VIC COUNTRY will play its first game of the 2023 AFL Under 18 National Championships, when South Australia comes to town on Sunday morning. While the Vics are the only side yet to get a taste of representative action, the Croweaters are still searching for a win. We preview the big clash.

NEED TO KNOW

Who: Vic Country vs. South Australia
When: Sunday June 18, 10:35am AEST
Where: IKON Park, Carlton North
How to watch: via AFL website & app

ONES TO WATCH

All eyes will be on first pick fancy Harley Reid, who returns after around a month off with a head knock. He is one of six National Academy members in the Vic Country side, including the likes of Darcy Wilson, Zane Duursma, and Cooper Simpson who he’ll likely wax with through midfield.

Country has a host of running defenders and there will be plenty of slingshot action via the agency of Oscar Ryan, Luamon Lual, Angus Hastie, and Billy Wilson. At the other end, crafty smalls Lachlan Charleson and Thomas Anastasopoulos are pure goalsneaks who can also roll further afield.

In a draft rankings sense, many onlookers will be keen to see how Joel Freijah fares – whether it be on a wing, in the middle or up forward. Dandenong speedster Harry De Mattia is another who has played himself into top 30 contention, while tall forward Archer Reid will be after a breakout performance.

Meanwhile, South Australia has made seven changes to the team of 23 which lost to Vic Metro last time out. After being dominated by a young Victorian midfield, four bottom-agers are among the inclusions in hopes of adding some much-needed effort and exuberance.

Father-son prospects Tyler Welsh (Adelaide) and Louie Montgomery (Port Adelaide) should offer that, while midfielder-forwards Kade Herbert and Phoenix Hargrave provide brain and brawn respectively. Will McCabe is also back having been a late out last week, and Ben Ridgway looks good to go.

In terms of overall standouts for the Croweaters, there haven’t been many. Although, bottom-ager Sid Draper has been a shining light as his side’s leading ball winner through midfield, while Taylor Goad has been a great find in the ruck. He’ll reprise that role solo this week.

WHERE IT’S WON

As was the case in both losses, midfield dominance and quick ball movement are factors which hurt the Croweaters most. The bad news for them is Vic Country has a dynamic midfield core led by Reid, who will do the inside work, as Wilson, Duursma and Freijah run riot on the outer.

Country’s half-back line should also pose some problems. The likes of Lual, Ryan, Hastie, Wilson and Kobe Shipp are all capable of not only intercepting, but also shooting the ball forward in a flash on the rebound.

It means there are few areas where South Australia looks like winning. The advantage of playing two games together is somewhat eliminated by the slew of changes this week, and their periods of competitiveness have been few and far between. Travel doesn’t help this time out, either.

Prediction: Vic Country by 35.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

VIC COUNTRY

B: #15 O. Ryan – #33 H. Pierson – #23 G. Stevens
HB: #6 L. Lual – #34 T. Peirce – #19 A. Hastie
C: #4 D. Wilson – #5 H. Reid – #7 J. Freijah
HF: #10 K. De La Rue – #22 A. Reid – #16 H. De Mattia
F: #2 L. Charleson – #35 W. Dawson – #8 T. Anastasopoulos
FOL: #39 J. Pike – #3 C. Simpson – #9 Z. Duursma

INT: #11 B. Wilson, #12 O. Smartt, #13 C. James, #14 K. Shipp, #25 M. Rudd

EMG: #17 A. Day-Wicks, #21 J. Grant, #40 L. Smith

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

B: #17 W. Patton – #36 T. Luck – #14 A. Holt
HB: #3 C. Fairall – #22 W. McCabe – #11 L. Evans
C: #13 L. Slade – #28 T. Wheaton – #6 S. Wauer
HF: #8 A. Moir – #42 T. Welsh – #27 J. Dignan
F: #12 J. Delean – #41 P. Weckert – #16 L. Rawlinson
FOL: #38 T. Goad – #2 S. Draper – #26 K. McAuliffe

INT: #5 K. Herbert, #9 B. Ryan, #10 L. Montgomery, #25 B. Ridgway, #29 P. Hargrave 

EMG: #4 P. Toole, #15 D. Gladigau, #23 C. Nicholls

IN: P. Hargrave, K. Herbert, L. Montgomery, W. McCabe, B. Ridgway, T. Welsh, T. Wheaton
OUT: L. Fawcett, H. Francis, D. Gladigau, A. McShane, T. Tattoli, P. Toole, A. van Wyk

REMAINING 2023 AFL U18s FIXTURE