VIC METRO secured bragging rights over their Country counterparts in a thrilling two-point win at Deakin Reserve yesterday. The home side was denied despite a late push in Shepparton, and MVPs were named as both sides completed their Under 16 National Championships on a fitting note.

>> Match Report: Vic Country 4.5 (29) def. by Vic Metro 4.7 (31)

VIC COUNTRY:

#3 Eliza Roche (Murray Bushrangers)

Stats: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 10 tackles

For a 164cm player, Roche prove an extremely clean and effective marker of the ball, particularly in the forward half. She finished the game with a wet sail, looking dangerous close to goal but not quite managing to convert her clean clunks into scoreboard influence. One of her best moments was a free kick-winning tackle at the centre bounce, before sending a terrific kick wide to the wing.

#4 Lily Milner (Gippsland Power)

Stats: 16 disposals, 6 marks, 4 inside 50s

Along with Roche, Milner finished the game strongly and combined with said teammate well, connecting the play forward from out on the wing. She often looked to wheel and go with ball in hand, bringing fluency to Vic Country’s attacks and helping launch into dangerous areas.

#8 Ava Bilyk (Geelong Falcons) MVP

Stats: 22 disposals, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

In a relatively even Vic Country effort, Bilyk had claims on being best afield and stamped her credentials at this year’s Championships by taking out her side’s MVP award. With good size and power, she did the tough stuff at stoppages and often absorbed contact as she disposed of the ball. Bilyk’s competitiveness got Country back into the contest and her scores nearly got them over the line – booting a terrific long goal into the open square with her last kick of the game.

#10 Sophia Green (Murray Bushrangers)

Stats: 21 disposals, 10 marks, 5 tackles

Another powerful member of Vic Country’s midfield rotation, Green displayed a clean set of hands with 10 marks and plenty of neat stoppage craft. She rose to take the ball cleanly time and time again, doing so in each third of the ground to come up with important plays at important moments. Such handling translated to sharp work under the rucks’ taps, where she put her 171cm frame to good use.

#13 Grace Dillow (Gippsland Power)

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

Dillow offers plenty of grunt and showcased brilliant ground level craft on Thursday. She would often scoop up the ball at speed with one touch, using her momentum to snatch metres on the attack with driving legs. The Gippsland Power prospect also popped up with the first goal of the game, accelerating away in typical fashion to kickstart what was an excellent first half performance.

#14 Ruby Geurts (Dandenong Stingrays)

Stats: 22 disposals, 3 marks, 9 rebound 50s

Geurts played her role as defensive general to a tee on Thursday, racking up possessions and helping rebound the ball fluently. Taking on much of the kick-in duties, she distributed well by foot and wasn’t afraid to take ground when opportunities presented. A real accumulator and strong reader of the play, Guerts wanted the ball in her hands – and for good reason.

#16 Alice Cunnington (Dandenong Stingrays)

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles

A player with strong potential, Cunnington did a bit of everything in a handy showing of her versatility. She is quite tall and rangy as a winger, measuring up at 172cm and covering the ground nicely. Cunnington often did well to use the ball efficiently under pressure and swept into areas where she anticipated she could impact the play.

VIC METRO:

#1 Piper Dixon (Western Jets)

Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 2 goals

A crafty and very much natural small forward, Dixon finished as the game’s lone multiple goalkicker (two). The Western Jets prospect didn’t always have it her way but snuck into dangerous pockets of space and looked to get creative with ball in hand. Her movement proved a handful for defenders and she judged a couple of nice one-on-one marks to outsmart the opposition.

#3 Tayla Olivieri (Western Jets)

Stats: 19 disposals, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Olivieri brought a great energy to the contest on Thursday, utilising her pace in both attacking and defensive phases. Some of her best moments were defensive efforts, like her rundown tackle in term three, but Olivieri’s class in possession also shone through. She stepped to the outside nicely and suited the free flowing nature of the game.

#6 Scout Semple (Eastern Ranges)

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 clearances

Semple was Vic Metro’s leading possession winner for large portions of the match before landing on 17. The midfielder did so through repeat efforts around the ball, hunting it and putting her head over it at stoppages. After her competitive work through the middle, she rotated to defence and showed her smarts to help win the ball back for Metro.

#7 Maddison Meagher (Northern Knights)

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 tackles, 6 inside 50s

Meagher’s speed was a real feature on Thursday, breaking the lines much like a Northern Knights graduate before her in Rylie Wilcox. The whippet-like outside runner proved evasive and backed herself to burn off opponents, showing them a clean set of heels as she stormed forward. A passage of three running bounces in the third quarter was among her best moments.

#10 Chloe Shipton (Sandringham Dragons)

Stats: 25 disposals, 4 marks, 4 inside 50s

Shipton had claims on being best afield, at least for three quarters of the match, with an explosive display through midfield. Her power was on show with nearly every possession, driving her legs and taking on opponents with either a side-step or fend-off. Despite dropping a couple of chest marks, Shipton was clean at stoppages and clunked the ball overhead with one grab before launching it forward with a long kick. Plenty of potential and full of hurt factor in the front half.

#11 Emily Rankin (Eastern Ranges)

Stats: 23 disposals, 5 clearances, 1 inside 50

Rankin is a classy operator and along with Anderson, was one of the most influential clearance players afield. She accumulated the ball on the inside and used her turn of foot to step to the outer, moving between the two seamlessly. She also dropped behind the ball and forced a couple of turnovers with her sound reading of the play.

#17 Brylee Anderson (Eastern Ranges) MVP

Stats: 27 disposals, 6 tackles, 6 clearances

A deserving recipient of Vic Metro MVP honours, Anderson lead all comers on Thursday after a standout performance in game one. At 172cm, she offers good size in midfield and looked comfortable in the clinches, winning a game-high six clearances with tidy work to flick the ball out. She made her impact felt where it mattered and did so alongside some gun Eastern Ranges teammates. Top marks across the two games.