Richmond AFLW team [merged]

[one-eyed]

Out of traffic, Tayla Stahl opens the second half with a snap around the body! 

🐯  5.5-35
🦅  2.5-17

[one-eyed]

3/4 time. We're up by 20 points.

Richmond     2.0   4.0   5.7-37
West Coast   0.1   2.5   2.5-17

Goals: Bernardi 2, Stahl 2, Wakefield


https://twitter.com/RichmondWomens/

[one-eyed]

The Eagles kicked the first of the last quarter ...

... but Captain Katie Brennan answers straight back with a classy running goal  .

🐯 6.8-44
🦅 3.5-23

[one-eyed]

That's two in a row, as Stahl coolly snaps another through the big sticks  .

🐯 7.8-50
🦅 3.5-23

[one-eyed]

We won by 28 pts 

Final Score

Richmond     2.0    4.0     5.7     7.9-51
West Coast   0.1    2.5     2.5     3.5-23

Goals: Stahl 3, Bernardi 2, Brennan, Wakefield

[mightytiges]

I know it was 'only' a practice match but still a good win leading into season opener especially without Conti playing. Seems we have some strong scoring options up forward.

[WilliamPowell]

I know it was 'only' a practice match but still a good win leading into season opener especially without Conti playing. Seems we have some strong scoring options up forward.

Brennan played a total of 5 mins as a key forward. She played as a mid and was excellent. Bernardi spent alot of time as a running high HF and mid. Both of those moves worked very well

Stahl is just a natural footballer with great goal sense.

Courtney Wakefield was excellent but her kicking for goal let her down.

Ball movement was quick. Transition from HB through the middle was great. The "tiger wave"

To be honest they should have won by alot more

Bring on round 1

And stand by my comment about the umpiring. Don't care if it's men, women or under 10s if you go for a mark and get punched in the head it is a free. You don't  want congestion them don't flap you arms and say play on and wait for 8 people to form a rolling maul 

[one-eyed]

Outback mum’s bizarre journey to Punt Road

Sam Landsberger
Herald Sun
27 Jan 2020

There were two reasons that could’ve excluded Courtney Wakefield from completing the 2km run at Richmond’s tryout day in 2017.

The first was that Wakefield didn’t register for the Bendigo session. The second was that she was busy breastfeeding seven-week-old son Sid.

“I was seven weeks postpartum and I was probably in a bit of a newborn haze,” Wakefield said after booting a goal against West Coast in yesterday’s AFLW practice match win at Punt Rd.

“Even from home it’s four hours to Bendigo, so I did the trip with my two children.

“It wasn’t until I’d successfully got through to the VFLW program that Kate (football boss Kate Sheahan) told me you actually had to sign up for the day.

“I rocked up without having put my name down and they kind of looked at me and thought, ‘Sh-t we can’t turn her away, she’s come all this way with a newborn’.

“I couldn’t do the 2km – I had to go breastfeed, but I probably wasn’t fit enough at the time. It was quite a challenge, but we got through successfully and here we are.”

The trip to Bendigo was a picnic compared to what followed.

After Wakefield, 32, made the cut there were 14-hour round-trips from her farm in western New South Wales to play VFLW every week.

For the upcoming AFLW season she has relocated to Pearcedale, settling in ahead of Richmond’s season-opener against Carlton on February 7.

“It’s only a 50-minute drive up the highway now, compared to seven hours without kids, and with kids it took a little bit longer,” Wakefield said.

The outback mum’s farm in Top Hut, about an hour north of Mildura, is the equivalent of 25,000 MCGs complete with a driveway that’s “only seven or eight kilometres” long.

“So it’s 109,000 acres, and from the start of my football journey we’ve been in drought,” Wakefield said.

“It’s been hard. We just had 65ml (of rain) last week, which will take the pressure off a little bit. We’ve got merino sheep and a few feral goats, so it keeps us busy enough.”

Teammate Alice Edmonds (Victoria Police) has missed training recently to help with the bushfire crisis while Phoebe Monahan (Australian Defence Force) remains on standby.

Wakefield partnered former Brisbane Lion Sabrina Frederick in a two-pronged attack yesterday that allowed captain Katie Brennan to dominate at centre bounces.

Midfielder Lauren Tesoriero, who drafted herself as a Tigers scout last year and is attempting to play without an ACL, came on in the second half and is in the leadership group.

“That’s what KB was hoping to do, and given we’ve got a fairly solid forward line with a good mix of talls with previous AFLW experience, it’s allowed KB to go in there and flourish,” Wakefield said.

The mother-of-two anointed Laura McLelland as a key forward to watch this year and backed Kodi Jacques, 19, to impress in the midfield.

Wakefield’s mark on the lead and goal to start the second quarter sparked the crowd of 563 at Punt Rd as Richmond prevailed 7.9 (51) to 3.5 (23).

President Peggy O’Neal and chief executive Brendon Gale watched on, although no AFLW home-and-away games will be played at Punt Rd because the Tigers don’t want to lock their fans out.

Wakefield will have husband Tom and kids Tilly, 5, and Sid, 2, cheering her on against Carlton.

“And probably all of Sunraysia, too,” she said.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/outback-mum-courtney-wakefield-journey-in-joining-richmonds-aflw-side/news-story/5e641a501b9f4e16a54dbb1f31d464c8

[one-eyed]

Tiger women aiming high after practice match win

Daniel Cherny
The Age
27 Jan 2020

Star Richmond forward Sabrina Frederick has declared the Tigers aren’t here to make up the numbers in their first AFLW season after coach Tom Hunter’s side brushed off West Coast in the expansion teams’ final practice match before round one.

Tayla Stahl kicked three majors as Richmond led at every change to keep the Eagles at bay for a 7.9 (51) to 3.5 (23) victory at Punt Road Oval on Sunday.

Carlton stars Tayla Harris and Madison Prespakis were among those in attendance, with the Blues pair getting a good look at the Tigers ahead of the season opener between the traditional rivals at Ikon Park on Friday week.

There was plenty to like from a Richmond perspective - not least the fact the Tigers were able to beat AFLW opposition despite being without All-Australian Monique Conti who missed the match as she continues to manage basketball duties.

While dual All-Australian and former Brisbane Lions key position player Frederick was her side’s major target up forward, the damage was done at ground level as Stahl, Christina Bernardi and Courtney Wakefield wreaked havoc.

Tigers captain Katie Brennan showed glimpses of her class, kicking a goal but playing predominantly through the midfield.

Youngster Sophie Molan - taken at pick No. 7 in last year’s draft - left the field in the last quarter following a head knock but Richmond said after the match that she had been given the all-clear.

Frederick was cautious not to get carried away with the win but said Richmond were setting the bar high in their first season.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re here to compete, we're definitely not here to make up the numbers and we’re just going to do the best that we can possibly do,” Frederick told The Age.

“You know, we give respect to the other clubs, not thinking that we're going to come in here and win a premiership first up, but we're definitely striving to like every other club and just wanting to compete every single week. So, you know, this week, we got the win and next week, have a week off and then play Carlton and see what happens."

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tiger-women-aiming-high-after-practice-match-win-20200126-p53uuy.html

[one-eyed]

Richmond recruiter-turned-midfielder Lauren Tesoriero has been offered a reprimands with an early guilty plea for rough conduct.

Tesoriero – making her return from a torn ACL after deciding against surgery – was cited for an incident involving West Coast skipper Emma Swanson.

The Tiger's case was classified as intentional conduct with low impact to the body.

Classed as a $400 sanction (AFLW financial penalties are on a pro-rata with the AFL's), she can accept a reprimand with an early guilty plea.

https://womens.afl/news/41812/dockers-star-tigers-recruit-reprimanded-roos-defender-escapes-sanction

[one-eyed]

Monique Conti has walked out on the Melbourne Boomers and been released so she can play for us in our first AFLW match. 

[one-eyed]

Monique Conti has walked out on the Melbourne Boomers and been released so she can play for us in our first AFLW match.

Star Tiger turns back on promising basketball career

Lauren Wood
Herald Sun
31 January 2020

Star Tiger Monique Conti has turned her back on basketball — for now — to focus on football.

Conti, who was best afield in the Western Bulldog’s 2018 premiership triumph, plays for the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL but has today requested a release from the club to pursue the upcoming AFL Women’s season.

“I’d like to thank the Boomers for all their support over the years, I wish them all the best for the rest of the season,” she said.

The midfielder has been widely tipped to be one of the best players in the AFLW competition this season.

Conti, 20, has expressed her ambitions to represent Australia in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

She is three years into a four-year deal with the Boomers which allows her to play AFLW in her basketball off-season.

But with the current FIBA Olympic qualifications and the Boomers — who have one game remaining before finals — in the frame to contest the championship, she may not have played for the Tigers for the first month of the season.

The Boomers agreed to release Conti today with the dual sport star to play for Richmond in its Round 1 clash with Carlton next Friday night.

“Monique is an exceptional athlete; we value her contribution and commitment to the club and equally we have supported her as a dual athlete since she joined us as a 16-year-old more than three years ago,” Boomers general manager Christy Collier said.

“Monique has decided to prioritise her AFLW career, which the club accepts and wishes her all the best for the future.

“With our team having qualified for our third consecutive finals campaign this season, we are very confident our members and fans will see continued success in the coming weeks commencing with our game on Saturday against Perth.”

Tigers women’s football boss Kate Sheahan said the club was rapt to have Conti available for the entire season.

“We are very excited to have Mon available for the full AFLW season and look forward to seeing what she will be able to achieve this year,” Sheahan said.

“We remain committed to helping Mon be the best athlete she can possibly be and will continue to support all of her sporting ambitions.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/star-tiger-monique-conti-turns-back-on-basketball-to-focus-on-afl-womens/news-story/5058ebfb09a44cbf2e28979ab822e70e

[one-eyed]

Mock Round 1 teams

womens.afl
February 1, 2020

Just a reminder if you're a new fan to the AFLW competition, sides have 16 on the field (a 5-6-5 formation at centre bounces), with five on the bench.

RICHMOND

B: Sarah Sansonetti, Rebecca Miller, Laura Bailey
HB: Phoebe Monahan, Akec Makur Chuot
C: Ella Wood, Grace Campbell, Maddy Brancatisano
HF: Sabrina Frederick, Christina Bernardi
FF: Tayla Stahl, Courtney Wakefield, Laura McClelland
Foll: Alice Edmonds, Katie Brennan, Monique Conti
Int: Holly Whitfield, Gabby Seymour, Kodi Jacques, Sophie Molan, Lauren Tesoriero

Others: Hannah Burchell, Nekaela Butler, Kate Dempsey, Ciara Fitzgerald, Emily Harley, Emma Horne, Iilish Ross, Cleo Saxon-Jones, Alana Woodward

The Tigers look set to field a few established stars of the game (Katie Brennan, Monique Conti and Christina Bernardi) alongside a mix of VFLW players and young draftees.

Laura Bailey, Akec Makur Chuot and Holly Whitfield are among players delisted from clubs who get a second shot, while 18-year-olds Sophie Molan, Ella Wood and Laura McClelland have impressed this pre-season.

Grace Campbell has been a star of the Tigers' VFLW side, but is yet to play a pre-season match, so is one to watch around selection.

https://womens.afl/news/42093/mock-teams-how-aflw-s-new-clubs-will-line-up-in-round-one

[one-eyed]

Tigers skipper tempers expectations ahead of season opener

Anna Harrington
AAP
5 Feb 2020

RICHMOND will enter its maiden AFLW season with the weight of expectation on its shoulders but captain Katie Brennan is confident the newcomers can stamp their authority on the competition.

The Tigers will kick off the season against Carlton at Ikon Park on Friday night and former Western Bulldogs star Brennan said she was relishing featuring in the season opener for the first time.

"It's been something that I've looked on in a bit of envy in a sense," Brennan told AAP.

"The first game I just remember being in tears of pride and just being so excited for all the girls running out there, that it was finally possible - we were playing for premiership points in AFLW gear.

"It's something that I've really aspired towards but I've loved watching along the way.

"I'm genuinely so excited and all you want to do is just play footy at this time of year."

After two AFL premierships and a VFL flag in three years, Richmond fans have become accustomed to success but may have to be patient with their AFLW team.

"We certainly want to be really competitive," Brennan said.

"I think every team that comes into the competition wants a genuine shot at winning a premiership.

"But for us it's really about playing our way and I think we'd probably be disappointed if we won games and we weren't playing the style of football we want to play, and I think it'll take a bit of time."

Brennan's time at the Bulldogs was marred by injuries and a Grand Final suspension, with the forward finding herself falling out of love with the game.

Now fit and ready to fire, the 27-year-old is reinvigorated leading into her fourth campaign.

"I think my big focus over the pre-season was just getting the love for the game back and once you are loving the game you end up playing better footy in a sense," Brennan said.

"I've been really lucky to be able to move up the ground a little bit and have some midfield time and get around the football, and I think that certainly helps the headspace.

"Learning a new position, bringing my forward craft up around the football and working on heaps of different aspects of my game, it's just refreshed my love for the game and refreshed the challenge of getting back to playing some good footy."

https://womens.afl/news/42221/tigers-skipper-tempers-expectations-ahead-of-season-opener

[one-eyed]

SEN is tipping us to finish 4th in our group (one spot outside of the finals).

Full Conference A ladder prediction

1. North Melbourne
2. Adelaide
3. GWS
---------------------
4. Richmond
5. Gold Coast
6. Geelong
7. Brisbane

The Tigers miss out by the skin of their teeth, with their Round 5 away game against the Giants potentially the difference between third and fourth.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/02/05/aflw-ladder-predictions-for-the-2020-season/