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Pies' act to test AFL's new review process

3 minute read

Collingwood's Sarah D'Arcy will be the first player to go through the AFL's new match review process undertaken by Michael Christian.

Michael Christian will be called into action for the first time on Monday with the AFL's new match review officer to sit in judgement of Collingwood's Sarah D'Arcy.


Christian's review of D'Arcy's ugly kicking incident will be a test case for the AFL's new disciplinary process as well as an indication of the weighting given to penalties for players in the AFLW, which is played over just seven rounds.

The Magpies forward was reported for kicking Carlton's Sarah Hosking during Friday night's AFLW season opener.

D'Arcy intercepted a pass intended for Hosking deep in a forward pocket at Ikon Park then fell to ground.

She then lashed out with her left foot connecting with Hosking's groin, the force of the blow lifting Hosking off her feet and propelling her back into the path of the umpire.

D'Arcy was reported immediately and had a free kick paid against her.

A similar act in the men's league could attract a ban of four or more games, but a similar suspension for D'Arcy could potentially end her season.

"It hurt, I'm not going to lie," Hosking told Channel 7 after the Blues' eight-point win.

"I'm just glad I'm not a boy that's for sure. I'm sure I'll have a little bit of a bruise later.

"You don't want that sort of stuff to happen."

The incident marred an otherwise successful return of the women's competition with a total of 44,572 fans turning out to watch the four round-one matches.

After Carlton defeated the Pies - 3.4 (22) to 2.2 (14) - in Friday night's season opener, Melbourne beat Greater Western Sydney - 7.3 (45) to 6.3 (39) - at Casey Fields and Brisbane downed Adelaide - 4.7 (31) to 3.1 (19) - at Norwood Oval on Saturday.

In Sunday's match, the Western Bulldogs thumped Fremantle 7.7 (49) to 3.5 (23) at Whitten Oval.

While the league will be pleased with the fan turnout and a perceived lift in the standard of play, efforts to increase scoring produced mixed results.

A total of 28 goals were kicked across the four round-one games last season compared to 35 for the weekend's matches.

But several teams still went long stretches without managing to kick a goal.

The Blues-Pies game didn't feature a goal to either team after halftime, the reigning premier Crows were goalless in the first, third and final terms and Fremantle didn't trouble the scorers at all in the first half.

"I think the majority of the games have been really good spectacles," Dockers coach Michelle Cowan said.

"We'll see the scoring increase as the competition goes on this season, no doubt.

"I think we can see the skill level has improved since last season, the athleticism has improved, so I can only see a better spectacle growing each week in this comp."