WESTERN Australia opened its account in the 2023 AFL Under 18 National Championships on Saturday, kicking away in the second half to defeat South Australia by 28 points at Optus Stadium. We highlight some of the top performers from either side in the latest edition of Scouting Notes.

>> Match Report: Sandgropers outmuscle SA in arm wrestle

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

#2 Aiden O’Driscoll (Perth)
Small Forward/Wing | 175cm | 69kg | 22/07/2005

Bouncing back from a quiet first game, there were times throughout the match where it felt like O’Driscoll was everywhere. His blistering acceleration allowed him to create plenty of space from his direct opponent and dictate the play along his wing. Finishing with 20 disposals, his kicking was some of the best afield and created several scoring opportunities inside 50. O’Driscoll himself finished with a goal, earned through repeat follow-ups and hard running, but could’ve finished with more if not for his selflessness allowing teammates to slot easy scores.

#5 Koen Sanchez (East Fremantle)
Midfielder/Forward | 174cm | 70kg | 19/01/2005

The Sandgropers’ only multiple goal kicker on Saturday, Sanchez booted the game’s opening major with a lovely set shot finish on an unpleasant angle. Regularly looking like the most potent player inside 50, the slippery conditions in the first half played into Sanchez’s hand as he worked hard and applied plenty of pressure at ground level to get the ball to his teammates inside 50. Though his second half was a bit quieter as the talls started to get more attention, Sanchez still kept applying immense pressure both inside 50 and when rotating into the midfield to force opposition errors.

#8 Oscar Hine-Baston (Perth)
Defender | 177cm | 74kg | 18/10/2004

The over-ager had the tough task of taking on one of the draft’s leading small forwards in this game, yet kept his direct opponent to just the one goal. Hine-Baston’s combination of blistering speed, brute strength and composure with the ball deep in defensive 50 was crucial for his side when defending fast counter attacks. A lone mistake came in the fourth quarter as he found himself under immense pressure along the deck and had his man capitalise with a goal. It proved an outlier in his otherwise solid performance.

#23 Koltyn Tholstrup (Subiaco)
Forward | 184cm | 83kg | 10/03/2005

A massive inclusion for WA, Tholstrup looked that class above whenever he got himself involved. Clearly benefitting from experience at both senior level and last year’s Under 18 carnival, Tholstrup played the perfect high half-forward role. Strong marking hands, excellent decision making, and punchy kicks made his ball use stand out as he amounted 20 great disposals. His third quarter goal where he effortlessly brushed past opposition defenders to get the footy and convert from dead in front with defenders around him would likely be the highlight of his game.

#30 Daniel Curtin (Claremont)
Key Defender | 195cm | 91kg | 08/03/2005

Shifting into the midfield in this game, Curtin continued to show off his outrageous versatility as he stormed to 26 disposals and six clearances. At 195cm, he was the biggest man in the guts and used it to his advantage as he and Clay Hall formed a potent partnership. Regularly taking on multiple opposition mids at a time, Curtin allowed his teammates the chance to run unguarded on the outside where he would dish off the hands for them to move the ball forward. With strong key forwards for WA to face in the coming weeks, it will be intriguing to see if Curtin remains in the midfield or shifts back to a defensive role.

#35 Clay Hall (Peel Thunder)
Midfielder | 188cm | 83kg | 12/05/2005

Arguably the best afield, Hall was once again the main man in the midfield for WA. Finishing with a remarkable 33 disposals and nine clearances, Hall worked hard at the stoppages and positioned well to be an option for his defenders to rebound to, where he could start his side’s attacks on goal. For the most part, his disposal was excellent, regularly taking the game on and rarely misplacing a kick on his favoured left foot.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#2 Sid Draper (South Adelaide)
Midfielder | 180cm | 72kg | 05/07/2006

Potentially solidifying his place as SA’s MVP, Draper was once again the standout player in midfield for his side. The occasional sprinkle of rain made it a tough day for clean hands, especially in the stoppages, yet Draper showed plenty of poise and elegance when handling the footy. Though his side struggled to hit the scoreboard, Draper created plenty of opportunities and looked potent when in possession. Finishing with 20 disposals and eight inside 50s, Draper has announced himself as a top candidate for the 2024 draft.

#26 Kane McAuliffe (North Adelaide)
Midfielder | 187cm | 90kg | 01/03/2005

One of the leading midfielders coming into the state carnival, McAuliffe was bullish at the coalface as he amounted 13 tackles across the four quarters. Mature and composed when in possession, McAuliffe worked hard to get the ball out of the pack for his outside runners with excellent decision making. The clear highlight of his game was a first quarter set shot goal from near on 50 metres.

#42 Tyler Welsh (Woodville-West Torrens)
Tall Forward | 191cm | 89kg | 15/08/2006

Another bottom-age standout for South Australia this carnival, the Adelaide father-son talent was his side’s only multiple goal kicker on Saturday. He opened his account in the second quarter with a nice juggling mark running back with the flight, giving him an easy set shot from 15 out. He possesses plenty of natural size and strength as a bottom-ager, yet also has the mobility to work hard on the deck, which resulted in his second goal.

>> Top 20: AFL Draft Power Rankings