THE LONG awaited return of the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships kicks off tomorrow with a special triple-header of action. As part of our preview for each and every game, we begin with Vic Country hosting the Allies at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Sunday, June 22
Venue: Trevor Barker Beach Oval
Time: 9:30am
Live stream: AFL.com.au or the AFL app

PREDICTED LINEUPS:

Vic Country:

B: Ella Stoddart – Elsie Conroy – Jovie Skewes-Clinton
HB: Rain Dodd – Mizuki Brothwell – Ella Jeffrey
C: Ruby Geurts – Maggie Johnstone – Matilda Argus
HF: Stella Huxtable – Nalu Brothwell – Nikhita Spiteri
F: Baia Pugh – Abby Hobson – Alice Cunnington
R: Maya Crestani – Lily Snow – Georgia Tyrrell
INT: Grace Dillow – Charlotte Gilmore – Sophia Green – Chelsea Sutton – Sophie White

Top-age absences: Ava Bibby, Nikki Clover, Evelyn Connolly, Rebecca Fitzpatrick, Meg Lappin

Allies:

B: Matilda Elborne – Danica McDonald – Morgan Stevens
HB: Charlotte Tidemann – Rose Bell – Ella Randall
C: Mischa Barwin – Zoe Curry – Molly Thomas
HF: Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn – Alex Neyland – Lucinda Watson
F: Majella Day – Grace Parsons – Harriet Bingley
R: Madeleine Quinn – Priya Bowering – Isla Wiencke
INT: Mia Anderson – Lakhyah Hill – Yasmeen Janschek – Peggy Martin – Taelah Smith

Top-age absences: Maria Carlton, Kiera Yerbury

ONES TO WATCH

Vic Country:

Mizuki Brothwell (Dandenong Stingrays)
Defender/Midfielder | 175cm | 22/10/2007

The National Academy member has been a consistent in defence for the Stingrays and will be crucial in chopping off opposition attacks. Might be required at times to have that defensive focus which she can do, but will be an offensive threat as well. Has come on leaps and bounds in the past 12 months and is ready for the step up having represented the National Academy twice as well.

Stella Huxtable (Geelong Falcons)
Midfielder/Forward | 172cm | 22/12/2007

One of the few Vic Country players with experience from last year, Huxtable can play both midfield and forward with a strong set of hands above her head and at ground level. She has a powerful left foot and often has plenty of chances on goal, so if she can finish them off, watch out. A tricky matchup for any opponent regardless of the position she is playing in.

Jovie Skewes-Clinton (GWV Rebels)
Tall Utility | 176cm | 15/11/2007

The versatile talent is capable of playing up either end, but usually starts in defence before getting a chance in attack. Whether or not that role for the Rebels translates in the national championships is yet to be seen, but she links up with her Talent League coach in Sally Riley. Skewes-Clinton is strong overhead and has a penetrating, accurate kick, as well as some X-factor which creates a spark.

Allies:

Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils)
Midfielder | 167cm | 02/01/2007

An experienced midfielder who will lead the on-ball group and not take a backwards step. Clean in traffic and a good decision maker, Bowering is capable of transitioning the ball from the inside to the outside. Watch for her to go forward at times too, or even drift back when required. Strong overhead and competitive as anyone else going around,

Madeleine Quinn (Swans Academy)
Ruck | 185cm | 10/02/2007

The National Academy really should take control of the ruck in the clash with more experience than her opponents. Quinn’s athleticism and ability to get around the ground will be a factor in the game should the Allies be able to exploit it. Expect her to go forward and be a target inside 50 who will be incredibly difficult to spoil.

Alex Neyland (Swans Academy)
Tall Forward | 178cm | 04/09/2007

A real eye-catcher in 2025 with the contested marking star also able to follow up and apply fantastic pressure at ground level too. Ticks a lot of boxes for her profile, and will be one who has the opportunity to test herself at another level again. Watch for Neyland to work in tandem with partner in crime Grace Parsons between playing high and deeper in attack.

WHERE IT’S WON

The major advantage the Allies have over Vic Country comes in the ruck. Quinn is a National Academy ruck and an elite athlete who moves like the wind. She is paired with over-age Giants Academy tall Yasmeen Janschek – an elite athlete with a netball background – who at 185 and 184cm respectively will loom as a real handful for Maya Crestani. The Gippsland Power ruck is mobile herself and can get first hands to it, but around the ground Quinn is one of the best there is, and Janscheck moves like the wind as well for her size.

Most of the other areas are evenly matched with Vic Country perhaps having a touch more small to medium firepower with a variety of goalscoring options. However the Allies’ twin towers of Neyland and Grace Parsons are a handful for any defence. In Country’s attack, the likes of Huxtable, Maggie Johnstone and Lillian Snow are all brilliant contested marks overhead and when running in transition to find gaps in attack, will be just as big of a threat as any taller forwards inside 50.

The main question mark when it comes to a side like the Allies is how quickly they will adapt to each other. We saw last year they were blow away in game one by Vic Metro without that cohesion, but produced a brilliant win over Queensland in game two once it all clicked.

PREDICTION

On paper, the Allies actually look to have more top-end talent, while Vic Country have plenty of depth. You get the feeling if the Allies had a couple of trial games as a side leading up like a South Australia or Western Australia does, then they would be right to go from day dot. Because of that fact we’ll side with Vic Country by nine points, though it honestly could go either way and this is definitely a winnable game for the Allies if they can gel quick enough.