AS THE halfway point of the 2023 AFLW season nears, Senior Coach Mathew Buck has shown great delight in the renewed energy his team has shown after the first four rounds.
During his post-match press conference on Saturday, Buck was high in praise of many individual efforts that have contributed to the positive shift seen in his side’s performances so far.
A major focus for the season has been a strong full-team approach to each game and being able to capitalise on individual strengths to achieve collective goals.
Buck has been fortunate that his balanced approach with his ruck combo of Jess Good and Brea Moody has paid off.
The duo have amassed 174 hitouts in the opening month of the season, 106 of those being Good’s, whilst Moody’s 68 taps come with four goals and 15 marks from her time on ground being split between the midfield and the attacking end.
“l[Moody] gives us a great contest forward which we really enjoy and Jess Good is a great ruck, so the clearance numbers were pretty close at the end one the game” Buck said.
“Its where you get your value and today we thought Moody forward and Good in the ruck was how we liked the look”.
The strength and confidence in the ruck has had a positive impact on Carlton’s inside midfielders, with Mimi Hill, Abbie McKay and Keeley Sherar benefitting greatly from Moody and Good’s ability to create play from stoppages.
Hill and McKay have continued their rise in the league ranks as leading midfielders and with thanks to the impressive ruck work, are finding new ways to break through the packs and feed the forwards with inside-50 entries.
Keeley Sherar is providing valuable support to McKay and Hill in the centre, using her pinpoint disposal efficiency, blistering pace and impressive decision making to push to the outside and clear away from the stoppage, helping guide the trio to running away with 46 clearances so far this season.
“Mimi and Abbie are our real bulls inside, so I’m really pleased with their combination they’re been that before I got here and they continue to be it, so we’ll look to expand their games from inside to outside but they’re two leaders at this Club and continue to be leaders moving forward” he said.
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“Keeley’s got great speed and tenacity at the ball she is strong in the contest and she got to the outside but used her foot skills.
"She’s an exciting young player who has got a great future but today [against Richmond] was a good day for her."
With the return of captain Kerryn Peterson only strengthening the backline and young-guns Keeley Skepper and Mia Austin putting together impressive seasons, the pieces are coming together for a strong second half of the season for Buck and his soldiers.
