MELBOURNE v GEELONG
DATE: Sunday 19th November
TIME: 3:05pm AEDT (gates open from 2:05pm)
LOCATION: IKON Park | Wurundjeri
BROADCAST: Seven Network, Fox Footy, Kayo Sports and womens.afl
TICKETS: Available here
MATCH PREVIEW:
Melbourne will line up against Geelong this weekend in what will be a pressure-filled Semi-Final at IKON Park. The match will be the second between the two sides in the clubs’ history, having faced each other during Round 5 of the 2023 home-and-away season. The Sunday game is a do-or-die clash that will see one team progress to a Preliminary Final against Brisbane.
Coming off a disappointing loss to North Melbourne last week, the Dees will be eager to show they’re up for the fight this year. What will drive the team to a win this weekend will be their effectiveness inside 50. Currently the highest scoring side in the competition’s history, this ability to score was restricted during their qualifying final loss, so will no doubt be a focus for the Dees heading into Sunday's match.
Geelong will be making their way down the highway with confidence from their Elimination Final win against Essendon. The Cats are a strong contested side and will be looking to use this to their advantage, the likes of Nina Morrison, Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald ready to match up against Melbourne’s contested bulls in Olivia Purcell, Tyla Hanks and Paxy Paxman.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Melbourne
Paxy Paxman
When the Dees last faced Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, Paxman was a clear standout among the red and blue line-up. Helping her side to a 49-point win, the midfielder impressed with 20 disposals, two goals, nine score involvements and four marks.
Paxman’s on-field leadership and finals experience will come in handy this weekend, with the long-time Demon having proven that she can perform under the pressure of finals footy, impressing during Melbourne’s season six and seven finals series.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Geelong
Aishling Moloney
Moloney may be new to the league this year, coming across from Gaelic football, but she’s been quick to make her mark on the AFLW world, becoming a key player in the Geelong team. The star forward impacts inside 50, kicking eight goals across 11 games, in addition to her strong marking ability, averaging 3.5 marks a game.
During Round 5, despite her side’s loss to the Dees, she featured among the best performers on-field with 11 disposals, three goals and four marks. She’s continued to perform since then, stepping up to the finals plate, last week registering 18 disposals, two goals and eight marks to help her side to a win over Essendon.
