Report: Season over for crow star after ACL tear
Abbie Ballard, an Adelaide midfielder, will miss the rest of the 2023 season after tearing her left ACL on Friday night.
IT’S SEASON over for Abbie Ballard, after the Adelaide midfielder ruptured her left anterior cruciate ligament during the Crows’ win over the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.
Ballard was carted off the field in obvious pain following a second-quarter collision and sat out the rest of the game.
After the win, the 21-year-old returned on crutches with ice on her left knee and performed the team song with her teammates.
Scans on Saturday revealed the condition, which would necessitate a knee reconstruction and end her season in 2023.
“It’s obviously shattering news for Abbie and the team,” the Crows’ women’s footy boss Phil Harper said.
“She has worked extremely hard in the off-season to improve her fitness and play more minutes in the midfield this year so to have her season cut short is disappointing.
“We know Abbie will approach her rehabilitation with a positive attitude and work hard to come back bigger and better next season.”
Ballard has played every game of the Crows’ 2023 season, and 24 across three seasons.
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Lions loss a great learning opportunity: Biddell
Adelaide defender Chelsea Biddell believes the three-point setback to Brisbane will be used as a learning experience ahead of the last two weeks of the AFLW minor round.
The Crows suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday at Brighton Homes Arena, dropping them to second place on the table.
While the team was unhappy not to return with four points, Biddell told the reporters on Monday that the lessons learned from the performance would serve them well in the future.
“Obviously after the game we were disappointed, but I think with losses you actually learn a lot more than when you win,” Biddell said.
“The most important thing I took from the game was being consistent for the whole four quarters. We had some really good patches on the weekend, but our lapses were ultimately what cost us.
“Doc (Senior Coach Matthew Clarke) took a lot from the game in terms of areas for us to focus on and improve on, which I think will really help take that next step leading into the most important part of the season.
“I’m confident our best footy is the best in competition, it’s now on us to show that, and I’m confident we will.”
The 25-year-old battled hard against the Lions, collecting a career-high 23 disposals and taking three marks, while holding a key-post at full-back.
But Biddell said she was more focused on team success, rather than individual performances.
“It was good to get a bit of the ball, but I probably don’t want to be getting so much of it because it means the play is in our defence and not up forward,” Biddell said.
“I’m just trying to be a bit of a general down there and not let the opposition score to the best of my ability, so I don’t take too much notice of how many disposals I get.
“Being drafted as a forward and moving into defence, I’ve loved the switch and every week I’m learning, which is the most important thing.”
The three-time AFLW premier will get a chance to bounce back when it faces fellow top-four side North Melbourne in a blockbuster clash at Norwood Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Biddell expressed eagerness to return to the field and put the lessons acquired from the Brisbane loss to use against the Kangaroos.
“It’s a very tough task for us again this week, and we are very excited to take on the challenge North will present,” Biddell said in a statement.
“Throughout the season, they have proven that they are up there with the best, and when they get their game going, they are very difficult to stop.”
“We haven’t played North for a while now, so it will be good to get a look at them this weekend, and it’s another great test for us leading into the finals.”
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