LAUREN Arnell's "Inaugurals" have their first win - and Port Adelaide's senior AFLW coach has the power to drive more victories with a playbook that lives to the "Port Adelaide way".
"It is more evidence of what we are capable of. We will build on that," said Arnell after the 66-point win against Sydney at Alberton Oval on Saturday afternoon gave a clear vision of how Port Adelaide is to play in the national women's league.
And it is just the beginning, says Arnell.
"It is a starting point. I wouldn't say it is the best (the team can deliver) - we will get better," said Arnell after Port Adelaide put its season record at 1-1-2 win-draw-loss and lifted its percentage to 136.1.
There was command of territory from the blistering start with novice ruck Olivia Levicki setting up Rising Star nominee Hannah Ewings with the first clearance. The Champion Data statistics measured this territory battle with Port Adelaide piercing the 50-metre arc 41 times (and conceding just 12 entries to its defensive 50).
The barometer of contested football swung heavily to Port Adelaide's favour with a 113-79 count.
And the pressure game that defines Arnell's playbook was again told by the 80 tackles applied by the Port Adelaide players to force the turnover game.
"It feels so nice to get reward for effort," said Arnell. "What we have been talking about for four weeks - applying ourselves for four quarters, sticking to the plan, playing four quarters of footy ... Watching our group put that together is something I am really proud of.
"We have been together for 14/15 weeks. We know we are very capable of that. The challenge now is to see this as a starting point not the end point of what we want to achieve. We have had a win. We finally have that (first) win. But it is not (just) that ... we can see what we are capable of.
"(The) territory (battle) is one element of the game. I've talked a lot around our contested possession - and being the No. 1 tackling team in the competition. Our game starts with that and you saw that again today."
Also well noted in this "herstoric" win was the enthusiasm and talent of teenage pair Hannah Ewings and Abbey Dowrick in the Port Adelaide midfield. They were the dominant players of this match with Ewings finishing with three goals, 19 touches and nine clearances, a week after earning her Rising Star nomination. Dowrick had a team-high 24 touches. Together, Ewings and Dowrick chalked up 25 contested possessions - Ewings 13, Dowrick 12.
They were the heartbeat of Port Adelaide in this first W in W.
"They are - and they are well supported," Arnell said of the power of Port Adelaide's teenage sensations. "Our older group as well continue to get better. They have found their feet in this team which is really young. For Ewings and Dowrick, they led the way but they had a lot of help. Olivia Levicki (in ruck), her fourth game of footy after basketball. She was up against a couple of serious bigs for Sydney. She played her role. We have a lot of girls who are playing their role - and our captain more than anyone played her role today. She was unselfish, smart ... "
Port Adelaide captain Erin Phillips celebrated her 50th AFLW game after setting up her team-mates in eight score involvements and five goals while again bewildering defenders with her sharp reading of the play and opportunities.
"Erin has the smarts - and it starts with team footy," Arnell said. "That is our captain. It is an under-valued part of Erin's game from previous years - you can talk how good she is offensively, but she is helping that young group."
