Coaches Report: Women’s League – Round 11

Round 11 saw us take on the top-of-the-table South Adelaide in what turned out to be one of the most challenging days of football this season. We were forced into two changes, with Paige Allen sidelined due to a hamstring injury and Lucy Waye unavailable after being selected to play in the U18 All-Star side against the Australian Academy – a fantastic achievement and recognition of Lucy’s development. Coming into the side were Nicole Hooper and Sarah Campbell.

To say the conditions were horrendous would be an understatement. Torrential rain and a fierce crosswind made scoring extremely difficult and impacted the overall flow of the game. The first half was a tough, contested battle with both sides fighting hard for territory. South Adelaide managed the only score of the half – a single behind – as both teams struggled to adapt to the weather. Even the umpires had difficulty managing stoppages, and player rotations were disrupted due to the ball being locked on the far side of the ground.

Our midfield worked tirelessly. Hannah Button laid a staggering 19 tackles in the first half alone, showing her relentless effort around the contest. Emma Chapman fought hard in the ruck, doing her best to nullify one of the competition’s strongest opponents.

At halftime, we made a few structural adjustments and focused on gaining ground wherever possible. The third quarter began in a similar fashion – scrappy and hard-fought. At the 9-minute mark, South Adelaide broke through for the game’s first goal. Despite that, the match was still up for grabs. We created our best opportunity late in the term, with Chelsea Newitt taking a strong contested mark, followed by a clean contested mark and shot from Nicole Hooper. Unfortunately, the wet and heavy ball meant the kick was touched on the line, resulting in our first score – a single behind. At the final break, South led 1.3 (9) to our 0.1 (1).

Heading into the final quarter, we challenged the team to take the game on and back themselves in. To their credit, the girls responded with great effort and created several inside 50s, leading to more scoring chances. Unfortunately, we could only add one more behind. South then managed to kick a second goal late in the term, effectively sealing the win.

We now head into a much-needed bye before facing the Eagles at Woodville. With three games remaining in the season and just one win outside the finals, we remain firmly in the hunt for a top-four spot. The challenge is set, and the opportunity is still very much alive.

Some remarkable stats came out of the game:

• A total of 217 tackles were laid, averaging more than three per minute.
• There were 83 hit-outs, highlighting just how stoppage-heavy the game was.

Our best players were once again led by our midfield:

1. Hannah Button – 13 possessions, 24 tackles; an outstanding defensive effort.
2. Ruby Ballard – 19 possessions, 11 tackles, 6 clearances; provided plenty of drive.
3. Emily Mableson – 19 possessions, 6 tackles from half-back and through the midfield.
4. Madi Russell (Captain) – Another solid performance in defence.
5. Chelsea Newitt – Worked hard up forward and was involved in our best scoring opportunity.

–  Bruce Dawes (Women’s Coach)