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| Venue: | Henson Park, Marrickville NSW. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | Saturday 21st October, 2023 (3.05 pm). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: | Lost by 2 points. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Crowd: | 1,574 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: | M. Austin 2.1, D. Vescio 1.0, K. Sherar 1.0, I. Milford 1.0, E. Fitzpatrick 1.0, H. Cordner 1.0, A. McKay 0.1, M. Hill 0.1, L. Goss 0.1, Rushed 0.1, | ||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Nil | ||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires: | Matthew Baigent, Gen Devenish, Tom Lyon. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Injuries: | Nil | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ladder: | 9th | ||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Blues pipped at the post in narrow defeat
Carlton has fallen by two points to GWS in Round 8 AFLW action. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton MediaCarlton has been pipped at the post at Henson Park, falling by two points to Greater Western Sydney. In a topsy-turvy arm wrestle, neither side could break away to have a meaningful lead, with the Blues falling just short to the accurate Giants in the 8.1 (49) to 7.5 (47) defeat. The excellent Brea Moody (23 disposals, 35 hitouts, career-high 13 clearances) and Abbie McKay (25 disposals, 11 clearances, nine tackles) led the way for Carlton’s midfield brigade, but the home side’s efficiency troubled the Blues, kicking eight goals from just 29 forward entries. Despite having the breeze in the opening term, Carlton failed to capitalise on Moody’s early ruck dominance (five clearances, 15 hitouts to quarter time). The Blues had seven more clearances than the Giants, but after Keeley Sherar kicked the opening goal of the game, the home side owned the outside, having 16 more uncontested possessions in the quarter to take a four-point lead into the main break.
Mimi Hill (12 first-half disposals) looked to inspire her side at the opening bounce, setting up Mia Austin as the young forward continued her streak of kicking a goal in the last six weeks. Mathew Buck’s message at half-time was clearly heeded by his side, as the Blues started to get their running game going after the opening change. Gab Pound had some typically crucial moments behind the ball in the second term, while Carlton’s prime ball-getters got going as an opportunistic Imogen Milford goal ensured the Blues entered the main break with a slender lead. The ball lived in the Blues’ forward half in the third term, and a Darcy Vescio goal meant it looked as though the Blues would be the main beneficiaries. However, the arm-wrestle pattern of the game once again emerged, as a replying Giants goal brought the three-quarter-time margin back within a kick as Carlton was unable to make the most of its forward forays. The home side had the breeze in the final term and made the most of it early, with two consecutive goals looking to put away the Blues. To Carlton’s credit, the Blues instantly responded, with Erone Fitzpatrick surging her side forward at every opportunity to momentarily take back the lead. In a final-quarter shootout, it was the Giants - led by Zarlie Goldsworthy - who kicked four of the seven goals in the last term, with the Blues falling short by two points.
Best: B. Moody, K. Sherar, A. McKay, M. Hill, M. Austin, G. Pound.
Gold-worthy Goldsworthy leads Giants in a thriller over Blues
By AAPRising star Zarlie Goldsworthy has steered Greater Western Sydney to a hair-raising two-point triumph over finals hopefuls Carlton at Henson Park. With the Giants missing their strongest ball magnets in Alyce Parker (ankle) and Bec Beeson (suspension) on Saturday, the 18-year-old kicked five goals to lead GWS to its second win of the season, 8.1 (49) to 7.5 (47). Goldsworthy worked overtime to also lay 11 tackles and gather 14 contested possessions, alongside Haneen Zreika (16 tackles) and Nicola Barr (five clearances). "The message at three-quarter time was, 'we've been in this position a few times this year and every time we go away from our system, we fall to the other side of the result'," Giants coach Cam Bernasconi said. "So we stuck to our system, problem solved." Also without veterans Jess Good (ankle) and Jess Dal Poss (leg), the Blues were boosted by their own young star in Keeley Sherar (one goal, 22 disposals), with Breann Moody (23 disposals, 13 clearances) and Abbie McKay supporting (25, 11). Blues coach Mathew Buck played down concerns his side could miss out on a first finals appearance since 2020. "There's two games left to go and we're well and truly in the hunt," he said. "We'll dust ourselves off from this one. I can't control what everyone else does, so we go after us." Now on a two-game losing streak, ninth-placed Carlton will need to win their clashes against Essendon and St Kilda to secure a finals appearance.
Sherar drew first blood with a left-foot snap, but two brilliant goals by Goldsworthy and Jessica Doyle put the Giants ahead by four points at quarter-time. Mia Austin and Imogen Milford hit back for the Blues in the second term to create a seven-point lead. Desperate to keep Carlton close, workhorse Goldsworthy collected her eighth tackle to earn a holding-the-ball free kick. She slotted her second major, reducing the margin to one point before half-time. The arm wrestle continued well into the second half, with prolific Blues goalkicker Darcy Vescio booting the opening goal in a bid to break away from GWS. With the margin reduced to two points thanks to a third-quarter goal by Emily Pease, Goldsworthy monstered the visitors with two goals in a minute. Irishwoman Erone Fitzpatrick's and Austin's goals put Carlton back in the lead, but Goldsworthy again took matters into her own hands with her fifth. The Giants' Jodie Hicks looked certain to extend the final margin to eight points but a last-gasp effort from Harriet Cordner kept the contest to under one goal. With two rounds left of the home-and-away season and no hope of playing finals, 16th-placed GWS takes on Gold Coast before their final match against Port Adelaide. The Giants may be without Brodee Mowbray, who was taken off the ground in the third term and did not return after sustaining a knee injury.
The difference
In a match that went down to the wire there was no doubt Zarlie Goldsworthy's best-on-ground performance was the difference between the two sides. The 18-year-old's five goals and 22 disposals were spread throughout the contest, but her final term was immense. Two goals in a minute to start the fourth quarter put the Giants in front for the first time since early in the second term, her third - and fifth overall - snatched the lead back again, and then her gather and centering kick set up Jodie Hicks for the sealer.
Next up
Greater Western Sydney heads north on Friday night to face a Gold Coast side keen to get back on the winners list, while Carlton's finals hopes are on the line against traditional enemy Essendon at Windy Hill on Saturday afternoon.
Best: B. Moody, A. McKay, K. Sherar, M. Hill, L. Goss.
Team
| B: | 9 Kerryn Peterson (c) | 8 Vaomua Laloifi | |
| HB: | 27 Genevieve Lawson-Tavan | 26 Paige Trudgeon | 6 Gabriella Pound |
| C: | 24 Brooke Vickers | 5 Abbie McKay | 23 Daisy Walker |
| HF: | 22 Mia Austin | 16 Breann Moody | 28 Imogen Milford |
| F: | 3 Darcy Vescio | 37 Phoebe McWilliams | |
| Ruck: | 21 Harriet Cordner | 10 Mimi Hill | 25 Keeley Sherar |
| Interchange: | 20 Lily Goss | 1 Amelia Velardo | 4 Keeley Skepper |
| 19 Erone Fitzpatrick | 17 Dayna Finn | ||
| Coach: | Mathew Buck | ||
| Emg: | 34 Taylor Ortlepp | 36 Ciara Fitzgerald | 49 Madeline Hendrie |
In: Imogen Milford, Keeley Skepper, Paige Trudgeon, Brooke Vickers.
Out: Ciara Fitzgerald (omitted), Maddy Hendrie (omitted), Jess Dal Pos (leg), Jess Good (ankle).
Milestones
AFLW Rising Star Nominees: Mia AustinLast Game: Daisy Walker
AFLW Team of the Week
Midfielders: Breann MoodyAFLW Coaches Votes
10 - Zarlie Goldsworthy (GWS)7 - Breann Moody (CARL)
6 - Haneen Zreika (GWS)
5 - Keeley Sherar (CARL)
2 - Abbie McKay (CARL)
AFLW Best and Fairest Votes
3 - Zarlie Goldsworthy (GWS)2 - Breann Moody (CARL)
1 - Mimi Hill (CARL)