SOUTH Australia has done the double at the 2018 National Championships, claiming the Under 16s title to go with their Under 18s victory a week earlier. The Croweaters defeated Vic Metro by 12 points to remain undefeated and claim the title on the final day of the championships last Friday. South Australia came from behind in the opening round to post a narrow three-point victory over Western Australia, before easily accounting for Vic Country last Monday, and defeating Metro four days later.

South Australian vice-captain Corey Durdin was awarded the Kevin Sheehan Medal for the top player across Division One, while also being named South Australia’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Second placed Western Australia – who came within a kick of the overall title – defeated both Vic Metro and Vic Country comfortably in Queensland last week and announced David Yaccob as their MVP. Oakleigh Chargers’ Will Phillips‘ was named Vic Metro’s top player across the carnival with the Metro side having just the one win over Vic Country. For Country, Geelong Falcons’ Tanner Bruhn was the standout performer across the three games and named as MVP.

Among the top performers outside the MVPs were South Australia’s Kaine Baldwin – who booted four goals against Western Australia in a best on ground effort, and another goal in each of the other two games. Other Croweaters who impressed across the carnival were Riley Thilthorpe and Henry Nelligan, named in the best multiple times. For the Black Swans, Brandon Walker, Taj Schofield and Logan McDonald were among the best, with McDonald being the dominant goal kicker up forward across the carnival, with nine majors.

For the Victorian sides, Calder Cannons’ Campbell Edwardes, Northern Knights’ Ben Major and Western Jets’ Cody Raak were the top performers for Vic Metro, while Bendigo Pioneers’ and Country captain Sam Conforti and exciting GWV Rebels’ forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan were named among Vic Country’s top players as the latter booted four goals across the matches.

Results:

Round 1:

Vic Metro 12.9 (81) defeated Vic Country 11.7 (73)

GOALS
Vic Metro: Failli 3, Bowey 2, Jenkins 2, Varagiannis, Laurie, Phillips, Raak, Hart.
Vic Country: Ugle-Hagan 3, Fitzpatrick 3, Conforti 2, Hollands 2, Stevens.

BEST
Vic Metro: Major, Failli, Phillips, Hipwell, Bowey, Downie
Vic Country: Stevens, Hollands, Ugle-Hagen, Baxter, Lazzaro, Bruhn

South Australia 11.3 (69) defeated Western Australia 9.12 (66)

GOALS
South Australia: Baldwin 4, Dudley 2, Schwerdt 2, Dumesny, Horsnell, Wright.
Western Australia: McDonald 3, Allen 2, Bellchambers, Curley, Evans-Thomson, Western.

BEST
South Australia: Baldwin, Durdin, Kraemer, Nelligan, Thilthorpe, Horne
Western Australia: Walker, Yaccob, Allen, Schofield, McDonald

Round 2:

South Australia 9.13 (67) defeated Vic Country 3.7 (25)

GOALS
South Australia: Dudley 3, Higgins, Dean, Dumesny, Baldwin, Thilthorpe.
Vic Country: Gadsby, Braver, Reid.

BEST
South Australia: Thilthorpe, Durdin, Pedlar, Horne, Baldwin, Nelligan
Vic Country: Conforti, Bruhn, Maher, Braver, Reid, Gadsby

Western Australia 14.13 (97) defeated Vic Metro 2.13 (25)

GOALS
Western Australia: McDonald, George, Allen, Cartwright, Daly, Jetta, Trew, Walker.
Vic Metro: Raak, Tucker.

BEST
Western Australia: Yaccob, McDonald, Grainger-Barras, Walker, Johnson, Trew
Vic Metro: Edwardes, Downie, Major, MacPherson, Phillips, Raak

Round 3:

Vic Country 5.7 (37) defeated by Western Australia 13.13 (91)

GOALS
Western Australia: Dann 4, Avery 2, Cartwright 2, Western 2, Walker, Allen, Daly.
Vic Country: Neal 2, Ugle-Hagan, Gay, Hollands.

BEST
Western Australia: O’Driscoll, Schofield, Bellchambers, Avery, Dann
Vic Country: Bruhn, Conforti, Walsh, Brauer, Maher, Reid

Vic Metro 11.12 (78) defeated by South Australia 13.12 (90)

GOALS
South Australia: Dudley 3, Horsnell 3, Dumesny 2, Durdin, Dean, Higgins, Pedlar, Baldwin.
Vic Metro: Phillips 2, Edwardes 2, Tucker 2, Failli, Bowey, Jenkins, Teal, Feagaimalii.

BEST
South Australia: Durdin, Jones, Nelligan, Thilthorpe, Horsnell, Kramer
Vic Metro: Phillips, Edwardes, Raak, Hipwell, Laurie, Ford