CARLTON 3.0.18 4.1.25 6.1.37 7.4.46
COLLINGWOOD 1.2.8 1.4.10 1.5.11 1.5.11
GOALS - Collingwood: Garner
BEST - Collingwood: D'Arcy, Chiocci, Barden, White
INJURIES - Collingwood: Emma Grant (concussion), Stacey Livingstone (shoulder), Helen Roden (left leg), Steph Chiocci (concussion)
REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil
OFFICIAL CROWD - 24,568 at Princes Park, Carlton
| 1. How about the crowd? The AFL officially declared a lock out at 8pm, midway through the first quarter. League CEO Gillon McLachlan made an announcement to the crowd at quarter time to address the situation. McLachlan also ventured outside the ground to apologise to the 1000-2000 estimated people unable to get into the venue, based on the advice of Victoria Police. The AFL, of course, moved the historic first match of from Olympic Park Oval to Ikon Park due to concerns over the size of the Magpies' ground. McLachlan said; "It's an amazing turnout and clearly we're a little overwhelmed by the response." 2. Injury Room Collingwood midfielder Emma Grant left the field of play in the second quarter after an errant swinging arm from Carlton's Brianna Davey in a tackle. Grant was assisted from the field by trainers after looking dazed. Grant took not further part in the contest after failing a concussion test. Teammates Stacey Livingstone (shoulder) and Helen Roden (left leg) ended the match on the interchange bench, while Stephanie Chiocci received treatment for a cut above her eye. Nat Exon (quad) and Natalie Plane (ankle) were the Blues' injury worries. |
3. The star of the show Darcy Vescio was unstoppable all night as her speed and uncanny instincts around goal proved too difficult to curb. The 23-year-old booted three goals in the first half, but it was the variety in which she scored that was most impressive. Vescio said she relished the occasion: "It was such a special occasion and the girls were buzzing with excitement. We were able to harness any nervousness and turn it into positive energy." 4. Who kicked the first goal? The Blues may have dominated the contest, but it was Collingwood's Jasmine Garner who will go down in history as the first-ever goal kicker in the AFLW competition. Garner marked strongly inside 50 before cooly slotting her chance from 30m out directly in front of goal. Vescio opened Carlton's account in the first term, one of three for the first half. 5. Say what? "The players came with a real balance tonight of being in the moment, and recognising it for what it was, but also being prepared to perform." – Carlton coach Damien Keeping |
| THE MEDIA | |
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A SCINTILLATING four-goal performance from Carlton marquee forward Darcy Vescio has powered her side to a 35-point win over Collingwood in the first match of the NAB AFL Women's competition in front of a sellout crowd at Ikon Park on Friday night. The venue was officially declared a lockout midway through the first quarter, with up to 2000 patrons unable to get into the ground. It led AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to venture outside Ikon Park to apologise to those people waiting. The capacity crowd inside the ground was treated to a cracking contest, with the intensity – particularly early in the match – at a high standard on a stunning evening in Melbourne. The Blues made the early running thanks to three first-half goals from Vescio and took a three-goal lead into half-time, before running away with a triumphant 7.4 (46) to 1.5 (11) victory. Carlton midfielder Nat Exon led the way with her endeavour at the footy, while Brianna Davey (26 disposals and a goal) – another marquee Blue - rebounded strongly from defence and pushed forward to do damage on the scoreboard. Magpies skipper Steph Chiocci (nine disposals) was among her side's best for much of the contest, until she was helped from the field following a nasty head knock in the final term. Collingwood forward Sarah D'Arcy (14 touches) did her best to overcome the deficit with a strong second-half performance, but the Blues were far too classy across the ground and look like one of the teams to beat in the inaugural AFLW competition. By late in the first quarter, security had stopped letting people into Princes Park. Full to capacity, the old Carlton stadium heaved with about 24,500 supporters at the first AFLW match, watching two new teams playing in the colours of the Blues and Pies. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan apologised for the lockout, saying the decision had been made to ensure the safety and security of fans. "We were a little overwhelmed by the turnout tonight," he said. A good problem for the AFL to have, although frustrating for more than 1000 fans who missed out on entry, some of whom complained that a big screen had not been set up for them to watch the match outside. Public transport providers, too, seemed to have underestimated the public enthusiasm for the match. There were tram delays along Elizabeth Street and Royal Parade and those that did run were crowded. But inside the ground, the atmosphere was electric. Dynamic Carlton marquee player Darcy Vescio was the star of the night, booting four goals to help the home-town team to a healthy 35-point win. By day a graphic designer at the Blues, Vescio was a class above the rest, showing off her silky skills and ability to find the goals. After the match, Vescio wore a wide smile and said the crowd had been so loud the players had barely been able to hear each other. Blues captain Lauren Arnell will hold the honour of AFLW's first winning captain. "It's a great day for women's footy, and AFL in general," she said. Defender Brianna Davey was force in the back half for the Blues, ending the game with 26 disposals. For the Pies, headline player Moana Hope had a relatively quiet night, unable to lift a Collingwood team that was beaten all over the ground. Magpie forward Jasmine Garner kicked the first goal of the competition and her team's only major score of the night. The women played shortened quarters, a controversial decision by the AFL, but it ensured the game moved along at a fast pace. There could barely have been a more perfect evening for the historic game. Golden sunlight bathed supporters as they walked through Princes Park. Some were die-hard fans of these grand old clubs, dressed in their colours, but there were also members of other clubs, and people who simply cared about sport, or opportunities for women. In the lead-up to the first ball-up, the crowd cheered it all – every announcement, both teams, the playing of the national anthem. By the time play got under way, many fans remained standing, unable to get a seat or not yet ready to sit down. "Collingwood men and women, standing side by side for 125 years," the Collingwood banner read. Fans lingered after the match on a memorable night, as the players spread out across the ground thanking them and signing autographs. There could barely have been a more perfect evening for the historic game. |
A statement was made at Ikon Park on Friday night. It started when Carlton captain Lauren Arnell ran through Magpie Brittany Bonnici at the opening ball-up. It reached fever pitch when AFL chief Gillon McLachlan shut the gates. It left fans clambering over fences in a desperate bid to get a look. It reached 'peak Blues' when Carlton marquee Darcy Vescio — gee, she turned heads — stalked a stoppage in the goalsquare, leapt for the ruck contest, stole the ball out of the air and hands of her opponents and kicked the goal upon landing. It was her second of the night. The first came from a free kick awarded when a nervous Magpie defender monstered her as the dynamic Blue set herself to mark close to goal. The Magpies knew that danger was ever present. Collingwood defender Nicola Stevens, usually a half-back who intercept marks and gives run, was sent into lockdown mode. It didn't work. Vescio's third goal came after some brilliant work from teammate Sarah Last. Last collected the ball in the centre and took off, charged through Collingwood captain Steph Chiocci, throwing her to the ground, and booted it long to where Vescio was prowling. Vescio ran on to the ball, had a bounce and booted it from the goal square. For her fourth, a loose ball dribbled her way 30m out from goal. Facing away from the square, she gathered, feinted right, providing a small but crucial gap between her and Stevens, and dribbled the ball across her body and through the goals. A fifth goal could have come deep in the final quarter after a one-grab contested mark, but she passed off. This was Vescio's game. The 23-year-old who has been part of four flags at state-league level and won two best on ground gongs in those grand finals was being seen by many for the first time. She fed off the crowd and showed her sublime skills and timing. "That was insane. Just the numbers, the crowd, the game, it was so fast and the girls did so well, really happy with that," she said afterwards. "I think we just played with a lot of freedom and brought in our strengths into the game and everyone just played a ripper and we played just as a team. It was unreal. "The roar, we could hardly here anything out here. It was just amazing, hearing the crowd get up and about and that is what it is all about. We just want people to come and watch us play and see what we create." The entire Blues outfit flourished and surged on the big stage. A 35-point win was the reward. After conceding the first goal seven minutes in, Carlton swarmed the Magpies. They outnumbered them at the contest and then outran them. They were more assured. More daring. As well as Vescio, Bri Davey was stunning. The general down back, she worked forward and kicked a beauty to take the Blues' lead out to 20 points. And the former Matildas goalkeeper loved it. Nat Exon was great in tight. Half-forward Bianca Jakobsson was great, marking strongly. Skipper Arnell was hard and smart; when she slotted a left-foot snap from 30m to put the Blues in front she gave a fist pump to the crowd. Her crowd. Collingwood forward Jess Cameron felt it. She had a shot from the city-end pocket and was booed by the Blues faithful. There were repeat stoppages in the opening moments and things looked ominous. It was congested. But by the time Gill had to shut the gate, the game had opened up. Chiocci kicked the first score in AFLW, a behind. It was Magpie Jasmine Garner who scored the first goal. But that's where Collingwood's night ended. Marquee forward Mo Hope was often double teamed and suffered from poor, and insufficient, delivery. She kicked just a single behind. Collingwood AFLW coach Wayne Siekman confirmed five players sustained injuries in the 35-point loss to Carlton at Ikon Park on Friday night. Utility Emma Grant was first to go down, suffering a concussion in the second quarter after copping a knock from an opposing Carlton player. "[Emma Grant] was concussed, which really hurt our run and drive in the middle," Siekman said in his post-game press conference. After a courageous smother on the wing late in the fourth quarter, captain Steph Chiocci was assisted off the ground by the medical staff. Siekman revealed the skipper had a cut above her eye from the incident. Defender Stacey Livingstone hurt her shoulder and will have scans this week, while small forward Helen Roden picked up a corked thigh and forward Jasmine Garner struggled with an ankle injury. Despite the injury toll, Siekman ensured his side's depth would help cover any losses for next week's match-up against Melbourne at the Holden Centre on Saturday night. "We have one of the most deep lists in the competition," he said. "Lou [Wotton] and Penny [Cula-Reid] didn't play tonight…so there's still plenty of depth to tap in there." Siekman says his players were "disappointed" by the result, but it was a "great learning experience" for the club. "I told them we need to keep our heads up…we have six weeks to go." "Tonight we needed to be a bit more composed. We needed to be a bit braver and take the game on. "We were privileged to play against Carlton tonight. The results didn't go our way but it's a night the players and our fans won't forget." |
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