{"id":174677,"date":"2024-10-27T11:50:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-27T01:50:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=174677"},"modified":"2024-10-27T11:50:34","modified_gmt":"2024-10-27T01:50:34","slug":"lauren-arnell-full-of-praise-for-yartapuulti-quartet-after-suns-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2024\/10\/27\/lauren-arnell-full-of-praise-for-yartapuulti-quartet-after-suns-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Lauren Arnell full of praise for Yartapuulti quartet after Suns win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AFTER a close first quarter between the Gold Coast and Yartapuulti, the latter extended their lead throughout the contest to crush the Suns by 34 points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Power\u2019s fifth consecutive win, the side is staring down the prospect of playing finals football for the first time. When asked about the game, Lauren Arnell<\/em><\/strong> was nothing but complimentary of her side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Honestly, I feel like it was a whole ground effort, they really challenged us in that first quarter,\u201d Arnell stated. \u201cThey literally threw the kitchen sink at us, their pressure factor was exceptionally high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think in our group we’ve talked about it a lot, it is our fitness that we’ve been working on for such a long time. The message was at quarter time, to keep going at our game and attack it aggressively because we feel like the work we’ve done on our fitness, we’d be able to sustain it even in what is warmer conditions than what we’re used to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was just pleased that we were able to execute our game style for most of the game under what was initially really high pressure.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the emphatic win, it was the work of a trio of young defenders that caught Arnell\u2019s attention. In her first game as a defender, utility Sachi Syme<\/a> was impressive with 11 disposals, three marks, and 195 metres gained, with her composure and effectiveness noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside Syme were off-season signing Teagan Germech<\/a> and stalwart in the back half, Amelie Borg<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our tall defenders, mainly Amelie Borg<\/strong> and Teagan Germech<\/strong>, they’ve been exceptional all year and probably don’t get the recognition that others do in our side,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSachi Syme<\/strong> was one that’s been a midfielder largely and spent a bit of time forward, and we’ve actually challenged her this week to go back and play as a defender for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was exceptional in her ability to win the footy and read the ball really nicely, so I’m really pleased with her first game as a defender.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another consistent performer in Arnell\u2019s team is last season\u2019s club best and fairest winner Abbey Dowrick<\/a>. She had the most touches by a Yartapuulti player, along with four clearances as well as a goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think honestly Abbey’s had a really good year and even last year she won our best and fairest, so I think she’s just starting to realise what she’s capable of in this competition,\u201d Arnell continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe’s been super diligent and there’s been enormous growth for her particularly in the off-field space so I’m stoked for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think one good element of Abbey is she’s always searching for what’s next in how she can be better and I think the group is leaning into that as well.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kicking two goals in her first game for the away side, Jo Miller<\/a> enjoyed a taste of her home state while playing for the opposing team. Signing onto the Power\u2019s list in the final stages of the preseason, she earned her first goal with her first kick at the level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s so special for Jo, she came onto our list as late as you possibly could, I think it was the last week of inactive signings, replacement signings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo have Jo, who\u2019s from Brissy, her family is here, she played a bit of QAFLW footy for Coorparoo [and] went to Darwin to keep getting footy under her belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe initially was a triathlete and then came to South Australia and got some games under her belt playing some pretty good footy for Glenelg so it feels like a little while for her but it\u2019s such a quick turnaround to get to this level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[For her] to take her opportunity, I thought [it] was something really special for her and her family and our group.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One statistic asked about post-match was the lack of uncontested football that Yartapuulti have had this season. Having 23 less uncontested touches than the Suns on Saturday, Arnell explained that her side doesn\u2019t play in a way that is conducive to this style of play and thus will not worry about the opposition excelling in that space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some external noise about uncontested possession and us not owning a lot of it and that\u2019s just not our game style and it\u2019s not something that overly bothers us,\u201d Arnell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think if we give up uncontested marks, then that\u2019s something we try and address but being a strong contested side and being efficient in getting the ball quickly to our forwards is something that works for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt times it is interesting that people measure our uncontested possessions and say where we should be and where we shouldn\u2019t be, it\u2019s not our game style and it\u2019s not the current strength of the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur measures are showing us that we are tracking the way that we\u2019d like to play, the measures are where we\u2019d like them to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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