AFLW 1st Semi Final: Richmond vs North Melbourne @ Punt Rd, Sat. Nov. 12

[one-eyed]

Final Score

Richmond      3.0    4.0      6.0      6.2-38
North Melb.   3.2    8.5     10.6    11.8-74

Goals: Yassir 2, Brennan, Wakefield, Conti, Cox.


Most disappointing performance of the season. Damage done in that 2nd qtr. Defensive play and workrate really poor. 74 points was twice our highest score conceded.

[one-eyed]

Looks like Wakefield is retiring. In tears and chaired off the ground to a guard of honour by both teams. A big loss for next year.

[WilliamPowell]

Looks like Wakefield is retiring. In tears and chaired off the ground to a guard of honour by both teams. A big loss for next year.

She has retired

It has been my absolute privilege and pleasure to be her player sponsor

A great lady, wonderful family

Thanks Court

[WilliamPowell]

Disappointing end to what has been a very good season.

Think today showed like last week where we need to improve against the best sides

So many positives

List decisions will be interesting

[Tiger Khosh]

Wasn’t able to watch the game. Disappointing to go out in straight sets but with the current fixture setup was always a chance. North are much better then where they finished on the ladder, they just had a tougher fixture then us.

Still good for the girls to get that finals experience. Hopefully we can add a few quality players in a trade/draft and just keep improving our bottom 6 players.

[one-eyed]

AFLW Tigers' season comes to a end with semi final loss

By Sarah Black
AFL Media
12 November 2022

RICHMOND                    3.0     4.0     6.0     6.2  (38)
NORTH MELBOURNE       3.2     8.5   10.6     11.8 (74)

GOALS
Richmond: Yassir 2, Cox, Wakefield, Conti, Brennan
North Melbourne: Abbatangelo 2, Garner 2, O'Loughlin 2, E. King, Eddey, Gavalas, Randall, Eddey

BEST
Richmond: McKenzie, Sheerin, Conti, Brennan, Seymour
North Melbourne: Garner, Riddell, Bruton, E. King, Kearney, Brown

INJURIES
Richmond: Conti (groin), Sheerin (thumb), Macdonald (knee)
North Melbourne: M. King (ribs)

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 2,439 at the Swinburne Centre

-----------------------------------------------------

Richmond AFLW's finals campaign has come to an end after a 36-point loss to North Melbourne on Saturday at the Swinburne Centre.

The Roos – inspired by an ultra-determined Jas Garner – produced their highest score of the season in the 11.8 (74) to 6.2 (38) win, while the Tigers should be proud of their improved season.

As expected, Richmond tagger Meg Macdonald renewed acquaintances with Garner, but the superstar Roo was more than up to the task, recording nine disposals and four clearances in the first term.

Macdonald started the second term on the bench receiving treatment on her left knee, but saw out the game against the Roo, who finished with 22 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles and two goals.

Having shots on goal has never been an issue for North Melbourne, but its goalkicking accuracy has cost them in a few games this season.

That was not the case in the second quarter, piling on five goals as Garner pushed forward to continue to break the tag, and Emma King's height proved to be a troubling factor for the Tigers' backline.

The Tigers didn't go into their shell after half-time, starting to even up the midfield contest and seeing the margin only extend by one point, but the gap was too big to bridge.

Small forward Emelia Yassir was a constant threat in attack for the Tigers, while key forward Courtney Wakefield can hold her head up high if it turns out Saturday was the 35-year-old's final AFLW game, having been chaired off at the conclusion of the game.

For the Roos, Ash Riddell produced a strong four-quarter game, with Jenna Bruton's pressure around the contest key to the result, and Brooke Brown and Emma Kearney working well off half-back.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1246983/aflw-tigers-season-comes-to-a-end-with-semi-final-loss

[one-eyed]

Team stats:

Disposals:    207 - 234 ..... ( contested: 104 - 113 )
Kicks:          118 - 166
Handballs:     89 - 68
Clearances:   26 - 24
Inside 50s:    30 - 35
Marks in50:     5 - 9
Tackles:         51 - 64
Hitouts:         37 - 18
Frees:           10 - 17 ..... ( 4 - 15 after 1/4 time ) 


Individual stats:




https://www.womens.afl/match-centre/2022/4780/rich-v-nmfc?_ga=2.37021728.1860250854.1667140582-224749430.1603381344#playerstats

[one-eyed]

Looks like Wakefield is retiring. In tears and chaired off the ground to a guard of honour by both teams. A big loss for next year.

She has retired

It has been my absolute privilege and pleasure to be her player sponsor

A great lady, wonderful family

Thanks Court

Richmond forward Courtney Wakefield has announced her retirement from AFLW football after four seasons and 30 games at the top level.

A former junior footballer in the Sunraysia region, Wakefield was forced to give up the game she loved for close to 20 years before attending a Richmond Talent ID Day in Bendigo, just seven weeks after giving birth to her second child.

Aged 31 at the time, Wakefield joined Richmond ahead of the Club's initial VFLW season in 2018, making the 1200km round trip to Melbourne from her home at Top Hut Station for training sessions and games.

Wakefield was the Club's first VFLW elevation onto its inaugural AFLW list, quickly establishing herself as one of the competition's best key forwards.

The 35-year-old had a career-best season in Season 7, booting 14 goals and earning selection in the All-Australian squad of 42.

Wakefield finishes her career with 31 majors, having topped the Tigers' goalkicking in 2020 and Season 7.

An excellent contested mark, reliable kick at goal, and strong pressure player, Wakefield will be remembered as a popular teammate and person to have around the Club.

The mother of two said it was difficult to call time on her AFLW career- sighting the desire to return home full time to her farm in Top Hut with her husband Tom and children Tilly and Sid as a critical factor.

"It is always hard to walk away from something that you love and (while) knowing that I am still very capable of performing at the top level, but I have made a lot of sacrifices over the years," she said.

"We are lucky enough to have been able to create a very beautiful life prior to starting in the AFLW, and I am really excited for what lies ahead of us.

"This (football) journey has been remarkable; it has been character-building and life-changing; I have lived out a childhood dream."

Wakefield said she was proud to have been a part of the Richmond Women's program from the beginning.

"From day one, I guess I have been a part of making history which is very special, and the foundations laid will live on long after I am gone," she added.

"It has obviously been challenging; being a mum and a wife, spending so much time away from my children. But the Club and my teammates' support has been unwavering.

"I just hope I fulfilled my end of the bargain over the last four seasons."

Richmond Head of Women's Football, Kate Sheahan, paid tribute to Wakefield.

"We cannot thank Courtney and her family enough for their sacrifices and contributions to the Richmond Football Club," she said.

"With the setbacks, roadblocks, and kilometers travelled along the way, it would have been easy for Courtney to say it is all too hard, but her determination, dedication, and style of play have seen her remain such a great role model for her teammates across her entire Richmond journey.

"Courtney goes out while at the top of her game, and I am thrilled she has gained some recognition this year. Her story will be told for many years to come."

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1246551/wakefield-announces-aflw-retirement

[Tigeritis™©®]

Firstly, great effort to make finals and experience the next level. We still have a long way to go.

Congratulations to Wakefield a star tiger who will always be remembered as our first star forward.

North were far too good by foot and dominated in the air I think taking twice as many marks as us and killing it inside fifty by taking grabs when we could not buy a mark inside 50.
They also had excellent spread and ball movement across the ground which we would’ve known from last game but we didn’t learn or execute a defence for it.

Slow start but Conti was good as usual once she got her first touch, McKenzie was lively but her disposal wasn’t to the level. Wakefield battled hard up forward but dropped a couple she should’ve taken.
 Brennan was very good but under-utilised and also robbed of a clear goal and the goal ump clearly said “I’m not sure!”  when asked by the field ump and then he said something and she said “ok” and makes the touched signal. 
The umpiring was of a very low standard and as usual we got robbed on most occasions by north blatant dropping the ball (incorrect disposal) but no free kick
How Hosking wasn’t awarded a fifty I still have no idea. Crazy. 

Our best were Sheerin, Conti, Yassir, Seymour, McKenzie, Cox, Sarah Hosking and Lynch

Very disappointing or clearly beaten by their opponents were Egan, McClelland, Lavey, Miller, Graham,Reid, McDonald, Shevlin, Dempsey

The worst player in the game, Poopy Kelly / terrible player. 

Hopefully we find some taller options and much better marks than we have now and we work hard to improve our skills especially the fundamentals. We need to find more players like Sheerin and recruit ball winners and girls that can take a mark. Sounds obvious and simple but we don’t have enough of those types like North did and it showed.

Great improvement from last season I think we can improve again hopefully we invest more into the girls and make the leap into premiership next season. A start would be to get our own VfLW team.

[Chuck17]

Shame we couldn’t find another gear for the finals but great season by the tiger girls

Apart from the stuffing umpire idiots I don’t think we were as injury free as we would have liked, don’t think MonCon was 100% all gamr

Positives
Winning mindset
Sheeran, Yassir and even though she saved her worst two games of the season for the finals Reid
Think Cox is a good pressure player who showed her versatility by not playing forward all year until this game and having a good one

Negatives
Kelly and Williams

Thanks Wakefield for being a great target who will be hard to replace although I think as Brennan gets older she will play deeper

[Tiger Khosh]

6 players having 5 or less possessions and another 4 under 10 just leaves too much burden on the other girls. Essentially too much left to too few.

[Tigeritis™©®]

With Cordner hopefully back next season fully fit maybe we can shuffle things and maybe use Sheerin up forward. She is an exceptional talent.

[WilliamPowell]

Good point about Cordner

We also have Birchell coming back

Williams will be better 9nce she gets over her knee problem

Would also expect (hope) Brennan can get over her foot issues

There will be changes but there is still alot to be excited about

[one-eyed]

"The experience is important, we know the level and we know what we need to do in the off-season."

Hear from Ferg after yesterday's semi final loss to North Melbourne.

Watch here: https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/1247040/aflw-sf-ferguson-post-match

[Damo]

Another step closer to the real stuff starting