IN the battle of the Apple Isle, Southern Devils have defeated their Northern counterparts by seven goals thanks to a dominant first half. The South emerged triumphant in style, booting seven goals to one in the opening half, then securing the 9.6 (60) to 2.5 (17) victory. Claremont’s Bridie Horne – a 2005-born prospect – won the best on ground medal after sparking her side to its big lead in the opening term, and finishing with 2.2 for the match.

The match was a chance for many Tasmanian prospects to stake their claim for Devils selection in the NAB League Girls next year, with the likes of Claire Ransom and Candice Belbin among those not playing in the clash. It was the South side that got off to a great start, peppering the goals and slotting 4.4 in the opening term to the opposition’s one behind. Four individual goalkickers for the leaders showed the South’s potency inside 50, with Bellah Parker the first on the board, followed by Priye Bowering and the first of three majors for Jasmine Bradshaw. Horne was setting up scoring chances and slotted her first late in the quarter for her side to lead by 27 points at the first break.

In fact, the South side booted five unanswered goals, with Meg Harrison kicking truly in the second term to race out to a 33-point lead. It took until the eighth minute of the second term for North to get on the board, with Tunisha Kikoak kicking her side’s first goal of the day. It was only short-lived as Bradshaw kicked back-to-back majors to end the half, as South had kicked three goals to one that term and extended the lead right out to a straight six goals.

The second half proved to be much tighter with the South side kicking two goals to one, as the North defence mopped up time and time again, even outscoring their opponents by a point in the third term. Mackenzie Banks extended the lead out to a game-high 41 points, with the score 52-11 at that stage of the game. North responded later in the term through Alyssa Pearson, kicking her side’s second goal in the last play of the day courtesy of some nice sidestepping and following up from an earlier kick. The last term was dour with both defences holding up well, and only South’s Horne fittingly finishing off the game with a major – as well as a real chance for a second goal – for the final margin to be 43 points, 9.6 (60) to 2.5 (17).

Aside from Horne, South had plenty of contributors, with Bradshaw slotting three goals and being consistent across he first three quarters, whilst the 06-brigade of Bowering, Harrison, Mackenzie Williams and Halle Whitehead were all strong. They showed plenty of promise despite being another few years away from being draft-eligible, whilst Victoria Fish was the standout 2004-born player on the winners’ side, one of only four players in the top age group, while Ruby Pacey kicked a behind in the first term and looked lively. For North, Meg Thompson was reliable off half-back having been a standout for Ulverstone this season, while fellow top-ager Kikoak, Maisie Edwards and Courtney Hingston also stood out.

SOUTH DEVILS 4.4 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 9.6 (60)
NORTH DEVILS 0.1 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 (17)

GOALS:

South: J. Bradshaw 3, B. Horne 2, P. Bowering, M. Harrison, B. Parker, M. Banks.
North: T. Kikoak, A. Pearson.

Picture credit: Solstice Digital