AFLW trial match vs Sydney: Four key takeaways

Adelaide travelled to Sydney on Saturday for its second unofficial practice match

Eight of Adelaide’s AFLW players joined forces with Brisbane to take on a Sydney outfit in the second unofficial practice of the off-season.

The Crows took a small group of players across to Sydney for a second time in the space of two weeks, as preparations for the official beginning of the pre-season program continued.

Sydney claimed a 5.6 (36) to 2.1 (13) win from the contest.

Adelaide Head of Women’s Football Phil Harper was at the match on Saturday, and delivered four key takeaways.

Rasheed continues to build

Young forward India Rasheed made her second appearance in the Crows’ series of unofficial practice matches, and continued to show why the Club selected her with its first pick in the 2024 National Draft.

Playing across half-forward, Rasheed’s talent was on full display, as she had an impact on the scoreboard and helped set-up much of the Crows’ attacking play.

Harper said the match served as a great learning curve for the first-year Crow, as she continued her development journey.

“Indi kicked a very nice goal, set-shot from about 35 metres out which was great to see, and she used the ball brilliantly,” Harper said.

“There were a couple of little things that Doc will talk to her about, she was a bit disappointed about some of the marking and tackling.

“She’s the first one to tell us where she went well, and where she can improve, which shows just how dedicated she is to getting better.

“So there are a few things she needs to work on which is great, as she’s been one of the stars of the show in the SANFLW, and now she’s taken that step up and is eager to get to the highest level as quickly as she can.”

Cronin impresses in first game of Australian Football

Irish recruit Kayleigh Cronin played her first game of Australian Rules football on Saturday afternoon, and showed signs as to why the Club were excited to secure her services.

Just under two weeks after she arrived in the country to begin her journey as a Crow, Cronin was given an opportunity to show her skills and athleticism in the unofficial practice game.

Harper said the match was an invaluable experience for the Irishwoman, who got better as the game went on.

“Kayleigh Cronin, who just arrived a couple of weeks ago, played her first ever game of Aussie Rules and didn’t look out of place at all,” Harper said.

“She definitely got better as the game went on, you could tell she started to understand it a lot more, she made much better decisions in the second half around things like when to stay with her opponent and impact the contest.

“For her first game it was outstanding I thought, and she’s going to play some more of these games, a couple of games for the Eagles in the SANFLW and our trial games as well.

“So she’s going to have a great base behind her before the season starts up, which will be really important for her development.”

Joining forces with the Lions

Adelaide combined with fierce AFLW rival Brisbane to help get the most of the unofficial practice match against the Swans.

Eight Crows players filled out a team of younger Lions, as the Clubs had an aligned view of what they wanted to achieve from the match.

Harper said the mix of teams worked well, and allowed all Clubs involved to get what they needed out of the contest.

“We both had similar goals as to what we wanted to get out of the match, they had a lot of younger players who had played much AFLW footy out there because they’ve got a strong team that doesn’t change too much,” Harper said.

“We were a bit the same, bringing over mainly inexperienced players to the game, so it worked well that they got to work collectively as a young team.

“Sydney were probably more in the mindset of getting the majority of their team a run, so they had a lot more experience out there, which was a good test for our team.”

Ballard enjoys successful return

Crows utility Abbie Ballard returned to the field for the first time since undergoing off-season knee surgery, and did not skip a beat, according to Harper.

Ballard was the most experienced Crow to take the field on Saturday, and played a key role in the midfield for the hybrid-side, which showcased her toughness and skill.

Harper said the ability to play in the unofficial practice match served as perfect preparation for her upcoming pre-season program.

“It was a typical Abbie game, she was terrific,” Harper said.

“She layed a heap of tackles and cracked in pretty hard, she got quite a few kicks and was one of the more prominent players on the ground.

“Her knee stood up really, and that was really what we wanted for her, the last couple have been quite interrupted as well so these games are invaluable for her.”

Adelaide concludes its series of unofficial practice matches this weekend, as it welcomes Sydney to West Lakes this Saturday afternoon.

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