QUEENSLAND wrapped up its 2024 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships campaign with a win over Western Australia at Pentanet Stadium by 32 points in sunny conditions. Both sides had impressive players running around and we took note of a few of the eye-catchers. As always our notes are the opinion of the individual author.

Western Australia:

#3 Molly O’Hehir (South Fremantle)
Defender / Midfielder | 179cm | 24/05/2006

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 hitout, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s

The hard-running AFLW Academy member started in defence then moved into the middle for the second half. Her defensive pressure in the first half was evident and she played an accountable role while creating some speed in trantisition. Her run-down tackle on Milne early in the second quarter was brilliant, then when in the middle began to rack up more of the ball. She took a strong contested mark against Davies after ghetting front position, and though she did turn the off ball over, worked hard to win it back as soon as possible.

#4 Zippy Fish (East Fremantle)
Midfielder | 160cm | 04/06/2006

Stats: 24 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Fish had a quiet first half by her standards, still finding the nine touches but largely limited from her run and carry game, but finished strong with 15 disposals in the second half. Her quick release by hand was important, and once she got into space she used it well. Though at times she uncharacteristically just cleared it to space off a rushed kick, she still found a way to make an impact. Really got going in the last quarter and was trying to will her side back into it with some strong defensive plays and intercepts.

#8 Holly Britton (Peel Thunder)
Wing | 162cm | 17/02/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 3 rebound 50s

A really consistent four-quarter game from the wing who was superb with her disposal throughout the game, running at an elite 77.3 per cent. She worked well through traffic, hit targets with precision and covered the ground well. Provided a nice point of difference out on the wing and once she has the ball usually makes good things happen. One of the better Sandgropers on the day and has had a ripping second half of the season.

#10 Natasha Entwistle (East Fremantle)
Defender | 172cm | 19/10/2006

Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 8 tackles, 4 rebound 50s

Held her own in defence taking a few marks and applying great fantastic defensive pressure. At one stage late in the first half she roamed out of defence taking a couple of bounces and drew an opponent to give it off over the top, and for the most part mopped up in the back 50. Entwistle teamed up well with friend and fellow Shark, Chambers and was also outstanding with her efficiency running at 81.3 per cent.

#16 Evie Cowcher (Peel Thunder)
Midfielder / Defender | 174cm | 03/08/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 7 rebound 50s

Cowcher was part of a surprise move to start in the middle and O’Hehir at half-back before switching in the second half. Though not a natural midfielder, she still worked hard around the stoppages to make an impact, though was far better once back in her intercepting role. She took several crucial grabs, provided run and used it well coming out of the back 50, preferring the third-up marking role to have an impact, rebounding consistently.

#21 Renee Morgan (South Fremantle)
Midfielder | 168cm | 04/05/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Cracked in from the get-go and worked hard all game as you would expect. A dual-sided player with nice football smarts, Morgan never took a backwards step and worked to find the ball on the inside and outside. She had a flying shot on goal that only marginally missed, and while not a high clearance winner on the day, worked well defensively and laid seven tackles in the loss.

#25 Taya Chambers (East Fremantle)
Defender | 174cm | 16/07/2006

Stats: 10 disposals, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 1 rebound 50

Provided a wall in the back 50 to thwart a number of Queensland attacks and competed strongly one-on-one. Chambers took a number of relieving intercept marks and offered herself as a switch option in the back 50. She provided a bit of dash too with a run down the wing in the last quarter, after earlier in the day saving a goal with a touch on the goalline to rush it through. Made the most of her 10 touches and six marks.

#27 Lily Paterson (Swan Districts)
Midfielder | 172cm | 02/05/2006

Stats: 25 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 8 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Western Australia’s best on the day, Paterson was enormous through the middle in the first half, racking up a ridiculous 18 touches and six clearances to have double the amount of clearances as anyone else. She copped a knock in the third term that reduced her output, before picking back up in the fourth and starting to work back into the game. Not quite as clean as prior to the knock, Paterson was still terrific with her handball release in traffic, and also laid tackles as well as stood up in them herself.

Queensland:

#5 Zimra Hussain (Wilston Grange)
Forward | 160cm | 01/01/2006

Stats: 13 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Hussain built on her second national carnival performance with a more team-oriented effort inside 50. After blazing away a few times in the loss to the Allies, Hussain was noticeably more measured in her approach. She looked into the corridor for options, put the ball to the hotspot and was generally clean by hand or foot. Though she played forward, she worked around the 50 and attended a few stoppages in there where she was able to extract the ball out cleanly.

#7 Annabelle Foat (Bond University)
Midfielder | 163cm | 23/04/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Unassumingly keeps racking up the ball and seemed to pop up everywhere. The bottom-ager has some great technique with her ball use, is not afraid to bite off riskier kicks, and is neat by hand as well both inside and outside the contest. She won a lot of touches off handball receives in a bid to either quickly move the ball by hand or extract it cleanly from congestion. Foat won the ball in all thirds of the ground.

#10 Mia Salisbury (Bond University)
Midfielder | 168cm | 27/06/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

The talented midfielder capped off an impressively consistent carnival with another strong outing. She played her role, was composed under pressure and generally makes good deciisons with ball-in-hand. A player who can ‘slow time’ and have her head on a swivel, Salisbury won nine groundballs and ran at 50 per cent contested. She did not win as many clearances as in other matches, but was always there to help extract or win it off the deck for someone else to clear it.

#11 Mia Geere (Wilston Grange)
Forward / Midfielder | 171cm | 08/04/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Returning to the side after being rotated for game two due to her double bottom-age status, Geere started with a bang, kicking an early goal and getting her team up and about. She had a couple more chances that were either touched on the line or missed off the non-preferred left boot while under pressure. Provided some dare and dash though, and got some on-ball minutes late in the match where she caught the eye. Will be one to watch over the next two years.

#16 Nyalli Milne (Bond University)
Wing | 171cm | 26/05/2006

Stats: 16 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Incredible that Milne only took the one mark considering the amount of times she competed in the air and flew for her grabs. She had a stack of moments that would not get recorded on a stats sheet, but helped her team out such as blocks for a teammate or body spoils to force the ball to ground. She laid an outstanding tackle on Samara Sallie to win a free kick and though she got run-down at one stage herself, always looked to take grass. She did kick it out on the full a couple of times rushing, but aside from that she had a really impressive game.

#23 Alannah Welsh (Southport)
Utility | 170cm | 23/11/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 1 inside 50, 2 goals, 2 behinds

Tried to kick just about anything within range on the day, and finished with two goals in the final term. She has a great sidestep that helps her get around opponents and once she gets in front in the marking contest is hard to quell. Her mark on the lead and subsequent set shot from 35m in the final term got her on the board, then she soccered another one off the deck to make it two. Has had bigger games but was able to ice the match by working hard to present.

#32 Georja Davies (Southport)
Ruck / Midfielder | 183cm | 17/01/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 21 hitouts, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Another outstanding performance from the bottom-ager to earn MVP for her state at the national carnival. Predominantly playing ruck and ‘resting’ midfield, Davies jsut about did it all. Her tackling pressure was phenomenal, her clean hands at ground level were superb and she won her fair share of clearances too. It is beyond rare that a 183cm player wins the most groundballs in a match, but that is exactly what Davies did, showing just how good she is below the knees.

#33 Havana Harris (Bond University / Gold Coast Suns Academy)
Midfielder / Ruck | 181cm | 01/07/2006

Stats: 27 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 hitout, 3 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

It was hard to split Harris and Davies yet again who were clearly Queensland’s top two players across the national carnival. Harris played majority midfield and did as she pleased with no one really able to stop her. She got her hands dirty and laid some great tackles, but her ability to thump the ball forward and get crucial time in forward half was important. The potential pick one was so clean at ground level and showed why she is so highly touted. Now for the QAFLW finals series.