PORT ADELAIDE AFLW coach Lauren Arnell has expressed her pride in the way her side was able to navigate a congested fixture and emerge with a win over Carlton on Sunday evening.
In its third game in nine days, Arnell’s side got in front of the Blues in the second quarter, then kicked away with a four-goal-to-one last term to win by 35-points at Alberton Oval.
After the 8.10 (58) to 3.5 (23) result, the Power coach spoke of how pleased she was with the team’s ability to back-up from Tuesday night’s trip to Melbourne to face Richmond.
“We asked a fair bit of them to open up our offence during the week, and obviously we've played two really good sides in North and Richmond the last couple of weeks, and quick turnarounds too - it's in the congested space of our fixture,” Arnell said.
“So, to spin around off the back of that, I think it's our third game in nine days, and to really open up our offence like that and get after it, we're really pleased and proud of the girls.”
While the Blues dominated the disposal count (280-230), particularly trying to get their overlap handball game going, the Power was simply more efficient.
It had 16 more inside 50s and finished with ten more scoring shots.
“All the best teams in the comp have a good time in front half,” Arnell identified. “And so again, it's just more evidence of the more aggressive we are offensively, the better team we are, and the more we see from other teams as well doing that.”
The Power was well served by ruck Matilda Scholz who, with Olivia Levicki, broke even with Carlton pairing Jessica Good and Breann Moody.
Midfielder Abbey Dowrick was at her bullocking best, posting 21 disposals, including a game-high 14 contested possessions. She also had seven tackles, seven inside 50s, and five score involvements.
After a strong mid-week showing against the Tigers, forward Gemma Houghton was a constant threat. Her 15 disposals led to six score involvements, and her back-to-back second quarter goals turned the momentum.
“That forward unit, you know, Teaks (Julia Teakle) has been on the end of a fair bit early in the season… and then we've got Caitlin Wendland and Justine Mules-Robinson and a few mids going through as well.
“(But) I think Gemma, the last couple weeks has really hit her straps and it's nice to see her hit the scoreboard.”
It was also an eye-catching performance from sixth-gamer Piper Window who spent more time on the ball as well as putting through her first AFLW goal at an important time late in the last quarter, as Port booted the last four majors of the game.
Window finished with a career-high 16 disposals, laid five tackles and had 325 metres gained to put herself in rising star considerations.
“(Piper’s) one who each week just keeps getting better, both at stoppage as a mid, and then as a forward as well,” Arnell said of the teenager.
“She's been really dynamic, and I think leads the way in her pressure. I think if you look at the tackle count across our group, she'll be right up there.”
The win takes Port Adelaide to within a game and percentage of a spot in the top eight with a trip to Perth to face the seventh-ranked West Coast to come on Saturday.
