Photo Credit: Morgan Hancock
It was another win on the weekend for Melbourne, this time taking care of GWS to the tune of 48 points.
Speaking to the media after the match, Melbourne coach Tom Wilson said that the match was “far from easy” but was still pleased with the result and his team’s performance.
“We obviously understood the assignment today in terms of what GWS were going to bring, and that was fairly evident in the first quarter” Wilson explained.
“What I was really pleased about was our ability to stay really calm, and be able to respond in the correct manner that we did. So certainly not easy, but a really mature performance.”
The performance against GWS showed that although not all of Melbourne’s big stars were firing on all cylinders, others stood up in their place and that helped Melbourne remain undefeated to start the 2026 campaign.
“I think that’s really, really important and that’s what all the good sides do. It’s a sum of all parts rather than just relying on your superstars to go to work” Wilson said.
“So Mia Austin last week kicks four and then I think Spoony [Ryleigh Wotherspoon] today kicked three. So a little bit of firepower in front of the footy always help, but it’s a sum of all parts, not just relying on one or two.”
As with any win there was plenty of praise for the star performers, one of which was 2025 draftee Jordyn Allen, who again starred off half back in only her second game of AFLW football.
“She’s a very impressive young person” Wilson said.
“Comes in, works really hard, has terrific leaders around her to be able to set her up really well. But you saw today the composure and the maturity of her out on field. That’s what we’ve come to expect of Jordy in a really quick time. So for her to be able to go out and put a performance together like that was really impressive.”
In the win over GWS Allen showed off her confidence on a number of occasions and her willingness to take the game on, which was encapsulated in one particular multi-bounce run down the wing.
“I think before she got to the club, there was clearly that running and rebound ability” Wilson said, reflecting on whether Allen has always been so willing to take the game on or not.
“I’d like to think we’ve got a good balance of encouraging our players to play to their strengths and maximizing their opportunities, but also understanding the balance of that and not overdoing it at times. Jordi’s a young player and she’s still learning, but at the moment and off the back of today, the balance was okay.”
The win was soured though when Austin was ruled out of the rest of the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
Wilson did not have any concrete details on the severity of Austin’s injury, but did say that “we’ll get scans tomorrow and we’ll get that assessed. We’re hopeful, but we don’t know the extent.”
One piece of news that was concerning to plenty of Dees fans was the late omission of star ruck Lauren Pearce, but Wilson was assuring of what the true situation surround Pearce’s readiness to play actually was.
Wilson explained that “she was really close” but she “just didn’t get up in time.”
“With where we are in the season, we thought the better approach was to not push” he also explained.
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