AFTER arguably the most entertaining AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships on record – with the bulk of results being decided by a kick or less – the carnival finally comes to a close tomorrow when South Australia plays host to Vic Country. Both sides are 1-2 for the series with the game essentially a dead rubber, but plenty on the line for individuals to show their traits against quality opposition.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Sunday, August 10
Venue: Unley Oval, Adelaide
Time: 12:00pm ACST (12:30pm AEST)
Live stream: AFL.com.au or the AFL app

PREDICTED LINEUPS

South Australia:

B: Lottie Almond – Miyu Endersby – Sophie Thredgold
HB: Emily Mableson – Polly Turner – Tessa Davis
C: Mikaylah Antony – Emma Charlton – Monique Bessen
HF: Lucy Waye – Charli Hazelhurst – Ruby Lynch
F: Hope Taylor – Eloise Mackereth – Summer Ross
R: Kate Alexander – Georgie Fielder – Lucy Moore
INT: Chloe Tonkin – Layla Vizgaudis – Julia Faulkner – Lily Baxter – Lily Smart

Vic Country:

B: Rain Dodd – Ella Stoddart – Ella Jeffrey
HB: Mizuki Brothwell – Meg Lappin – Olivia Lacy
C: Charlotte Gilmore – Maggie Johnstone – Matilda Argus
HF: Chelsea Sutton – Abby Hobson – Nalu Brothwell
F: Evelyn Connolly – Ava Bibby – Jovie Skewes-Clinton
R: Maya Crestani – Stella Huxtable – Georgia Tyrrell
INT: Nikhita Spiteri – Alice Cunnington – Milly Shortal – Charlotte Van Loon – Rebecca Fitzpatrick

CHANGES

South Australia

IN: Mikaylah Antony, Chloe Tonkin
OUT: Imogen Trengove, Jyerah Newchurch

Vic Country:
IN: Ava Bibby, Nikita Spiteri, Milly Shortal, Rebecca Fitzpatrick
OUT: Baia Pugh, Sophia Green, Greea McKeegan, Lily Snow, Sophie White

ANALYSIS

South Australia has been far from full strength at this year’s AFLW Under 18 Championships with Sophie Eaton added to the list for the final two games, and now skipper Imogen Trengove out of the side as well. The late withdrawal from the loss to Queensland in tall ruck/forward Chloe Tonkin returns, while the injured Mikaylah Antony has got the green light to play her first and only game of the series.

Speaking of injuries, Bendigo Pioneers’ Ava Bibby finally cracks in for the ‘Big V’ after a couple of Coates Talent League Girls games on return. She is joined by Vic Country debutant Milly Shortal who is a potent speedster with a booming left foot, as well as tenacious defensively-minded prospects in Nikhita Spiteri and Rebecca Fitzpatrick. A trio of bottom-agers were rotated out, while Baia Pugh and Lillian Snow were the others out of the side.

The Croweaters have shown plenty of grit throughout the carnival and have the depth to get the job done here, with the likes of bottom-agers Emma Charlton and Lucy Moore leading the way through the midfield. Minus Trengove’s running capacity, it might be up to West Adelaide’s Lucy Waye to fill her midfield minutes, with an equally deep tank and well balanced offensive-defensive gamestyle.

Fittingly it means Sturt’s Sophie Thredgold will lead the side out on Unley Oval, a ground she knows very well playing for the Double Blues. She and Antony will provide that run out of the back half, with Polly Turner putting in her best performance of the championships last week against Queensland. If the Croweaters can get it forward, they showed in the first quarter against the Maroons that they can score quickly, with Eloise Mackereth kicking a couple of early majors.

Vic Country will be hungry to bounce back from the biggest loss of the championships to Vic Metro, fkirmly wanting to put that in the rearview mirror after what had otherwise been a strong first two games. Their tough inside midfield is what stands out in the side with the powerful burst of Maggie Johnstone, and contested ball-winning abilities of Geelong Falcons pair Georgia Tyrrell and Stella Huxtable.

The inclusion of Bibby gives the ‘Big V’ a genuine key position forward target which is something they have lacked, though Abby Hobson plays taller than her 174cm size given her velcro-like hands. GWV Rebels’ Jovie Skewes-Clinton has looked the most dangerous inside 50, though Country has a host of dangerous small to medium types such as Evelyn Connolly and Alice Cunnington.

Down back the defenders had no answers for Bailee Martin last time out, but the Croweaters do not just rely on one super talent, with a variety of talls and smalls in there. It will be a better matchup for the likes of Ella Jeffrey and Ella Stoddart, while Charlotte Van Loon will likely play the lockdown job on the dangerous Mackereth.

Both sides have a mix of speed and strength which will be great to watch, and with nothing to lose and the last chance for the top-age prospects to strut their stuff against the best in the country, no doubt it will be a showcase for the ages.

PREDICTION

At home you simply have to back South Australia and the Croweaters should win by a few goals one would think. Vic Country barring Martin’s remarkable haul have been competitive and will be so again, almost rolling Queensland earlier in the series. It comes down to the midfield and the team that can get the ball forward to the advantage of their teammates will have the easier time out there.