AFLW Round 6 Preview | Carlton V Geelong
Written by Helena Petrou
Off the back of a disappointing loss to North Melbourne in round 5, Carlton will be looking to keep their finals hopes alive in round 6 against bottom of the ladder Geelong. The game will be played at Ikon Park on Sunday the 7th of March, 12:40pm, and will be only the second time the teams have met in their history. Their only previous encounter came in 2019, the Cat’s debut season, where they came out 5-point victors over the Baggers at Kardinia Park.
Following a game where the Blues played catch up against the Kangas after recording yet another scoreless first quarter, they’ll be looking to come out firing against a young Geelong side. Coach Daniel Harford speaking on Carlton’s slow starts said that “We’re going to have to change things up, we’re going to have to try something different [to combat the slow starts].” Carlton coaches and fans alike will be hoping to see an attacking four quarters of football against the Cats, who are a low scoring team averaging only 14 points a game in 2021.
Madison Prespakis is a certainty to be named this week after a return from suspension, bolstering Carlton’s developing midfield for their clash against the winless Cats. Prespakis’ absence was certainly felt in the midfield, with her physicality and class to be a welcome addition. Co-Captain Katie Loynes is a chance to return after missing the past 2 rounds with injury, Carlton will hope to add her grunt and physicality into their line up this weekend.
Opposition Analysis
Geelong’s reigning Best and Fairest and 2020 All Australian Olivia Purcell unfortunately suffered a torn ACL against the Tigers in their recent Friday night clash, disappointing news for Cats fans and one of the competitions best young midfielders. The unfortunate injury to Purcell means there will be a significant hole in Geelong’s midfield this week, an opportunity Carlton should look to exploit. The absence of Geelong’s young gun provides Prespakis with the freedom to make the midfield her own this week, alongside the constantly improving Egan and McKay. Young Amy MacDonald has taken home 3 out of 5 of Geelong’s fan voted ‘MVP of the week’ award this season. With MacDonald coming off 17 touches and 6 tackles Mimi Hill will look to battle it out with her in the midfield. Kerryn Harrington and Charlotte Wilson are likely to be given the responsibility of taming explosive Geelong forward Richelle Cranston this weekend.
It’s a big game for:
Darcy Vescio (#3)- After a return to form in round 4, Vescio has been arguably the most important player in Carlton’s forward line over the last fortnight. Vescio kicked 3 goals in a quarter against the Tigers and 2 to kickstart Carlton’s attack against North Melbourne. Blues fans will be hoping that Darcy can continue her excellent recent run of form. Vescio is likely to match up on ex Darebin Falcons teammate and Geelong captain Meg McDonald, it will be a matchup to keep a keen eye on.
Maddy Prespakis (#4)- A fierce competitor, Maddy would have been longing to be on the field last week, so expect a big performance from the reigning league Best and Fairest. She’ll be looking to continue her good form against an inexperienced Cats midfield and look to hit the scoreboard as she has in previous rounds.
Mimi Hill (#10)- Seemingly improving with every game she plays; Mimi Hill will look to have another influential performance following one of her best games yet coming in round 5. Hill will look to battle with young Cat Amy MacDonald in the midfield. A young Cats side may grant the talented Hill a chance to have another strong performance.
In summary it’s an absolute must win game for Carlton to keep their season alive. They will head into the game as heavy favourites, with the expectation for a solid 4-quarter performance to lead them to a victory over the young Cats. Blues to win by 30!
