THE ALLIES have claimed their first-ever AFL Under 18 National Championships title after holding on to defeat Vic Country by nine points at RSEA Park today. Having previously only managed a maximum of one win in each carnival since 2016, the amalgamated side went undefeated in 2023.

Though balanced across every third of the ground, the Allies’ deep midfield again helped turn the game in today’s premiership quarter. Caiden Cleary (36 disposals) and Colby McKercher (32, two goals) were particularly influential in said period, along with skipper Ryley Sanders, who had 35 touches of his own.

Vic Country led at the first two breaks and looked like providing a serious challenge to the Allies’ undefeated status. Another rally in the final quarter saw the margin reigned in from a game-high 26 points back to five, but Orlando Turner sealed the result with his late goal on the run.

The adjacent storyline coming into the game was the battle between pick one frontrunners Harley Reid and Jed Walter. Though the former had a seemingly unassailable lead at one point, the latter has closed the gap of late and arguably had the better day with 11 disposals, six marks, and 2.3.

So high was the threat of Walter, that Country brought a defender into the squad especially to mark the bustling forward, in Oscar Gawith. He battled manfully, while Reid notched 14 disposals, six clearances and seven inside 50s among the midfield-forward rotation.

In the face of a typically even Allies spread, the likes of Finn O’Sullivan (20 disposals, one goal) and Darcy Wilson (15 disposals) stood up when it counted, while George Stevens again topped the charts with 22 touches. Gippsland Power tall Wil Dawson was also impressive in a new defensive role.

Vic Country will now round out its tournament with a grudge match against Vic Metro on Saturday July 15. The clash kicks off at IKON Park with a 10:30am start time, and will effectively be a dead rubber having been the standalone title-deciding fixture last year.

VIC COUNTRY 3.2 | 6.4 | 7.5 | 10.10 (70)
ALLIES 2.3 | 5.4 | 10.8 | 12.9 (81)

GOALS:

Vic Country: Z. Duursma 2, M. Rudd 2, D. Wilson 2, G. Stevens, S. Lalor, A. Read, F. O’Sullivan
Allies: J. Walter 2, P. Gothard 2, C. McKercher 2, O. Turner 2, J. Glanvill, J. Callinan, T. Gander, C. McCormack

RMC BEST:

Vic Country: F. O’Sullivan, A. Hastie, A. Reid, W. Dawson, G. Stevens, D. Wilson
Allies: C. Cleary, C. McKercher, R. Sanders, E. Read, J. Rogers, C. O’Sullivan

EARLIER, Vic Metro kept its short lived title hopes alive with a comprehensive bounceback win over Western Australia. The home side dominated at the coalface and took full toll inside 50, with the small-tall duo of Nick Watson and Logan Morris combining for nine goals in the 81-point rout.

Metro piled on five goals to WA’s one in three of the four quarters, with Watson doing much of the damage before half time. All five of his majors came in said period, while Morris booted two either side of the main break in an ominous performance.

After playing in defence for Vic Metro over the first two games, the Western Jets marking machine reeled in 11 grabs and looked very much at home in attack. High-flyer Nate Caddy also hit the scoreboard with three goals and pressured well at the fall of the ball.

All of the above could not have been so damaging without Metro’s midfield magic. Harvey Johnston pinch-hit for a game-high 29 touches, while mainstays Kynan Brown (26) and Will Brown (22) each racked up over a handful of clearances. Caleb Windsor was also productive shifting in from the outside.

Playing somewhat of a lone hand at times for Western Australia was top prospect Daniel Curtin, who amassed 27 disposals and eight clearances in the loss. Small forward Koen Sanchez also proved industrious with 3.3 from 13 touches as the Black Ducks ended their campaign on a single win.

VICTORIA METRO 5.1 | 10.5 | 14.10 | 19.13 (127)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.6 | 6.10 (46)

GOALS:

Victoria Metro: N. Watson 5, L. Morris 4, N. Caddy 3, C. Harrop 2, K. Brown, T. Hotton, R. Weatherill, C. Windsor, H. Johnston
Western Australia: K. Sanchez 3, K. Dehavilland, E. Logan, R. Torrent

RMC BEST:

Victoria Metro: L. Morris, N. Watson, W. Brown, K. Brown, H. Johnston, C. Windsor
Western Australia: D. Curtin, K. Sanchez, C. Hall, K. Tholstrup, A. O’Driscoll, R. Torrent