fans and drives interest in the game.

And let's not forget, despite the way the AFL likes to present it, girls didn't wake up one day in 2017 and decide they wanted to play football because of AFLW. They've always been girls who wanted to play but were prevented (including actively by the AFL). It's easy to forget how quickly the perception has changed and I agree with you that the AFL don't quite understand what they have on their hands or how to best showcase it. I have many thoughts on this, obviously, but I won't go on!

(Looking forward to hearing your trade thoughts on the podcast - and maybe some thoughts about the pointy end of the W season?)

19 minutes ago, Dees_In_October said:

And let's not forget, despite the way the AFL likes to present it, girls didn't wake up one day in 2017 and decide they wanted to play football because of AFLW. They've always been girls who wanted to play but were prevented (including actively by the AFL).

On that front, one of the things i love about the AFLW coverage off most, but not all (eg the freo game - ughh) is the commentary.

Daniel Hardford is knowledgeable about women's footy and clearly respects it. And co commentators and special comments people are often ex and current female players.

In the Swans game Deb Lee was one of the commentators and i thought she was brilliant.

Lee's knowledge is first class, and she provides info that really helps understand the game. And she's funny without trying too hard like so many of the bone head ex AFL footballers that dominate the coverage of AFLM.

And back to your point about there always being girls who wanted to play footy Lee is an absolute legend of the game full stop and in particular a legend of women's footy. What a contribution she has made to the game.

28 minutes ago, Dees_In_October said:

maybe some thoughts about the pointy end of the W season?

We'll def be discussing the AFLW.

Spoiler alert - George and i have differing views on our method.

As many know I have not been a fan of the women’s game for reasons I have stated in the past. However this year I decide to give it go. I have watched a few Demon games and a few quarters of other games. some teams have improved their skill. What I am about now is the MFC jumper that was worn last weekend. I think it is the best jumper that I have seen on Melbourne players be they female or male. Very good effort from whoever designed it. 10 out of 10. Can we beat the Roos who are clearly the best side in the Comp. I will reserve my judgement for a couple of weeks. Go Dee’s.