The Adelaide Crows got their AFL Women’s campaign off to a great start on Saturday, with Olympic basketballer Erin Phillips booting three goals on the way to a 36-point win.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Adelaide Crows 7.6.48
GWS Giants 1.6.12
A historic weekend of AFL continues when the Adelaide Crows and the GWS Giants both play their first ever match in the newly-formed AFL Women’s competition. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the game, starting from 5:05pm AEDT (4:35pm local).
And so it begins. Ordinarily, we would know what to expect from this Saturday’s action. We would know the form, the quality of the players, the strength of the competition from which the players are drawn. There would be a fountain of stats. All the Dream-Teamers would have been agonising on Twitter over which cash cow to follow around the track.
The beauty of this Saturday, however, is none of this matters. This is entirely new for most of us.
For me as a person born and raised in Western Sydney who preferred the Australian game since I was young, this is the dawn of a beautiful new age. More importantly for all of us, it’s a new age for women looking for another sporting pathway.
But what about the game? I will say to my shame that I haven’t seen any games in Sydney or Adelaide’s Womens’ AFL competition.
Sydney has six teams in their competition – one of which, the Auburn Giants, was the subject of a profile on the ABC Compass program last year. That club has been a great outreach project into that stunning, gloriously multicultural part of Sydney. 60 per cent of the Giants team comes from that competition.
In Adelaide, they have very strong 16-team competition. But the football coming from those areas? I don’t know. But I’m willing to learn very quickly.
Looking through the team lists and descriptions, the Giants have various imports from Victoria and WA, providing some backbone from larger and more entrenched womens’ football competitions.
The Giants are the true underdogs in this competition. Adelaide is a place where football is in the bones of the city and the womens’ competition was the natural progression.
So, I’m not expecting the Giants to be as dominant as the men’s team. However, as the girlfriend of one of the players said to me this week, if you’re the bottom-ranked side, expectations are low, so any win will be a great achievement.
Adelaide, however, would be hoping for a solid start to their campaign for glory and state pride.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the game, starting from 5:05pm AEDT (4:35pm local).
Justin Ahrns
Roar Guru
The Crows have looked like one of the better women's teams so far. Chelsea Randall can really play, as well as Erin Phillips. They have lost of foot speed and move the ball pretty well, similar to the AFL Crows team.
mds1970
Roar Guru
It was clear early on that there was a gulf in firepower between the two teams, and the result of the game was never in doubt. Erin Phillips was the standout for mine. She has strong sporting credentials and bloodlines, a former WNBL champion and the daughter of a Collingwood star. For my Giants, although outclassed, they never gave up; some heavy hits during the last quarter showing a willingness to fly the flag and fight till the end. And they won the last quarter for their efforts. But again, the crowd is a feature. 9,289 in driving rain was way above expectations. This AFLW is far bigger than any of us imagined.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Stand out players for the Crows were Ebony Marinoff, Erin Phillips, Sarah Perkins and Chelsea Randall. For the Giants - Amanda Farrugia Jess Dal Fos and Nicola Barr. And that's it from me for this afternoon - have fun watching the other games of the AFLW in Round 1.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Summing up one of the moods of the afternoon.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
The Crows outclassed the Giants throughout the game, but were never let to completely run away with the game, which threatened to happen a couple of times. The Giants showed, even without their two marquees and other interstate drafted players, that they could be tough and hang in. It was an entertaining, tough game. A great start for the AFLW in South Australia.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
And the final siren sounds. The Adelaide Crows have won. 7.6.48 to the Giants 1.6.12
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Renee Tomkins has stood out today as a defender for the Giants ready to give her all - she will have better days, the talent is there.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Glad to see Alex Williams up and about after a very awkward fall.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Bit of niggle and push and shove there between the players. This is tough.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Kelli Underwood is pointing out that the Crows' team, having a large NT contingent, has only been together twice before this game.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Tex is Mark Ricciuto's nickname for Sarah Perkins - and it may well stick.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Sarah "Tex" Perkins lines up for goal and shows she's an excellent kick - straight through the middle. 7.6.48 to 1.5.11
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
It's been excellent to see the mid quarter interviews - a very good innovation.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Good transitioning again into the Giants' forward line. But Stanton misses to the left. 6.6.42 to 1.5.11
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Kate Stanton with a pinpoint kick to Phoebe McWilliams for the Giants. And McWilliams scores the first ever Giants' goal. 6.6.42 to 1.4.10
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Rebecca Beeson just misses for the Giants - it's now 6.6 to 0.4
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
Nicola Barr with a good kick into the 50 for the Giants.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
The last quarter begins with some more hard tackling.
Mark O'Sullivan
Roar Guru
The crowd at Thebarton is 9,000, well beyond all expectations.