VIC METRO made it two from two for the home sides on Sunday, after defeating Queensland by 57 points in their Under 17 Futures clash at Highgate Recreation Reserve. The Big V poured on five goals in every quarter bar the third, perfectly doubling the Maroons’ score in an impressive 17.12 (114) to 9.3 (57) victory.

Though the deck was soggy and a few top-end 2005-born stars missed for either team, the showcase still provided a good glimpse into next year’s AFL Draft class. We highlighted some of the top performers in the latest edition of Scouting Notes.

>> Scouting Notes: Vic Country 12.9 (81) def. NSW-ACT 10.7 (67)

VIC METRO 5.3 | 10.6 | 12.9 | 17.12 (114)
QUEENSLAND 1.0 | 3.2 | 6.3 | 9.3 (57)

GOALS:

Vic Metro: L. Morris 5, W. Lorenz 3, A. Tsia 2, M. Taha 2, A. Naim, R. Weatherill, D. Weeks, A. Naim, K. Mueller
Queensland: M. Garaicoa 3, C. Elliot, J. Stringer, N. Jensen, F. Hay, C. Nancarrow, J. Jessen

RMC BEST:

Vic Metro: W. Lorenz, A. Roberts, L. Morris, D. Weeks, K. Brown, A. Tsia
Queensland: M. Garaicoa, L. Lombard, P. Snell, E. Read, W. Graham, F. Hay

VIC METRO:

#6 Diesel Moloney (Western Jets)
13/05/2005 | 180cm | Defender

Though it looked as if his day would end early after coming down hard in a marking contest, Moloney produced some positive moments as one of the many promising Western Jets products afield. Standing at 180cm, Moloney played above his height with some gutsy aerial efforts, making awkward kicks work and going back with the flight to intercept. He also showcased a bit of power at ground level, and provided apt kicking skills on the rebound from behind the ball.

#7 Kynan Brown (Oakleigh Chargers)
13/01/2005 | 180cm | Midfielder

Brown, a father-son candidate for Melbourne (son of Nathan), slotted straight into Metro’s midfield and had little trouble getting his hands on the ball. Though he possesses a punchy kick, he looked more slick by hand than foot, and used that to his advantage when helping his side work away from the centre bounces. A natural ball winner with strong bursts of speed, Brown was a consistent figure in the Big V.

#8 Darcy Weeks (Western Jets)
29/07/2005 | 181cm | Midfielder

Another tough Western prospect, Weeks joined Brown in midfield and worked into the game nicely. He slotted a terrific goal on the run during the second quarter, taking advantage of a forward 50 turnover Metro created. Much like Moloney, he also backed himself in marking contests as he flew courageously with a springy leap. When away from the on-ball action, Weeks swept up well behind the ball and got in good positions to attack on the intercept.

#9 Alex Tsia (Western Jets)
28/04/2005 | 181cm | Small Forward

Tsia turned out for Metro’s Under 17s as a bottom-ager last year, and backed it up on Sunday with glimpses of his exciting talent. The mercurial small forward kicked two eye-catching goals in the first half, sending home an instinctive snap and checkside on the move. His turn of speed, evasiveness, and creativity all proved troublesome for Queensland’s defenders, with Tsia’s smarts seeing him carve up the opposition from dangerous spots in attack. Great to watch at his best.

#10 Archie Roberts (Sandringham Dragons)
18/11/2005 | 182cm | Defender

Stationed in a familiar position behind the ball, Roberts racked up possessions as one of Metro’s prime movers. He held a high line and intercepted with frequency, combating the wind to reel in several marks up on the wing. From there, Roberts looked to move the ball on quickly and went by foot more often than not, spreading the play nicely and gaining good meterage for his side. The grunt work of others allowed him to be attacking from half-back.

#18 Will Lorenz (Oakleigh Chargers)
19/05/2005 | 186cm | Midfielder

Another productive piece in the Metro engine room, Lorenz was undeniable at times. With his shirt tucked in, he meant business and went to work with some slick work on-ball. The left-footer’s preference to shift to that side fooled many an opponent, and saw him kick the second of his term two majors. He added a third in the final quarter, spoiling a Queensland pass and recovering first to snap home. Overall, he got to the right spots and showed great balance in his movement.

#23 Logan Morris (Western Jets)
10/05/2005 | 192cm | Key Forward

The centrepiece of Western’s attack, Morris converted his NAB League form to a game-high haul of five goals at representative level. The 192cm spearhead booted two goals in the opening quarter and added Metro’s final three majors in the last, taking hold with his unstoppable marking game. Morris read the ball beautifully in flight and beat several different opponents one-on-one, with a few scuppered shots the only thing preventing him from an even greater scoring haul.

QUEENSLAND:

#13 Leonardo Lombard (Suns Academy)
5/10/2006 | 169cm | Midfielder/Forward

One of just three 2006-born players to take the field, Lombard would have come into the clash with confidence having been crowned the Suns Academy’s Under 16 MVP. Starting up forward, the crafty small worked high up the ground for his possessions and looked to unleash by foot on the way back, before injecting some of his speed into the midfield battle. Though he could have lowered his eyes at times, Lombard looked like one of the more lively Queenslanders out there.

#16 Maverick Garaicoa (Lions Academy)
1/08/2005 | 176cm | Small Forward

Garaicoa enjoyed a purple patch during the second and third terms, snaring three goals within 15 minutes of game time to become Queensland’s main scoring source. The helmet-donning small forward proved he is a natural finisher; converting an opportunist chance from the goalsquare, a 40-metre set shot, and a classy snap to snatch his trio of majors. Having also played up on a wing for the Lions Academy, he looks at home in attack.

#31 Caleb Nancarrow (Suns Academy/Oakleigh Chargers)
31/05/2006 | 194cm | Key Forward/Ruck

It was far from a massive day for the raw tall forward, but he managed to display some of the ability and athleticism which have him pegged as a promising prospect for the 2024 draft. Like Lombard, he’s an Under 16 talent playing up, and with more chances in attack he may well have had a greater impact. Boasting a massive leap, Nancarrow briefly showcased it in the ruck, but with less frequency up forward. He nabbed a set shot goal in term four to end his day on a high.

#34 Patrick Snell (Lions Academy)
17/07/2005 | 194cm | Key Defender

There were plenty of solid and perhaps unheralded performers for Queensland on what was a tough day, and Snell was among them. Capable of playing at either end, he was employed down back and did his best work in one-on-one situations, doing the basics well to out-body his opponent and win the ball. Via that MO, he intercepted many Metro attacks and swung onto his left side to send the Maroons forward. His last-minute holding the ball tackle proved a fitting final act.

#38 Ethan Read (Suns Academy)
7/07/2005 | 200cm | Ruck

Another Queensland tall with plenty of potential, Read showed great signs as a versatile 200cm ruck. His fluent leap and centre bounce craft were evident, but arguably the most impressive part of Read’s game came when following up. With a clean set of hands and a good deal of mobility, he navigated traffic with confidence and distributed neatly by hand. As the game wore on, he grabbed the ball straight from the ruck more frequently, allowing those attributes to shine.