Round 8 – Narrm V North Melbourne

Liam Chambers

North just edge out the Dees in the opening term.

The Dees started the game knowing a win would put them back on top of the ladder, after Adelaide fell short against the Lions in Brisbane. North applied the pressure from the opening bounce, giving Narrm no opportunity to gather any momentum.

Niamh Martin kicked the opener and her first AFLW major, when presented with a sitter from 10m out. Having secured the first goal, the Roos again went hard in pursuit of their second.

Narrm reacted well, regaining some control and making repeat entries inside 50.The Dees kept threatening to score and eventually Casey Sherriff kicked the equaliser from a 20m set shot, after being awarded a 50m penalty.

North kicked the next goal against the run of play, when Tess Craven’s shot from 45m landed in the square, where it bounced across the line, despite Tahlia Gillard’s attempt to get a last second touch.

After the bounce, the Roos looked to have the momentum back, again pressuring the Dees’ defence. However, Narrm dealt with the attack and countered, making their way up the ground and back inside 50.

Paxy Paxman, having taken a superb one handed mark, found Eden Zanker in a scoring position. Incredibly, the mark wasn’t paid by the umpire; adding to the list of dubious calls against the Dees. Perhaps I’m biased though.

Narrm gain the upper hand.

The stats pointed to a fairly even competition in the first quarter. Narrm looked more likely to score but it was the visitors who were leading where it mattered, on the scoreboard.

The Roos seemed to be having the best of the play in the first five minutes of the quarter, but the Dees kicked the opener after Kate Hore took a superb contested mark at the top of the square. Narrm had the lead for the first time and set about playing the game on their terms.

The hosts were playing fast and hard but North fought valiantly to keep their opponents at bay. A free kicked awarded in the ruck gave Georgia Campbell the opportunity to add to Narrm’s tally. She slotted the 20m set shot perfectly to give the Dees an eight point advantage.

The Dees consolidate their advantage in a low scoring game.

North was tackling and marking well but Narrm was starting to dominate in most of the other stats.

Tyla Hanks was having a great game and it got even better when she scored the first and only goal of the third quarter, after scooping up the loose ball from the stoppage and weaving her way through to kick from the top of the square.

Narrm had all the momentum and were dominating inside 50, leaving North frantically chasing the ball, unable to get out of their defensive zone. The Roos eventually got themselves back in the game; attacking the Dees’ defence but unable to break down the wall in front of goal.

That’ll do nicely.

Narrm had a handy sixteen point advantage in a what was turning out to be a very tight match. North Melbourne would be eager to turn it around though, and the Dees reputation as strong finishers would again be put to the test.

Neither side was able to get their game flowing, with each attack ruthlessly dealt with. North kept finding a route to inside 50 but the Dees kept finding a way to repel them.

Narrm finally landed the killer blow when Eden Zanker took a contested mark inside 50 and blasted the 35m set shot, snuffing out any flicker of hope that North fans still harboured.

Another victory and another great team effort. Definitely the best side to wear the red and the blue in the seven seasons of the AFLW competition.

This week it’s Fremantle’s turn and Narrm will be optimistic about retaining their position on top of the table.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 7 – West Coast Eagles V Narrm

Liam Chambers

Narrm off to a flying start.

The Eagles may have only one victory to their name this season but after last week’s disappointment, Narrm wouldn’t be taking anything for granted. Alyssa Bannan kicked the opening goal for the Dees with a running kick from 15m after receiving a hand pass from Casey Sherriff.

A tactical error in defence gifted Kellie Gibson a 50m penalty and she converted her 20m set shot for West Coast’s opener. The home crowd would have been happy with their teams’ performance at that stage, considering they had only one inside 50 but were also only trailing by one point.

It didn’t take Narrm long to strike back though. After winning the bounce, the ball was straight inside 50, where Bannan went from nought to sixty in a flash, collecting the bouncing sherrin and hammering home her second. Bannan had back to back goals within a minute after being taken down 30m from home. Her set shot was perfect, and she claimed her hat trick.

With a minute remaining, Aimee Mackin scored the Dees’ fourth after a stoppage, with a grab and snap at goal.

The Eagles keep the visitors from adding to their goal tally.

After Narrm’s complete dominance in the first term, West Coast upped the pressure in the second; tackling well and preventing the Dees from getting into scoring positions. There were a couple of opportunities; Georgia Campbell had a set shot from the pocket that resulted in a minor score, but overall Narrm’s chances were few and far between.

Then shockingly, Courtney Rowley marked inside 50 and kicked the 30m set shot.

It was a disappointing second quarter for the Dees. After all their attacking football in the term, they only had another two points to show for it at half time.

Narrm gets back on track.

Having been held goalless for the entire previous quarter, Narrm needed a confidence building early goal after the main break.

It came in the first minute when last week’s goal hero Eden Zanker marked a Bannan kick, then slotted the 20m set shot.

After the goal, Narrm was all over West Coast, but the hosts fought hard, restricting their rivals to three minor scores before Alyssa Bannan was able to pluck the ball out of the air and speed towards goal, kicking her fourth from 15m out.

The Dees seventh goal was beautifully set up by the Mackin sisters with Blaithin evading the tackle and passing to Aimee, whose acrobatic centering kick from the boundary was marked by Casey Sherriff on the edge of the square. Aimee Mackin was also involved in the next major when her superb kick from the pocket landed the ball directly in front of goal where Kate Hore controlled, collected and chipped it through the uprights.

The Dees wrap it up.

With their reputation as strong finishers, Narrm was in the drivers’ seat at the start of the final quarter. The visitors quickly added to their forty six point lead when Kate Hore kicked her second from a 20m set shot.

Eden Zanker also kicked her second goal, a few minutes later, to give the Dees an insurmountable fifty nine point lead, with just under twelve minutes remaining on the clock.

Alyssa Bannan was playing a blinder, slotting her fifth after marking a nicely placed centring kick from Lily Mitten, then converting the 15m set shot.

After that, Narrm basically set up camp in their forward 50. The overall score could have been much higher but West Coast’s defence fought hard to hold the Dees to a series of minor scores.

In the end, it was a comprehensive seventy point win for the reigning champions, and it sets them up nicely for their clash with second placed North Melbourne in Round 8.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 6 – Melbourne V Adelaide

Liam Chambers

The Dees keep their opponents in line.

The top two sides met for the first time this season and there could only be one winner. Melbourne had the home advantage; however the other side were seasoned travelers and dangerous on any ground.

Eden Zanker took a contested mark 20m in front and opened the scoring for the Dees with her clinical set shot.

Melbourne were in control early on, but the Crows slowly eased their way into the game attacking the Dees backline. Our defence held up well and got the ball out, allowing the midfield to counter-strike.

Up the other end, Zanker took another, even more spectacular, mark. This time however, she was unable to convert, instead shaking the upright with the kick.

Melbourne continued to set the tone but struggled to make the most of their chances, only landing a few minor scores.

Zanker was determined to make amends for the previous set shot miss, outpacing two Adelaide players, before soccer kicking her second from the goal square.

The Crows turn the scores around.

Melbourne may have dominated the first term, but the Crows began to look dangerous at the start of the second quarter.

The visitors managed a couple of minor scores early on before Danielle Ponter juggled and landed a difficult mark, then kicked her set shot from 30m.

Having closed the gap to eight points, Adelaide continued to pile on the pressure. It paid off with Ebony Marinoff scooping up the ground ball from a stoppage, then turning to snap it through.

The Crows made the most of their new found momentum, tackling hard and preventing Melbourne from playing their natural game.

The Dees defence was under tremendous pressure but having finally managed to break free, they were turned around when they were only halfway up the ground.

Again, Melbourne held off the Adelaide storm; this time until the dying seconds when Jessica Waterhouse marked deep in the pocket. She converted for a minor score, and it was all even at sixteen points apiece.

Adelaide have all the momentum.

It had been a game of two quarters, with the Dees’ early dominance being flipped to the Crows favour during the second term.

Adelaide continued their good form in the minutes after the main break, again applying extreme pressure to the Dees’ defence.

Anne Hatchard kicked the first goal of the second half after she took a contested mark at the top of the square.

Then Ebony Marinoff slotted her second from a difficult pocket shot, giving the Crows a twelve point lead.

The situation only got worse for Melbourne when Caitlin Gould marked to the right of goal. She tapped it back to Eloise Jones, who kicked cleanly from 20m.

All the momentum was with Adelaide now; Melbourne having failed to score a single point since the first quarter.

The, with one minute remaining, Danielle Ponter found herself on the receiving end of a lucky bounce in the square and she snapped through the Crows sixth of the game.

All was not lost however, and with twelve seconds to go in the quarter, Eliza McNamara was able to snap one on the run from 20m, keeping the Dees in contention.

Melbourne launch comeback.

Melbourne desperately needed to score the opener of the final term and Eden Zanker duly obliged. Her contested mark from 15m in front was perfect and her conversion was spot on.

Two minutes later, Zanker had her fourth, after marking at the top of the square and kicking the set shot.

It was an initial whirlwind start to the quarter for the Dees, but Adelaide were able to recover and started applying some pressure on the hosts.

Unfortunately the Crows were gifted a downfield free kick for an infringement on the 50m arc. A dubious call if you ask me.

Hatchard took the set shot and extended the margin back out to fifteen points.

Melbourne hit back immediately after the bounce, winning the ball and heading for goal. McNamarra took a handpass from Eden Zankar and ran on to snap from 20m and claim her second goal.

Zanker was having the game of her footy life when she was awarded a free kick from 30m out. She smashed the set shot to land her fifth major of the afternoon.

Suddenly it was a three point game after the Dees had trailed by twenty five points later in the third quarter.

Sadly it was not to be, as Adelaide was able to launch a final attack which allowed Caitlin Gould to run into the open goal and seal the deal.

It was a valiant fightback by Melbourne, but it proved too difficult to achieve in the end.

It’s off to Perth for the Round 7 game against West Coast. It should be a win for the Dees, but they won’t be underestimating their Western rivals.