See the embarrassing mistake at the AFLW season launch that the league doesn't want you to know about
The 2025 AFLW season will be the 10th edition of the league after it commenced in 2017, including two seasons being held in a single calendar year.
The league thought it would be apt to celebrate the first goal in AFLW history to promote this year's action, which begins on Thursday night.
That was booted by veteran Jasmine Garner, who was playing for Collingwood at the time and is the current North Melbourne captain.
The league set her up 20 metres out from the goalposts at Melbourne's Ikon Park on Monday, directly in front, with pink-coloured smoke ready to explode as she replicated that historic goal.
There was just one problem: Garner missed an absolute sitter of a shot.
Lining up to kick the simplest of goals with no defenders, crowd or scoreboard pressure to put her off, Garner shanked the ball to the left of the goalposts.
The vision was quickly deleted and everyone took their places again, with Garner kicking true on her second attempt and celebrating with her fellow AFLW stars.
While it is a moment the AFLW would rather didn't happen, everything is always revealed on social media.
North Melbourne teammate Mia King couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at Garner, commenting 'second time lucky' on an Instagram post of the successful kick.
Garner replied by tagging King and posting a shushing face emoji.
Sports journalist Marnie Vinall also brought up the miss on TikTok, asking Garner if she got the kick on her 'first go?'.
And Carlton star Darcy Vescio asked Garner on Instagram if there were any outtakes from the promotion.
'First go,' Garner replied.
'None,' the AFLW social media account added.
Pointing out that even the greats are human, Vescio replied: 'you kick 'em when it counts'.
Garner said the 10th season was a momentous occasion for the league and she was honoured to be recognised for her part in the competition's history.
'I think it's a good time to reflect, I think it's pretty special to be around and still playing,' she said.
'There have been some good moments along the way and I'm really proud that I can represent the competition alongside the other players.
'Being back here and thinking how far the competition has come since that night – I remember running out and it was just packed to the brim, it was so much fun and although we didn't get the result, kicking the first goal is a moment I'll always remember.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
We meet again - England & Spain set for 'amazing' Euro 2025 final
England were heartbroken two years ago - but now they will get their shot at extra-time victory over Germany means they will face the Lionesses in Sunday's Euro 2025 final. It's a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final - which Spain were the two best sides in the world 24 months ago and they remain the best two sides in Europe now."It's going to be incredible," said former England forward Ellen White, part of the side who beat Germany in the Euro 2022 final. "It's a one-off game. On England's day they can beat anyone, on Spain's day they can beat anyone, so that match-up is so amazing to see."I'm so excited."While this eye-catching Spanish side look to complete a treble of major trophies, having also won the Nations League in 2024, England are bidding to defend their European crown."I'm just so buzzing for the girls," added ex-Lionesses captain Steph Houghton. "There's no reason, with the squad that we have, that we can't go and beat Spain."So which way will it go? What does history tell us? And what's changed since that World Cup final? Painful memories for England... Having won their first women's major tournament 13 months earlier with victory over Germany at Euro 2022, England had high hopes of backing that up against Spain in wasn't to Lionesses, looking to become the first senior England side since the men's team in 1966 to win a World Cup, were outplayed by a Spanish side full of flair and captain Olga Carmona slotted the winner past goalkeeper Mary Earps in the first half, capitalising after England's Lucy Bronze lost possession in a repeat be likely on Sunday? Not beat the world champions at Wembley in February - the last team to do so - although Spain won their most recent meeting 2-1 on 3 Lionesses' overall record in the fixture is also decent, losing just five of 19 competitive fixtures."I don't think England will see themselves as underdogs - they're European champions," former England defender Fara Williams said on BBC One."Yes, Spain beat them in the World Cup final but this is their trophy. They've got to hand it over and they're not going to want to do that. They're not going to lie down and make it easy for Spain."I think they know they can beat Spain."Houghton agrees."I don't think the [World Cup final] will be in the back of England's minds," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "This is a fresh slate and there are a lot of new players." What's changed since 2023? Seven of the 11 who started against Spain in the World Cup final were in England's line-up for Tuesday's win over there have been big changes within the Lionesses squad since then too - some as recently as the 10 days leading up to Wiegman's squad announcement last month, she had two senior international retirements and the withdrawal of her World Cup captain to contend goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her shock international retirement, then midfielder Fran Kirby followed suit a week later and, on the eve of the squad's confirmation, Millie Bright made herself unavailable for herself described it as "a new era and a new England team", with players like super-sub Michelle Agyemang only capped for the first time this something this "new" England side will have to deal with is pressure, according to Williams."I think the Lionesses carry a lot of pressure," she said. "In terms of growing the game in England, we're still reliant on the Lionesses doing well - they never had that pressure in 2022, but they had it in the World Cup final and they have it now." Spain, meanwhile, have a familiar feel to their squad - albeit they are now led by a different manager in Montse was Jorge Vilda's assistant in 2023, meaning the coaching setup and philosophy has remained much the d'Or Feminine holder and semi-final matchwinner Aitana Bonmati remains - despite a pre-tournament bout of viral meningitis - while Alexia Putellas, also a two-time Ballon d'Or winner, continues to shine having started the World Cup final on the Gonzalez, an unused substitute in 2023, has been one of the stars of Euro 2025 and is on course to win the Golden Jenni Hermoso, who missed a penalty in that final, is a notable receiving her World Cup winner's medal, Hermoso was kissed by Spain's former football federation boss Luis Rubiales without her said the kiss was consensual, but in February was found guilty of sexual assault by Spain's top criminal court, and ordered to pay a fine of 10,800 euros (£8,942). Did England learn anything from the semi-finals? England boss Wiegman must come up with a gameplan to stifle a Spain side used to bossing the ball and controlling the had nearly 67% possession in their semi-final win over Germany - but it wasn't always straightforward."I feel like we saw for the first time a Spanish team play with frustration at times," said Williams. "That's not like them."They are patient in what they do and they trust in what they do. They were forced to go direct at times."We did see a different side to them. This is the only game in the competition they have faced a real challenge, an intense game. In terms of that level that is needed in a final, Germany gave them that today, so they will be thankful for this game."Ex-Germany defender Josie Henning says the key battle will be in midfield."With the midfield of Spain, you have to decide if you want to play up against them or around them," she said on BBC One. "I think Germany showed a little bit that if you press them collectively, it works."
Reuters
10 minutes ago
- Reuters
Players say future bright for Germany despite semi-final loss to Spain
ZURICH, July 24 (Reuters) - Germany's players and coach Christian Wueck said their team would continue to develop and would come back stronger after their extra-time defeat to Spain in the UEFA Women's Euros semi-final. Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati struck in the 113th minute to break German hearts at Zurich's Letzigrund stadium on Wednesday. "I am proud of the team, and yes, we will continue from here," Wueck said. "It was another setback, but I believe we can build on that and we will now try to carry that on in the Nations League." Germany had exceeded expectations by holding out against World Champions Spain for so long, Wueck said. "And I believe that the development we have started is the right one and we stand behind it 100%," he added. Defender Rebecca Knaak said the performance showed her team was on the right track. "We also showed today that we could play with a bit more courage, a bit more self-confidence, even against Spain, because of course we defended a lot, but we also wanted to set the tone in terms of play," Knaak said. "We showed what we could do against world-class players. I'm so proud of the girls," Knaak said. Teammate Sara Daebritz said the team was disappointed to concede such a late goal, dashing the team's dream of making the final, where Spain will now meet England. Still the team has "a very promising future," Daebritz said. "We have a lot of young players in our ranks, a lot of players who haven't played that many international matches yet, but who have really played an outstanding tournament here," she said. "And we'll keep going, we'll keep working hard on ourselves and we'll come back stronger."
The Independent
40 minutes ago
- The Independent
Spain illustrate their genius to set up Euro 2025 final showdown with England
If it was anyone else in the world, you might wonder whether she really meant it. If it was anyone else in the world, though, Spain probably wouldn't have even been in that position to score. As it is, the world champions are in their first ever women's European Championship final, thanks to the genius of Aitana Bonmati. It wasn't just about the ingenuity, but the intelligence. Aitaina later said that Spain had been studying Ann-Katrin Berger's movements and how the goalkeeper stepped away from her near post. The playmaker put it exactly where she needed for a 1-0 win over resolute Germany, exactly when it was needed - minutes from the end of extra-time. So, England face up to a repeat of the 2023 final, from a moment that no other player could possibly hope to repeat. Or maybe even imagine. Even before Aitana drilled the ball inside Berger's near post, there was the mercurial quality of the turn. You could actually say Germany had due warning, even if it's almost impossible to predict what a player as good as this will do. Aitana had nevertheless foreshadowed it with the assist for the crucial goal against Switzerland in the quarter-final. She had let the ball roll through her legs to flick it in for Athenea del Castillo. Here, Aitana turned and went on and helped herself. England are going to have to watch for that, except you never know when it's coming. That's the joy of a player like this. Just look at Berger, and the symbolism of beating the best goalkeeper of the tournament so far. The German had stopped everything up to then, a series of shots on target. For this match-winner, she couldn't even see it coming. Berger even pointed to her right, just before Aitana shot to her left. Maybe the biggest giveaway before Aitana's own words was that she never even looked for a runner. She knew what to do. She also did it when it mattered most. How Spain needed it. Berger's commanding performance had played into a growing Spanish frustration, where a visible angst was undercutting their play. They weren't pressing with the same intensity or anywhere near as high up the pitch. They weren't even passing the ball with the same vigour. Fortified by Berger, the Germans looked so assured in defence. All of Carlota Wamser, Janina Minge and Rebecca Knaak stood up so well, among others. It looked and felt like a slow descent to penalties, which might literally have played into Berger's hands. Only deepening the potential psychological angst of that, there was the fact that Spain had never beaten Germany. Ever. You could sense that being a factor as the game wore on, not to mention Spain's comparatively poor knock-out record. It remains a remarkable thing to say about world champions, but this was only their sixth ever victory outside a group stage. They began to make some strange decisions in those stretched final stages of the 90, and then extra-time. That extended to the substitutions, and particularly the removal of Claudia Pina, or the choice of Salma Paralluelo over Vicky Lopez. Except, in some ways, such debatable flaws only further emphasise Spain's strength. Even if they haven't got the right mix, or the formation doesn't quite work, they just have so many different players that can hurt you. And at the centre of it is always Aitana, able to produce something like that. It's going to be an immense challenge for England, but Sarina Wiegman can perhaps point to some elements of encouragement from the game. Germany gave the best blueprint yet (an admittedly common theme) for how to face Spain. They stopped them like no one else. They almost won it at the end of the 90, too, forcing Cata Coll into a double save that was arguably the equal of anything Berger offered. It looked like Klara Buhl's deflected shot was going to drop into the net like a falling leaf, only for the goalkeeper to claw it away before showing incredible reflexes and strength to immediately get up and block Carlotta Wamser's effort. That was a moment every bit as important as Aitana's goal, even if it will naturally be overtaken in the collective memories of this semi-final. There was a lot to take in, which is another element. Spain had to go the distance, and to the very end of extra-time, and that with one day less to prepare than England. Except, in all of that, and a performance that was understandably their least convincing of the tournament so far, they still created a series of chances. They still showed a resolve to match England's. They still showed their genius, as well as the special quality of their star player. No matter anyone's opinion on whether the goal was meant, there's no disputing its meaning. The world champions are in their first ever European Championship final, for a grand showdown with England. A moment like that only makes it even more of a match to savour.
