LINE BY LINE, page by page, the first chapter of Port Adelaide's first season of AFLW has ensured "herstory" will remember Lauren Arnell's "Inaugurals" as ambitious, committed and enthused. No-one will question their effort.
The last line of Chapter 1 will be written at Alberton Oval on Sunday afternoon with the desire to ensure they also are known as winners.
The clash with Essendon marks the 10th and final game of a campaign that has delivered just one win (against fellow newcomer Sydney) and a draw (against the well-established Carlton).
"We do feel we are going better than 1-1-7 ...," says senior coach Arnell.
There have been many missed opportunities - and some denied, as noted with last weekend's two-point loss to St Kilda at Moorabbin where key forward Gemma Houghton's late set shot at goal was scored as a hit post while her Port Adelaide team-mates in the goalsquare celebrated in belief there was no contact between the Sherrin and the aluminium posts.
The history books will - as the AFL did on Monday - say differently.
Herstory, however, will focus on the bigger story of Chapter 1: Did Port Adelaide put down a solid foundation for its AFLW program.
Justine Mules has been here before, with a club in the AFLW's first season in 2017.
"I don't think we will be too far off a premiership in the next couple of years," says Mules, a winner of three W titles - and thereby a fine judge of what is required to win an AFLW flag.
Houghton has been through the start-up phase of a W program with Fremantle.
"The really good thing with Port Adelaide is they have had six seasons to watch and prepare well for us as (inaugural squad members)," says the All-Australian key forward. "With the pre-season having been cut short and the quick turnaround in seasons, the club has done an amazing job to bring us together, to build that connection between us ... they were definitely prepared for many situations."
Chapter 1 has been a roller-coaster read. It could be an epic final page on Sunday.
WHITE BOARDS
Lauren Arnell and Essendon senior coach Natalie Wood have taken similar paths to their AFLW coaching seats, in particular through the Darebin Falcons in Victorian women's football. They are both teachers. They are premiership team-mates. They are certainly driven to succeed.
"I'd like to think I'm competitive," says Wood. "But I reckon Lauren might even take the cake."
They are both focused on the "big picture" in building their inaugural AFLW programs. Arnell speaks of "connection"; Wood emphasises "culture".
They both are respectful in their arrival as "outsiders" at traditional clubs. Arnell has embraced the "Port Adelaide way"; Wood has noted Essendon's historic place in Australian football.
They both appear to have playbooks that seek to put speed on the game.
Arnell has been repeatedly challenged by rival AFLW coaches who create the speed hump on Port Adelaide by placing extra numbers behind the ball. This tactic was in play at the weekend against St Kilda at Moorabbin.
"My philosophy is, I like one-on-one footy," says Arnell. "The more we teach our young group to win one-on-one and contests, the better we will be in the future.
"We look at how teams play every single week. We look to exploit different bits and pieces. We also like to look at how we can exploit our strengths as well."
"We are at home; we have that massive advantage and we have one of the best supporter bases in the competition. To be at home for this game, I know the Port Adelaide army will get behind us no matter what. Hopefully, we can finish the season with a win."
Port Adelaide key forward Gemma Houghton
DEPTH TEST
Port Adelaide has played all 30 "Inaugurals". In nine games, the list management team led by Naomi Maidment certainly has been armed with enough detail on the team's needs forward of centre during the absence of All-Australian key forward and Fremantle recruit Gemma Houghton with ankle surgery.
There is no doubt Port Adelaide has impressive midfield depth with significant promise - and long-term optimism - with teenagers Abbey Dowrick and Hannah Ewings, both Rising Star nominees in the first three weeks of W7.
The season will close with insight on defence where Port Adelaide has been so well served this season by intercept defender Alex Ballard, the manic Ebony O'Dea and the calmness of Indy Tahau. This clash with Essendon will not feature Ballard, who has to sit out the match by the concussion protocols after developing late symptoms from a fall during the third term of last Sunday's clash with St Kilda at Moorabbin.
"It is disappointing to miss Alex Ballard this weekend," said Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell. "But this creates opportunity for another player. Whoever that is, I am sure they will take that opportunity."
WISH LIST
A DREAM ending to Chapter 1 has Port Adelaide close this inaugural AFLW season with a win to complete the 10-game home-and-away series at 2-1-7.
The dream script for such a celebratory end, appropriately before the adoring fans at the club’s spiritual home at Alberton? It would be with the scoreboard repeatedly turning over, as it did against Sydney at Alberton in round 4.
Port Adelaide’s inaugural season has been notable for games built on contested football, manic tackling and repetitive drives to the forward-50 arc where it has been hit … or missed at the goalfront where captain Erin Phillips has stood out as the selfless team player.
The need to break the cycle of flood or drought on the scoreboard is seen as part of the connection build among the Port Adelaide midfielders led by Maria Moloney, Kate Surman and Jacqui Yorston and the attack that was deprived key forward Gemma Houghton for much of the season by injury. The vision for next season would get a filip with a scoring spree in the finale at Alberton from the boots of Houghton, Jade de Melo, Lily Johnson, Justine Mules and Brittany Perry … and perhaps, for her first AFLW goal in Port Adelaide colours, from Phillips.
"We have to be better. We have to make sure we are not in the position that we are holding a lead (rather than chasing a winning score late in the game)."
Port Adelaide key forward Gemma Houghton
OPPO WATCH
OF the four newcomers to the AFLW, Essendon is the best performed in the wins column from W Season 7. In the mini-competition of the new teams, Essendon is assured the crown of best newcomer after beating Hawthorn in the season-opener at the Docklands and Sydney a fortnight ago. Whether it is the triple crown by a clean sweep of its fellow newcomers is decided at Alberton where Port Adelaide wants to prove the AFLW premiership table is not truly reflective of the new teams' form in the now complete 18-team league.
Essendon this week is facing the same challenge Port Adelaide endured after the history-making first Showdown at Adelaide Oval. Natalie Wood's squad was worked over by a determined Melbourne - and the windy conditions at Casey Field - while being scoreless in the first, third and last terms against the league's second-ranked team.
More relevant to the Port Adelaide scouting team are the notes from Essendon's hard-earned four-point win against Sydney a week earlier at Princes Park - a match decided with a goal umpiring error late probably denied Sydney its first win in W. The notable players who drive Essendon are its experienced duo of Cat Phillips and Sophie Van De Heuvel. Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood will pose a test for the Port Adelaide defence that has to stand firm amid the absence of Alex Ballard.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I want to see reward for effort for our players. Our players have put so much in across such a short period of time. For our whole team, I would like to see reward for effort."
Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell
PORT ADELAIDE v ESSENDON
When: Sunday, October 30, 2022
Time: 12.40pm SA time
Where: Alberton Oval
First meeting of the teams
Port Adelaide did face Essendon in the squad's first "official" trial game - at the Hangar at Tullamarine in Melbourne on August 13.
On the ladder - Port Adelaide 1-1-7, ranked 17th. Essendon, 3-6, ranked 10th.
ESSENDON, like Port Adelaide, became one of the four last pieces to the complete AFLW image when it was granted its national women's league licence late last year. Also like Port Adelaide, Essendon decided to have a woman be its senior coach by appointing Natalie Wood, whose experiences include coaching at the Western Bulldogs (assistant midfield coach) and Geelong (midfield coach and State league coach). Like Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell, Wood was part of the successful playing program at the Darebin Falcons.
Last weekend: Port Adelaide again deserved better than being on the wrong end of the two-point margin with St Kilda at Moorabbin; Essendon was left with another reminder of the significant gap between the well-established foundation clubs and this season's four newcomers in losing by 41 points to last season's runner-up, Melbourne.
Form lines - Port Adelaide, LLDWLLLLL (losing to West Coast by 12 points, losing to the Western Bulldogs by 19 points, draw with Carlton, beating Sydney by 66 points, losing to Gold Coast by 14 points on the road, falling to Adelaide by 60 points in the first AFLW Showdown, kicking itself to a 13-point defeat against Hawthorn at Frankston, a 25-point loss to North Melbourne at Alberton and a tough two-point loss to St Kilda at Moorabbin); Essendon, WLWLLLLWL (opened with 26-point win against fellow newcomer Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium in the Melbourne Docklands, lost by one point to Carlton, scored 13 goals in a 52-point win against West Coast, lost by two points to Richmond, fell by 11 poins to Collingwood, overwhelmed by 44 points by league leader Brisbane, lost by 15 points to Geelong, won by four points against fellow newcomer Sydney and beaten by 41 points by Melbourne).
