WESTERN Australia has defied the odds of having 28 less inside 50s to defeat the Allies by 16 points and conclude its AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships with an even win-loss ledger. The visitors were often in defence mode, bravely thwarting Allies attacks, though the home side was also unlucky with several posters and a few more touched on the goalline in the 7.4 (46) to 3.12 (30) result.

Despite just three goals kicked to half-time – after a goalless opening term – the match was quite entertaining with the Allies doing the bulk of the attacking. However goals to Lucy Greenwood – creating something out of nothing – and Alira Fotu – with a fortunate bounce – gave Western Australia a buffer from limited chances.

A response from Kiera Yerbury – who produced a remarkable first term with 10 touches and four inside 50s – gave the home side a well-deserved response and the Allies trailed by just two points at the main break. To half-time, Olivia Wolmarans had kicked a couple of goals and needed a confidence booster. So when she got the Joe the Goose in the goalsquare from hard running, it got her team up and about.

Over the next 20 odd minutes, she would be unstoppable on the lead, slamming home four goals – including two huge set shots early in the fourth – to snatch the game away from the Allies. Too often the Sandgropers got goalside with a long ball inside 50 and it helped both Wolmarans and Alicia Blizard run into open goals.

Despite being on the losing side, few would disagree Priya Bowering produced a best on ground performance, enormous for the four quarters, but was simply sensational through the middle two. Clunking a contested intercept mark on the attacking side of the wing, she found Frances Walsh who ran in and slotted a classy major on the run.

Walsh was one of a number of Allies midfielders who really impressed, running hard off a wing, while Isla Wiencke and Zoe Curry took control when they went on-ball. The Allies won the hitouts, marginally got ahead in the clearances, but were dominating the inside 50s, just with little reward. That was largely off the back of Maya Louvel-Finn, Renee Morgan and Olivia Crane who thwarted repeat attacks.

Two more posters in the final term to the Allies summed up the game. They had done everything right but convert, with just bad luck stopping them from kicking a winning score. At the same time, full credit goes to Western Australia with the defensive half simply brilliant, and the tall forwards able to make the most of limited opportunities.

Swan Districts’ Carys D’Addario starred again and deservedly earned the MVP for her state, finishing the carnival with 19 disposals, three tackles and eight clearances. She was well supported by Russo (22 disposals, six tackles) and Greenwood (16 disposals, four marks, four clearances and a goal) who were consistent all match.

Wolmarans turned it on in the second half with four majors from 12 touches and six marks for the game, while Louvel-Finn (18 disposals, seven tackles and eight rebound 50s) shutdown the damaging Majella Day who still found the ball 13 times but only scored one behind. Crane (13 disposals, four marks, five tackles and four rebound 50s) and Morgan (19 disposals, four marks, three tackles and six rebound 50s) all did their role behind the ball.

For the Allies, Bowering was enormous with 27 disposals, seven tackles, nine clearances and three inside 50s, while Yerbury got her team going in the first half and recorded 20 disposals, five marks, seven inside 50s and a goal. Curry (18 disposals, five clearances and four inside 50s) and Wiencke (16 disposals, six tackles, three clearances and five inside 50s) were fierce around the ball, while ruck Madeleine Quinn had her best game of the carnival thus far with 14 disposals, 14 hitouts and three clearances.

ALLIES 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.10 | 3.12 (30)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0.1 | 2.3 | 5.5 | 7.4 (46)

GOALS:
Allies: K. Yerbury. F. Walsh. J. Owen
Western Australia: O. Wolmarans 4, L. Greenwood, A. Fotu, A. Blizard

RMC BEST:
Allies: P. Bowering, K. Yerbury, Z. Curry. I. Wiencke, M. Quinn
Western Australia: C. D’Addario, M. Louvel-Finn, M. Russo, O. Wolmarans, R. Morgan