Last season (the only time we’ve clashed) was also at Windy Hill, and we beat them 6.4.40 to 4.4.28.
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WARF Radio coverage from 2:30pm*
and I’ll be on the call for this one, along with Sarah Perkins
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Hope Keaney is ok, she was good last week.
Scott and Clarke would be handy ins. Gee I don’t think should be an automatic selection.
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The above post is correct.
Interestingly, the AFL site does NOT list Keaney (described by EFC as “a knock to the calf” during the game).
AFL listing has Gee as “calf tightness”.
Let’s beat their badly-weakened midfield!
| PLAYER | INJURY | ESTIMATED RETURN |
|---|---|---|
| Steph Chiocci | ACL | 6-8 weeks |
| Rebecca Ott | Tibia | 6-7 weeks |
| Georgia Patrikios | Foot | 7 weeks |
| Beth Pinchin | Knee | Season |
| Hannah Stuart | Hamstring | 1 week |
Just gotta work out who gets Wardlaw.
ST Kilda has kept its undefeated start to the 2024 AFL Women’s season in tact after a win over Sydney on the weekend, and the start the Saints have had to the season has delighted coach Nick Dal Santo.
“Yeah, really pleased,” Dal Santo said, speaking about the start to the season.
“I mean, with the results absolutely, and had a similar conversation last week when we went up to the Gold Coast and pleased with the way that we played and our brand of football.
“And today was completely different challenges. That included Sydney and the way that they went about, and they played some fantastic football in the back half of last year. I thought their preseason looked solid from the vision that we’d seen with their practice matches.
“They were very impressive last week against the Pies. So we were well aware about what they look like when they play their best football, and we felt like we prepared really well.”
In 2024, St Kilda has also increased the number of different avenues they have to goal, which pleased their coach.
“Really pleased and I mean, it’s a cliche,” Dal Santo said. “We need everyone to do their job and to play their role. And when you look at the ball use, it’s probably more the halfbacks that are taking it forward.
“Externally, a lot of people speak about Jesse Wardlaw and probably rightly so she’s had a really solid start to the year, but she can’t do what she does if her other teammates aren’t doing their piece around her, but we’d like to think that we’ve got more avenues to goal than just Jesse and she’ll always have really good moments.
“But we’re really pleased with the growth and development of those around her to be able to play their role and hit the scoreboard as well.”
Another area that really pleased Dal Santo was how his defence was able to sustain pressure, but he noted there was still areas for his side to improve on.
“We were not going to be able to control the game for the whole thing, we’re well aware of that,” Dal Santo said.
“So there will be times where the opposition got momentum and that probably happened more in the last quarter. I thought we could have done some stuff better on field to manage those moments, but that happens. I mean, the Swans came hard.
“I thought their mids challenged us really strongly. I thought the ruck situation from the Swans probably gave them some advantage in that last quarter, and then you flip it and you look at our defenders, but also as a team defence. I felt we held up relatively well, even though we conceded I think three goals in the last quarter. So we’ve got work to do.”
You get a calf injury!
You get a calf injury!
Everybody gets a calf injury!
Since when did a “low-level strain” = four weeks?
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We need to find something to “blame” for the “really strong starts”.
by Alyce Collett
ST Kilda has made the perfect start to the 2024 AFL Women’s season, defeating Sydney on the weekend to maintain its undefeated start to the season.
After beating the Swans, St Kilda has now equalled its best start to an AFL Women’s season, and if they beat Essendon this week the Saints will set a new club record for their best start to a season.
One area that the Saints have really improved this season is their inside 50 efficiency. They currently have the second best inside 50 efficiency in the entire competition, only behind GWS.
It has also been something that has been steadily increasing over the past few years, from a figure of -minus-12.3 per cent in season seven, to minus-1.3 per cent last season and now plus-50.3 per cent so far this season. There is also a correlation between improved figures in the number of inside 50s the Saints are recording and an improvement in their overall disposal efficiency.
But in a practical sense, how do these improved figures translate into what is happening out on the field? With last weekend’s match against Sydney as the case study, let us take a look.
One particularly noticeable aspect of St Kilda’s game has been the slight positional changes of a few key players. They have not been drastic changes, but they have given decent enough positive impacts to the way St Kilda has played in 2024.
The first change relates to vice-captain Bianca Jakobsson. Normally one to roam the last line of defence, Jakobsson has been given the freedom to push further up the ground, almost playing that defensive midfielder type role.
That change gives the Saints a solid base from which to work up the ground from, because Jakobsson is one of the most experienced heads in the St Kilda line up, and her calmness under pressure allows St Kilda to confidently have a base from which to build attacks on from.
The second changes relates to Grace Kelly. Kelly is someone who has played more off the half-back in past seasons, but this season has transitioned into more of a wing role, allowing her to use her running abilities to get things moving for the Saints through midfield.
These positional changes for a few players have generated flow on affects for other players too.
The most obvious one of these is Jesse Wardlaw, who last season in her first year at St Kilda was forced to play far too high up the ground and not be at her most dangerous inside forward 50 very often. This season, with the increase in the strength of the ball movers St Kilda has through its midfield, it has allowed Wardlaw to stay as that deeper forward and remain dangerous closer to goal.
One notable absence from St Kilda’s midfield this season has been Georgia Patrikios, who is yet to take the field this season after suffering a foot injury in the preseason. However, it can be argued that her absence is not actually a costly thing for her team.
Although when comparing the pair Patrikios has been more efficient with ball in hand over her AFLW career than Kelly has, Kelly takes the chocolates in metres gained. Kelly’s average metres gained in two matches this season is better than Patrikios’ average for her entire four-season career in the AFLW, and the pair have now both played the exact same number of games.
For a team that has been building and building over a number of years like St Kilda has, the fact that everything is now clicking together is exciting for all connected with the club. The question will be whether or not as they begin to face tougher competition, can the changes and subsequent improvement keep the Saints on the same trajectory.
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Stupid waits for Sunday matches…
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If only we had Dani Marshall available to destroy Maddie Boyd again…
The new player for them is an 187cm ruck.
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Jesse Wardlaw had a dirty day on her last visit to Windy Hill - notably capped off by that smother from Daria B near the end. But she’s always going to be a threat. From memory Amber Clark and Sophie Alexander had big games that day alongside the usual suspects (Bonnie/Maddie).
It’s hard to know how much to read into the Saints form - they smashed GCS who look pretty ordinary then got on top of the Swans who were coming off a good win. Hard to fault their start, especially minus Patrikios and Steph Chiocci but I reckon this is very winnable though, especially with Amber Clarke back in.
AFLW watchers - Gamble comes straight back in doesn’t she? Surely she’s an option on Wardlaw.
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I’m inclined to start the more mobile G Clarke on Wardlaw, and Gamble can have Friend or Boyd.
Let’s hope the Saints see the forecast of no rain and decide to gamble on four rucks to exploit us nominally having only two tall defenders 
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Bonnie Toogood will be a guest on our WARF Radio pre-game show through the AFL Live app and AFL Website.
Should air at about 2:45pm on Sunday (we’re recording it half an hour earlier).
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Adams omitted for Scott… boooo.
(the first bit)
Gamble/Gee/Adams the emergencies.
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Nalder omitted… booooooooooooooooo!
Boyd and Plane also just emergencies.
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Boooo!
Now I can’t do the bit in commentary “Where’s she from? The Adams Family” click, click
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