For our 2019 ORRFW draft season we held a State of Origin All Stars match on Grand Final weekend and unfortunately we missed the opportunity to do an All Stars match due to the cancelleation of ROunds 7 and 8 of the 2020 AFL season. It would be great if we can bring the concept back again for Round 9 of season 2021. It would be great to see 26 of the highest averaging AFLW players of 2021 clash for the bragging rights to being the best of the best. The Victorian and Allies sides will be named standard ORFFW 13 + 5 format. In addition to the seniors match I would also like to see us hold a curtain raiser match with The Allies Reserves taking on the cream of the ORFFW's Victorian emerging under 23 talent. This would take place with the same coaching panels as the seniors All Stars match and would exclude players selected for senior State Of Origin duties. I will compile some extended squads for Victoria and the Allies and each of the 2 coaching groups can have their say in trimming those down in the fortnight leading up to the match. It will be helpful for all coaches to declare their allegiances. From the 2020 thread it appears the splits were Vic - @dmandrews, @anthak plus the 3 coaches who didn't stay on for season 2020 Allies - TTH, @That KI Guy @FreoDockers plus @ver_redit_optatum @marconofrio @Tracey @hoschke118 plus I am fairly sure @Chloe will be another addition Can @Tiny_doughnut, @bkp130 and @Pearcey47 please advise which of the sides you would like to join for 2021 Too Serious Womens State Of Origin ? @Len - if you wouldn't mind joining the Vics it would help to even the number a little Let me know if anyone has any questions.
I have absolutely no ties whatsoever to Victoria so I would have to be on the Allies. A suggesting would be to change it to Vic/Tas to maybe even it up a bit?
Victorian Seniors team to take on the All-Stars Seniors Def: T Lucas-Rodd, R Webster, M McDonald (K Harrington) Mid: B Davey, B Bonnici, E Blackburn, G Patrikios (K Lamb) Ruc: L Pearce (B Moody) Fwd: J Garner, T Hanks, K Hore (K Ashmore) Int: K Paxman, E Kearney (A Drennan) Victorian Under 23 team to play the All-Stars Reserves Def: E Brown, I Huntington, C Sherriff (S Hartwig) Mid: A McDonald, M Prespakis, M Conti, T Smith (G Egan) Ruc: E Zanker (J Kelly) Fwd: G Gee, L McEvoy, C Molloy (E Georgostathis) Int: L Mithen, E McKenzie (J Fitzgerald)
The Victorian Seniors (current holders of interstate bragging rights) Def: T Lucas-Rodd, R Webster, M McDonald (K Harrington) Mid: B Davey, B Bonnici, E Blackburn, G Patrikios (K Lamb) Ruc: L Pearce (B Moody) Fwd: J Garner, T Hanks, K Hore (K Ashmore) Int: K Paxman, E Kearney (A Drennan) The opposing Allies Seniors D Hannah Priest, Lauren Ahrens, Ruby Schleicher (Tarni White) M Kiara Bowers, Ebony Marinoff, Erin Phillips, Alyce Parker (Steph Cain) F Aisling McCarthy, Ebony Antonio, Katie Brennan (Sophie Conway) R Emma King (Tahlia Hickie) IC Rebecca Beeson, Anne Hatchard (Elise O'Dea) With all 26 players and 10 emergencies having smashing seasons they will no doubt keep the scoreboard ticking over throughout the weekend. Good luck to both teams.
The curtain raiser match will see the Victorian Under 23 team play the Allies Reserves who have a sprinkling of under 23's amongst their number and both sides will be as keen as mustard to earn All Stars bragging rights Victoria Under 23's (ie dob 1998 or later) Def: E Brown, I Huntington, C Sherriff (S Hartwig) Mid: A McDonald, M Prespakis, M Conti, T Smith (G Egan) Ruc: E Zanker (J Kelly) Fwd: G Gee, L McEvoy, C Molloy (E Georgostathis) Int: L Mithen, E McKenzie (J Fitzgerald) Allies Reserves (under 23 in bold) D Chelsea Randall, Aileen Gilroy, Maddy Collier (Natalie Grider) M Alexandra Anderson, Hayley Miller, Emily Bates, Mikayla Bowen (Isabel Dawes) F Gemma Houghton, Kate Surman, Orla O'Dwyer (Chloe Scheer) R Caitlin Gould (Roxie Roux) IC Ellie Gavalas, Britt Tully (Bella Lewis) All of the players named are capable of scoring heavily and will be wanting to showcase their ability at the representative level. Once again best of luck to both teams.
In the Seniors All Stars match Victoria leads 9/616 to the Allies 6/405 The first match of Sunday action sees Victoria's Davey and Bonnici against the Allies imposing quartet of Schleicher, Marinoff, Phillips and Hatchard. The second match sees Parker and Beeson unopposed for the Allies who will be hoping to hit the lead and establish a buffer they can defend in the last with the Vics Lucas-Rodd and Patrikios matching up with the Allies Priest to determine the outcome of the 2021 Seniors All Stars match.
In the Allies Reserves vs Vic under 23s All Stars match Victoria leads 8/506 to the Allies an embarrassing 9/457. Sunday sees Victoria under 23 look to close out the match through Molloy, Prespakis, Gee, McEvoy and Tianna Smith with the Allies looking to add some respectability and achieve a 725 plus score though Randall, Gould, Tully and Bowen.
With 1 match remaining here are the unofficial scores in both matches Seniors - Allies 12/884 (Priest) lead Victoria 11/799 (TLR, Patrikios) 2nds - Victoria under 23’s 12/683 (T Smith) lead the Allies 12/591 (Bowen)
The Allies have taken out the All Stars honours 938-920 in a gripping game. The Victorian Under 23s took out the curtain raiser match 763-681 over the Allies Reserves. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the teams and we look forward to another All Stars weekend to complete the season in another 12 months time.