SOUTH AUSTRALIA has blown away Vic Country in a 73-point thrashing at Heritage Bank Arena, marking the side’s first win of this year’s AFL Under 16 National Development Championships.

The Croweaters kept Country to just one goal, and goalless for the final three quarters, all while piling on scoreboard pressure at the other end in an impressive streak of nine unanswered majors.

Despite persistent driving rain on the Gold Coast, the victors played a good brand of football and ensured there were plenty of prospects to monitor for the latest Scouting Notes instalment.

VICTORIA COUNTRY 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.5 (11)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 3.3 | 7.7 | 11.9 | 12.12 (84)

GOALS:

Vic Country: G. Posterino
South Australia: A. Schubert 3, J. Nye 2, B. Oudshoorn-Bennier 2, L. Sands 2, S. Cumming, B. Thredgold, J. Kelly

RMC BEST:

Vic Country: R. Onley, B. Rongdit, T. Bowman, G. Posterino, W. Duursma, H. Hicks
South Australia: D. Sharp, J. Kelly, A. Schubert, B. Oudshoorn-Bennier, L. Kellaway, S. Cumming

VIC COUNTRY:

#4 Giuseppe Posterino (Geelong Falcons)
Small Forward | 175cm | 12/02/2007

The only Vic Country player to kick a goal on Tuesday, Posterino was his lively self in the forward half. His score came via a strong overhead mark and 40m set shot, with the former a handy trait to have at 175cm. The Geelong Falcons prospect was forced to advance high up the ground to get his hands on the ball and provided good energy with limited opportunities to notch 12 disposals, four marks, and five tackles.

#6 Taj Bowman (GWV Rebels)
Defender | 181cm | 12/10/2007

Vic Country’s defence was often under siege from fast and frequent South Australian clearances, so Bowman was kept busy throughout four quarters. He compiled 17 disposals, six tackles, and three rebound 50s in an outing where he took the kick-ins but also won his own ball on the intercept or spill. His composure in the face of heavy fire was important.

#15 Ben Rongdit (Geelong Falcons)
Defender | 183cm | 10/05/2007

A player with raw potential in both the offensive and defensive elements, Rongdit was super competitive for his 16 disposals and 12 tackles down back. He worked hard to get from contest to contest, impacting aerially with his athleticism but also crashing in to win the ball and tackle once it hit the deck. His defensive traits stood out in wet conditions, but on a dry day he can hurt the opposition a lot more going the other way. Geelong fans, he’s a Cats NGA prospect.

#22 Riley Onley (Murray Bushrangers)
Midfielder | 194cm | 30/03/2007

Onley has been a solid operator over the first two games, serving as a tall midfielder. The 194cm talent gathered 15 disposals as co-captain on Tuesday, proving a clean ball winner and smooth mover on the inside. He has the capacity to accumulate on the outside too, often selecting more high-percentage options between the arcs.

#23 Willem Duursma (Gippsland Power)
Defender/Midfielder | 189cm | 21/06/2007

After arguably a best afield performance in game one, Duursma backed up with 17 disposals, four marks, and five tackles in a slightly altered role. He was afforded a good amount of time in midfield after half time and was a hard player to pin down. His deft shifts, clean hands and composure all led to quality with each touch and clean work in unideal conditions.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#3 Jeff Rozenbilds (Norwood)
Wing | 177cm | 16/03/2007

In conditions which suited ground level play, Rozenbilds covered it nicely and was a busy outlet on the wing. He looked to create on the attack, twisting and turning his way out of tight spots and improvising in any way he could to get the ball forward. A return of 22 disposals and four inside 50s makes for a job well done.

#6 Jim Kelly (Norwood)
Midfielder | 178cm | 16/02/2007

Waxing with standout prospect Dyson Sharp in midfield, Kelly offered his own points of difference as SA dominated the midfield battle. The Norwood product collected 26 disposals, six clearances, and six inside 50s, taking turns with Sharp at either distributing or receiving at centre bounces to move from the inside to the outside. He offered spurts of run and worked hard defensively to lay five tackles, while also slotting a classy running goal in the third quarter to cap off a top game.

#11 Noah Roberts-Thomson (Sturt)
Midfielder | 180cm | 29/03/2007

Another piece of South Australia’s dominant midfield, Roberts-Thompson combined nicely with teammates and often ran hard to chain up his possessions. He ended up with 19 disposals and six inside 50s, helping provide the Croweaters’ forwards with ample scoring opportunities throughout four quarters.

#14 Louis Kellaway (Sturt)
Wing | 182cm | 16/03/2007

Stationed out on the wing, Kellaway was not afraid to get stuck in when contests formed, but also looked potent when driving the ball forward on the outside. The conditions hardly suited clean running passages, but the Sturt prospect notched up a strong 27 disposals, five marks, and four inside 50s to be one of SA’s more prolific players.

#17 Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Forward | 182cm | 11/04/2007

Returning for his second Under 16 National Championships, Oudshoorn-Bennier had little trouble impacting both in midfield and attack. He amassed 24 disposals, five clearances, and five inside 50s, while also snaring two consecutive goals in the third quarter. He would often jet forward and double his impact in a passage of play, coming to life in short bursts.

#21 Aidan Schubert (Central District)
Ruck/Forward | 194cm | 21/12/2007

Setting the tone for SA’s scoring dominance, Schubert snared three goals in the first half as his side’s primary ruck. Needless to say, he also rotated forward but did not use that time to rest, clunking six marks for the game to go with 18 touches and 12 hitouts. His set shot conversion was impressive and for a 194cm player, was quite reliable in wet conditions.

#22 Dyson Sharp (Central District)
Midfielder | 188cm | 23/05/2007

The South Australian skipper was once again outstanding, leading from the front with 33 disposals, 11 clearances, and nine inside 50s through midfield. He was a big reason for the victors’ stoppage ascendancy, as Vic Country could hardly lay a glove on him as he extracted the ball cleanly and wheeled away into attack. At 188cm and with a solid build, Sharp was bound to dominate this level but has the ability too, with the only thing missing from his game being a goal (three behinds).