THE Magpies took the Victorian Football League (VFL) Women’s competition by storm, winning 13 straight excluding the draw in Round 2. Unfortunately, they fell short when it counted, which was in the finals. The Magpies would be happy with their season but so too disappointed they could not take home the silverware.

Position: 1st
Win-loss: 12-1-1
Percentage: 185%

Results:

Round 1: Defeated Williamstown by 18 points
Round 2: Drew with Geelong
Round 3: Defeated Richmond by 43 points
Round 4: Defeated Bulldogs by eight points
Round 5: Defeated Hawthorn by seven points
Round 6: Bye
Round 7: Defeated Carlton by 36 points
Round 8: Defeated Northern Territory by 16 points
Round 9: Defeated Darebin by 29 points
Round 10: Bye
Round 11: Defeated Carlton by 17 points
Round 12: Defeated Melbourne Uni by 19 points
Round 13: Defeated Essendon by 26 points
Round 14: Lost against Northern Territory by 10 points
Round 15: Defeated Southern Saints by 38 points
Round 16: Defeated Casey by 32 points

Key players:

#2 Chloe Molloy

Molloy proved to be one of Collingwood’s greatest assets throughout the VFLW season. In the AFLW, the youngster claimed the Rising Star Award, made the All-Australian team and won Collingwood’s best and fairest credit to her class, skill and high footy IQ. Molloy carried on in the VFLW, and was an absolute machine on the footy field, going in hard at the contest. She offered great run and carry and more importantly a safe set of hands across the ground. Unfortunately, she is set for a long stint on the sidelines next season after getting injured in the preliminary final, which will be a huge loss for the Pies.

#4 Sarah D’Arcy 

D’Arcy was one of Collingwood’s most consistent players across the board. She was able to play her role without fail in many games across the season and she was hard to stop when she did. D’Arcy was one of the Pies’ most solid performers in the finals, and was a key reason why the side experienced so much success during the home and away season. Against Hawthorn in the first week of finals, D’Arcy gathered 20 disposals, took six marks and laid five tackles in a great all-round game.

#13 Jaimee Lambert

Lambert’s experience and class around the contest was a focal point of her game. She proved to be a real play-maker and goal sneak for the Magpies, ending the season with 10 goals from her 12 matches. The new recruit slotted right into the Collingwood line-up and was a real bull around the contest, applying plenty of forward pressure. Round 16 was a standout for the 24 year-old, who had the footy on a string. She racked up 15 touches, laid four tackles and bagged three goals, causing havoc across the ground.

#21 Iilish Ross

Ross had a consistent season for the Pies, attacking the ball hard and hitting the packs strongly. She starred in Round 13, laying a whopping 12 tackles, amassing 18 touches and nailing a goal to prove her versatility and skill. Throughout the VFLW season, Ross was clean with ball in hand and showed good composure to think her way through tricky situations. The youngster provided plenty of run and carry and showed a strong pair of hands while under pressure. Her ball use was clean and precise, drawing her teammates to the space and the footy.

#47 Jessica Edwards

Captained the side after crossing from South Australia and did a terrific job. Often coming off half-back or along the wing, Edwards was able to impact the contest regularly and gain her team serious ground. She put her body on the line and brought her teammates into the game. A strong leader and one that would be looked at by AFL Women’s clubs for her impact on and off the field.

#49 Sophie Alexander

Alexander’s tackling pressure was intense, showing she was not afraid to put her body on the line. Her intent was fierce and she consistently helped to lock the ball in the Pies’ attacking half. She also displayed good bursts of speed to help open up space across the ground and provide overlap run for her teammates to get into damaging positions. More importantly though she proved to be a handful in the forward line with her accuracy in front of goal causing havoc for her opponents. She was the club’s leading goal kicker managing 14 goals from her 14 games.

Season summary:

After an impressive start to the season, Collingwood was left ruing its early exit from the finals series, bowing out in the preliminary final. The Pies finished on top of the ladder with only one loss to their name, but they failed to make the most of their position in the finals. They proved to be the benchmark of the VFLW competition with their fierce intent and willingness to take the game on but will be wanting to go one match better next season and take home the premiership. The Magpies showed great composure with ball in hand and showcased their ability to pick sides apart, credit to their patience and solid structure.