Commanding Kangas crush Cats to kick off AFLW defence
Anna Harrington |
Two-time defending AFLW premiers North Melbourne have made an ominous start to the new season with a 73-point thumping of Geelong.
Geelong, with renewed enthusiasm under new coach, former Melbourne boss Mick Stinear, went with the Kangaroos for the first quarter and a half.
Darren Crocker’s North piled on four unanswered goals late in the second term and never looking back, kicking away for a 15.10 (100) to 3.9 (27) victory at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
While Geelong showed clean ball movement under Stinear, they couldn’t go with North, who are on a record 28-game winning streak and 29-game unbeaten run as they chase an unprecedented third straight premiership.
Superstar North captain Jasmine Garner (32 disposals and a goal) was typically prolific, along with reigning league best and fairest Ashleigh Riddell (35 disposals, three goal assists), while Eilish Sheerin had nine tackles.
Blaithin Bogue and Tahlia Randall kicked three goals, Tess Craven (20 disposals) and Alice O’Loughlin jagged two apiece, while Ruby Tripodi and Vikki Wall had a hand in several majors.
Geelong star Georgie Prespakis impressed with 22 disposals, six clearances and her explosiveness from stoppage, while co-captain Becky Webster (27 disposals) and Amy McDonald (26 disposals, one goal, seven clearances) also shone for the Cats.
Craven kicked off North’s season with a ripping set shot from the pocket, and an early Geelong highlight came through Bryde O’Rourke’s terrific long bomb from outside 50.
After Rachel Kearn spurned the chance to give Geelong a seven-point lead early in the second term, Garner quickly restored North’s advantage with her 100th AFLW goal.
Randall opened up a gap on the Cats, then Bogue bagged a quickfire double to deliver a 22-point lead at halftime.
Jackie Parry gave the Cats a lifeline in the third term when she took a terrific contested mark over Libby Birch and goaled to cut the margin to 19 points.
But any Geelong hope was short-lived and from there it was all one-way traffic as North kicked the final eight goals of the match.
Geelong star Aishling Moloney contentiously had a goal chalked off, ruled touched by Kim Rennie, after a final-quarter score review – but it mattered little as North kicked away.
The Cats host St Kilda at GMHBA Stadium next Saturday, and North travel to face Brisbane.
AAP