AFLW U16 Championships preview: Vic Country vs. Vic Metro

IN the first game of a Victorian double-header, the Under 16s go head-to-head with Vic Country hosting Vic Metro at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday. The AFL Women’s Under 16s Championships are a shorter series to that of the Under 18s, and male Under 16s, with the Victorian derby being the final match of the series. Both sides had hitouts against other opposition, with Metro triumphing over a gallant New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT), while South Australia downed Vic Country in a bit of an upset. Given the results, Metro would head in as favourites, but are missing two of their top stars with Georgie Prespakis and Tess Flintoff not in the side. It opens up possibilities for others, with the likes of Emelia Yassir, Matilda Hardy and Makaylah Appleby to stand up, having shown impressive signs in Metro’s win over the Rams. Kasey Lennox was impressive in the NAB League Girls Grand Final for Calder Cannons, while Charlie Rowbottom – sister of Sydney’s James – knows how to find the football and put it through the big sticks. Likewise, Charli Murphy will provide a tall target inside 50, while Calder’s Tahlia Gillard is already 187cm despite being 15. Looking at the Vic Country side, Tara Slender is a player who immediately stands out, holding down a key position defence role at Bendigo Pioneers after an impressive V/Line Cup carnival last year. Dandenong’s Jemma Radford and Geelong’s Elizabeth Dowling are others who have shown terrific signs in their first year at NAB League Girls level following V/Line Cup success, while Gippsland’s Grace Matser is in a similar boat to Gillard, standing at 186cm having just turned 16 earlier in the year. Jaide Anthony is a forward to watch having booted multiple goals on debut in the NAB League Girls competition, while Nyakoat Dojiok has been a developing talent the last couple of seasons. The game is likely to be an exciting one, and being a curtain raiser to the Under-18 equivalent, it gives the Under 16s an idea of the level they strive to get to, and the pathway in place for them in the future. Last year, a Metro side led by Ellie McKenzie and Alyssa Bannan won the clash over Country at GMHBA Stadium, while Renee Saulitis and Tyanna Smith were among the best for Country. All four of those players are now representing Victoria at Under-18 level. The talented pathway is ever-growing, so expect the level of football to be even higher than that of last year with so many evenly talented players running around in the ‘Big V’.

UNDER-16 VIC COUNTRY

NO. NAME   DOB HT NAB LEAGUE CLUB
1 Tahlia Meier 19-Oct-03 TBC GWV Rebels
2 Cassidy Mailer 02-Feb-04 153 Murray Bushrangers
3 Poppy Schaap 28-Jul-03 154 Geelong Falcons
4 Grace Matser 03-Jan-03 186 Gippsland Power
5 Gabbi Featherston 12-Nov-03 163 Geelong Falcons
7 Jaide Anthony 20-Nov-03 TBC Dandenong Stingrays
8 Jemma Radford 31-Jul-03 167 Dandenong Stingrays
9 Melina Ciavarella 24-Jan-03 161 GWV Rebels
10 Kate Tomkins 17-Jun-03 161 GWV Rebels
11 Alannah Sanderson 19-Sep-03 166 Geelong Falcons
13 Lilli Condon 25-Nov-03 154 GWV Rebels
14 Tara Slender 11-Mar-03 174 Bendigo Pioneers
15 Drew Ryan 11-Apr-03 172 Bendigo Pioneers
16 Macie Gilmour 03-Jan-03 158 Gippsland Power
17 Holly Booth 11-Sep-03 169 Gippsland Power
18 Analea McKee 06-Jul-03 174 Geelong Falcons
19 Ella Friend 30-Dec-03 172 GWV Rebels
20 Elizabeth Dowling 31-Jul-03 168 Geelong Falcons
21 Jayda Richardson 04-Nov-03 175 Bendigo Pioneers
22 Nyakoat Dojiok 07-Jan-03 180 GWV Rebels
23 Madeline Marks 26-Feb-03 173 Bendigo Pioneers
25 Tyla Angwin 24-Jul-03 172 Gippsland Power
26 Keeley Skepper 15-Mar-04 163 Murray Bushrangers

 

UNDER-16 VIC METRO

NO. NAME   DOB HT NAB LEAGUE CLUB
1 Mia Papachristos 06-Apr-03 157 Northern Knights
2 Teleah Smart 02-May-03 160 Northern Knights
3 Ebony Angelopoulos 26-Nov-03 160 Sandringham Dragons
4 Emelia Yassir 25-Sep-03 161 Calder Cannons
5 Stephanie Asciak 18-Sep-03 162 Western Jets
6 Emma Stuber 10-Jul-03 164 Sandringham Dragons
7 Aurora Smith 13-Dec-03 163 Murray Bushrangers
8 Alisha Liddle 30-Sep-03 175 Dandenong Stingrays
9 Matilda Hardy 24-Apr-03 170 Eastern Ranges
10 Ruby O’Dwyer 04-Oct-03 170 Eastern Ranges
11 Maykaylah Appleby 18-Jul-03 170 Northern Knights
12 Eliza James 01-Oct-03 170 Oakleigh Chargers
13 Stella Reid 10-Sep-03 170 Oakleigh Chargers
14 Jemima Woods 28-May-03 170 Western Jets
15 Caitlin Sargent 22-Dec-03 170 Western Jets
17 Kasey Lennox 07-Aug-03 174 Calder Cannons
18 Charli Murphy 26-Nov-03 174 Sandringham Dragons
19 Jessica Simpson 28-Mar-03 175 Northern Knights
21 Cassy Wilsmore 28-Mar-03 178 Eastern Ranges
22 Charlie Rowbottom 22-Jan-03 178 Oakleigh Chargers
23 Peppa Poultney 05-Apr-03 181 Calder Cannons
24 Neve Crowley 23-Jun-03 181 Calder Cannons
25 Tahlia Gillard 12-Dec-03 187 Calder Cannons

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