The new for football in Western Australia started with a nod to the past.
Here was a swarming team clad in purple suffocating an increasingly desperate opponent, with a star No. 29 patrolling attacking 50m and a feverish crowd willing the home side to victory.
But this wasn't a Ross Lyon-coached Fremantle outfit, led by champion forward Matthew Pavlich, that was strangling another team into submission at Subiaco Oval.
This time it was Michelle Cowan's troops, inspired in part by a brilliant Melissa Caulfield (two goals), clamping down on Collingwood in the first-ever Australian Rules match at brand-spanking new Optus Stadium.
It was also history in the making, as 41,975 fans turned up and set a new attendance record for a standalone women's sporting event in Australia, breaking a mark from way back in 1929.
And it was the perfect tonic for the AFL Women's competition after a week of controversy about the aesthetics of the fledgling league.
Perth footy fans did their bit by turning up in droves – albeit in fewer numbers than the 54,000 tickets sold – and the players put on a show worthy of the occasion.
The spicy contest had everything: ferocious tackles, big hits, free-flowing footy and highlights galore.
Despite the cauldron-like atmosphere, there was few signs of nerves from either side.
Collingwood set the standard early, moving the ball with a precise chain of handballs from the opening bounce and had two goals on the board before Fremantle had blinked.
Star ruck Emma King spoke this week about the Pies – who were involved in the first-ever AFLW game plus this year's season-opener – knowing a thing or two about playing in front of big crowds in marquee matches.
Silencing the 'Purple Army' by hitting the scoreboard early would help, and King duly delivered by soccering through the first-ever goal at the 60,000-seat venue.
But the Dockers soon found their spark and the restless crowd discovered their voice.
Ashlee Atkins cleared the pack on the line from 40m to register Freo's first goal at the club's new home, and the Dockers were away.
Six of the game's final eight goals were booted by the home side, who hunted and harassed the Pies into mistake after mistake.
Nearly a year to the day since the Dockers lost their first AFLW game in WA at a packed Fremantle Oval, they weren't about to walk away disappointed again - especially if best-on-ground Dana Hooker (20 disposals, two goals) had anything to do with it.
Hooker was simply outstanding and drove a dagger into Collingwood's comeback hopes with a superb instinctive finish early in the fourth quarter.
She was well-supported by debutant Lisa Webb (17 possessions, seven marks) – the wife of Dockers men's assistant coach Marc – hard-nosed defender Ebony Antonio (15 disposals) and Caulfield.
To their credit, the Magpies never threw in the towel.
Chloe Molloy (15 disposals) underlined her status as a future star with another mature display, Melissa Kuys (21) was tireless and Christina Bernardi (two goals) was a constant threat.
However, they were fighting an uphill battle against a relentless Dockers line-up desperate to atone for last week's embarrassing scoreless half in their opening game and spurred on by a huge crowd.
By the time the familiar "Freo" chant rang out around Optus Stadium in the dying minutes it was clear that the Dockers would christen the venue with a first-up triumph.
It was the most challenging week the AFLW has had to endure since it opened to much fanfare at Princes Park in February of 2017, but at the end of it came a sweet reward.
A crowd of 41,975 at Perth Stadium saw an 89-year-old record for women's footy broken — no stand-alone match of women's Aussie rules has been attended by more people — and added to the long list of successes of which this young league can boast.
It will come as a relief to the true believers who, for the first time, saw their game questioned not only by the perennial doubters but by the AFL itself, who responded with the now infamous "memo" not-so-subtly addressing the standard of football in the league.
This week saw MRP controversy, with the Melbourne papers filled with angst over a Monday press release like it was mid-July.
There were devastating injury blows, most notably the loss of Carlton's Bri Davey with a ruptured ACL, while the likes of Erin Phillips and Tayla Harris struggled with their own knocks and niggles.
All in all, it felt very much like a standard week in the men's AFL — and fittingly, that is how it ended too.
Because the reason why we put up with so much nonsense in the AFL — all the manufactured controversies, rule changes, heartbreaking injuries and negative press — is the knowledge that once the weekend comes, somewhere in the country a gloriously packed stadium will play host to a cracking game of footy.
Mercifully, that was exactly what we got in Perth. Collingwood got the jump on the hometown Dockers, but buoyed by a crowd far beyond anything these women had played in front of, Freo gained its composure and made it a welcome party to remember.
The quality of the footy was much improved too, with the skills often matching the extreme ferocity on display.
This was one of the more physical games the AFLW has seen, at times bordering on spiteful but never unsporting.
The same could be said of Saturday's earlier match, where Melbourne quite literally outclassed the reigning champion Crows with their arguably league-leading skills.
If nothing else, this week has stressed the importance of not confusing those who make reasoned, valid criticisms of AFLW games, players and teams with those who dismiss the league out of hand as a novelty and a waste of time.
The former would have been delighted to have seen a high-quality and entertaining match worthy of the spectacle.
The latter probably is not worth worrying about either way.
There will be more challenges to come for the AFLW, and not every week can bring about record-breaking crowds, but the league can rest assured that not one of the 41,975 people in Perth Stadium today could complain about what they saw on the field.
And if even half of them come back next time, the league is on to a winner.
AFLW 2018 Round 3
COLLINGWOOD
v
GWS
Time & Place:
Sunday February 18, 4.35pm EDT
Olympic Park Oval
TV:
Fox Sports 4.30pm EDT
Weather:
Min 12 Max 23
Chance of rain 50%: < 1mm
Wind: SSW 18kph
Betting:
Collingwood $1.82
GWS $1.96
|
A RECORD crowd of 41,975 has watched Fremantle beat Collingwood by 13 points in a fiery AFLW clash at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Collingwood kicked the first two goals but Fremantle dominated from that point to secure the 6.4 (40) to 4.3 (27) win.
Although 54,000 tickets were sold for the match at $2 each, more than 12,000 people didn’t show.
But there were still easily enough to smash the previous crowd record for an AFLW match — the 24,500 who watched last season’s opener between Carlton and Collingwood at Ikon Park.
And the record for a stand alone women’s domestic game in Australia was also broken.
That obscure record was set in 1929, when 41,000 fans attended an exhibition game at Adelaide Oval between employees from a department store and a pyjama factory.
The huge level of interest for Saturday’s game was largely sparked by Perth’s new $1.5 billion stadium.
But fans new to women’s football were treated to a spectacle featuring plenty of biff and a good number of goals.
“It was an incredible occasion and a really special day for our football club and women’s sport as a whole,” Fremantle coach Michelle Cowan said.
“Certainly in that fourth quarter the chant of Freo — when that went up, it was really special.”
Fremantle’s physical approach was clear from the outset and star Collingwood defender Chloe Molloy was one of the biggest targets.
When listing his team’s injuries, Magpies coach Wayne Siekman said Molloy finished with a “bruised jaw and bruised ribs” in a not-too-subtle dig at Fremantle’s tactics.
“So she obviously got fairly well belted up today,” he said. “It was pretty heated and they came with a pretty big plan.
“Why wouldn’t you go after a pretty significant talent — a rising star from round one.
“She’s a special talent and got herself back up and won a few more contested marks ... and kept getting whacked and kept getting back up.” Molloy finished with 15 disposals to be among Collingwood’s best, while Fremantle’s Dana Hooker (20 possessions, two goals) was best afield. The Magpies are winless after two rounds; Fremantle are 1-1.
FREMANTLE has overcome a fast-starting Collingwood outfit to christen the club’s new home ground with a 13-point win in front of a record 41,975 fans on Saturday.
The Magpies had the better of their opponents early with slick ball movement and manic forward pressure creating the opportunity for Emma King to become the first goal-scorer at Optus Stadium.
When Christina Bernardi slotted Collingwood’s second just moments later, Michelle Cowan’s team looked worrying similar to the side that capitulated against the Western Bulldogs last week.
But seemingly in an instant, the Dockers kicked into gear and rounded out a free-flowing first quarter with three consecutive goals to establish a six-point lead at the first break.
The Magpies failed to hit the scoreboard in the second quarter as Fremantle, led by reigning best-and-fairest Dana Hooker (20 possessions, six tackles and two goals) ran the ball in waves from defence.
Collingwood rallied briefly in the third quarter on the back of Bernardi’s second goal but Fremantle returned fire in a heated fracas on the wing that left second-game NAB AFLW Rising Star nominee Chloe Molloy with a bruised jaw and ribs.
Cowan’s brigade eventually ran out the game stronger, kicking six of the last eight goals to register its first win for the season, 6.4 (40) to 4.3 (27).
The Fremantle coach praised her players’ ability to maintain focused, despite fanfare surrounding the first game at Optus Stadium.
"They were really focused on the four quarters, on coming to play and on preparing really well to play so I’m really proud of them in that regard," she said.
"No doubt, the occasion is an incredible occasion and a really special day for our football club and women’s sport as a whole.
"It’s wonderful that our supporters and the WA community came out and supported today because they just made history."
Traditionally dour and defensive, Fremantle played with near-unrecognisable freedom for large portions of Saturday night.
But Cowan said her team’s game-plan came about naturally, and was not a manifestation of the AFL’s controversial directive for more attractive football.
"It was a good conversation to have during the week but there wasn’t a whole lot of changes on our end," Cowan said.
"From my end, we used the space and opened up the ground and it was a lot more free-flowing and certainly a lot more one-on-one’s.
"It was a fantastic game of football and I look forward to watching it back."
Collingwood coach Wayne Siekman said his coaching staff were baffled by the first-quarter shift in momentum.
"I think I’m still trying to work it out with the coaching group," Siekman said.
"The players had a really good honest chat when they got in the rooms and hopefully they talked about that.
"Freo lifted and probably went in a little bit harder. We couldn’t quite rise it to the next level and that sort of cost us.”
The first blow
King’s off-the-ground effort might’ve kicked off proceedings for the visitors, but when Ashlee Atkins converted a difficult set shot from 40m, the home crowd found voice for the first time in its new home. Reigning best-and-fairest Dana Hooker then kept the ball rolling just minutes later, evading several tacklers before nailing a snap from 30m.
Winning formula
Perhaps it was aided by the vast expanses of the Perth Stadium surface, but the AFL’s push for more free-flowing football seemed to pay early dividends on Saturday. Notorious last year for their turgid approach, the Dockers consistently had extra players on the spread and moved the ball aggressively through the corridor. Unsurprisingly – given Magpies coach Wayne Siekman’s public support for the 'open play' policy – Collingwood adopted a similar approach, making for a fast-paced and exciting encounter.
One to watch
Promising defender Chloe Molloy received plenty of plaudits for her composed debut against Carlton last week and on Saturday proved the effort was no flash in the pan. Selected with pick No.3 in last year’s draft, the 19-year-old was courageous standing underneath the ball and typically used her 15 disposals to good effect.
Did you see that?
Hopes were high that when 54,000 tickets were sold for Saturday’s encounter, a new benchmark would be set for women’s sport in Australia. And so it proved, with the 41,975-strong crowd the largest in Australia’s female sporting history, breaking the previous record set at Adelaide Oval in 1929 for an exhibition Australian Rules match.
Say what?
"It was pretty heated and, obviously, they came with a pretty big plan. They wanted to go after a pretty big talent (Molloy). They had a tactic and it worked for them." – Collingwood coach Wayne Siekman
What’s next?
Collingwood has the opportunity to break its duck against the winless Giants in the familiar surrounds of Olympic Park Oval next Sunday. |
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