Davey injury spoils Collingwood AFLW win
Collingwood's 19-point AFLW win over Carlton at Princes Park on Sunday has been marred by a suspected ACL injury to superstar Magpies midfielder Brie Davey.
Less than four minutes were left in the contest, and Collingwood's guarding result was good, with the current AFLW's right knee bent beneath him while attempting a tackle.
Concerns that it was a non-contact injury, and tears rolling down Davey's face as she exited the field with the help of trainers, told an ominous story.
If it were a worst-case scenario for Davey, Collingwood's co-captain would become the third player after the Bulldogs' Isabel Huntington and Brisbane's Kate Lutkins to suffer a serious knee injury on the opening weekend of the season.
Aided by better forward efficiency, and some mournful Carlton discipline, the Magpies finished 6.8.44 to 3.7.25.
Three of those six Collingwood goals resulted in 50m penalties in a clump on either side of halftime, an unforgivable fact considering the final score.
In the end, the Magpies had 14 scoring shots from 26 to 50 inside (53.8 percent), while the Blues had 24 out of 10 (41.7 percent). By halftime, Collingwood had nine out of 10.
While Carlton attempted to push the ball forward at all costs, Collingwood was content to play possession footy and it proved to be an effective tactic as he ended up with far more disposals (217–152) and points (57–27).
Sarah Rowe was excellent for Collingwood with 21 disposals and one goal, as was Jamie Lambert who had 22 touches (11 contested) and seven clearances.
Abby Mackay put on a fine performance for Carlton with 13 touches (nine fights), four clearances and one goal, while Madison Prespakis made 16 possessions (10 contested).
The result for Carlton was further soured after Grace Egan suffered a suspected back injury after a heavy collision with Ruby Schleicher in the second quarter. He did not take part in the game any further.
Collingwood prepared himself after the opening attack and, after kicking five times in a row, finally hit the front in the second stint.
Three consecutive goals from Rowe, Schleicher and Alison Downey (on the siren), the last two courtesy of 50-meter penalties, helped the Magpies hold a 16-point lead at halftime.
The Blues rediscovered their spark in the third stint and debutants Courtney Jones and McKay's majors brought them back into the competition, but still conceded another goal from a 50-metre penalty, this time by Ashling Sheridan of Collingwood. Ensured the pie the nine-point buffer at three-quarters of the time.
And when Collingwood's Jordan Allen kicked a sensational set-shot goal from the boundary at the start of the final term, Carlton's first-gamer Paige Trujan kicked across the goal and completely out of bounds, sealing the result. Given.
