An epic bounce goal has put one young Bomber on the map with Amber Clarke’s career-high game earning her an AFLW Rising Star nomination.
Hawthorn’s Charlotte Baskaran has also been nominated this round, after both players were involved in upset results over the weekend.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Amber Clarke’s incredible goal.
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Clarke impressed with a stunning performance in Essendon’s 10-point victory over Geelong with two goals, three marks and three tackles.
Clarke also missed two opportunities at goal, finishing the day with two behinds, but this didn’t stop her earning herself bragging rights.
“It’s definitely been someone that I’ve been working towards, I missed getting one last year, so to finally get it feels really good,” Clarke told 7NEWS.com.au.
Amber Clarke celebrates her lucky goal. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Clarke said the bounce through goal took her by surprise, as she underestimated her ability to kick it from that far out.
“I knew there was going to be someone around the goal square, so I was just trying to kick it to them, and then when it bounced through I just didn’t realise it went through as a goal until I saw everyone around celebrating,” she said of the goal.
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“I’ve just been working on little things throughout the whole season, normally I play that wing role, so it’s quite taxing having to run up and down the field, but playing forward was a bit different.
“We’re all pretty pumped getting the first two wins of the season against the Hawks and Saints … devastating loss to Adelaide, but we definitely matched it with them in the first and fourth quarters.”
Clarke became the talk of Twitter, with one user correctly predicting the future.
“Amber Clarke, surely in the running for a rising star nom this week as well, 2 goals and crucial touches,” one user wrote.
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Essendon managed a sensational come-from-behind win over Geelong by 10 points to return to the AFLW top eight thanks, in part, to Clarke’s handiwork.
Left with a sour taste in their mouths after a 20-point loss to Collingwood last round, the Bombers overcame a scoreless start to win 4.5 (29) to 2.7 (19) against the Cats at Reid Oval on Sunday.
The sixth-round win provided Essendon midfield star Maddy Prespakis with family bragging rights over younger sister Georgie in their second AFLW skirmish.
Prespakis also celebrated her 50th game in style with 33 disposals and six clearances as she arm-wrestled Georgie (26, 10) for dominance in the midfield.
“Maddy’s got a great ability of being able to step up every week. She shoulders a lot for us,” Essendon coach Natalie Wood said after the match.
Baskaran earned herself the nomination after she dominated in the Hawks’ loss to St Kilda, notching the most tackles of any player, at 12.
Hawthorn’s Charlotte Baskaran had a defensive day out against St Kilda on Saturday. Credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
One mark, 14 disposals and two clearances rounded out Baskaran’s huge day out, despite this, her side fell to the Saints by nine points.
The Saints led by margins of 10, 19 and 27 points, at the end of the first three quarters respectively, but had to withstand a significant Hawthorn surge in the last.
– With AAP.
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