See some of the best stats from NAB League Girls Round 1, including the defending premiers' renewed hunger for the contest and the sister of an AFL Women's rising star sticking to the family formula.
THREE KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Last year’s premiers the Geelong Falcons showed no signs of letting up in 2019, controlling proceedings with and without the ball in their 26-point victory over the Sandringham Dragons. Not only did the Falcons win 211 disposals to Sandringham’s 159, they out-tackled the Dragons 82 to 53. Ten Geelong premiership players were in this Round 1 team and they clearly haven’t lost any hunger for the contest.
2. Meanwhile, 2018’s beaten grand finalists the Northern Knights appear just as hungry to return to the season decider. With 12 players from last year’s Grand Final in their Round 1 team, the Knights were dominant in a 76-point defeat of the Murray Bushrangers. Northern won 97 more disposals and still laid six more tackles than the Bushrangers, also restricting Murray to just 10 inside-50s in the hour of game time.
3. The GWV Rebels only just prevailed over the Bendigo Pioneers in a five-point thriller and might be thanking their direct method of ball movement for the triumph. The Rebels were prepared to boot the ball forward at any opportunity, recording 143 kicks to 46 handballs (Bendigo recorded 122 kicks and 53 handballs). This helped GWV generate 31 inside-50s to 18, and that extra time spent in its forward half proved crucial.
TOP FIVE STATS OF THE WEEK
5. Highly-rated GWV Rebels prospect Sophie Molan was described as “an all-rounder” during the pre-season and her stat line from GWV’s five-point triumph over the Bendigo Pioneers proves that assessment. Molan recorded a round-high 26 disposals (17 kicks and nine handballs), three marks, three tackles, four inside-50s and four rebound-50s.
4. Collingwood may have another reason to thank its former 254-game champion Gavin Brown, with Eastern Ranges 16-year-old Tarni Brown seemingly following in the footsteps of older brothers Callum and Tyler – both father-son selections by the Magpies. Brown was crucial in Eastern’s nine-point victory over the Dandenong Stingrays with team-highs of 20 disposals, seven tackles and six inside-50s.
3. A dynamic Geelong Falcons duo were instrumental in turning the momentum in their team’s favour against the Sandringham Dragons after quarter time. Once captain Lucy McEvoy and Luka Lesosky-Hay – who both had a game-high 22 disposals – got on top of the Dragons in the middle, Geelong was well on its way to a 26-point victory.
2. Britney Gutknecht burst onto the scene for the Northern Knights last year and showed she’s only getting better, racking up a game-high 24 disposals and kicking an equal-round-high four goals in Northern’s 76-point defeat of the Murray Bushrangers. She’s been described as “ultra-professional on and off the field” and this was as professional a performance as you’re likely to see.
1. Ex-Calder Cannons midfielder Madison Prespakis has starred for Carlton in her first AFL Women’s season, averaging 19 disposals and a goal per game. Well, her 15-year-old sister Georgie Prespakis (pictured) certainly appears to be cut from the same cloth. The Cannons young gun – sure enough – won a game-high 19 disposals and kicked a major in Calder’s 27-point win against the Western Jets.
ROUND 1 STATS LEADERS
KICKS (17): Sophie Molan (GWV Rebels)
HANDBALLS (14): Gabrielle Newton (Northern Knights)
DISPOSALS (26): Sophie Molan (GWV Rebels)
MARKS (6): Abby Favell (Murray Bushrangers) and Emily Harley (Oakleigh Chargers)
TACKLES (11): Brooke Hards (Bendigo Pioneers)
INSIDE-50s (6): Tarni Brown (Eastern Ranges), Serena Gibbs (Eastern Ranges), Lucy McEvoy (Geelong Falcons) and Ellie McKenzie (Northern Knights)
REBOUND-50s (8): Abbey Chapman (Geelong Falcons) and Brooke Vernon (Dandenong Stingrays)
HITOUTS (27): Maggie Caris (GWV Rebels)
GOALS (4): Britney Gutknecht (Northern Knights) and Emily Harley (Oakleigh Chargers)
* CLICK HERE for previews of all NAB League Girls teams for 2019.
* CLICK HERE for the downloadable 2019 NAB League Girls Season Guide
featuring club season previews, full squad lists, historical data and season fixture.
