Will be waiting for Molan’s return, or even a club announcement, before being confident Chaston is indeed VFLW captain this year.
1 Like
Ditto Dani as vice-captain. Played full-back, thoroughly beat Molly Althouse. If she’d kicked that goal from 40+ out (while FB) the last quarter would have been a lot more suspenseful!
After the first quarter we had Dani, Ford, and Puruntatameri basically shut down their tall forwards.
1 Like
by Alyce Collett
The NTFLW Representative side have picked up a momentous win in their representative history, downing Essendon VFLW by seven points.
In conditions that were heavy thanks to recent rain, much of the scoring was done early as the intensity increased as the match progressed.
After Jasmyn Hewett gave the NT strong first use of the ball out of the middle in the opening centre bounce, it was not long before the Territorians were on the board with the first goal of the match via the boot of Steph Lawrence.
Despite the speed with which the first goal came, the second for the match took a lot longer to come as the ball lived between the arcs for much of the front half of the quarter.
Eventually Essendon did break through the strong NT defence and score its first goal after a strong mark from Jaimee-Lee Morrow saw her go back and convert.
The Bombers did not have the lead for long though as the NT was quick to get the ball back into their forward 50 and thanks to Emma Stark had a second on the board for the term.
That second goal for the quarter ensured the home side took a five point lead into the first break.
Scoring really dried up in the second term despite the wet ground conditions. Both sides certainly had their chances in front of goal, but the goal kicking accuracy took a brief early public holiday.
Two behinds to each side saw the margin remain at five points in the NT’s favour at the main break.
NT got the ball into their 50 even quicker to start the third term, but unfortunately for the home side could not get themselves a major for their work.
Even though they were not putting the score on the board, momentum was still in the favour of the Territorians as they were winning the possession and territory games.
Defensive pressure was particularly strong from the home side as they were able to really suffocate the Bombers in terms of options coming out from 50 and really made things hard for them.
Despite the possession and territory dominance they had, the NT again could not put any goal on the board, but thankfully for them the Bombers could not either and so the margin was now out to seven points as the teams turned for home and the rain started to tumble.
The contest become even more fierce in the last quarter as the tackling pressure increased and the scoring dried up like a lake in a drought.
Neither side added to their score in the final term as the NT took the win.
Although she could not get on the scoreboard Molly Althouse was providing great space and positioning up forward for the NT, while the likes of Carly Remmos was doing a power of work through the middle and up forward for them.
Meanwhile for the Bombers Danielle Marshall was a true general in defence, putting her AFLW experience to good use, while El Chaston was also influential.
AFLNT 2.0 2.2 2.5 2.5 (17)
ESSENDON VFLW 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.4 (10)
2 Likes
2 Likes
Pre-game (source: me)
Post-game:
Release the Freda interview already!
From left: Gloriana Luta, Kim Cunningham, Freda Puruntatameri, Maria Rioli, Jamie Lee Puautjimi
Gloriana is a big girl at ~19yo, but did cameos at centre bounces as well as forward.
2 Likes
Rioli and Puruntatameri, in particular, would help our VFLW team. Worth noting that the Tiwis played just 4 days earlier (and for a while it looked like Puruntatameri was badly injured during it).
Ha, NT complaining that they were disadvantaged by rain during the NT wet season.
That last paragraph reads as reporting via looking at the goal-kickers, given her direct opponent was deemed BOG.
Written by Grey Morris for AFL Northern Territory
The Northern Territory’s Football League women’s side got back on the winners’ list on Wednesday night when they beat the visiting Essendon’s VFLW team by seven points in a low-scoring affair at TIO Stadium.
First-quarter goals by Steph Lawrence and Emma Stark were enough to hold off the gallant Bombers on a day where only three goals were scored.
The 2.5 (17) to 1.4 (10) scoreline was an indication of the game’s toughness on a playing surface softened up by 60mm of rain the day before the game and in the lead-in to match time.
Both sides failed to kick a goal after quarter time when desperate defence from both sides combined with a slippery surface and drizzling rain where the temperature still climbed into the late 20s, made finding the ball and doing something with it a difficult assignment.
Buffaloes skipper Jasmyn Hewett won the best on-ground medal after another four-quarter performance where she gave her on-ballers an armchair ride.
Territory coach Rick Nolan said the wet weather had turned the match into a stoppage game when the Top End’s traditional heat and humidity would have been a better option for his players.
"We wanted a Territory-style game instead of a wet and slippery match that probably suited Essendon more than what we would have liked,‘’ he added.
"We’ve trained for eight weeks for this match, so to get a win when we had to dig deep when Essendon came at us a few times is a good feeling.
"We had to change our ways a bit, there were too many stoppages in the first half and we wanted to play Territory-style football and I think we did, even if it didn’t show up on the scoreboard.’’
Jo Miller around the ball, Jemma Iacono down back, Palmerston pair Marika Carlton and Tatyana Perry on a wing and a forward flank, Maighan Fogas and Mickayla Ward also impressed for the home side.
Essendon’s assistant coach Steph Cain said her players had shown a lot of intent on a night when the simple things were made harder by the wet and steamy conditions.
"Our group are only a couple of weeks into their pre-season while the NTFL are 15 weeks in, so to make it a contest when it was particularly hard for both teams was good to see,‘’ Cain said.
"The rain and the slippery surface was tough enough, but the humidity certainly added a different perspective so we had to try and acclimatise in the last day and a bit.’’
Tiwi Bomber Freda Puruntatameri led the way for her Essendon teammates by getting her hands on the football several times and doing something with it.
The Bombers’ ruck Jaimee-Lee Morrow was another master controller for the club on a night when the club could hold its head up high despite the narrow loss.
P.S. Tiwis beat the Buffetes comfortably three days later. Still just barely a chance to make finals.
If anything was an excuse for the NT, it was many of their players playing four days after the previous round.
1 Like
Re-watch:
- For someone who can be so slick getting the ball and moving across the ground, Rioli takes some real hacks at the ball.
- Fark Carlton, and her tackling “technique” on Jayda.
- 9:30 blow the siren, end the game, doo dah doo dah
- 10:30 Forshaw gets proper Dickered.
- Marshall + Ford ( + Molan) is a pretty good set of key position players. But them plus Crook and Clarke would have been epic, and provide flexibility to release multiple players from the backline.
- I didn’t go the mini-golf. Crap weather for it.
- “Prip-ick”
- “Man-fray”… and I still can’t believe she missed that set shot.
- Fark Carlton continues to be dirty.
- Chaston didn’t just hit the post; it was the back of the post.
- Mahony seems a pretty balanced inside-outside mid. Not afraid to take a hit, and pretty clean with her disposals regardless of pressure.
- Game becomes pretty damn drab halfway through the second quarter (before it starts re-raining).
- Tayla Hart-Aluni features in the 2023 highlights vs Claremont. Get well soon, we need your game.
- 9:05 ump is two metres away and can’t see the obvious fifty penalty for failing to return the ball.
- Liking Shaw (and her aggro) in the third quarter.
- 11:25 to 11:45 yeah, you can hear the Rioli cheersquad.
- Dani from 46m, and carrying comfortably… damn it.
- People tackling Grace also get Dickered.
- Althouse was actually probably NT’s most influential forward, even though she won very few contests.
- Ruby cramped on the final siren.
Not many bests, with Marshall and Mahony way ahead. Ford (who is a very decent size now) and Puruntatameri saved us a lot.
Dicker and Chaston just cameos, which we can’t afford.
My bests are close to complete disagreement with the commentary’s call at the end (apart from Puruntatameri).
2 Likes
From https://www.instagram.com/patchclapp_sportsphotography/
Dicker:
Rioli on the big surge forward:
Russell vs Althouse:
Chaston:
1 Like
Maybe it will be in this!
Would be a nice finish-the-arc moment.