AFLW Round 3 Preview - Hawks to Challenge Crows, Unstoppable Saints & Giants Rise | AFLW Today, Thursday September 12.
The AFLW Today Show presents a huge Round 3 preview, breaking down every game over the weekend, with banter and tips, as well as going through player stats and the big questions for each team!
The panel go through the major AFLW stories, with injury news and make a big call each for the weekend, before finishing off with what to keep an eye on over the weekend.
Get around AFLW Today's Alex Donnelly, Brihony Dawson and Liam 'Stats Guy' McAllion ahead of an exciting AFLW Round 3 for 2024!
00:00 Intro
02:17 News
03:30 Bulldogs vs West Coast Eagles
08:29 Brisbane vs Collingwood
13:00 Sydney Swans vs Richmond
19:10 Carlton vs Geelong
23:08 Port Adelaide vs Fremantle
27:00 Adelaide vs Hawthorn
32:25 Melbourne vs North Melbourne
36:18 Essendon vs St Kilda
41:55 GWS vs Gold Coast
46:00 Big Call For The Weekend Ahead
46:52 Keep An Eye On…
47:32 Outro
🎙️ AFLW Today's Podcast Expert Panel:
Alex Donnelly
Brihony Dawson
Liam McAllion
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Look out, FOOTI is back. Welcome to afl W Today, your new one stop shop for all things afl W. As we dive into round three of action. I'm your host, Alex only as always in not a jacket this week. For once, it's Briani Dawson.
Just in a shirt today.
Guys, just in a shirt, happy to be here.
Thanks for having me. Alex.
Oh you're welcoming over there. It's a diminuta fellow. It is the stats guy, I lay mccallian, who's back again. Let's go.
The vibes are up and about. Everyone is very silly, but that's all. We loving the show a bit of fun.
We are a little bit silly today. I'm quite enjoying it.
I think I'm in that delirious state at the moment. It's an awesome shot. It's okay. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel. It is afl Today on YouTube, so you get both that as well as the afl Show, which is the Men's Show finals. Footy is ramping up there. You've got to google us afl W Today Show. Everything comes up there. Of course. Social media's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and x. Is afl W Today on exits AFLW today. Are you subscribe star do all the good stuff? Please give us a thumbs up. Get in the comments. Who's hair do you like? Do you like me my mustache? Do you not like the stats guy? It's all good?
Do you like my mustache?
Plenty of is coming your way in the next couple of weeks as well, where you have an absolutely stacked calendar at the moment, so I can't wait. We better rip into the show because that's dok. May as well start off on the bad stuff. So injuries, he's got the injury.
Report, Oh jeez, always Yeah, there was another rough week round two.
There's a couple out of the Hawks.
So Emily Bates she was late out for round two, but yeah, she's she's going through must go through training unscathed this week to be named. So we'll find that out soon. And of course Sheriff is out for the Hawks. Aren't having surgery this week on a broken fibular fib It looks like it doesn't tell lies.
The same thing happened Luke Parker didn't like I think twenty sixteen. Yeah, it was gross, the same thing gross, no good.
Just breaking bones in foot is just like yeah. Oh yeah, there's a bit of a scar.
There's not the elbow in.
Half or snap the elbow in hand going for a mark.
Yeah, guys floated across the back of the pack at the last second as I'm going for the mark, elbow to the back of the head, knocked him out, snapped my elbow on half. He got best on ground in the Grand Fire for three weeks later, I was in a sling we lost by a girl. Ah, that's good, that's good.
You need to drink a bit more milk.
Let's get to.
It.
Wasn't great.
Yeah, okay, and I'm your mcdonnaugh.
He's going to have to pass a fitness test to be ready for Sunday essendont Paige Scott is possibly going to return from a foot injury, which is exciting for the Bombers if she can make it in.
He's pushing for an earlier return.
Yeah, she is this week, but in like three weeks.
Yeah, because she did her m c L instead of her a c L.
Libby Birch has like pretty much set the golden standard of returning four weeks.
But she's also a physio.
Or an ostia or something like that, and so she definitely had the cheap code. Yeah, so Bonnie heard Bonnie in an interview and she was like, I've definitely put it to the team that you know.
That case study four weeks, like.
To get that possible if someone else she's doing stair run. She was running stairs in the race. Oh yeah, yeah, I saw that. I was like, I wouldn't run stairs regardless. It's actually in a knee brace yea, yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, well she's too good.
And then one more is obviously Janelle Cup It's our captain, which is horrific, brutal out for the season.
Let's get into it because we have Thursday night foes. We're about to hit midwek footy too, just the Festival of footy more.
I'm excited because we're able to watch every game, do you know what I mean?
It's still overlap, which yeah different. I can watch more games of footage, which you know what I like watching. So tonight the Western Bulldogs take on the West Coast Eagles at whits and Iole. This is seven fifteen tonight, So the time you're listening to it, turn on k only place you can watch all of the afl W Western Bulldogs lead this three to one. Probably safe to say it could be three two at the end of tonight. Well last many of the Dogs won by eight points. So this is the grand opening of witt Noble.
Now after you know, how good is that?
I need to get out of there. I don't have time tonight, but I will try to get I think the Swan's play at wittn Noble later this year, so I'll try and get to that. Because to do a chip rating, got to rate the facilities and the hot chip.
Out in the West. The hot chips are going to be good, mate, I It'll be good, absolutely.
So this game is very interesting for a number of reasons. One, the Dogs have kicked one goal this season.
Yeah, it was the first time in the nine seasons that they went goalless last week, so that's not that's not a good start.
There was definitely a few times over their history that they looked like they.
Were going to go goalless. But yeah, last week was the first.
One and what was't zero six? They should have?
Yeah, some of them were pretty hard, but yeah, they that's just a brutal start.
That one. So I was thinking about what we can say about the Dogs instead of you know, just being like, you know, what do you say? A lot of the message messaging coming out of the Dogs camp is shifting the focus from wins and losses, right, because if you're not winning games.
That's not a great start. I know, it is a fair point.
It is a fair point, right, if you're not winning games, how do you shift the team's focus out of wins and losses and get them into where you can walk off the field saying, hey.
We've got a couple of little positives here.
So their focus is on contest and pressure as a team, and I think that that's that's really a really good thing to focus on.
Mine, and it's more controllable.
And I will say one more thing about the Dogs is that nothing brings people together like being in the trenches. And I think that you know, these players that they're building, the bond that people form when times are tough is a really really solid foundation. So hopefully, yeah, in the future they can get some solid key players back in the team.
And then they even they just stay together, all their good players stay together, because that's been a big thing that we've talked about as well. Lots of players leave leave the Dogs, but they really wanted probably get those younger players that are coming through.
They wanted to stay stay together for sure. Yeah, West Coast are no longer easy beats is weren't in the game of the season. So they will be coming out of here going hey, Daisy back in Melbourne, we can do this. Yeah, Like they will be pumped up knowing that they can potentially go two from three to start their season. So I just think the way that they sort of dropped off a little bit last week obviously first week bounce. Is there potential for another bounce or was last week what we're going to expect out of them going forward? But I think Ella Roberts is probably the key for the Eagles here.
Yeah, I agree they played well after the first quarter or so, because the Bombers have had really good first quarters and then yeah, West Coast played all right. I don't think they were that bad at all. They're a really good pressure team. I've written down here. They can hurt the Dogs as well, and the speed on the outside. So the Dogs have been too bad. Like when I was a bit scrappy against Port early on, You're like, oh, they've got they can make a game this, But when it goes on the outside there.
Cook the dog, so they just don't have any structure on they role for.
And then yeah, I wrote, I wrote that there's a sort of a little bit beast of the honeypot at times where they're all going to the ball and then it doesn't help when you're playing on the MCG where you're trying to kick long and then there's no one up there. So but this is the type of game that the West Coast will really like, just using their speed on the outside, I think.
And I think they also need to capitalize when they do get into the forward fifty, and they need their forwards stand up like Kelly Gibson Jess Hoskin, like, go and take your marks and get in there. They only had twelve shots from twenty six inside fifties last week, so it it's like forty six percent efficiency when they're in their forward fifty.
No good, big question. Can the dog show us something? I really something is very open, that's a very look. They need to kick a kick a few goals just to get the crowd up and about. I think they will because they'll I think they'll lift early. Maybe the first half will be pretty close and then West Coast speed and just skill will take over in the second half. So I'm going to say they'll show something in the first half.
Just there's a big crowd.
I think it's going to come down to whit Nooval everyone and all the Dogs supporters, Like I know a lot of Dogs fans are going down there just.
Because it's like at the home of footy exactly what else are you going to do? Just get down there.
But I don't think it's going to be further than the first half because they're just not skillful enough.
I don't agree.
What do you what do you got? What's your tip?
What's my tip? I'm going Eagles by fifteen, and the more I talk about it almost tended to put that above twenty. But I'll still the album.
Yeah, I put Eagles by three goals.
Three goals. Yeah, okay, that seems about right. Eagles by twenty twenty. Yeah, all right. Friday Night this is this feels like a classic Channel nine Friday Night back in the day.
It does.
Problem is it's a five oh five, Like I get it to a five o five because it's before the final between Port and Hawthorne and you don't want to cross contaminate with audiences.
It's no one stays at work till five o'clock, yeah, Friday. So this is like the teams on.
The hill at Brighton Holmes the Range Brisbane take on Collingwood Linsley this four one, but did it lose their last game to Collingwood buy a goal? This is a big test for the Magpies after the capitulation last week against Hawthorne, after an okay performance without winning against Sydney, now coming up against one of the big three.
Yeah, pitulation, Yeah, that have some good words. Now, yeah, what's that other one? I'm trying to make myself sound more photos in this.
Oh, I can't even say it. Photosynthesis. That's what I was trying to say.
You know that Dora how things grow?
Yeah?
How that was.
I was just trying to make a joke there and I'm absolutely stuff that one. I absolutely cooked that one one minute in time. You don't have a future comedy, No, definitely not. What I wanted to say was about the Pies. They didn't look to ye good last week, but they only had one player on their list not play, so that was available soon on their list was injured. They felt bad for the I can't remember who it was, but the player that didn't play because you're like, oh, that's a bit unlucky because the whole list that has got a game because everyone else is injured. They've got so many injuries at the moment. And when they have a full strength team, you go they're not too bad. Probably pushing for finals back.
As soon as a test to be back, as is Charlotte.
So if they get some players back, they can be a little bit more competitive, but just so many injuries at the moment for the pist.
We have a look at colling Was injuries. It's all long terms, like Butler three to four weeks image and even six weeks are how with acl that season Mikayla Hyde six day weeks and Tinny White suspended as well as any least need for the season. So these aren't just one or two weeks. This is long terms. Yeah, not goodness in a shorter season.
Yeah, it's it's absolutely cooked and you'd be throwing your hands up in the air, you know, being like, you know, what do you do with the team, because I feel like the Pies are usually a team where when they play the lower teams they can be a little bit scrappy and they can play down to their level, but then at the same time when they play the top teams, they can really lift because they have those they have those teams, those players. I don't know if they have the capacity to lift, you know, against against Brisbane because they don't have their usual you know, star players in So it'll be it'll be really interesting.
I think.
I think the Lions are just going to run all over them. They need Sad to play really well. They can get the ball out in clearances, but then they've got not much on offer.
Yeah, well they did that against Sydney or the last two weeks they've gotten out in the clearances and then it's just come straight back out and not enough forward pressure and things like that. And then the Lions they look like they just reset last week. They're like, we're back.
That's kicks three, We're back.
They just had amazing pressure, two way running, everything that you want to see in like a premiership team.
Just looked back last.
Week and Ali Anderson is getting record possessions.
Forty three touches, thirty three and a half on Saturday, forty plus again, yeah, forty plus. So we also saw this could be because also Casey Fields Cramp. It is the most windy place in the history of the universe, Brighton Holmes Arena. We saw it really winning the first game. We saw that they are gettable on rebound fifties the line. So Colinwood, if they can get their hands the foot in the hands of Ruby or Benicci, there's a big chance of them to quickly move forward. And that's probably their best type. Not saying that I don't see it.
And if it's in the hands of beneath, it's got a thirty six percent chance.
Went after forty forty, it's not too bad. So BRIT's a chance of getting it to sixty this week if we're going incremental increase. She went thirteen last week, so she goes up another thirteen and this week it'll be sixty two.
All right, great, great, you.
Get your hands on the foot of that man. That amount of time is not a bad thing. Collingwood conceding sixty one and a half points on average, So far as the stats going right down, yeah is a concern.
Yeah, that is a little bit.
Yeah.
Their offense we're already talking about in the fifty. But the defense, like they're pretty good at attacking out of defense. But I just need to defend first. Yeah, that's the way.
Yeah, answer the big question. Does a lost spell and end to Collingwood's already slim finals hopes? Absolutely? Yes, yeah, I don't think they have talk done.
Yeah, got fork done, put a fork in the done.
That was done.
That was very sort by colling It's finals. Oh, Brisbane by five girls, Well i'll go yeah, lines by I think what I put?
Twenty eight lines by thirty oh.
Lashing Saturday, we head to Coffs Harbor for some reason, as my beloved Sidney Swan's take on Richmond at twelve thirty five at the Coffs Harbor International Stadium. Yes, it is called the Coffs Harbor International. It's very necessarily. Steve Smith slapped one hundred there in the twenty twenty one day. There you go. So anyway, Swan looking at bounce back after what was a disappointing performance last week. Also, no Chloe malloy in the team Richmond one still haven't looked great. They'll be looking for a lot from Brendan and CONTI. Yep, where do we go here? Because this is a this is fascinating.
This one could really go either way.
Because if Katie BRender sides going, I'm the best forward in the game, well she doesn't kick. Oh she just kicked. Why the game just go? Yeah bang, could be game over.
Yeah she dished off a couple.
Last week. Player.
Yeah yeah, it's I think for Sydney, especially with Malloy being out, Sydney just need their like bigger players to stand up, and they have been a bit, but they haven't really been taking on the game as.
Much as I want to start the season.
I saw that.
I saw that in your notes. I thought she was really good in round one. She definitely struggled a little bit in round two, but you know, have an off game whatever.
I think that, like, she looks really good.
Yeah, these looks working off the rust as well. She was injured season two.
Yeah, so Montana Ham needs to set up a step up. Yes, Ali Morphort as well McAvoy Laughlin Gardner like, these these are your big time players. You've got, You've got like a handful, you got.
People go but then you just named all those gun players that would be guns on any team.
Yeah, these players are amazing, So you know, they just really need to sort of string it together. Their game plan is really good. They look really good coming off defensive fifty. You know everyone's playing that that running game.
They're moving the ball. Well, they've got those BA six skills.
They're able to take marks, set up behind, and play all that kind of stuff. So I think that their game plan and their skill is stronger than Richmond.
I'm waiting for Tanya Kennedy to absolutely tag mont Conti out of this game. I like that you wrote this because I feel she went into the midfield last week Yanity in the people, I don't want to mess with Liszt Kennedy because every tackle so tough, like it's just like would that hurt if I got tackled? Yes, yea.
The rest wrote this in because last week Mon got tagged, or even the first two weeks, then the moment in round one that she didn't get tagged dominated with about twelve touches in the corner, and then like, oh maybe we should tag her again, And when she has gotten tagged this year, she couldn't have that big influence.
Like Mon was still really good last week, very physical impact of her around the contest, which.
Which is frustrating for any anyone to come up again. So I think Kennedy would be really good.
What's one of the main things you look in it?
Look for in a tagger besides besides shutting down a player, are you looking for them to shut down and something or are you taking your own game?
I want I want that player when they get the chance to hurt them with the footage. So if you get the chance to get the football and dish off like you have a look. James Jordan did the job on Lockey Widfield for this Ons last week, so I think it's a be similar sort of look. Yep, he had a fly, he had a shot from fifty that just nicked the post. But the last couple of times he played on Lockey's witfield he kicked three goals. So he shuts down Locky Whitfield but tries to make them accountable. Yeah, you can still play defensively as well. Still game. Make sure that Kanti is accountable for Kennedy going forward, because when she gets the footy she's very good with it. No, I agree with that.
I think it's what you're saying. Kanti will be like, oh, I usually don't have to play this defensive role. She might have to play defensive herself. So it makes it a sort of a tough one and they're good ex a second guess, I think.
So Richmond, they haven't. You're big on this. They've got the bits, but you're not happy with what's going on.
They're not putting it together.
They got all the bits of the jigsaw puzzle and they've been just around with it like too long.
Put it all together.
You've got the talent there, get it going, because they've got the potential.
Absolutely.
I think I wrote down here they should have been West Coast. They just kicked in accurately. Then they only let GWS in the game because of some inaccuracy as well. If they just sort of straighten up. I think their players are right. They've got a good back line I wrote down with Beth Lynch, Matti Shevyn, really good back line. Then you go their midfield. You've got some guns in there. Then you got forward you like experience as well. It's sort of got a bit of everything. Yeah, but you're still going, Oh, I don't know if they're a finals team because they're just not putting it together. So in this game, like especially with more out and the way saw this one's been gone I'm leaning towards Richmond, but I'm still not that confident at all.
I like to tip them.
At the start of the season, I would have gone, Oh, their team's good, but it's just a worry and them.
I look at Sydney, They've got the same sort of superstars and they're stringing it together.
Yeah more yeah, yeah.
That's true. Answer. The big question who is the match winner slash X factor type player for this one is now that Chloe my lawyer is out or privatally yeah, got to get a hands on the footy more Yeah, I agree with that.
But even in round one the mass she can get even two or three contested marks a game that's going to have two or three shots at seven disposals last year, but it was not going to be a high disposal player.
I think it's even if she's turned it to a twelve to thirteen with two goals and a goal assistant.
Yeah yeah, but I think she can be that type of player. But they've got a lot of those players, yeah, as Bryani said.
And they do need more for it to step up, Like you know, she's such a dominating presence.
Yeah.
If she doesn't step up, they're not going to get those clearances. You're not going to be able to deliver into the floor lines.
I want more from Tanaham as well. Yeah it wasn't Swans fan at the end of the day, yes, but also looking at this objectively, wasn't massively impressed with her game. Again, Saturday Sunday was a weird day. There was win was going like this, Yeah, yeah, anyway, Swan's win this by two goals.
In the end, I'm going the Tikes by ten points. I just think they've got a better team. They would have won if they kicked them if they kicked the first So if they kicked straight the first two weeks, they would have two wins.
But they didn't kick straight the first game.
So anything they're going to kick straight in this game.
I think eventually they've got really good some good forwards they can kick straight. So it's going to click eventually, is the stats guy? Yeah, well, I'm just taking a.
Punt on that to be Swan's by six.
Oh okay, yeah, head to Icon Park now, this is a classic nineteen eighties matchup as we all knew it as back in the day. Off this obal Carlton take on Geelong. Great kit matchup coming to Calton lad this head to head too and one the Blues won this game last year by fourteen points. That was a big Yeah, it wasn't it big game because obviously Carton with the last minute winner over the Suns last week and Geelong snatching a draw against North Melbourne, Geelong need to win.
Yeah, they do, and I think that they've got uh, they've got the talent to do it and their in form. I know that it was a drawer against North last week, but I did definitely didn't expect them to take it to North Melbourne.
I should have won.
I watched that like as a North North will Geelong. We're just all over them the whole game.
Just missed that.
They dropped a few easy marks in the type forward fifty. They should have won that game. And even before it started raining. I think I mentioned that during the week that yeah, they just looked like the better team. So I think they shocked North Marlven of how good they are and how like up there they will be this season.
Yeah, I'm worried about with how Carlton they sometimes just have this like oh we forget we're playing football and multiple inside. Yeah, they've averaged nearly four clips. They've averaged close enough to forty inside fifties against in the first two games. Well, that's a lot. It's not great if you want to win games of footing.
Yeah, they are a bit blippy, aren't they.
Yeah?
Oh what's so?
Oh?
But then they yeah, were clutched in the last last minutes last game. We got the win.
But yeah, I don't know if that was showing where Blues are or how bad gold Coaster going. And I'm sure you guys, I don't know. I talked about that.
That game really confused. It was a very confusing thing.
But I did like how there was a few other people scoring goals from the Blues other than Darcy Bessio. I wrote down just because in the past, you go, who's going to keep the goals other than Dusty Vesta? Not not really many options. Yeah, at least they have a few more options down there. I wrote down here as well. The Blues are a lot taller. So last week it actually worked. Geelong playing small ball. That's sort of like a I don't know, basketball term or whatever you want to call it. But the Cats had really undersized rucks like some of the North's midfielders were taller than the Cat's rucks, which I was very but it sort of worked because North are really tall.
The Blues are really tall.
Hits the deck and they're sort of like oh Doud Virgil the Giants has she plays a bit undersized ruck. So I don't mind that the Blues are gone a little bit tall compared to the Cats.
You're in a numbers you've got for Carton, you've got Sharah and Abby McKay, so McKay, so they get in and under, they get their hands on the footy first a lot as well. It's just dishing out and then using it going forward, but again putting it to the Moodies to see if they can take that first grab if they're forward, So get at the ball when McDonald has the ball. Every two seconds every time I up in the North game she had the ball. It was so frustrating as a North fan. Playing very well. We've said it the first two game is we need to see more from Georgia Prosparkas, who's clearly carrying something.
She's injured, right, yeah, yeah, it doesn't look like myself at all, quite yeah, yeah, because she keeps getting rubbed down some things.
He's getting the rub down. Yeah.
So I mean if you if you're not at one hundred percent, there's you're always going to be a little bit I don't know, like ginger, trepidacious or something like that, going for the ball, playing fully, fully.
Hard and fully explode out of packs like we've seen it like that. She had one moment on the weekend where she sort of ducked and did like a twist to get out of her pack and I was like, oh, she's back, and then it was like that was that flash point. I'm like, oh, here we go. Yeah, the big question, Carlton. I'm not sorry, Carlton. Are Gelong legit?
I'm saying yeah, yeah, like they're they're a lock for the top four for me? Oh yeah, because they should have been North like comfortable.
I watched that game. They should have should have beaten Melbourne. Yeah, prove it to me, Geelong, prove it to me. I know they haven't. I want them to prove it to me. I'm not a believer at the moment.
Yeah, I think they I think they can run over Carlton. I think that can absolutely steam roll than I'm saying too long by twenty five.
Ooh, long by three goals.
Yeah, I'll go I don't even know whateverrod downy it's long by twenty. Yeah, just they'll get that job done comfortably.
Let's head to Albertson over four thirty five PM Port Adelaide take on the Fremantle Dockers. You have to play each other, so first time both teams looking at each other. This game could be sneakily fun. Yeah, I think it would be a lot of fun.
Yeah. You got Port wrote down big improvers this season and they're just not relying on Horton like they used to. Like you got Jema Horton has to have twenty in a goal or fifteen and three goals for to win. Now they're like, oh, we've got so many other goalkies. You obviously had Tekel obviously we all talked about that. Yeah, unbelievable podcast. Even if she can kick one or two goals a week, you're like, oh, there's another option up forward, which is awesome.
Kick for the mcg where Yeah, because just retire after that? Yeah what if you jump? Yeah exactly, that'd be awesome.
Yeah.
Three, I need to bounce back. They were I can't swear on this podcast. As to how bad they were on the weekend, not kicking a goal like I know it was. It wasn't the best game, but my god, going forward they were diabolical.
I think even in your worst games, you've got to be able to kick a goal. And it was a different team to what we saw out at Windy Hill.
Where was the run? Where was the dash? It disappeared in one week. I know Adelaide a good, but there was no take the game on yeah, And I don't know how things can go backwards and forwards in one week.
I think there are two reliant on your tig so obviously know it's only been two weeks, but every time they went to her, she was just so well covered by Adelaide.
They kept trying to go to her at times. You have two players on her.
And is this thing else they need a bit of versatility?
Is this the problem that we've had with a few teams like lower the eyes take the short option as well, just at least keep banking territory going forward, which some teams just sometimes got to get it forward at all costs.
I think that's just like learning as a team as well.
You know you've got your game plan but you need you've got those three contingencies in place, and people need to know which contingency you're going to this happens or this happens.
And I think that's that's what a great team does.
They know exactly if someone starts running out here, they know what they're trying to set up and that kind of stuff, and that's what stops everyone running for the ball at the same time and making sure there's you know, the players forwards.
So I think Essendon as well, we talked about this in the first week, made Freer look better than they were. So that that which sorry Essendon fans out there, the fact that Essendon I think dropped like three or four marks when three I got goals out the back, three or four hundred, three hundred marks exactly, and then those goals are at the back, so you go, oh, Freer kiped a massive score. But I think it was more Essendon's fault than free are being really good. So yeah, whereas they couldn't do that last week because Adelaide were going to drop those marks, We've.
Got mentioning to mention Ash Saint as well the port so they've got plenty of options rolling forward. Also, no cuppets and yeah, how does port.
I think it just rattles you a little bit.
We saw it with Essen and we saw it with Sydney as well. You can't help but be raddled when you yeah, when you have you know, your captain out of a year.
Yeah.
Yeah, So I think that they will say it's.
Not affecting us and we've got a team plan and we're all about a team and you know, but you know that that I think affects your mental preparation during the week and everything.
Like absolutely, yeah, definitely goody on the ball? So good. Isn't she coming your way this Monday? Oh yeah, we've locked. That is so exciting. Starts going on on. I'm having answer. The big question is the winner of this push for finals? Ah, if Freo win, no, but yes, exactly.
Pushing for finals no, but I think poor Yeah, because they've improved a lot.
Yeah, and they have really exciting moments as well, like there's a real belief in there. So yeah, I'm tipping Power by eight points.
Power by three points. I'm going to go a bit more. I've changed my mind.
I'm going Power by fifteen to talk myself out of fre So I've gone power by fifteen, a bit more than I thought.
Let's move to Sunday.
Oh, I can't wait for this guy.
Huge game of the Round at Thomas Farms Oil in a Adelaide at one o five pm. That's what I said, Thomas, Like, why isn't it anyway as the Adelaide Crows take on the Hawthorne howckballing horse in Oh, I can't wait for this game.
It's going to be sick. Actually looks pretty cool this over, so okay, I take it back. It looks has a cool little grandstand. Where is it in conjunction to Adelaide? Is you're looking at them?
I'm not looking at them. Yeah, all right, stats guy rollers through some stats because Adelaide are dangerous when they roll for.
Oh yeah, eleven Mark's inside fifty for Adelaid last week, which is just awesome than any any game you got. I think Marenos arguably the best two way running midfield of nineteen tackles, Like she's obviously going to get thirty disposers every week, but nineteen tackles when they had most of the ball, it's just unbelievable. And I think, yeah, they've got so many good small players that can even take marks inside fifty, So some of those eleven marks inside fifty we're from the smaller players.
So they're faud done Dawson.
They're midfields awsome, and then their defense, I can't even haven't even talked about that.
They didn't even con see a goal last year, so they're just so good.
They're absolutely elite. They're going to be the team to beat this season again all of the things that you just said. There we go the Hawks. I'm really excited about. I think this is the big tester for them. Right, we've seen them play some really good footy, some really exciting footy. They do have a couple of injuries, right, so with Sheriff and on you McDonagh out and Batsy if she's not in, they are.
Going to not be at full full What do you say, tilt strength?
Yeah, never go on, never go on, No, no.
No, tilt Okay.
So I'm really really excited to see what Hawthorne can do up against arguably the strongest team in the competition and how much they take it to them.
This is going to be great because it's like you've got this young, youthful, exuberant midfield and then you've just got an Hatchard and come on, well yeah, it's like, so you've got coming kids, what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? You're gonna try that, You try that crap.
With that's good luck, look them to school.
Yeah, but I think they can take it up to me. You got fleming Western breed just in that wood.
They're prim young and arrogant enough to get into their faces, into the crow's face. I have to Yeah.
No, I think if you try to get in Anne hatch face should be like okay, buckle up, take you to the SmackDown and that's it.
Like true do it.
But this is the Hawthorne way. I think women they're both just trying to be annoyed.
I think it would work if they get under the skin a bit, But like you said, they could just stand there and go.
It's it's either it's either look at these little turns and they belt them by ten gals or it's like, oh this sucks. Ye I love it.
I'm excited to see Telle Lucas ride. You know they're they're they're you bound off that defensive fifty. We know they can move it with speed down the middle. I think Adelaide they're going to aim to do is to really slow that down. They're going to play try and play possession footy, but also running their own game as well. I think they're just going to try and disrupt what Hawthorne.
How do you stop there? Ebde Maronov? How do you do it? What do you do? Paul?
We were just discussing this before the show. I don't think they can. I don't know if they have a right matchup for it, but there is a.
Few ways, I guess. But what do you guys think? I don't think you can. You've just got to hope that she doesn't destroy you. No, try and contain, but you can't. You can't stop someone as good as her.
No, you absolutely can't stop her completely, and.
Just with her strength and physicality, like still going to throw your own.
Yeah, I reckon, she's if she keeps playing like this, she's going to be She's going to be up there for probably.
The start of the seasons the best player in the colt on six votes already. Yeah, and.
Yeah, I think I think that would definitely send someone to her to tag and try and shut her down a little bit, because she is when she gets it, she's deadly damaged.
So you know, Hawthorne have just got to try and run them off their legs. I reckon, yes, speed speeds.
Good luck.
Yeah, good, you're for a few goals as well. She's been awesome kicking goal from outside fifty. That's just so good to watch.
And I reckon she will really welcome the challenge and she'll she'll step up there.
Not Oval is just outside of Adelaide. It is Stirt's home ground. Good good deck there. It's the big question Hawthorne good enough to fight with the best of the best for I'm to say yes, but they still lose? Yeah what two points or two goals? Okay, yeah, that makes more sense. High scoring, entertaining, awesome game. Everything that you want to advertise about afl W is this game.
I'm really hoping that it's that, and I'm really hoping that a team like Adelaide doesn't completely expose the Hawks.
I'm yes, I do that job killing.
That's like I am loving Hawthorne. I'm absolutely loving Hawthorne. At the moment, I think they will be able to take it to them. But I think once that once that second half starts, I think that's when the Crows will put it into second gear and they're up by twenty.
One, twenty one, Okay, I'll go yeah, Crows, I'll go Crows by two goals. I think that's just going to be about that and Hawks will stay with them for three quarters.
Let's go to Casey Fields and at the exact same time. Oh, it's another good game. Why is it not at the same time these two games clashing seems bad structuring, But we didn't know how fun Hawthorne were going to be six weeks ago. That's true. Melbourne Davin's take on North Melbourne at Casey Fields, Northlely. They head to head six two, which is interesting given North Sorry the d success in the competition. North Belt of them by forty one points the last two times they played in a final run away with a statsky. This is your team, the Kangars.
Yeah, I'll talk about them first, just huge, Yeah, Finals rematch Libby Birch against their old side.
Of that it is revenge, but every game is a revengee.
I think she's really bolted North defense and that would annoy Melbourne because they probably need a little bit of Libby Birch at the moment.
Yeah, absolutely, and like she was such an instrumental part of that Melbourne team and I was so surprised when she went.
To as well.
I was like, eh, yeah, because she's such a loyal person as well, so I think this would be She'll be really excited to play.
Yeah.
So I'm also hoping that's not wet for North because as soon as they started raining on the weekend, I feel like the whole game player just went out of the window because North have so many tolls. But I think they weren't supposed to be a right dry deck bully say starts going well, I don't.
Want to say just yet. It's only been one game in the web, but I looked like that on the weekend. I was a bit worried. I think North ne to play that risky footy.
It was sort of very safe kick down the line against Gelong, whereas against the Lions they were just trying to hit the inside kicks, go through the middle, just play attacking and yeah, the des are just undersized, so if they can use their tools, North, I think, yeah, they're going to get on top.
I think this is a fascinating game because the DES is trying to prove to us they're still good. Yeah, North will be bristling after last no one away. I feel like this is where North Melbourne just sort of pull the socks.
Up, you know and just go like what Brisbane did after that.
Yeah. Yeah, D's just consistently go as as a unit as a football club. Can we just get out of Casey Fields?
It was a worry last year the DS didn't look good. Thirty inside fifties for the game and only two goals like it was.
It wasn't the greatest of spectacles. Yeah, but it also as a D's fan if you are one having watched them the week before, with what they did to you know what they're capable of? Is it? They've been exposed by the conditions as well because they went from GMHBA stadium, yeah stadium to the open air Casey Fields.
Yeah, but I mean they trained, yeah with that.
But I think they rely a bit too much on Kate Hall obviously their star player. A lot of people are saying, just player permanently forward because you're going to get more goals. But she's been good well, so.
She can't go everywhere and put it half back as well. I don't know, but Yeah, is just going to smash her if she comes down forward. Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't want to miss it again in the I don't want to get tackled by Emma. Yeah one hundred fair enough having that a lovely person, but getting tackled by her would suck.
Yeah. Do you reckon from last week that North because there is a lot of talk about them that North are feeling the pressure of like, you guys are the best side, so you need to put these these people used.
To it by now because I feel like the last three years maybe not the best side, but people are going North should be right. I thought this year would be sort of out of the back of their minds, whereas the reasons they're like, oh no, should we?
Should we? I think North are just going to control this game in the year because the d's have no tools. That's what That's what the big difference is. Yeah, for sure. So the big question we already asked it North a dry slash good weather team, and I think it is yes at the moment.
Also known because it's only been one week. But it did look like that last week, so yes, it did look like that.
North Melbourne four goals, four goals, comprehensive.
Okay, like you're a full superpoler opera.
Yeah, yeah, this is mouthguards in let's yeah to bring their mouthguards to training.
I've got North by twelve.
Oh, I'm going North by fifteen. Let's head across to Windy Hill primetime football as the bomb Rays take on the surprisingly good as we expected since killed as Saints. The Bombers beat the Saints last year by twelve points. But having a look at these two teams right now, it is a stark contrast. Now this is your bomb.
Raise, it's been ten flipped upside down quote, we don't.
I'd like to take a minute to ask you what's going on at you hat West Coast? Yeah, there's another test. You expected a lot from Essendon. I expected a lot.
Yeah.
Sorry, I think this is going to be a really big test for them as well. Okay, you can beat West Coast.
Great, you know you sort of exposed a few of their flaws because we were excited about West Coast. But I mean, like, who are you going to send to jesse Wardlaw, Like she's just going to run all over you. And they definitely played better last week with that marking game. But I don't think it was enough. Yeah, Maddie Gay was amazing. Yeah, that's a million meters a.
Game Maddie on Jesse Wardlock. But that takes away made marking Maddie's best weapon, which is that running off defensively and taking into sept marks because you're not going to run off Jesse Wardlock because if you drop that footage. Yeah.
Also there might be like a three meter high discrepancy between those two.
Also true.
Yeah, there isn't that that big defendant there. That's going to be a tough task.
I think you're going to want someone, you know, it's sort of bigger and tougher to go with with Jesse, like she's obviously playing ripper footy at the moment. They're obviously going to her as a as a number one option. But yeah, I just think it's again what we've been talking about with the Bombers is just getting those marks, getting that run and playing basic footy so that you can set up your game.
Yep. So you've got Prisparcas going up against what Jamie Lambert, Tayanna Smith in and around the contest, it's going to be very important to see who gets the heavy first. With Nancecow and there as well. Yep, it's going to be who wins those contested clearances is probably going to have the advantage. But yeah, having sat down and beat at games for both of these two teams in the first two weeks, I like what I see more En sin Kilda. They can if it's a weird, windy day, if the conditions are horrendous, I know the Saints can do it. I just haven't seen anything from Usen and that makes me want to go. Yeah, I'm pretty pretty confident with what's going on here. I just think Sin Kilda have too much going on at the moment. They're really well coached.
Yeah, it just seems the structure and when they're going forward just you can't stop them. At the moment I had down in, Bombers have yet to concede a point in the first quarter, which surprised, But then the Saints have kicked four goals seven in first quarters and should have had about five goalsven goals.
Yeah, so that's a weird contrast.
Like the Bombers, Hopefully they can start, they'll need to start well again because the Saints fire up in the first half. Yeah, and if they can't start well, I think they're after the first quarter. They could be cooked.
Answer the big question. Can the bombers lift at home? Lift the vibes at Winding Hill? That's what I fixed the food truck first, Like season the chips and cook them for long enough, please eight dollars eight dollars ten dollars.
Max for chips.
And it was the smallert serving size than what you get at Marvel. And it was ten dollars and it wasn't but they weren't cooked, they weren't seasoned.
How do you how do you, as someone who runs a business who serves chips and knowing how much people at the footy mate like love hot chips. How do you hand over a bucket of chips and you can see on it that there's no seasoning and they're like a light yellow, there's nothing crispy.
You hand that over, But then then how do you ask ten dollars for it? That is outrageous? Two out of ten? Yeah, it was too How did they even get how did they even get too? Yeah, that's a good point. I've given chips. Yeah I did.
Wait, so you got the ten dollar chips for free?
No? No, I paid ten dollars.
Yeah, if them could I get free chips because I'll rate them and then you just roast the graph out.
Yeah they got too because well they were still edible.
So they were edible.
No, not by a lot. I didn't actually finish there.
Because you know how sometimes like a soggy chip is good, like if it's being cooked probably first and it gets a bit Yeah, it's.
Like if you reheat reheat them in the microwork, Yeah it's not good. Yeah. So mcg last week got a seven out of ten good seasoning. Yeah, I think could have been more. I couldn't couldn't drive them out at my rabbit because I felt if I left the media center, I couldn't get back.
You're getting get locked out because it.
Was a swipe thinking. I didn't have a swipe card. I didn't test and I was rained.
I always make friends with the security guards.
Was a security guy.
They hold the key to your future.
So Icon Park Saturday, I'm probably going to go.
Yeah, see I reckon, you'll find a good chip anyway.
Kill are going to beat Essendon by five goals. That's all. I've got a big call ages ago.
That was my I'm going to get into that later. But yeah, Saints are going to I feel like they could smash them. Also, check out our social media is for hot ship ratings. I'll go by, yeah, thirty points. I just feel like I don't like Essen at the moment and no Bonnie and a few other things going on.
Like I said, I would jump off ersonthing like that. Okay, warned you coming into the season.
Yeah, the higher at the top four and if they don't, I'll just jump off and say I never believe.
I wouldn't mind them proving me wrong. And this is a really close game and I'd absolutely love it.
Yeah, I'm tipping the Saints. Just go seven goals by twenty points.
Very good.
Yeah, shof the weekend, Let's head to Cambra, Monica ravel as the GWS. The Giants take on the Gold Coast Sons. I couldn't believe this when the stats guy wrote it down. Gws have a four and one record against the Suns. The Sons won by five goals last year. I just couldn't believe these two teams had played each other five times. That seemed absolutely wild to me. This is going to be I don't know what to expect from this game. I honestly I.
Couldn't agree more. I was like, I couldn't agree more.
I gws good because it goes back to my Richmond A bat. I know the Bulldogs are terrible Sekilda A good stat's guy go, well, I'm pretty much the same as you. It is a tough one.
I think whoever wins this game, it's like the changing of the guard where Sons are like really good last year they made the finals. Then you're going, oh, if the Giants win this, then can they make the finals in the next year or so and things like that. Yeah, and the other sons just dropping down. And that's what I'm that's what I'm leaning towards. Yeah, I think the Giants were lucky last week that the Tigers were inaccurate. That's sort of why they were closing.
Yeah, but I do like their team. They got doubt.
The first two games have just been awesome, like she's been playing for ten years, and then you've got Goldsworthy getting the prime. Things like that strong tackling team as well, which which are won in these type of close games. They were plus seventeen in the tackles against the Tigers, which really surprised me. So I am leaning towards the Giants, I think. But it's such a tricky game because.
Gold Coast need to be more accurate in front of girl.
What's happened to gold Coast?
Oh that was so good last year? Yeah, the finals.
Yeah, they're relying.
Too much on Charlie Roboto, who had about fifty million quadruple. I was like, alright, ra, yeah that was pretty cool. Yeah, but they're relying too much on it. Like every time they were getting out of the midfield, You're like, you didn't even have to look you go, that must have been Robot.
No one else's done enough work. I'm also already struggled over here.
Because I had I had sons in my top four.
Yeah that's right, Yeah yeah, and I had so Yeah that looks good for both of us play footy expert.
No, because we were trying to be we're trying to throw one out there.
Yeah, it's that bad of a point to make. Just well, last week we were Vibans and Kilda at least yeah.
Yeah, yeah, that's feeling and Hawthorne as well.
I don't get all right, yeah right, and we're vibing West Coast you were, Yeah, I don't think Alex.
I am worried about Gold Coast defense. I'm I think I'm off them, Okay, I think yep, because if they go zero zero on three here, it's just pack it up, like especially when it's you looked at the start of a season. Yeah, gold Coast to be three no, yeah, like you wouldn't have been shocked if they were two and one. You're like, yeah, sweet, yeah, yeah, zero and three is a distinct possibility here. The Giants, they'll be up and about knowing that they could have knocked off Richmond if things went their way. Yeah, they kicked seventy points at this ground two weeks ago. They know they can do it. Zara girl, where there's got hell, Yeah, I'm going to kick four. Let's go. Yeah. So the big question is GWS up to the Sun's level? Yes, yeah last year myself, in the last two minutes, I think they are. Brian is a little bit mind.
Sure, I've changed my mind on this about Yeah, I've got the mustad.
I don't have the mustache for it.
I've got like, you know, like just like an old motorcycle beer. Yeah you know that's like got a plat in it.
Yeah. But yeah, it's if God goes can kick straight. They can absolutely win this game, but they haven't done that in the first two weeks. And it's not something that just turns around like that. Canberra is weird. Weird stuff happens in camp.
Like Burley Griffin.
Yeah, near Queen Bean, which is the worst place on earth. Just weird stuff.
I'll just mention everything that I learned on my grade six excur quester con.
Anyway, while you permeate on this, GWS win this by a kick car I don't know. Yeah, I'm going jedfs by golf. I think it's going to be close.
But and because of that, I'm going the Sun's Honestly, I don't mind that the Sun's by five.
Okay, nice, make sure to textpense that in there. Yeah right, all right, big call for the weekend. As we make a big call, I'm going to change one because I've written something down about and killed it. But stats guy beat me to it. A go nuts man, I'll go first.
Yeah, I already said it, but I think Saints shut down the bomber's final hopes as soon as yeah, the bombs is on, They're cooked thirty points. I'm saying the Saints are going to win by I think they've been one of the most impressive offenses in the comp. They're going to put up a big score and I don't see the Bombers putting up big enough score.
And I am so yeah, Yeah, you're going to get punched off screen, the Hawks getting Adelaide's faces, but get punched in the face.
Yeah, I was going to I had one about the Hawks as well, Like I know I have picked Crows, but.
I think there's a possibility that Hawthorne could get up.
Yeah, at least put up a big fight.
Yeah, it's a big call because yeah, yeah, not many people can take it up to adela They might scare them a little bit.
Yeah, keep an eye on Adelaide and Hawthorm. If you're not watching that, what you're doing, honestly, keep an eye on that. Also keep an eye on Melbourne and North Melbourne. North Melbourne with the mouthguards eating getting the job done, whatever happens at Coffs Harbor, because one of those teams will go too and one and their final chances alive one and two. I think it's done. Yep, are the Western Bord. I was going to show us anything on Thursday night. I hope they lift now.
It's going to be a decent crowd obviously opening of the new facilities. I really really hope that at least it's a close game, because I know a lot of people going there and they're like, we just want to see the dog.
We want to see we want to see a good game.
Keep an eye on that, because I just want to see a good game.
Ellie Blackburn gets twenty five, Ellie Blackburn gets thirty two or thirty five, I'm going on forty three.
All right, that'll do it for AFL Today, w Today, for Well Today. Please catch us on Monday where Jess Webster joins the show where he's coming on. So this is great. So I have an actual footy expert on. That's just knocking both of us.
I cannot I cannot wait to have a chattel Webby and.
Also should they Good Eat from Port Adelaide is adjoining this show as well, so that will come online, so it would be all three of us chatting with That's going to be an absolute bunch of fun.
I have a feeling we're going to really pump up our tires. Get around it, yeah, get around that.
It's going to be an absolute goodie, that's for sure.
Stop it. Don't say that to her. We're going to have to come up.
With rules before you talk to no goody, especially with the two good before I was like, oh, it's.
Dad jokes coming out.
With the late.
Shout out to the stats man for coming on boards. Thanks Variety for jumping on as well. Also shouts to Giraldo behind a camera. Remember to smash a like across the socials to see us doing just some stuff across the social media throughout the footy season, filling in those footy gaps again. It is a f l W Today across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and x a f l W Today au on x YouTube AFL Today which is also the same as our podcast platforms like subscribe, give us a rating, leave us review all that good stuff. Do you like the thumb We need them all the thumbs up. The more the better, get around them like I get around I baked good at Welcome to Thornbury the Bakery as I have two microphones coming in here. Anyways, that's it. We will catch you later on this week for more AFL Today as well as AFLW Today. Do then look after yourselves and remember food is bad.