Our AFLW experts, Marnie Vinall, Anna Harrington and Jesse Robinson tackle some of the burning questions with the finals series now in full swing.
What impressed you the most in Freo's win over North Melbourne?
Marnie Vinall: I'm gonna start with the Ellie Gavalas snap from the boundary to open the game. Seriously, is there a better goal you can kick to start the finals series? From potential goal of the year to mark of the year, Hayley Miller's grab was also underrated - what a grab!
I think it's also worth mentioning North's form against top teams; it seemed to me they stopped backing themselves and lost a bit of faith in their game plan, and as soon as Freo found momentum and kicked seven goals in second and third quarters, it was evident North's structure fell apart. They need to find a way to back themselves in against the top teams.
Anna Harrington: Freo's ability to find a spread of goalkickers. I'll put my hand up, I thought the Dockers would be a team that dropped away this season for multiple reasons -- losing a couple of forwards and hitting the road due to COVID a couple of them -- but they well and truly answered my one big question for them and they did it emphatically with nine individual goalkickers against the Roos.
They've been able to share the load extremely well; it's not just the Antonios, it isn't just Kiara Bowers playing a sole hand in the clinches, and the responsibility of being the club captain has worked wonders for Hayley Miller.
Jesse Robinson: Freo played a fantastic attacking game and deservedly won their way through and showed an incredible amount of firepower and resilience, while the Kangaroos looked lost. But the most impressive thing for me was the highlights package from the game that showed how much we've still got to look forward to. Hayley Miller's mark was a ripper, and Ellie Gavalas' snap from the boundary was the kind of goal that would bring the MCG to life in front of a decent crowd.
How should Collingwood approach their game against Brisbane?
MV: With confidence! It will be interesting to see what Collingwood team runs out this weekend due to COVID implications meaning some players may not be available, but in a weird way it could almost work in their favour, leaving the Lions guessing. We know the Pies will be confident they can deliver a strong performance regardless of player unavailability and, as we've seen throughout the course of the season, if they can player their brand of footy, they're always tough to beat.
Their VFLW and AFLW teams are very closely aligned which should benefit them in this unfortunate situation as well, so if they do need to bring in top-ups, it's not as if they won't already be privy to game plans. Collingwood's entire season has been a scramble, with players going down left, right and centre, but if they can play chaotic football and take Brisbane by surprise then they're in with a fighting chance. I can sense an upset.
AH: Marnie, while I love the optimism, I disagree. I imagine Collingwood will be watching that Sarah Rowe bounce on repeat from last year's prelim - a moment that would no doubt still haunt them. And while the Pies do have a strong VFLW program with some good players to call upon if required, is it enough to beat this Brisbane side? I don't think so.
The Lions are a well-drilled unit, Craig Starcevich is a fantastic coach and they have players that step up in big games time and time again, so while the names they face may be different, it's still better than facing names like Bonnici and Davey.
The Lions, a quality team with consistent success to prove it, will be well aware this is a potential banana skin game if they're not at their best, but if they trust their system and get those small wins on every line then that quality will end up coming to the fore. I'm sure it will be a really gutsy performance from Collingwood and it would be a romantic story if they were able to pull off a victory like this, but they're the David in this David and Goliath battle and it's too hard to see them pulling out a win.
JR: Play with absolutely no fear, they have nothing to lose. Put simply, the Lions have a better, healthier list and a better team. They've been a benchmark for so long that all the 'Pies can do is impress. Play attacking footy, isolate Chloe Molloy and see where it gets you, after all there is a prelim and a chance to play at the MCG on the line. They can take confidence from the firepower they showed late in their last match against Richmond and try to replicate that, but hopefully kick a little straighter.