AFLW R4: Richmond vs Gold Coast @ Metricon Stadium

[crackertiger]

Missing basic handball targets highlights the lack of basic skills with this list. Our top players are excellent but others are not at the level yet. Some handballs missed by a country mile today which is hard to comprehend at this level. Handballing is a basic skill and probably the easiest AFL skill to have. They seem to be playing a game style reliant on handballs yet we rarely hit targets or put them to advantage in any game I have seen this year. Training this week should be all handball drills.

[Chuck17]

Step backwards for the girls this week

A few passengers that shouldn’t be getting games

[Chuck17]

Badly missing Wakefield Cordner and McKenzie

[one-eyed]

Media articles:

Rising Suns storm home to run over top of Tigers in thriller

Michael Whiting
afl.com.au
31 January 2022

GOLD COAST    1.5       3.7       3.7       5.9 (39)
RICHMOND       1.0       3.3       5.3       5.4 (34)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Bohanna 2, Hammond, Perkins, Surman
Richmond: Brennan 2, Dargan, Dempsey, Lavey

BEST
Gold Coast: Drennan, Bohanna, Perkins, Rowbottom, Stanton
Richmond: Dempsey, Miller, Conti, Brennan

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Pregelj (knee)
Richmond: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Metricon Stadium

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GOLD Coast has won back-to-back games for the first time in its short history in the AFL Women's competition after a gutsy come-from-behind victory over Richmond at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

The Suns had the better of play for much of the day but had to overcome an eight-point deficit at the final change to win 5.9 (39) to 5.4 (34).

It backed up their round two victory over West Coast.

Alison Drennan was magnificent in the final term, gathering 11 of her 27 disposals and five of her nine clearances to drive Gold Coast home.

Energetic Kate Surman kicked a goal from 40m to reduce the margin to two points before Cheyenne Hammond kicked her first career goal in her 17th game to put the Suns in front.

It was a lead they would not relinquish, with Kalinda Howarth desperately touching a Katie Brennan shot on the goal line with less than two minutes remaining.

Gold Coast won with a player down for the second half following a knee injury to important defender Jade Pregelj.

Forwards Tara Bohanna (two goals) and Sarah Perkins (one goal and the crucial assist for Hammond) were headaches all day, while No.1 draft pick Charlie Rowbottom again impressed.

Gold Coast dominated for much of the first half but was unable to capitalise on the scoreboard.

It generated 25 inside 50s to Richmond's seven, but led by just four points as a combination of missing gettable shots at goal and poor turnovers in the defensive 50 kept the Tigers in the contest.

Monique Conti (21 disposals) dealt with a tag from Jamie Stanton to work her way into the contest, while Katie Brennan (two goals) had the best of her battle with Lauren Ahrens.

The moment

With Gold Coast trailing by a point and the clock winding down, the home team was pressing but still needed a hero. With the ball bobbling around inside its forward 50, Sarah Perkins showed her class with a clean pick-up and slick hands to a passing Cheyenne Hammond who ran into the open go-ahead goal. Perkins was fantastic all day and this moment was the icing.

The Conti-Stanton duel

Mon Conti has been in sensational form during the early stages of the season, gathering 29, 25 and 22 disposals in the first three rounds. Gold Coast was doing everything in its power to quell her influence, sending noted stopper Jamie Stanton to run with her. Conti battled to 10 disposals in the first half, and although Stanton had to slightly relax the role in the second half, continued to keep a close eye on the lightning Tiger. She finished with 21 (including six clearances) and 10 tackles to Stanton's 19 touches in an enthralling duel.

One to watch

She may have been overlooked in draft after draft after draft, but Gold Coast forward Tara Bohanna is making up for lost time. After kicking four goals in her first two marches for the Suns, the 26-year-old continued to impress against the Tigers, kicking 2.3 from 16 disposals. Her aerial work was outstanding – eight marks – and Bohanna's ability to find space caused continual headaches for her opponents.

Say what?

"She just doesn't stop running. She just gets from contest to contest and gives herself an opportunity to get the footy. She's been working so hard across the whole pre-season and it probably came out for her today, which was great." – Gold Coast coach Cameron Joyce (on Ali Drennan)

"That has hurt the most out of any game. We are tracking the right way, we are improving, we are getting better, we stick to the process, but there does become a point in time when you've got to stick your flag in the ground and go 'no, that hurts too much'." – Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson

What's next?

Gold Coast has one of the toughest trips in the competition to try and make it three successive wins, taking on Melbourne at Casey Fields next Sunday at 5.10pm AEDT. Richmond plays the Western Bulldogs at Victoria University Whitten Oval on Saturday at 7.10pm AEDT

https://www.womens.afl/news/82764?_ga=2.127846541.1482294730.1641899012-224749430.1603381344

[one-eyed]

AFLW 2022: All the action and results from Round 4

Gold Coast claimed back-to-back wins for the first time in their AFLW history with a tight five-point triumph over Richmond.

Greg Davis
HeraldSun
January 31, 2022

The Gold Coast have claimed back-to-back wins for the first time in their AFLW history with a tight five-point triumph over Richmond at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

The Suns were winless throughtout 2020 and broke the drought against West Coast two weeks ago before being sidelined last week after Covid swept through the Gold Coast camp.

Midfielder Ali Drennan had 27 possessions for the Suns – including 11 in the final quarter – to go with nine clearances, Jamie Stanton had 20 touches for the home side while Tara Bohanna and Sarah Walker were a constant threat up forward for the Gold Coast.

Goals to Kate Surman and Cheyenne Hammond in the last quarter put the Suns in front in the see-sawing contest and they held on in the tense closing minutes.

The Gold Coast dominated territory and possession in the opening term but only took a five-point lead into quarter-time. The Suns led inside 50 entries 13-2, clearances by 7-2 and enjoyed a 27-17 edge in contested possession.

However, they were only able to kick the one goal through Bohanna while they butchered a number of golden scoring opportunities in front of the sticks.

Richmond’s only response was a goal to Katie Brennan who relieved teammate Christina Bernardi of the footy who was suffering from a dislocated finger from the marking contest.

The Tigers kicked the first two goals of the second term through Tessa Lavey and Sarah Dargan to hit the lead but the Suns finished the first half with all the momentum after

Bohanna and Perkins kicked truly to give the home side a slender four-point cushion.

Richmond kept the Suns scoreless in the third term and hit the front after goals to Brennan and Kate Dempsey handed the visitors an eight-point advantage at the last change.

SCOREBOARD

Gold Coast: 1.5/3.7/3.7/5.9 (39)

Richmond: 1.0/3.3/5.3/5.4 (34)

GOALS

Gold Coast: Bohanna 2, Perkins, Surman, Hammond

Richmond: Brennan 2, Lavey, Dargan, Dempsey

VOTES

3: Ali Drennan

2: Tara Bohanna

1: Monique Conti

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/aflw-2022-all-the-latest-news-match-reports-for-round-4/news-story/ff63d576c55ea796f7378cda778aa0cf

[one-eyed]

Determined Suns rise in tense encounter against Tigers

By Sarah Burt and Jon Pierik
The Age
January 31, 2022

GOLD COAST SUNS 5.9 (39) d RICHMOND 5.4 (34)

The Gold Coast Suns have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time, defeating Richmond as both teams sought their second victory of the season at Metricon Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers could take confidence that their first interstate win was against the Suns at Metricon in 2021, and the Gold Coast had been revelling in their first win in two years.

The Suns hadn’t played in a fortnight due to their last game being rescheduled under the AFL’s health and safety protocols. They welcomed back fierce midfielder Jacqui Yorston for her first match since injuring her ACL, while Claudia Whitfort and Cheyenne Hammond also returned.

The Tigers welcomed back midfielder Tessa Lavey, forward Sarah Dargan and defender Sarah Sansonetti.

Harriet Cordner was sidelined after she ruptured her ACL last week.

Mature-aged recruit Tara Bohanna picked up where she left off in the Suns’ last game and opened the scoring for the Gold Coast, which Richmond skipper Katie Brennan quickly replied to, evening the score.

The Suns dominated inside 50s and spent 82 per cent of time in their forward half but failed to score again in the first term as Richmond struggled to get the ball out of their defensive 50.

Tessa Lavey got one on the board for the Tigers and repeat entries saw Dargan follow, booting her second for the year to put them nine points ahead.

Gold Coast key defender Jade Pregelj went down with a suspected knee injury while teammate Sarah Perkins shepherded one through from 50 metres out, which was immediately followed by Bohanna’s second in a frantic two minutes as they led by four points into the main break.

The Tigers missed Cordner in defence as Gold Coast notched up 25 inside 50s to Richmond’s seven, although they only had the three majors from those entries at half-time.

Winger Kate Dempsey added to the Tigers’ tally and stole the lead with her first ever AFLW goal. Another goal run through by Brennan left the Tigers eight points up at the final break.

Kate Surman put the Suns just one point behind, a prequel to an impressive assist and goal from Sarah Perkins and Cheyenne Hammond, respectively, to switch the lead for the fourth time, managing to hold it until the final siren.

Bohanna said: “When we push as hard as we did and bring the intensity it makes for a great game and that’s what we did. Whatever you do, be determined in what you’re doing.”

LAVEY’S LABOUR

Olympic basketballer and Richmond midfielder Tessa Lavey played in the WNBL for Bendigo Spirit on Saturday night, scoring 16-points, before catching a flight with the Tigers on Sunday morning. She made her return after missing round three due to AFL health and safety protocols, kicking a goal and notching seven touches.

GOALS
Gold Coast: Bohanna 2, Hammond, Perkins, Surman
Richmond: Brennan 2, Dargan, Dempsey, Lavey

BEST
Gold Coast: Drennan, Bohanna, Perkins, Rowbottom, Stanton
Richmond: Dempsey, Miller, Conti, Brennan

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Pregelj (knee)

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/magpies-unbeaten-streak-over-as-dockers-make-statement-20220126-p59rie.html

[one-eyed]

Ferguson post-match interview:

WATCH: https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/1053454/aflw-r4-ferguson-post-match

Summary:

* Let the Suns get their teeth into the game early on. Thought the momentum changed and the 2nd and 3rd quarters were closer to the game we wanted. However, 1st and 4th quarters they completely outplayed us. They dominated clearances and contested footy. Areas we need to get better at.

* We need to up our game if we want to get better. We've improved many areas but the next bit is hard.

* Not going to kick a score if you don't win clearances and the contested footy and get the ball inside F50.

* Thought Conti had a good battle with her opponent and had a solid game.

* Brennan looked dangerous when we could get it down to her. We need to get it inside F50 more often and that's on our mids.

* Thought we leaked too many goals. The Suns only kicked 5 but a number of those were goals we could have prevented.

* That [loss] has hurt the most out of any game. We are tracking the right way, we are improving, we are getting better, we stick to the process, but there does become a point in time when you've got to stick your flag in the ground and go 'no, that hurts too much'.

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Match highlights: https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/1053448/aflw-r4-match-highlights

[Chuck17]

make some changes Fergo, hard to win with two players short

[WilliamPowell]

make some changes Fergo, hard to win with two players short

Only 2??

But agree

[Chuck17]

make some changes Fergo, hard to win with two players short

Only 2??

But agree

Yeh could be a few more but two in particular are driving me nuts