IN our new series of Player Focuses, we are taking a specific look at one of the Rising Star nominees each week, and their nominee worthy performances.

This week’s focus is on Tarni Evans, who played a stellar role in getting GWS back on the winners list.

AFLW Season 7: Round 7 – GWS 4.10 (34) def. Hawthorn 5.3 (33)

Player Focus: Tarni Evans (GWS)
Stats: 17 hit outs, 12 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 1 goal

FIRST QUARTER

Evans took a while to get involved in the game, but once she did she certainly made an impact.

With about five minutes to go, she received a handball off Grace Hill, then set sail for home from 50m out and with the power in her kick was able to put the first goal on the board for the Giants.

Post the goal, she was involved in a tackle battle on the wing, and in a very unique problem to women’s footy managed to get her hair caught and intertwined with the player she was tackling in Sophie Locke.

After Hawthorn’s second goal she received a handball and tried to set up a run up the wing for the Giants but ultimately took too long to get rid of the pill and got caught holding the ball.

SECOND QUARTER

As the Giants began to dominate the time in the forward half in the second term, there was not too much that Evans had to do.

After a few near disposals, she was eventually able to gain her first disposal of the quarter as a long kick out of 50 to relieve some pressure for her team.

Evans used her long kicking skills again later in the quarter to take the kick out after a Hawthorn behind.

She attempted a tackle on Locke in the final two minutes of the quarter but could not nail it, and also hand a handball out of a contest moments after that.

THIRD QUARTER

Evans did not take as long to get involved in the game in the third quarter, landing a tackle on Locke inside the first five minutes of the quarter.

However with the Giants dominating the forward 50 time in the opening exchanges of the quarter, there was little that she needed to do.

In the final three minutes of the quarter, Evans was able to intercept the ball on the Giants forward 50 line and able to set up another inside 50, and then not even 15 seconds later she was down the other end mopping up another intercept for her team.

She again took the kick in late in the quarter, and went really close to the line to find a teammate but thankfully the kick paid off and the Giants were able to continue moving forward.

FOURTH QUARTER

Evans’ first interaction with the play in the final quarter was a stellar tackle on Tahlia Fellows after she took off after marking, but unfortunately for Evans it was deemed to be in the back, not holding the ball.

Evans continued to be the one with the kick in duties for her team, really utilising that powerful boot of hers to get her team out of danger.

She was involved in a sequence on the boundary which saw her keep the ball in play, handball to a team mate and then once the team mate lost the ball, Evans’ second and third efforts ensured that Hawthorn were not going to get it out of the contest easily.

In the final three minutes, Evans found herself just inside forward 50, and after intercepting the ball was able to kick it back into Georgia Garnett, who marked it and slotted the goal to draw level again with the Hawks.

She had another kick inside 50, which although was not the one that directly led to Nicola Barr’s behind, did ensure the Giants were able to lock it in and kill some time to ensure Hawthorn could not go down the other end and score.