AHEAD of the first weekend of an expanded AFLW finals series getting underway tonight, we caught up with some of the players competing in this weekend’s matches and got their thoughts on the weekend’s matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Tonight kicks off the finals series with a qualifying final at Ikon Park between Melbourne and Adelaide. Dee Libby Birch<\/a> spoke of how Round 1 was not about any revenge for the Grand Final loss, but more about where their game style sat and if it could match up to the best sides in the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo I don\u2019t think so\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think our Round 1 match against Adelaide was a really important match for us. I guess it was more for us internally to know we can develop our game style to beat a quality side like Adelaide and we\u2019ve never done that before. So I think finals is a different ball game, and Adelaide are a very quality side, and it\u2019s going to be on from the first bounce and we\u2019re really looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile Crow Ailish Considine<\/a> spoke of how despite losing in Round 1, the Crows took a lot of learnings out of that game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey really came out strong in round one and it was a game that we took a lot of learnings from and you know sometimes you learn a lot more from the game that you lose, and they taught us a lot of lessons for the entire season after that game, and they really brought the pressure and they beat us at our own game and it was a brilliant performance by Melbourne,” Considine said. “Obviously we\u2019ve been working hard throughout the season to try to right those wrongs and change and improve as the season\u2019s gone on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The other qualifying final is between minor premiers Brisbane, and the only side who had beaten them all this season, Richmond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much like in tonight\u2019s qualifying final, tomorrow\u2019s clash is not about revenge according to star forward Zimmorlei Farquharson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not really revenge\u201d Farquharson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to win of course, but we also have to think about playing our style of football. Richmond really brought it to us, we really not underestimated them but also they just gave it to us when we weren\u2019t ready. Especially coming off the Melbourne game on such a high, and I think that\u2019s not really being in the mentality of we\u2019ve got a next footy game to play.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the flipside, Tigers star Monique Conti<\/a> spoke of how good the Lions are, but noted how good the win over Brisbane was in the context of their season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLions are a really good team and they showed that every single season, especially this season finishing right on top. They\u2019re a really tough competitor and very elite team, so it was good to get that win. It kind of set us up for the rest of the season, but yeah it\u2019ll be a really tough game this weekend and I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first of the elimination finals it is Geelong hosting North Melbourne, and Cats skipper Meghan McDonald<\/a> shared what she thought the key had been to Geelong\u2019s improved scoring this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s interesting. I know that people are reporting that it\u2019s a switch or that we\u2019ve changed some sort of thing in the game plan, which is really not the case,” McDonald said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I mean we had a new coach in Season 6, we tried to limit scores against and then we wanted to take the next step going into Season 7. To expect that to happen magically in Round 1 is probably a bit na\u00efve, but the great reward for us from Season 7 is that we\u2019ve built on week on week on our game plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I look back to when we did play the Roos in Round 4 and so much has changed. We\u2019ve got new personnel in different places, we\u2019ll have a number of different players playing. I could credit it all to Shelley Scott<\/a>, yes she\u2019s gone forward and it’s gone really well since then, but it\u2019s just the benefit of playing more football together, trusting the system and getting better at it along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile in the Kangaroos\u2019 camp, Nicole Bresnehan<\/a> does not think the history between the Cats and Roos will play a part this weekend, despite the ledger being solidly in her side\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I definitely don\u2019t think we\u2019ll look at the history,” Bresnehan said. To be honest the home and away season is finished and there\u2019s a complete focus on finals footy. I think you know we\u2019ve played them a couple of times but I reckon we\u2019ll learn from that and take that on board in finals footy but it\u2019s a very different line up for them [Geelong] coming into this week and similar to us, so I think it\u2019s been really important to focus on this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nBRISBANE vs RICHMOND<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
GEELONG vs NORTH MELBOURNE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
COLLINGWOOD vs. WESTERN BULLDOGS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n