History says an 0-2 start to an AFLW season is a pretty big hole to climb out of, but Carlton coach Daniel Harford is confident his team is capable of clawing back into finals contention.
The Blues joined Collingwood and GWS as the teams yet to register a win in 2019 after round two action.
A week after a confidence-sapping thumping at the hands of North Melbourne, Carlton led Adelaide by 17 points in the third quarter at Ikon Park on Sunday.
But four goals to Stevie-Lee Thompson and another Erin Phillips masterclass were instrumental as the Crows stormed to a 9.3 (57) to 7.2 (44) win in front of 3,150 fans.
“I’m not too worried about it at the moment,” Harford said of the 0-2 start that has them bottom of their conference ladder.
“Two games lost at the start of the season is obviously not ideal, but when you lose to two of the better teams and developing like we have from last week to this week … I’m fully confident the girls have got plenty in the tank to learn again next week and keep evolving.
“What we’re doing with them is all new, it’s a bit foreign to a lot of them and it’s going to take some time, but we were so much better than last week.
“If that linear progression keeps going we’ll be OK.”
Collingwood sit just above the Blues by percentage after they registered the equal lowest score in AFLW history on Saturday in a 17-point loss to a dominant Melbourne side at Victoria Park.
The Magpies have now started a season 0-2 for the third year in a row after they were held scoreless in the middle two quarters, losing 3.8 (26) to 1.3 (9).
North Melbourne overcame multiple delays, resulting from a severe thunderstorm in Sydney, and spirited resistance from GWS to prevail by 25 points in Friday night’s clash.
The Roos backed up their stylish season-opening victory by trumping the Giants 7.6 (48) to 2.11 (23) at Drummoyne Oval.
North are joined by another unbeaten side, the Western Bulldogs, at the top of Conference A.
After unfurling their 2018 premiership flag, the Dogs snatched the lead early in Saturday night’s second term and didn’t look back on the way to a 5.4 (34) to 2.4 (16) victory at Whitten Oval.
Fremantle recorded a 27-point victory over the Brisbane Lions in Sunday’s late game at a warm and blustery Fremantle Oval, winning 10.7 (67) to 6.4 (40).
18-year-old Sabreena Duffy starred for the Dockers with two goals, while Dana Hooker was superb with 24 disposals to keep their perfect 2-0 start to the season in tact while the Lions dropped to 1-1 after a first-up success over GWS.
