World Footy News

The Greater Western Sydney Giants notched up their first win in season number two of the AFLW at the Olympic Park Oval. This match was a tight tussle before the Giants were able to break the shackles and dominate the final quarter with four goals to one. The Giants owned the match in the second half with the majority of the game play and this helped them get their first four premiership points of the 2018 AFLW season.

Image Source: Twitter @GWSGIANTS

The opening term was tight and scrappy, despite Collingwood who had the bulk of the play in the first term. Rising star Chloe Molloy begun in the forward line for Collingwood, as in the past two weeks she has played down back. There was stoppage after stoppage early on in the first quarter and the work rate was up and there was plenty of intensity around the contest from both teams. Late on in the first term the Pies started to get on top with more of the ball and cleaner disposal.

As a result, Caitlyn Edwards handballed it to her captain Steph Chiocci who snapped the kick around her body from 45m out. That was certainly a special goal from the Pies skipper. The home team the Pies jumped out of the blocks early in this match and as a team the Pies are playing well today.

Early on in the second quarter the Giants had a lot of the football in their forward half of the ground but unfortunately with no reward for all their effort this quarter. The Giants scored 6 behinds and were only able to kick their first goal with about five minutes left in the term. Jessica Dal Pos was the Giants player who set up the goal as she kicked the football to the running advantage of Aimee Schmidt who finally slotted through the Giants first goal of the match. Cora Staunton copped an elbow to her nose from Sophie Casey and Staunton came of second best. The Pies in the second quarter found it difficult to get the football past their defensive half of the ground with most of this quarter been played in the Giants forward half of the ground. Steph Chiocci looked dangerous that first half of the match for the Pies through the middle. Molloy saved the day again late in the second quarter for her Pies down back. Giants had all of the scoring momentum late in the second, as Schmidt nailed through her second goal of the match and her second goal in a row of the match. The Giants owned the second quarter and they have thrown this game on its head with the Pies who had dictated terms for most of this match. Both the Giants and Pies are both winless and they are both playing very well as only two points separated the two sides on the scoreboard at the main break.

In the third quarter Phoebe McWilliams continued her great form up forward this season, as she presented and played well up forward for the Giants. McWilliams kicked the first goal of the third term in this see-soaring contest. The Pies defense held up well due to Molloy using the ball well and getting them out of defense casually. Molloy has great composure when she has the football and it is incredible to see for a 19 year old. Moana Hope was rewarded a free kick in the forward half after she was pushed and shoved off the ball. Hope kicked it to Jess Duffin who marked the football on the lead and Duffin scored the major from a set shot 25m out with 3 minutes left in the third term. The Giants were up by a point but not for too long, because Hope responded with a classy banana dribble kick towards goal in the pocket. Hope scored her first goal of this AFLW season late in the third term. The Pies had a five-point advantage at three quarter time.

The Giants owned the final stanza against the Pies with all of the scoring, as they scored four goals to the Pies one goal. In her first season Courtney Gum scored a goal with a quick snap kick around the corner towards goal. Gum was everywhere for the Giants in the fourth quarter and she slotted through her second goal in a row for the Giants. Gum was the playing the game of her life for her Giants and showed that age is purely just a number. Duffin kicked forward to her leading forward target in Hope who marked the football strongly, but the Giants gave away a 50 and Hope booted through the goal from the goal square. Molloy gave away a down ground free kick to Jacinda Barclay who was pumped, as she was able to kick truly for the major. Both teams played football that was very good and fast paced in the final term. Pepa Randall kicked long to a pack of her Giant forwards and McWilliams took a strong contested pack mark. McWilliams from a set shot 30m out booted through the goal and she has become a star up forward this season for the Giants. The last quarter was intense, but the Giants held on to get their first win on the board in 2018 and “what a sweet WIN it was by the Giants!” The Pies officially crashed out of finals contention in the AFLW for the second season in a row, because they remain winless after the opening three rounds.

COLLINGWOOD 2.3 2.4 4.5 5.5 (35)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.1 2.6 2.6 7.6 (48)

GOALS
Collingwood: Hope 2, Bonnici, Chiocci, Duffin
GWS: Schmidt 2, Gum 2, McWilliams 2, Barclay

BEST
Collingwood: Bonnici, King, Molloy, Duffin, Hope
GWS: Eva, Gum, McWilliams, Farrugia, Staunton

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
GWS: Staunton (head knock), Swanson (lower leg)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rawlings, Adair, Burns

Crowd: 3,600 at Olympic Park Oval