CARLTON's VFLW side travels to Bill Lawry Oval to face an in-form Darebin outfit this Sunday.
The Blues will be looking to get back on the winners list, while the fifth-placed Falcons are seeking a win to keep their finals hopes alive.
In their last outing, Carlton was defeated by 10 points in a see-sawing contest against Casey. The Blues will be hoping to capitalise on their opportunities after a dominant final term against Casey that only yielded six behinds.
The last time Carlton and Darebin clashed was in Round 5 at Ikon Park, with the Falcons securing a convincing 49-point win on that occasion. Darebin won the battle in the middle, providing quick ball to its forwards.
Speaking to Carlton Media in the lead-up to the match, Carlton VFLW coach Shannon McFerran said her team will bring a more even contest in the midfield.
“We’ll be looking to improve our balance around the stoppages,” she said.
“Last time, they had really strong run and carry and we’ll be looking to stop that and their quick flow into the forward line.”
On that occasion, Darebin power forward Hannah Mouncey booted three majors, while AFLW-listed ruckman Lauren Pearce was a standout with 22 disposals, 28 hit-outs and a goal. For the Blues, Danica Pedersen put in a strong performance with 17 disposals, five tackles and four marks.
Though Mouncey was a force in their last match, McFerran says she will trust her players to beat her.
“We don’t have a concrete plan for Mouncey. We’ll back our defence in to do the job and restrict her,” McFerran said.
Darebin has won its last three games and has not lost a game at Bill Lawry Oval this season, setting up a tough challenge for the Blues. The Falcons have added motivation, sitting a game and a half outside the top four with two rounds to play.
The game provides a tantalising dual between the league’s most prominent spearheads of the season. Playing her first season in the VFLW, Mouncey leads the goalkicking with 18, including a bag of five against Casey. Carlton boasts former Falcons’ gun Darcy Vescio, who is sitting second on the table, booting 16 goals from seven appearances.
The match will mark the first time Vescio has taken on her former team. In her final two seasons with the Falcons in 2016 and 2017, Vescio kicked 69 goals from 28 games.
Carlton has made two changes to its side for Sunday’s clash, welcoming back Pedersen and Isabella Gietzmann. Sarah Hosking, Georgia Fisher and captain Kristi Harvey will miss the match.
The Round 15 clash takes place at Bill Lawry Oval in Northcote, with the first bounce at 12pm.
2018 head-to-head:
Played 1
Darebin 1
Carlton 0
Last time the sides met:
Round 5, 2018, Ikon Park
Darebin 11.6 (72) def. Carlton 3.5 (23)
Forecast for Sunday afternoon at Northcote:
Showers with a maximum of 12 degrees.
