THE VFLW Blues have defeated the Darebin Falcons for their first win of 2021, winning by seven points at Ikon Park.

In a football match turned mud bath, the Blues were able to capitalise on the weather and get their first win on the board.

The match was a classic showstopper between two teams both on the hunt for their first wins.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown:

Quarter 1:

The first quarter set the pace for the Blues’ dominance as they established their brand of footy with the ball in their forward 50 for a clear majority. Reward for effort came when Courtney Jones kicked the opening goal in the early minutes. Jorja Borg was able to win multiple contested marks against Falcons, which played nicely with the Blues’ control throughout. Controlled play and short marks led to Carlton’s second major of the quarter off the boot of Taylah Kolevski. With the rain beginning to pour late in the quarter, Carlton held out leaving Darebin scoreless.

Quarter 2:

The weather continued to dampen both sides' afternoons, proving to be especially hard for Carlton. A rough start to the quarter led to penalties being given away as players slid in and out of danger. A particularly tough contest against the Blues’ backline led to the Falcons kicking their first major of the afternoon. The soaking conditions resulted in the Blues giving away another penalty, giving Darebin their second goal minutes after. Carlton were not able to capitalise on their chances in the second, kicking only three points.

Quarter 3:

With only a goal between the two teams, Carlton came out of halftime revitalised and hungry for the win. A strong interception from Charli Linssen turned the tide on a Darebin play and led to a beautiful goal at the top of the square from Akayla Peterson. Both Peterson and Borg continued to dominate in contested marks throughout the term, thriving despite the worsening weather. The girls came together to put in second efforts in shepherding and keeping the ball in front. The match became scrappier with both teams struggling on the soaked field, the slippery ball proving difficult to grasp for both sides.

Quarter 4:

Hungry for the ball, Carlton started the quarter with the ball primarily in their possession, but strong attacks on goal by Carlton forwards were out muscled by Darebin’s backline. Another penalty given away led to Darebin kicking its third goal for the game. The Blues worked hard to keep the Falcons from kicking another major but continued to give away frees inside their 50. A free kick for Jen Lew led to what looked like a promising goal but only resulted in a minor score. In what was a difficult half of footy for everyone involved, both teams struggled with consistency as the rain came down in buckets. A strong defensive effort paid off for the Blues’ as ultimately they kept Darebin from scoring any last minute goals.

Luke’s best on field:

“Jorja Borg, who was our starting ruck for today,” O’Shannessy said.

“She covered the ground all day, she kept getting into the contest. Her skills were good in the wet which for a tall player isn’t the norm.”

“There was a pretty even contribution across the team.”

Match summary:

CARLTON     2.3        0.3    1.2    0.1    (27)      
DAREBIN       0.0        2.0    0.0    1.2    (20)

GOALS: C.Jones, T.Kolveski, A.Peterson

BEST: J.Borg A.Peterson, B.Gurr, M.Wilson, T.Zampaliogne, J.Lew