Poochettes fall just shy of century in big win

Four goals each to Alexa Walker and Amelia Woolaston helped the Gunnedah Poochettes to a 14.10.94 to 1.2.8 victory against the Tamworth Swans in last Saturday’s AFL North West women’s match at Wolseley Park.

Gunnedah strengthened its hold on second spot on the five-team ladder with a third successive win following a first-up loss, while the fourth-placed Swans sustained their third consecutive defeat.

The Poochettes kicked seven goals in the first term and four in the third term with the wind behind them, while their opponents landed an early goal but could not score another major.

Gunnedah’s captain, Walker, landed the first goal before Tamworth’s Anishah Burnes produced an equaliser.

A snap from Myah Gibson put the hosts back in the lead, and then Walker kicked a clever goal after being harassed by an opponent.

Walker’s third major was followed by the first behind of the match, and then another behind was followed by a goal each to Chelsea Palmer, Braie Devine and Amelia Woolaston to set up a 7.3.45 to 1.0.6 lead at quarter-time.

With the wind against them in the second term, the Poochettes maintained their intensity but not necessarily their rhythm. There was some strong defence from both teams, with many players thwarted when preparing to kick or handpass.

Amelia Woolaston kicked the only two majors of the term, enabling Gunnedah to lead 9.4.58 to 1.1.7 at half-time.

One of Gunnedah’s teens, Audrey Hannaford, produced a brilliant tackle which earned her a free kick in the early stages of the third term.

Walker, Macey Carlyon, Amelia Woolaston and Zoe Palmer kicked a goal each while the Swans were kept scoreless in the third term, which ended with Gunnedah leading 13.7.85 to 1.1.7.

Fatigue seemingly took its toll in the last term, with a series of behinds being scored before Beccy Wilson kicked the only major in the final quarter.

Walker referred to the youthful contingent of Hannaford, Carlyon, Gibson, Zoe Law, Arlie Torrens, Emily McKenzie, Jayla Woolaston and Clare Robinson.

“There’s a lot of youth coming through which is supplementing the senior players we already have, which is creating a really nice team environment,” she said.

Walker said the Poochettes discussed in their team huddle about running into and out of the wind “which is really good for us senior players to be aware of so we can guide those junior players in how we change our game, depending on the conditions and the team”.

“I don’t think it changed our game too much, but we definitely kicked more goals when we were going with the wind,” Walker said.

“We’ve been working a lot on just how we move the ball down the field and how we move the ball out of stoppages, so that we can continue to play on, especially working on getting it from our backs right up to our forwards.

“That’s been a lot of our game plan and what we’ve been focusing on.”

Vice-captain Laura Ewington said the Poochettes never underestimated the other teams, “regardless of whether they’ve won or lost”.

“We just be positive, have fun and go our hardest, (and) it paid off obviously,” she said.