THE BLUES stormed home with an 18-point victory over the GIANTS in Indigenous Round.

Playing at Manuka Oval for the first time, Carlton prioritised their front-half game, recording a substantial amount of forward 50 entries and tackles in comparison to Greater Western Sydney. 

In a night that was already positive, Darcy Vescio became the first AFLW player to record 50 career goals, setting the Game Changers alight on the final siren. 

Quarter one:

The first five minutes were an arm wrestle, with neither team able to keep possession of the ball. Georgia Gee showed some class to slot the first goal, off the back of a strong contest from Lucy McEvoy. Kerryn Harrington was responsible for clearing the ball from the defensive 50 while Paige Trudgeon also used her intercept ability to keep the GIANTS from retaining possession. Both teams missed opportunities due to turnovers going forward, with the contest proving to be physical and messy. Abbie McKay played a strong game in congestion, always in the centre of packs and moving the ball efficiently down the line. Mimi Hill was busy as usual, recording three clearances and three intercepts while Gab Pound and Daisy Walker used their defensive nuance to keep the ball moving out of dangerous territory. The GIANTS slotted a goal after the siren which evened up the contest at the first change. 

Quarter two:

A goal from the GIANTS in the first two minutes was not how the Blues wanted to start the quarter. An unselfish play from Courtney Jones led to a McKay snap on goal, putting the Blues back within a point of the GIANTS. Brea Moody was everywhere on the ground, using her height advantage not only in the ruck, but also for contested marks. Pound’s kicking efficiency was valuable while a sharp goal from Maddy Prespakis was the boost that Carlton needed. 

Quarter three:

Carlton were able to lock the ball in their forward 50, resulting in a goal from Darcy Vescio, tipping their career goal tally to 49 which was followed quickly by their 50th. The GIANTS responded quickly with a goal of their own, but the Blues were able to lock it in their half again. Mua Laloifi was busy down back, creating opportunities for her teammates to get the ball back in their hands, with the play getting a bit sloppy as the clock ticked down. Carlton had 14 tackles inside the forward 50 compared to the GIANTS’ zero, making the most of their scoreboard opportunities to head into the final quarter with a 13-point lead.  

Quarter four:

The Blues started the quarter as they finished the last: with the ball pinned in their forward 50. McKay’s tenacious tackling earned her a free kick resulting her second goal of the game - the first time McKay has scored multiple goals. Vescio and Gee were buzzing about the goals but were unable to capitalise, while Courtney Jones put her first of the game on the board late in the quarter. 

Three things:

1. Mua Laloifi and Gab Pound could be the most underrated backs in the competition. The two combined to lead the backline all the way up to the forward 50, allowing their fellow defenders to stay back and guard the back half. Their intercept play along with their physical presence made them a very dangerous duo, with Pound recording 10 intercepts while Laloifi recorded seven. Combined with skipper Kerryn Harrington and young gun Paige Trudgeon, the Carlton backline is a force to be reckoned with.

2. Maddy Prespakis added another layer to her game, kicking one goal and getting plenty of the ball in the front half. Prespakis also gathered four score involvements and ten contested possessions which allowed her teammates to get their hands on the ball in front of goal. 

3. The Blues made their forward pressure a priority. Recording 19 forward 50 tackles to the GIANTS' two, the Blues piled on the pressure where it counted: inside the forward 50. This allowed Carlton to turn their pressure into scores on the board. 

Moment of the match 

DV3 makes it DV50. 

Darcy Vescio became the first ever AFLW player to kick 50 career goals. 

In true Darcy fashion, they banged two through within a minute, creating history and putting the Blues in front when they needed it. 

Match summary 

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY    1.1   3.1   4.1   5.2 (32)
CARLTON             1.2   3.3   5.8   7.9 (51)

GOALS

Carlton: Vescio 2, McKay 2, Gee, Prespakis, Jones

BEST

Carlton: Pound, Prespakis, Hill, Vescio, Harrington