IN the weekend just gone, a NSW/ACT Under 18s star won a premiership medallion and was best on ground, while others competed in the final rounds of their competitions with finals quickly approaching.

Alyce Parker became the first premiership player this season from NSW/ACT Under-18 representatives, when her side, the Thurgoona Bulldogs, defeated Wodonga Raiders by 52 points in the North East Border Grand Final. Parker was a star for the winners, named best on ground in the decider, booting three goals. In her six games, Parker was named best on ground five times, booting 18 goals to be a class above.

Angela Priftis was named at centre-half back in the Auburn-Penrith Giants’ 43-point loss to UNSW Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs in Round 16 of the AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division. Priftis has been in good form and continued that in the weekend’s match, named among the team’s best. With one round remaining, the Giants are locked into finals action and will finish third on the table ahead of the post-season series. It was a tough day at the office for Jemima Wrigley, who was named among the best for Southern Power, but her team succumbed to a 57-point loss at the hands of Sydney University Bombers. In Division One, Georgia Garnett had a day out stepping up to the senior grade, booting five goals and named among the best in a classy effort for the East Coast Eagles in their 138-point demolition of UNSW Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs. Brenna Tarrant also played in the Eagles’ big win.

In the Sydney Harbour Youth Girls Division One, Emily Hurley played in Kellyville Rouse Hill’s big 10-goal win over Queenwood, as did Alice Mitchell in her side – Willoughby Mossman’s – win by the same margin. In the AFL North Coast, Ahlani Eddy‘s Sawtell Toormina Saints had the bye and finished clear minor premiers, with the Saints to take on Port Macquarie Magpies for a spot in the grand final. In the Youth Girls, Lillian Doyle booted two goals in Grafton Tigers’ 10-goal win over Port Macquarie Magpies. The Tigers held the Magpies scoreless and did not miss a shot on goal, finishing second on the table and heading into the first week of finals with a chance to advance to the grand final. Zoe Hurrell did not play on the weekend.

In South Broken Hill’s nail-biting low-scoring seven-point win over Central Broken Hill, Melisa Keenan and Eliza Cumming were both named in the best. Keenan was named best on ground in the 3.1 (19) to 1.6 (12) victory, while Cumming was also impressive. South now heads into the finals series on top of the table, facing fourth placed South for a spot in the grand final. Meanwhile further south across the border, Eloise-Ashley Cooper had a weekend off with Finley’s triumph in the first final the week before following a big win over Echuca.