QUEENSLAND got on the board in the 2023 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships, defeating Vic Country in a competitive match at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday. As always we took note of some of the top performers from the day in our Scouting notes. All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

QUEENSLAND:

#1 Heidi Talbot (North Cairns)
18/12/2006 | 161cm | Forward

Not the finished prospect just year, the late-year bottom-ager showed promising signs in the game. She has some wicked speed and is clean by hand, but can occasionally go too quickly for her own good. This will come with greater experience, as will her composure when running into goal – she kicked a couple of behinds – but she can weight her kicks well when she has that extra time.

#5 Sophie Peters (Maroochydore)
12/03/2005 | 164cm | Wing

Providing plenty of run, Peters had some ups and downs – such as a one-disposal third quarter followed by a five-disposal fourth quarter – but when up and about she is one of the most damaging players. Her low kick into Baron in the second term set up a goal, and she provided an option around the round, getting to the ball first and feeding it off to teammates.

#10 Ava Usher (Burleigh/Bond Uni)
11/08/2007 | 162cm | Midfielder/Forward

The star of the show, Usher was simply unstoppable through midfield, and she gave everyone a taste of what to expect over the coming years. Not only did he record a team-high 21 disposals, but she provided a ridiculous amount of run and carry, breaking the lines and pumping the ball inside 50. She recorded six inside 50s and booted 1.2, while winning three clearances. She often found herself all alone as she quickly darted from inside to the outside, and was able to do as much damage out there.

#11 Sienna McMullen (Bond University)
15/07/2005 | 164cm | Wing

One of the Maroons’ best, McMullen was impressive off a wing, and working hard to get back and help out the defence. She had a really promising first term and looked dangerous each time she won it, showing off her slick sidestep and straight line pace. What she did particularly well was find space and be a marking target. McMullen had a blue in the last quarter where she opted to kick short going inside 50 and it was turned over, but overall looked like the first round talent she is.

#13 Brooke Sheridan (University of Queensland)
08/09/2004 | 170cm | Defender

Though usually a forward, the inclusion of Baron and omission of Alannah Welsh provided Sheridan with an opportunity down back. Not familiar with the role, she still impressed early in the game, taking a couple of strong marks and using her effective foot skills to hit targets further afield. She had some troubles against the taller Centra, but with ball-in-hand she ran at 100 per cent kicking efficiency.

#22 Laura Roy (University of Queensland)
16/08/2005 | 170cm | Midfield/Forward

Spending more time in attack than usual, Roy got on the end of a goal in the third term thanks to some quick thinking on the goalline. She also helped set up a teammate with a goal by producing an opportune hip-and-shoulder to force a turnover. Overall her work in midfield was strong, and though her disposal by foot was not as effective as it can be, she won 13 of her 14 disposals under pressure, which speaks to her ability to put her body on the line.

#24 Josie McCabe (Bond University)
18/04/2005 | 174cm | Midfielder/Forward

The skipper was once again a consistent performer throughout the match, rotating between midfield and forward. She did her best work in the midfield where she won a number of clearances, but did well to spread to the outside, apply tackling pressure or be an option. In the third term she was awarded a double 50m penalty which sent her to the goalline. Looking a little like Ben Brown’s routine, McCabe went quite a fair way back for her run-up but made no mistake with the kick. On a couple of occasions, she also showed her swift sidestep and bombed it down the line.

#25 Kiara Bischa (Bond University)
15/04/2005 | 171cm | Defender

The impressive defender has made AFLW clubs stand up and take note, keeping Lauren Young to one goal, and then going onto Centra and keeping her goalless after Centra kicked two consecutive goals. A good all-round profile, Bischa reads the ball in flight well and plays to her strengths, looking to win the ball, and clear it at all costs. Very good one-on-one, particularly when spoiling on the lead.

#26 Dekota Baron (Broadbeach)
03/01/2007 | 178cm | Forward

The double bottom-ager had herself an incredible game, stepping up to kick 3.4 in what could have been an enormous effort. Her set shot routine will need a little tidying up to gain consistency, but she looks like a terrific contested marking forward for the future. She flew in packs, lead hard inside 50 and had an enormous influence on the game. Her first half in particular stood out, winning 12 disposals, to finish with 16 and also the four first half marks. Baron has a nice balance of athleticism and strength.

#28 Havana Harris (Burleigh/Bond Uni)
01/07/2006 | 181cm | Utility

Though not as dominant as her first game, Harris was still impressive around the ground, showing off her speed and ability to rove her own taps. Coming up against an equally athletic opponent in Symonds, the pair had a great battle. Harris was impressive in the first half, racking up nine disposals though was a little quieter towards the end of the game. Still, she had six inside 50s and three rebound 50s, and had two direct goal assists in the first half to Baron and Rania Crozier by bursting out of the centre stoppage.

VIC COUNTRY:

#5 Chloe Adams (Geelong Falcons)
13/12/2005 | 167cm | Utility

The co-captain worked hard all game playing a little bit of everywhere, but predominantly through the midfield. She cracked in hard and then worked back into defence to clear the ball from danger. Though her 12 disposals might not jump off the page, she was one who fought the good fight until the final siren and used both sides of her body effectively around the ground.

#7 Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons)
29/01/2006 | 173cm | Midfielder/Wing

After a quiet first half of just six disposals, Howley exploded in the second half as she gained more inside minutes, racking up 17 disposals, including 12 in the final term. She roamed all over the ground and looked like the player who had won the ball on a string for the Falcons at Talent League level, and though by that stage the game was over, she still finished with an effective game of 23 disposals, five marks, five clearances, five inside 50s and kicked a clever goal in the last term.

#9 Amber Schutte (Gippsland Power)
13/12/2005 | 169cm | Defender

One of the defenders who could hold her head high, Schutte was pretty impressive across the course of the game under some real pressure. She won 12 contested possessions and rarely had any space to move, so was forced to clear the ball from the danger zone. The Gippsland Power top-ager did that well, and was Vic Country’s leading ball-winner at the final break with 13 disposals. Though she only had the one in the final term, it spoke to her side having it up the other end of the field more.

#10 Keely Fullerton (Bendigo Pioneers)
30/01/2005 | 161cm | Wing

Popped up with some nice plays across the course of the game, the Bendigo Pioneers runner worked hard to find space and take an equal team-high five marks. Her aerial ability in the game really strong out and she produced a potent long left foot kick to the hot spot in the third term to show off her penetration by foot.

#12 Tyla Crabtree (GWV Rebels)
09/04/2005 | 161cm | Midfielder

Unassumingly won the ball across four quarters, Crabtree was a key player in the final term charge with Howley, winning nine disposals to finish with 20 for the match. She also held her own around the stoppages to win three clearances and got into the right positions to earn her touches. Though only small, she packed a punch was a contested ball-winning player in the game, and got it forward to her teammates on a number of occasions, not afraid to put her body on the line.

#17 Mikayla Williamson (Dandenong Stingrays)
08/05/2005 | 174cm | Midfielder

The other Vic Country co-captain played on the inside but did her best work when given the time to explode away and break the lines. She was up and about at the start of the game, and was once again more effective by foot playing within her skillset and having a strong influence on the game. Williamson played an unselfish role within the team and was often the one to open the game up for teammates and tried her hardest throughout the match.

#22 Ash Centra (Gippsland Power)
02/06/2006 | 173cm | Forward

Playing forward, it was a tough day for most, but Centra found a way to get involved in the second term, where she had six disposals and kicked 2.2 in a real purple patch. The bottom-age talent found the mismatch in the smaller Brooke Sheridan and used her hands and body well, then had a tougher assignment against the traditional defender in Bischa. She looked incredibly damaging and kicked two goals within two minutes to provide the spark Vic Country desperately needed. She should have had the four majors in the term, but still was the key gamebreaker.

#29 Elli Symonds (Dandenong Stingrays)
07/10/2006 | 179cm | Ruck/Forward

The bottom-age ruck was arguably Vic Country’s best across four quarters mostly because she was the one looking the most dangerous out of the stoppages. She won five clearances, quite often taking it out of the ruck and bursting away, or providing a second effort and taking off to bomb the ball long inside 50. Symonds is still ironing out that final execution, but her athleticism and defensive pressure is outstanding, running down McCabe to lock the ball inside 50 after winning a free kick.