SOUTH Australia’s dreams of a third AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships title in four years are still alive after defeating Western Australia on the road over the weekend. We took note of some of the standout players from across both sides in what was an even contribution.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

#10 Juliet Kelly (Claremont)
Midfielder | 171cm | 28/07/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

A vital cog in Western Australia’s midfield, Kelly is quite often the clue who sticks everyone else together with her extremely clean hands and smart decision making. She is not a prominent outside ball-winner, but her use by hand or foot is almost always neat and she stands up in tackles with great strength, still able to dispose of the ball away well. One of the Sandgropers’ best and was consistently strong defensively.

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

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Had a massive first term with 11 disposals to really get her side on top and driving the ball forward, before being quieter on the stats sheet after that with seven touches in three quarters. Despite that fact, Morgan consistently got into the right positions behind the ball off turnover and laid numerous fierce tackles to quell opponents trying to create run and carry down the ground. Worked hard to run between the inside and outside in the match.

#20 Carys D’Addario (Swan Districts)
Midfielder | 168cm | 01/03/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 8 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Best on for mine for Western Australia yet again, with D’Addario outstanding through the middle across the four quarters. She is so strong and clean on the inside, reads it off hands superbly well and is able to dish off by hand or foot under pressure or getting to the outside. D’Addario also has nice power to shrug would-be tacklers on the move, and while her hands were outstanding, she had a say on the game with her constant refusal to give any opponent an inch.

#25 Lexi Strachan (West Perth)
Wing | 168cm | 30/09/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Worked really hard on a wing and covered the ground exceptionally well, using the ball more often than not efficiently in transition. She set up Lucy Greenwood for a goal in the third term and always looked to take the risky kick down the middle to open up play or find a teammate long down the line. Holds her line well and balances between hard running forward and getting back to aid in the defensive half of the ground.

#26 Maya Louvel-Finn (East Fremantle)
Defender | 169cm | 20/02/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The East Fremantle interceptor played a really reliable game and often held a high line with some strong hands overhead and a natural competitive nature both in the air and at ground level. She cleared the ball consistently and worked up the ground even getting the pill inside 50 on a number of occasions. Had the last kick of the game so kept working to the final siren, and just played her role and quelled a number of South Australia attacks.

#27 Layla Quinn-Schofield (Subiaco)
Forward | 166cm | 27/07/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 7 inside 50s

A distributor who her teammates look to get the ball to, Quinn-Schofield’s deadly left foot can be such a weapon in that high half-forward role. The Subiaco prospect worked up the ground at times, but won a lot of the ball between the middle and 50m arc where she continually put pressure on the South Australian defence. She also laid a great few tackles including winning a holding the ball free on Trengove during the fourth term. Set up Avuya Nomlatyu with her early goal thanks to a deep kick.

#31 Cara Dziegielewski (West Perth)
Ruck | 181cm | 19/04/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 9 tackles, 22 hitouts, 3 clearances, 1 rebound 50

Really held her own as the main ruck in the side and was not only able to get hands to it against a two-pronged South Australian ruck division, Dziegielewski gave up a few centimetres in height, but made up for it with both her vertical leap and defensive pressure around the ground. The points went to her given her impact around the ground, taking a couple of strong marks and was one of the game’s most prolific tacklers.

#32 Olivia Crane (Subiaco)
Key Defender | 182cm | 08/10/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles, 5 rebound 50s

Much like Quinn-Schofield’s left boot 50m further up the field, Crane’s left peg is just as damaging, and with her knack for reading the play and elite vision, she cuts up opposition sides on the turnover. The Subiaco tall bites off those risky kicks but she is such a lovely user by foot and makes smart decisions. Strong both in the air and at ground level, Crane teamed up well with the likes of Louvel-Finn to provide the required rebound.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#6 Lucy Waye (West Adelaide)
Forward/Midfielder | 170cm | 07/06/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 10 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

The hard-running top-ager covered the ground exceptionally well and set up a second term goal to Mackereth to get involved through the first half. Her fourth quarter in particular was a standout, running hard down the middle and creating plays transition defence into offence with clean hands and fantastic defensive pressure.

#9 Emma Charlton (South Adelaide)
Midfielder | 160cm | 19/06/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 12 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

While not quite as prolific as game one, Charlton was still outstanding defensively, laying a game-high 12 tackles. She predominantly played through the midfield and rested forward, with her ability to pin the arms and drag an opponent down with force always forcing stoppages. She weights her kicks well and set up a Mackereth shot on goal, and reads the ball off hands well around the stoppage as well to unassumingly rack up clearances.

#10 Imogen Trengove (Woodville-West Torrens)
Forward/Midfielder | 164cm | 25/04/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 1 mark, 9 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal

The South Australian skipper has been the best across the first two games with her gut running all over the ground a highlight in her game. Defensively she holds her own, applying enormous amounts of defensive pressure, and then when in midfield is clean by hand and able to extract the ball from congestion to the outside. Earned a well rewarded goal after gathering cleanly just 10m out and snapping over her shoulder while under pressure. A consistent four-quarter effort from the Eagles’ top-ager.

#11 Sophie Eaton (Central District)
Defender | 170cm | 23/04/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 8 rebound 50s

The smooth-moving National Academy member provided the class and rebound out of the back 50 often taking the kickouts and using her elite skills to advantage. Always looking to be that handball receiver from the back half, Eaton often started transitional plays and went inside the corridor via 45-kicks and rarely made an error. Did not need a lot of touches to have an impact, and her outside ball-winning ability stood out amongst a host of contested players.

#12 Tessa Davis (Glenelg)
Tall Defender | 173cm | 23/04/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 6 rebound 50s

Has held her own across the first two games of the national championships, often playing deep in defence and playing a role. While Eaton took the kickouts, Davis was massive in the air, taking three huge intercept marks including a contested one early in the game amongst a pack of players. The Glenelg defender was able to propel the ball outside defensive 50 and generally was able to use it effectively.

#14 Eloise Mackereth (Glenelg)
Tall Forward | 174cm | 27/07/2007

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals, 1 behind

Thought it was her best game from a ground coverage perspective this year, working up the field and really building into the game. Had a very quiet first term with limited opportunities but got on the board in the second with a clever outside of the boot kick. She set up Trengove with a goal a quarter later, then capped off her game with a second goal late in the match to put the icing on the South Australian cake. Reads the ball so well in the air, but liked the way she worked up and down the ground noticeably an improvement for the natural talent.

#21 Julia Faulkner (Woodville-West Torrens)
Midfielder/Forward | 161cm | 06/05/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

The bottom-ager was really lively through the first half, particularly the second term with her brilliant release hands around the stoppages. A predominant handballer in the match, she drew opponents, released with fantastic timing and then followed up to win the ball again. She got caught a couple of times, but more often than not broke the lines and really caused a lot of headaches for the South Australians. Got her reward with a classy finish off hands at a forward stoppage early in the third term.

#22 Ruby Lynch (Woodville-West Torrens)
Key Forward/Ruck | 181cm | 14/11/2008

Stats: 10 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 9 hitouts, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s

Not a stack of the ball but did well when both inside 50 and through the ruck. Her work at the stoppage close to goal in the second term where she tapped it to her own advantage then slammed it on the boot for a goal was fantastic ruck craft. She spent time at centre bounces too, and showed off her athleticism throughout the match with a great run-down tackle on Ella Gilbey who is a speedster herself. Has some areas to work on but a very exciting prospect.