AFLW 2019: Conference B

If Conference A was the pool of death, then Conference B is the relaxing holiday pool with a swim-up bar! 

READ: AFLW 2019 Conference A

The Cats, Magpies and Blues have the potential to challenge if everything goes right for them but at this early stage, the Lions and Giants look likely to reach a preliminary final in third gear. 

Geelong Cats

FIXTURE: Magpies (H), Bulldogs (A), Crows (A), Blues (H), Lions (A), Dockers (H), Giants (A),

Analysis: The Cats avoid the Dees and the Kangaroos so you’d have to call it a pretty great draw, particularly when they have been given three very winnable home games. If they jag one win on the road they could threaten for a preliminary final spot, where we know anything can happen.

OVERVIEW: The Cats have gone down the exact opposite path to the Kangaroos, going to the draft with a big haul and also bringing in a large group of VFLW players that have been playing together at Geelong for three seasons now. They did pick up some established talent but instead of going for star players, they went for players who weren’t really realizing their potential like Rocky Cranston, Mel Hickey, Anna Teague, Erin Hoare and Phoebe McWilliams. The Cats have set up for the long game, drafting #1, #2, #7, #14 and #24 in the 2019 Draft – a savvy move considering the dilution of draft picks next year and beyond with expansion.

Julia Crocket-Grills: With Cranston suspended and Hickey likely a few weeks off yet, the experience of Crocket-Grills could be called upon in the first few games. Averaged 16 disposals for the Hawks in the VFLW this season, her tackles were slightly down for a midfielder (3/game) but her stoppage work was exceptional. At 29 years of age, her experience will be sorely needed in close quarters in a side with so much young talent.

Meaghan McDonald: McDonald is an intercepting defensive machine. In 14 games of VFLW this season she averaged 17 disposals and 11 marks per game! The center half back is a ready-made, mature-aged player and should make the step up to AFLW with few - if any - issues.  

Renee Garing: We can’t talk about the Cats without mentioning Ren Garing. Averaged 27 disposals and 10 tackles in 5 games of VFLW for the Cats this season. Around 18 contested possessions amongst those 27 and finished as the competition's #1 midfielder. Garing will be there at the first bounce and she is a very good chance to either get the ball or smash whoever does!

Phoebe McWilliams: A great pickup by the Cats, McWilliams was just not gelling at GWS and now gets the forward line to herself which will help her game no end. Much of the hopes of the Cats rest on whether McWilliams is a gun who just hasn’t played to her potential yet. She can average 10 disposals, 4 tackles and over a goal a game in 2019 if she makes the step up.  

VERDICT: I love the way the Cats have approached their inaugural season, and they will be a force in future seasons with so much high-end draft talent, but can’t see it happening in 2019 - especially given some of their marquee signings won’t be lacing up the boots for the first few games. They do have the easier conference but I think they fall just short of the prelim this season. 

Third in Conference B

Collingwood Magpies

FIXTURE: Cats (A), Demons (H), Dockers (A), Giants (H), Carlton (H), Kangaroos (H), Lions (A)

Analysis: Don’t play the Crows or Bulldogs – once again the Pies have been looked after with the draw but this season it may not matter. Can’t see them winning many games regardless. A good draw the players need to take advantage of, otherwise it’s will be a tough season.

OVERVIEW: Having won just six games in two seasons, it’s fair to say that Collingwood has been extremely disappointing so far in its AFLW history. Things may be about to get worse before they get better though, because there has been a serious player turnover at the Pies this offseason, with Mo Hope, Jess Duffin, Jasmine Garner, Emma King and Amelia Barden all defecting to new clubs. Throw in an ACL injury to star youngster Chloe Molloy and you get the sense that it could be a very long seven weeks for the Magpies in 2019.

Sarah Rowe: After being schmoozed by Eddie McGuire the Ladies Gaelic Football sensation chose Collingwood over a handful of clubs that were chasing her. By all reports has speed to burn and can find the goals. Kicked a few in the trial against the Bulldogs, and may take some time to fully hit top gear but we saw last season with Staunton that she grew into the comp nicely.

Mikala Cann: Pick #13 in the 2019 Draft, the Magpies had to take an inside midfielder and look to have jagged a gem in Cann who averaged 16 disposals and eight tackles in 6 games for Hawthorn this VFLW season. Not too shabby in her first season of footy! Expect to see her spend plenty of time on field for the Pies in her first elite season, likely rotating through the midfield from a half-forward flank.

Sharni Layton: Former GK for the Australian Diamonds national team, Layton was picked up by the Pies in the rookie draft and it could very well have been the snag of the season. With no Emma King, the Pies ruck department is stretched very thin so expect that Layton spends time in there as an undersized ruck who can act as a fourth on-baller. If she tackles someone, they will know about it.

Ash Brazill: Injury interrupted her debut season last year but her final two games of the season were very solid. 11 disposals, 2.5 tackles and three marks per game on average. She now has a pre-season under her belt and has is joined by her old Diamond defender buddy, Sharni Layton. They have no problem with Brazill distributing out of defence and I really was impressed with how she found her own footy in those two games she played. Could be a big season.  

VERDICT: I have serious concerns about Collingwood's midfield and ruck depth, to say nothing of the fact they have lost Jess Duffin who was instrumental for them across half-back last season. Amelia Barden was super solid on-ball, Mo Hope never really fired for them but she did draw plenty of defensive attention, Emma King was dominant around stoppages and losing Chloe Molloy pre-season just makes it a critical mass of talent that is simply not there in 2019. When it was there they won three games. It will be shocking if they can better that this season. 

Fifth in Conference B

GWS Giants

FIXTURE: Lions (A), Kangaroos (H), Blues (H), Magpies (A), Dees (H), Crows (A), Cats (H),

Analysis: The Giants miss out on the Bulldogs and Dockers which makes it a so/so draw for GWS. Have them pencilled in for wins against the Blues, Cats and Pies with coin flips on the opener against the Lions. Beating the teams in their conference should see them making a Preliminary Final appearance.

OVERVIEW: Courtney Gum and Alicia Eva took this team from pretenders to contenders in 2018 with their tenacity and relentless attack in and around the footy. The list has significantly improved again this season and it wouldn't surprise to see the Giants go one better and play in the 2019 AFLW Grand Final.

Alyce Parker: Hands down the best player at the U18 Championships, Parker was snapped up by the Giants at pick #12 in the AFLW Draft, and if the numbers are anything to go by they have nailed it. Parker averaged 24 disposals and four tackles over her five games, with 58% of those disposals being contested. If you think that her 2018 U18’s was a fluke, try again – she averaged 27 disposals at the 2017 tournament! Will make an already strong midfield even stronger.

Ellie Bennetts: Bennetts looks primed to step up into that next tier of players this season after a solid debut 2018 campaign returning an average of 10 disposals and over three tackles per game from seven games. If Bennetts can clean up her disposal efficiency and continue to distribute into the forward 50 as she did in 2018, the Giants have a very powerful weapon with speed to burn and the tenacity to match. Can see her really improving the team this year.

Jodie Hicks: Taken at #5 in the 2018 AFLW Draft, Hicks struggled big time in her first elite season, averaging just the five disposals across six games. The talent is there though. She got good midfield minutes in the trial against the Lions and performed well, which suggests that she could be yet another one to make the step up. The Giants were already a contender but if players like Hicks can start to pull their weight and become consistently solid performers then the Giants will go all the way in 2019.

Erin Mckinnon: Still only 20 years old but has played two really consistent seasons of AFLW, averaging just under 25 hit-outs last season from seven games. Picked up her disposal count slightly from 2017 and if she can get that up from five per game to closer to 10, McKinnon could become a real force in the competition at the ruck position. At 189cm she gives the deep Giants midfield first use more often than not.

VERDICT: Make no mistake, the Giants are contenders in 2019. Just from the above four players it is clear they have plenty of room for improvement and if these girls can help take the load off the likes of Alicia Eva, Courtney Gum, Jes Dal Pos and Amanda Farrugia, then they will be almost impossible to beat. Emma Swanson we didn’t even touch on but is primed to go to another level in 2019. Really big upside here. 

First in Conference B

Brisbane Lions

FIXTURE: Giants (H), Dockers (A), Demons (H), Bulldogs (A), Cats (H), Blues (A), Magpies (H)

Analysis: A+++. No Crows, no Kangas who many have playing off for the Pool A Preliminary Final. Best draw of AFLW 2019, but the big question is do they have enough talent left there to take advantage of it? Winning their last three games alone should see them close to playing in finals.

OVERVIEW: There are no two ways about it, the Lions were raided by the Kangaroos in the off-season, losing Jamie Stanton, Kaitlyn Ashmore, Tahlia Randall and Brit Gibson. Four crucial cogs in the Lions machine that has worked its way to two AFLW Grand Finals in as many seasons. Have they recruited well enough to make it back again?

Kate Lutkins: Lutkins was a major reason the Lions reached the decider in 2018. Her disposal count skyrocketed from eight per game in 2017 to 18 in 2018. 18 disposals off half-back per game for eight games is as elite as they come in AFLW. Was #1 for intercept possessions and #2 for intercept marks in 2018. If Lutkins can maintain those elite levels this season the Lions can certainly be right up there again.

Jordan Zanchetta: The Lions 2017 pick #7 struggled in her first season back from an ACL injury last year, playing just 36 minutes of game time in five games and averaging seven disposals, three tackles and just one mark. She is much much better than that, and with another year of footy, and confidence back in that knee we will see Zanchetta return to her dominant ball-winning ways in 2019. Capable of at least doubling her 2018 output.

Paige Parker: With so much talent around the country already playing Aussie Rules, the Lions used their first selection in the 2019 AFLW Draft to take a Touch Football player – that should tell you plenty about the potential that Parker possesses. Parker has been training with the Lions for the last two seasons, so whilst she is relatively new to AFLW, she has had plenty of time to hone the foot-skills and learn the gameplan. Capable of Waterboy-level tackling ferocity, Parker will add plenty of speed and aggression to the Lions backline, assisting Lutkins and Exon in being able to read the play and intercept.

Nat Exon: In 2018 she was rocking a fantastic mullet, and the reason we all know how good it was is because Nat Exon’s second half of the season was exceptional in itself. Doubled her mark and tackle counts from 2017 numbers, and just brought a ferocity to the contest that the Lions love. Expecting Exon to get even more opportunity in 2019 and if she can continue her hunger for the footy she can turn herself into a 15 disposal, eight tackle player which is approaching the elite status.

VERDICT: Big question mark on the Lions ruck stocks. They have some young rucks coming through but the loss of Tahlia Randall will be felt this season, especially if Sabrina Fredrick-Traub can’t get the tank to a level where she can ruck for long chunks of the game. They can more than cover for their losses elsewhere, but Randall gave them first use of the ball and her 18 hitouts and seven disposals per match will be difficult to replace. Despite this weakness, the Lions have the best draw in AFLW 2019 and have a team full of players who know how to win. Another Preliminary Final awaits. 

Second in Conference B

Carlton Blues

FIXTURE: Kangaroos (A), Crows (H), Giants (A), Cats (A), Magpies (H), Lions (H), Bulldogs (A)

Analysis: Not the greatest draw for the Blues who are relatively unknowns this season, given the high turnover of personnel. It is a very tough first two games but if they go on a winning streak round’s 3 through 5 they can challenge for a spot in the finals. That game against the Lions in R6 likely determines who meets the Giants in the Prelim.

OVERVIEW: Last season the Blues were an absolute basket case from the second star defender, Bri Davey, went down. Nothing went right in 2018, and they have a nice wooden spoon to show for it. Losing Hardiman to the Kangaroos will hurt their defensive stocks, and will likely force Stevens to have to play key position, and she is undersized for that assignment. The Blues look a side capable of challenging for finals, but also capable of the bottom falling out again and potentially not winning a game. There is potential here, but whether it is realized or no is the big question.

Amelia Barden: I liked her as a player anyway, but always take note when a new coach brings players across with him and Barden was the only one Daniel Harford brought across from the Magpies. Averaged 10 disposals and seven tackles per game last season in a Pies team that didn’t have a lot of the footy.

Jayde Van Dyke: Taken at #21 in the 2019 AFLW Draft (the Blues 2^nd pick), Van Dyke is coming off a stellar season with Hawthorn's VFLW side, where she won the Best and Fairest playing off half-back. 16 disposals, four tackles and three marks per game from 16 games. Solid as it comes for a defender, and at almost 23 years of age, Van Dyke is ready-made to slot into that Carlton half-back line where her skills will be sorely needed. I can see her and Davey forming a potent intercepting combination.

Kirby Bentley: Having played all seven games for Fremantle in 2017, Bentley missed 2018 with a knee injury. Earned All-Australian honours in her 2017 season, and her link-up play and disposal skills will be greatly needed at the Blues this season.

Bri Davey: I’m not buying any of this talk of Davey playing more forward this year. Davey was the most dominant half-back of the comp in 2017 and started 2018 on fire until her ACL injury in R2. Putting her up forward with Tayla Harris and Darcy Vescio already there just makes the Blues too top heavy. They struggled to move the ball forward last season, and a large part of that was because Davey wasn’t roaming across half-back. Small question mark on how Davey will be able to perform, though, given no player has come back strongly in their first season off an ACL in two seasons of AFLW. They need her back to her best from game one though.

VERDICT: Apart from looking skinny in key defence, the Blues have a pretty solid spine and they have brought in some high-end talent through the AFLW Draft, signed Barden and also get Bri Davey back. Their on-ballers can all tackle and apply good pressure through the middle of the ground and I can’t see them getting really beaten in the center, but, nor can I see their midfield foot skills unlocking the potential of Harris and Vescio up forward, and we know that being able to hit the scoreboard is so very valuable in AFLW.  

Fourth in Conference B

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