2025 SSN ROUND 3

Feel for Wilkinson. Did her best to lead the team in TGC and the first two rounds and now will likely be riding the bench

Caris emergence has been impressive. Cant see Ellis getting a contract next year because they won’t be letting Caris go. She really should be rewarded with the starting GK bib.

Was good to see Graham and Caris come on early as I agree Vixens usually wait too long to change things but they should have tried Walters sooner. Has a stronger connection to Garbin and just lets it go.

I’d be backing in Caris as well. She is a very clean player and reads the game well, excellent temperament.

Garbin, for all her strengths, is turning into a player that is so focussed on gamesmanship that it is taking away from her natural flair and ability. She does not need to be niggly or an agitator but it has become a real focus for her over the past 18 months. Things like ignoring the ball when it is not a vixens C pass, “subtly” getting in the way of a penalty pass to be taken to delay play.. totally unnecessary especially when her team is in front. I’ve noticed it creep into both her and Austin’s game and it needs to be coached out because they are not getting on top because of it and I’d hate to see it crossover into the Diamond’s environment.

Given Garbin was replaced by Graham I would say she probably wasn’t delivering what the coaches wanted. Right from the Riverina games against Giants it was clear Garbin wasn’t playing with the same confidence as last year.

Fever having JFN back made ALL the difference! She was unstoppable. Had she not been there Fever would have suffered another big loss, period.

Other things that worked in their favour – having the Cransberg sisters running C, seemed to flow a lot better than having Anstiss there.
As sad as it was to see both Sunday and Ruth out due to injuries, I do think it was a blessing in disguise for Dan. He was able to leave the same defence lineup on for the entire game. You could see that combination grow stronger and stronger as the game went on. I think had Sunday been there he would have rung the changes very quickly, in particular that first half.

Re Wilkinson: she has so much potential and I think she’ll continue to grow and get stronger. As mentioned on here she had an amazing tourney at TGC. Unfortunately it didn’t translate to SSN, which is where it really counts. She’s still very young, and has plenty of room for growth. I put her in the same category as Koenan and Garbin, as they are solid GS’s but needs a strong GA to compliment them (eg Fretwell/Austin). Fevers style is relying on the GS to be dominant.