TWO acts of brilliance, one up either end for the Allies, helped the side get up for its first win of the AFL Under 18 National Championships. After racing out to as much as a four-goal lead over Vic Metro at GMHBA Stadium yesterday, it took a late goal from Josh Gore – his third of the contest – and then a match-winning tackle from Noah Cumberland up the other end, to seal the deal. Metro had one last role of the dice after the tackle when trailing by two points, but the kick from almost match-winner Jack Mahony – who booted three majors himself – was smothered away from Emerson Jeka at the top of the square and the Allies were able to clear it as the siren rang.

It was a heart-stopping contest that the Allies looked to be in control of throughout, answering each and every Metro challenge, but with the work of Mahony (19 disposals, four marks, five tackles, three goals and numerous score assists) – and his two last-quarter goals – as well as Finn Maginness (27 disposals, three marks, nine tackles, seven clearances and six inside 50s), Metro never stopped attacking. The Allies had their measure however, with GWS GIANTS Academy member Tom Green putting in a remarkable performance with 33 disposals, five marks, nine clearances, four inside 50s, two rebounds and a long-range goal from the tightest of angles. Bottom-ager Errol Gulden‘s left foot also posed headaches for the home side as he had 17 touches, five marks, four inside 50s and two goals.

The first term saw a see-sawing contest with the Allies having the early ascendancy to boot the first two goals through a snap to Hamish Ellem a some hard running from Hewago Paul Oea, before Vic Metro hit back with two of their own through Matt Rowell – who had an enormous eight-disposal, three-clearance and one-goal term – and Harrison Jones. Just as the game looked destined to head into the first break 12-apiece, Malcolm Rosas Jr ripped up the script and booted two terrific goals with space in front of him.

Vic Metro was the first team out of the blocks in the second with a terrific cross-body kick from Mahony hitting up Miles Bergman who slotted it from 50m. The Allies had some good forward entries, but Fischer McAsey and Noah Anderson – who had drifted back there after a quiet first quarter – were rebounding everything. A perfect kick from Connor Budarick into Ellem resulted in just a behind from the Ellem set shot, and going down the other end, Williams launched a massive goal from 50m straight through the middle. Along with Rowell, Mahony was having a superb game with a big influence on the contest, setting up goals and then finishing off on his own after dropping into the hole and the kick inside 50 went past its intended target into his lap. He converted from 30m out on an angle to put Metro back in front and make it three goals in less than 12 minutes. With the Allies desperately needing a response given the momentum with Metro, Gore answered the call, laying a big tackle and winning a free. He converted the set shot to put the Allies back in front midway through the term. The next 10 minutes were an arm-wrestle as neither side could put a goal on the board with a series of misses, including a long range shot that drifted to the right by Williams to have the Allies up by the narrowest of margins at the main break.

Unlike the first two terms, it took six minutes for the first goal on the board after the main break, and it was almost identical to the first half, with Ellem snapping his second after some smart work from the throw-in stoppage inside 50. Moments later, Green won a free kick and opted for the set shot from outside 50 tucked against the boundary line, never looking in doubt with the kick and the Allies were 12 points up. Rosas Jr tried to weave some more magic inside 50, twisting and turning but curled the shot too much for one behind. The Allies continued to press without much success, but they were holding a firm line in defence to rebound anything Vic Metro threw at them and it eventually paid off with Parks bursting off half-back, taking a great clean grab and putting it forward which led to Gulden turning onto his left in space and putting it through to make it a very handy 19-point lead. Bianco won a free and tried to play on inside 50 to bridge the gap, putting it through, but was called back to have the set shot from 50m, which was touched on the line. Instead, it was Oea up the other end who created a great pass into Gore who marked on the lead inside 50 and put it through to make it 25 points. Metro responded with a couple of minutes to go after Jack Bell slipped and kicked to Emerson Jeka who converted a straight forward set shot. The celebration of responding did not last long as the Allies made it look easy with a quick kick inside 50 before Gulden ran onto a ball and kicked it through and the game was firmly in the visitors’ control. Williams had one last chance to convert after the siren but fell missed and Metro faced a 24-point deficit at the final break.

The last quarter was a bit of an arm-wrestle at the start similar to the third term with eight minutes without a score, before Mahony popped up with an uncontested mark and converted a much-needed set shot to get Metro within 15 points. Moments later, Jamieson Rossiter turned around and snapped a goal around his body and they had two in a minute and the margin was suddenly nine. Mahony then popped up with another a few minutes later and he was the hero to put them within three. The comeback had the Allies nervous and it forced a hold on Jeka who won a free, but the set shot shanked to the right for a behind and it was two points the difference. Green worked hard to win the ball then sneak forward to mark, but his set shot drifted to the right and Metro rushed it down the other end and with Anderson selling some candy then delivering it lace out to Ryan Sturgess who put it through and Metro hit the front.

Just when the game looked to be in Metro’s clutches, Gore converted his third and the Allies were back in front. Metro spent the last couple of minutes throwing everything at the Allies, but the Cumberland match-winning tackle at half-back locked the ball up and bought the Allies time. Ben Jungfer was a standout for the Allies coming in and helping Green around the clearances with six, as well as 16 disposals and four tackles. Parks was solid off half-back with 15 disposals, three marks and four rebounds, as was the classy Mitch O’Neill with seven marks and four rebounds, while Budarick’s team-high 11 tackles exemplified the Allies pressure throughout the game. For Metro, McAsey was impressive once again, winning Vic Metro’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) after a 19-disposals, seven-mark and six-rebound effort. Rowell was his usual self on the inside with 22 touches and 12 tackles as well as six clearances even if he was somewhat restricted after quarter time. His partner in crime Anderson got out to have 24 disposals, four marks, seven clearances, five inside 50s and three rebounds – including 22 touches after quarter time, while Daniel Mott, Trent Bianco and Sturgess were solid for the losing side.

VIC METRO 2.0 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 10.8 (68)
ALLIES 4.0 | 5.2 | 10.3 | 11.4 (70)

GOALS:

Metro: Mahony 3, Rowell, Sturgess, Bergman, Jeka, Jones, Williams, Rossiter.
Allies: Gore 3, Gulden 2, Ellem 2, Rosas 2, Green, Oea.

ADC BEST:

Metro: Mahony, Maginness, McAsey, Anderson, Rowell, Bianco
Allies: Green, Gulden, Gore, Parks, O’Neill, Jungfer