There has by no means been an AFLW grand last performed with out both Adelaide or Brisbane concerned, however each side are relishing their new-found underdog standing as reigning premiers Melbourne enter the season as raging flag favourites.
AFLW membership captains have overwhelmingly backed Melbourne to win back-to-back flags, with 14 of the 17 rival skippers tipping the Demons to salute after a exceptional low season wherein they managed to retain all of their stars, save for retiring captain Daisy Pearce.
No captains picked Brisbane to make it to a second consecutive grand last after the departures of star trio Emily Bates, Greta Bodey and Jesse Wardlaw, however Lions skipper Breanna Koenen mentioned the notion they have been now not a severe menace would solely spur her staff on.
It comes because the AFL introduced on Monday $1.1m in prizemoney can be issued to gamers from the highest eight AFLW sides, bringing the monetary award in keeping with the lads’s competitors in a $500k enhance from final season.
“(Being underdogs) suits us – in the past couple of seasons, people have wrote us off, so I think that’s a good thing for us and I think a lot of the girls take that in their stride and want to prove people wrong,” Koenen mentioned.
“We’ve had really good depth over the last few seasons, I think giving those younger girls a chance, and we’ve recruited pretty well – I think it’s probably underrated how many good people we’ve brought into our group as well.”
“I think if you dwell on (last year’s grand final loss) too much, we’re not going to get anything out of it. I think we learnt from that experience, and then moved on – we want to try and be bigger and better this year.”
Koenen mentioned the Lions can be challenged by the introduction of an interchange cap, with groups to be restricted to 60 per sport.
Playing usually in scorching situations, the All-Australian defender suspected her facet had used considerably extra rotations final season, though they weren’t recorded by the league.
Adelaide star Ebony Marinoff mentioned the brand new rule might current the Crows with a bonus over Brisbane and Melbourne, who she mentioned have been each perceived by opponents as sides which relied closely on fast rotations.
Marinoff mentioned an incapability to make use of their bench in addition to the Lions might have value the Crows of their preliminary last performed in balmy night situations on the Gold Coast.
“Something that potentially could have got us against Brisbane last year is they do have high rotations, it’s good for us that we didn’t really,” Marinoff mentioned.
“I guess the faster the game gets, you probably need more rotations – Brisbane and Melbourne were two teams that were really going for it (with high rotations), but we weren’t, so hopefully that holds us in good stead.”
Marinoff mentioned there was a way at Adelaide that stress had been “taken off” after Melbourne’s breakthrough flag final season.
The Crows have began virtually each season as premiership favourites, successful three of the seven flags.
“Having that pressure taken off, it’s always a good thing – you love pressure, because it’s a complement, but we also love being the underdogs and we’re really looking forward to this season,” Marinoff mentioned.
Source: www.news.com.au
