By Nick Creely
AFL WOMEN’S LEAGUE
REVIEW – ROUND 1
Late in the last term with the scores level and both sides fatiguing, a hero needed to emerge.
That came in the form of Richelle ‘Rocky’ Cranston, who inspired Melbourne to a thrilling win over GWS Giants at Casey Fields on Saturday afternoon.
In front of 5100 fans, and after bursting out of a stoppage early in final term, similar in the manner of Patrick Dangerfield, Cranston kicked a phenomenal goal on the run, giving the Demons the lead in a game where the Giants held sway for the most part.
And then, with just three minutes on the clock, and with the score locked at 39-39, Cranston freakishly snapped a goal from nowhere to give the Demons the match winner, in a thrilling start to the season for one of the premiership favourites.
All game, the Giants threw themselves into the contest and pressured the Demons into some dreadful skill errors, while punishing the home side on the rebound.
And adding to the fact that star skipper Daisy Pearce was held to just six first half disposals, the Giants held a nine point half time lead.
But the Demons lifted their defensive intensity in the second half, with Meg Downie and Bianca Jakobsson starting to gain control over half back, and from there, midfield cogs such as Pearce, Elise O’Dea and Lily Mithen started to find more run and flow in their ball movement.
In the end, the experience of the Demons and a late burst by Cranston and Pearce; who took two brilliant contested marks late in the game; proved too much to handle for last year’s wooden spooners.
“Thankfully we practiced some saving the game and winning the game strategies last week; we had a midfield short in the last bit, but the players did really well under pressure,” relieved Demons coach Mick Stinear said post-match.
“I’m so proud of how they finished off the game; it was just an exciting game of footy, and exciting for the rest of the competition.”
Stinear was also full of praise for his two star match winners after the game.
“She’s (Cranston) really wanted to make the most of this opportunity, and in the second half we saw what she could do; she did really well, and it’s just an outcome of all the hard work she’s put in,” he said.
“She (Pearce) just competes all day, and is critical with her leadership on field; in the last quarter, she epitomized what we want to be as a team, and she showed plenty of heart.”
Stinear also confirmed that gun midfielder Karen Paxman experienced back spasms that forced her out of the game early, and said it was too early to tell how long she would be on the sidelines.
The Demons will host reigning premiers, Adelaide, at Casey Fields on Saturday.
MELBOURNE 1.2 1.3 4.3 7.3 (45)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.0 3.0 5.2 6.3 (39)
GOALS
Melbourne: Cranston 3, Scott 2, Cunningham, Hore
GWS Giants: McWilliams 3, Barclay 2, Staunton
BEST
Melbourne: D.Pearce, O’Dea, Downie, Cranston, Scott, Mithen
GWS Giants: McWilliams, Farrugia, Barclay, Staunton
INJURIES
Melbourne: Paxman (back)
GWS Giants: TBC
