VIC Country and the Allies remained unbeaten throughout the AFL Under 18s Championships which concluded on the Gold Coast last week to be the top teams in the competition. The sides played three matches through the week classed as round two, with both sides defeating Queensland, NSW/ACT and Western Australia.

In a standalone match at Simonds Stadium last month, Vic Country defeated Vic Metro by 27 points in what was expected to be a battle for the title. But while Vic Country went through the carnival undefeated, Vic Metro fell at the hands of Western Australia. Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia also competed in round one, with South Australia coming away with two victories and Tasmania knocked off Northern Territory by two goals.

The three sides – Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia – then formed the Allies and competed in the second round of competition, surprising rivals and coming away undefeated, having played everyone except the two Victorian teams.

Vic Metro bottom-age star Madison Prespakis was named the carnival’s best player. The Calder Cannons star is a member of the AFLW Academy and was a number of youngsters to stand out both in the TAC Cup Girls’ competition as well as on the national stage.

Prespakis and West Australian Courtney Hodder were among the best in the national carnival, but they still have 18 months until they can play an AFLW match meaning spectators will get to see them run around again next season. While Vic Country’s Eden Zanker earned the leading goal kicker award.

Tyla Hanks won the Vic Country Most Valuable Player (MVP) award while Eloise Jones (Allies), Alyce Parker (NSW/ACT) and Lauren Bella (Queensland) won their teams’ respective awards. It was no surprise that Prespakis and Hodder also won their teams’ MVP awards.

Vic Country’s dominance at the carnival was rewarded with 15 players named in the initial 54-player AFL Women’s Under 18s All-Australian squad. The next highest was Queensland with 10, while Vic Metro (nine), Western Australia (eight), Allies (seven) and NSW/ACT (five) rounded out the represented sides.

The 54 players will be divided into two teams and play a curtain-raise to the AFL Women’s State of Origin match to be played during the AFL ‘Celebration of Football’ between the end of round 23 and the first week of the AFL finals.

NAB AFL WOMEN’S UNDER-18 ALL AUSTRALIAN SQUAD

Defenders: Nikki Gore (Allies/SA), Kitara Farrar (Queensland), Ruby Blair (Queensland), Arianna Clarke (Queensland), Courtney Bromage (Queensland), Sabreena Duffy (WA), Rebecca Webster (VC), Courtney Jones (VC), Iilish Ross (VC), Bridie Kennedy (VC), Lucy McEvoy (VC), Georgia Clarke (VC), Olivia Vesley (VM), Georgia Ricardo (VM), Georgia McPherson (VM), Molly Warburton (VM).

Midfielders: Eloise Jones (Allies/SA), Chloe Scheer (Allies/SA), Mia King (Allies/TAS), Daria Bannister (Allies/TAS), Alyce Parker (NSW/ACT), Georgia Breward (NSW/ACT), Haneen Zreika (NSW/ACT), Gabby Collingwood (Queensland), Tarni White (Queensland), McKenzie Dowrick (WA), Courtney Hodder (WA), Sonia Dorizzi (WA), Darcy Guttridge (VC), Tyla Hanks (VC), Jordyn Allen (VC), Aisling Tupper (VC), Olivia Purcell (VC), Georgia Gee (VC), Madison Prespakis (VM), Maddy Guerin (VM), Olivia Flanagan (VM), Georgia Patrikios (VM).

Rucks: Jess Allen (Allies/SA), Ellie Delgano-Fixture (NSW/ACT), Lauren Bella (Queensland), Tayla McAuliffe (WA), Rene Caris (VC).

Forwards: Danielle Ponter (Allies/NT), Jordyn Jolliffe (NSW/ACT), Sophie Conway (Queensland), Kalinda Howarth (Queensland), Jemma Abott (Queensland), Emily McGuire (WA), Kate Bartlett (WA), Rosie Deegan (WA), Denby Taylor (VC), Eden Zanker (VC), Emerson Woods (VM).

The final AFLW Under 18 All-Australian side will be named at the conclusion of the game.

Full results from the AFLW Under 18 National Championships:

Round 1:

South Australia 9.4 (58) defeated Tasmania 1.3 (9)
South Australia 15.9 (99) defeated Northern Territory 1.3 (9)
Tasmania 6.5 (41) defeated Northern Territory 4.5 (29)

Queensland 3.6 (24) defeated NSW/ACT 3.3 (21)
Western Australia 15.9 (99) defeated NSW/ACT 2.0 (12)
Queensland 6.8 (44) defeated Western Australia 5.4 (34)

Vic Country 8.6 (54) defeated Vic Metro 4.3 (27)

Round 2:

Vic Country 4.8 (32) defeated Queensland 3.4 (22)
Allies 4.2 (26) defeated NSW/ACT 3.5 (23)
Western Australia 6.11 (47) defeated Vic Metro 3.2 (20)

Vic Metro 7.3 (45) defeated Queensland 3.5 (23)
Vic Country 6.6 (42) defeated NSW/ACT 2.3 (15)
Allies 3.7 (25) defeated Western Australia 3.2 (20)

Vic Metro 6.8 (44) defeated NSW/ACT 5.7 (37)
Vic Country 8.8 (56) defeated Western Australia 5.4 (34)
Allies 5.3 (33) defeated Queensland 3.8 (26)