A STORM-affected close to the 2026 AFLW Under 16 Championships saw South Australia retain its mantle as the best side at the carnival, winning a fourth straight trophy by defeating Vic Metro. Albeit this year the Croweaters shared the honour with the Gold Coast Suns Academy, but still secured the prize thanks to a dominant second term with the breeze at Shepley Oval to secure a 7.7 (49) to 3.6 (24) win.

Only three quarters were played as the rain started to pour early in the third, before torrential rain an storms appeared in the last half of the quarter. With lightning also in the vicinity the most obvious and sensible decision was to call the game off with a quarter to play, and South Australia holding a commanding lead anyway.

Despite being on the losing side, Deana Gerges put on a show in the first quarter kicking two identical goals from long-range back-to-back to provide a spark for her side, before Jaidee-Lee Shortridge went one better with three majors – two in the second term – to star for the Croweaters. She was far from alone as Scarlett Blethyn provided a tall target inside 50 and was dangerous at ground level, while the midfield trio of Izabella Nisbet, Ella Anderson and Mia Wood were all strong.

Georgia Naughton battled bravely from defence, while Vic Metro MVP Kiera Moroney continued her consistent carnival with another solid performance in the back half as well. Vic Metro finished the AFLW Under 16s with one win and one loss to its name.

VICTORIA METRO 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.6 (24)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 1.2 | 6.6 | 7.7 (49)

GOALS:
Vic Metro: D. Gerges 2, Z. Rowson
South Australia: J. Shortridge 3, I. Nisbet, S. Blethyn, A. Tran, R. Rose

RMC BEST:
Vic Metro: D. Gerges, G. Naughton, K. Moroney, G. Robinson. I. Le
South Australia: J. Shortridge, I. Nisbet, S. Blethyn, E. Anderson, M. Wood

VIC METRO:

#11 Kiera Moroney (Eastern Ranges)
Defender | 165cm | 09/07/2010

Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 1 rebound 50

The Vic Metro MVP’s numbers might not jump off the page, but Moroney was a valued member of the side in the back half. She occasionally pushed up the ground and showed nice smarts and clean hands, with her ability to be a one-touch player and use quick disposals in traffic or under pressure as a highlight. Her pinpoint pass into the corridor midway through the third term was great to see as well as she looked to open the game up.

#14 Georgia Naughton (Sandringham Dragons)
Defender | 167cm | 06/06/2010

Stats: 15 disposals, 10 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, five rebound 50s

Has had plenty to do in the defensive 50 between the two games, and was often under siege and under immense pressure against the Croweaters. She held her own and was aggressive with her running. While making the odd mistake or getting into trouble, Naughton was generally reliable and she was not afraid to look into the corridor and switch if required.

#23 Deana Gerges (Northern Knights)
Midfielder/Forward | 175cm | 21/06/2010

Stats: 19 disposals, 6 tackles, 3 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 2 goals, 2 behinds

It was a one-player show in the first term as Gerges lit up Shepley Oval with two goals from 45m back-to-back. It came after she had almost kicked one from outside 50 but it was touched on the way through. Though playing predominantly midfield, Gerges rested forward and turned the game early, looking similar to India Rasheed the way the Northern Knights talent wheeled around and launched from range with ease.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#6 Ella Anderson (Norwood)
Midfielder | 160cm | 03/02/2010

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 4 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Really liked what Anderson did from an extraction point of view. She would win the ball and in a split second be off and gone, transitioning from the inside to the outside. With any time or space she would lower the eyes and hit the target forward of centre, and of the midfielders, looks the most precise by foot. She was very good in close with clean hands, and seemed to predominantly have impact with each of her touches.

#8 Izabella Nisbet (Central District)
Midfielder | 166cm | 25/08/2010

Stats: 16 disposals, 1 mark, 8 tackles, 5 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

Nisbet is not too dissimilar to former Crow now Blue Brooke Boileau in the sense that she has that natural strength and is able to use it effectively around the stoppages, but then can be a marking target forward of centre. Her intercept mark at the top of 50 from the kickout and then launch with the wind that carried was ultra impressive, and she continued to crack in throughout the game in conditions that suited her. A two-way runner with fierce defensive pressure, and strength enabling her to dispose of the ball even when tackled.

#15 Mia Wood (Norwood)
Midfielder | 168cm | 29/09/2010

Stats: 15 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Complimented the other two midfielders really well and buzzed around the stoppages finding her fair share of the ball. Tended to win a bulk of it in close and try and surge forward, with quick hands and nice smarts looking forward. She laid five tackles and was similarly effective when having the ball in hand, and while during the third term she got run down and her kick was smothered, Wood’s second and third efforts when something didn’t work out, were admirable.

#18 Jaidee-Lee Shortridge (South Adelaide)
Forward | 164cm | 11/02/2010

Stats: 16 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 3 inside 50s, 3 goals, 1 behind

Shortridge entered the carnival with some big wraps coming back as a top-ager this year, and her performance against Vic Metro was outstanding. She looked like scoring any time the ball went in her vicinity and she capitalised twice in the second term with all the momentum going South Australia’s way. Her first goal came from pure footy smarts and forward craft, reading the play well to get goalside of a pack in the goalsquare and then slammed home a major from point-blank range. Clean and impactful.

#32 Scarlett Blethyn (West Adelaide)
Tall Forward | 178cm | 03/12/2010

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 4 hitouts, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 3 behinds

Blethyn was very close to having a massive day and challenging Shortridge for the top goalkicker. She only kicked the one – which by the way was a ripping one-step shot that sailed home – and missed a couple of tough ones as well as a straightforward set shot she should have nailed. The breeze made it tricky, but more than anything, Blethyn is not just a pure mark-kick forward, because she only ended up taking the two marks – dropping a couple as well – with her follow-up work and ability to bring others into the game very impressive.