ALL FOUR Northern Academies converged on Queensland over the weekend, split between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Up at Brighton Homes arena, the Swans Academy went 2-0 after holding on to beat the Lions by eight points, while at Carrara the Suns got on the board with a 17-point win over the Giants. We took note of the top prospects and performers from both matches.

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Suns Academy 8.14 (62) def. Giants Academy 6.9 (45)

SUNS ACADEMY:

#5 Harrison Gray
Small Defender | 173cm | 10/09/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 4 inside 50s, 6 rebound 60s

Gray got to work as the Suns’ main distributor down back, providing plenty of run and sharp ball use. He often looked to go short and follow up his first disposal to get a second, doing so from the kick-ins or when rebounding up the field. Like any good small, Gray was clean at ground level to match his precise passes, controlling the Suns’ ball movement across the defensive half while not being afraid to venture past halfway.

#8 Leroy Kaesler
Midfielder/Forward | 177cm | 19/12/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 7 marks, 2 goals

Another agile small at the Suns’ disposal, Kaesler was clean at the coalface and classy enough to step into space. He was willing to get stuck in and fight for possession or wrap up opponents, but also showed nice poise to find pockets of space in congestion. Kaesler also rotated forward and kicked two goals in the first half, the second being a opportunistic steal and finish.

#22 Lachlan Cramp
Midfielder | 181cm | 22/08/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 8 marks, 7 clearances

Cramp’s strength and physicality at the contest was the key feature of his game, which you would come to expect from an over-ager. He used his more mature frame in both attack and defence mode, able to wrap up opponents or power out of their clutches. Cramp’s competitiveness was evidenced by his desperation to win the ball in dispute, though he ended up finding some easier ball late on as Gold Coast controlled possession.

#24 Jake Callinan
Midfielder/Forward | 190cm | 18/08/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal

Starting forward before getting to work in midfield, Callinan provided value in both roles. He found a knack for hitting up on the lead and showcased his strong hands overhead, while also snapping a classy goal in the second term. When running on-ball, Callinan looked best as a receiver and navigated traffic with smooth lateral movement. He showed a great ability to evade tackles, rather than burst out of them, as a taller midfielder.

#25 Taj Murray
Forward | 181cm | 09/02/2009

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 tackles, 6 inside 50s

Having cut his teeth on both sides of midfield, Murray played a specialist role in Gold Coast’s forwardline. He was the key link man between the corridor and attacking 50, often timing his runs to perfection to receive and execute the entry kick. Murray also joined in at the front of centre stoppages and helped the Suns transition the ball, providing an outlet as they moved from end-to-end. He seemed to always find space and provide the ideal support run.

GIANTS ACADEMY:

#2 Cooper French
Midfielder | 178cm | 28/03/2009

Stats: 26 disposals, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s

French was once again arguably the Giants’ best player on the back of permanent midfield minutes. The bottom-ager was terrific with his ability to burst out of the stoppage, taking the ball cleanly before accelerating forward. His prolific roving put the Giants on the front foot, but he was also able to cover good ground and get involved on the outside. There, French’s kick penetration helped launch his side inside 50. In tighter confines and with less space in the second half, French showed great vision and skill to flick out handballs to teammates over his shoulder.

#10 Brody Kane
Forward/Midfielder | 182cm | 31/10/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Much like French, Kane made a promising start to proceedings and was involved in eaelt scores. He took full advantage of a kick-in turnover to boot his only goal in the opening term, while also setting up Riley Masters with a superb left-foot centring kick from the boundary. The over-ager eventually impacted further afield and had a run through midfield, where his ability to run and connect caught the eye. He chained up possessions with great agility and creativity in transition.

#38 Tallis McMillan
Tall Forward/Defender | 192cm | 11/04/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles

McMillan was afforded the opportunity to impress at both ends of the ground on Sunday, starting up forward. The athletic over-ager worked his leading lanes and was a mobile target at half-forward, while also showcasing his strong leap closer to goal. Once placed behind the ball, McMillan got his hands on the ball with plenty of loose possessions in the defensive side of the corridor, using his favoured left foot to hit some sharp passes on the turn. In that regard, he was an effective connection piece for the Giants when rebounding out of defence.

Lions Academy 11.6 (72) def. by Swans Academy 12.8 (80)

LIONS ACADEMY:

#4 Benjamin Lillico
Forward/Midfielder | 176cm | 09/09/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal

Starting up forward before getting his usual run in midfield, Lillico was clean and precise in his actions. He swooped on ground balls and often turned quickly onto his favoured left side, sending crisp kicks inside 50. Even if he had to twist and turn, the over-ager found a way to use his weapons. Lillico slotted a classy goal on the run late in term three and was a valuable link piece across half-forward, making good decisions as Brisbane entered the final third.

#10 Riley Mackay
Small Defender | 177cm | 23/04/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal

Having already made an impression up forward early in the season, Mackay slotted back into defence with aplomb. He showcased great all-round fundamentals, using the ball nicely by foot and handling it well in marking contests, while also tackling and running hard. Mackay provided an outlet in transition and was sharp on the way forward, even sneaking in a goal during term four on the back of a 50m penalty. Like any good small, he also showed good agility in open play.

#13 Matthew Owen
Midfielder | 180cm | 01/03/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 6 marks, 5 clearances

Owen burrowed in for an equal team-high 24 touches, often being the primary possession winner at centre bounces. He was supremely clean at ground level, yet also dogged enough to scrap for the ball and desperately lunge to dish it out, releasing teammates. Owen did much of his best work by hand, but also dropped back and found space to accumulate easier possessions. A moment of kicking quality came when the top-ager hit a lovely pass heading inside 50 during the third term.

#19 Harrison Bridge
Defender/Wing | 182cm | 04/09/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 6 marks, 4 inside 50s

Bridge played his usual game on Sunday, sparking forward thrusts out of defence with plenty of run and raking kicks. He made a habit of streaming past teammates to get the handball receive and worked hard into space to be a free option, helping Brisbane maintain flow on the outside. The over-ager racked up metres gained by following up his initial disposal to double up and connect each line of the field. Pleasingly, the classy lefty used his right foot on a couple of occasions.

#21 Cooper Hodge
Midfielder/Forward | 183cm | 26/07/2008

Stats: 21 disposals, 6 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal

As he always does, Hodge exhibited great power and strength at the stoppages. The dual club-tied talent wrapped up opponents in tackles and rode the bumps well, standing up with tough acts on the inside. He also showcased good kick penetration when heading long inside 50, although tended to blaze away on a few occasions. Nonetheless, Hodge nabbed a joe the goose goal late in the second quarter and showed he could impact with link-up play heading forward.

#30 Jackson Bridge
Defender/Forward | 187cm | 16/07/2009

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 marks, 2 goals

With Brisbane shuffling the magnets heading into term four, Bridge was thrown forward and made an immediate impact. He marked a long entry and slotted the set shot goal within a minute to get his side going again, while adding a second major late in the piece. Bridge threw himself at everything aerially – at both ends of the ground – and took some terrific intercepts in his usual defensive post. Whether deep in defensive 50 or across a higher line, the bottom-ager was one of Brisbane’s most reliable distributors and launched plenty of attacks with his running power.

SWANS ACADEMY:

#11 William Jenkin
Defender | 179cm | 25/11/2008

Stats: 26 disposals, 6 marks, 6 rebound 50s

Jenkin was the Swans’ most trusted ball user out of defence and wanted possession in every phase of play. He made good reads to intercept and defend, before tracking forward with pin-point kicks and plenty of hard running. Jenkin was prominent on the overlap and chained possessions down the ground, even getting in positions to launch inside 50. He was gutsy and clean as usual, all while running at 81 per cent disposal efficiency.

#18 Henry Meaney
Midfielder | 184cm | 23/08/2008

Stats: 27 disposals, 6 marks, 7 tackles, 1 goal

Meaney led all comers in another productive outing littered with moments of class. His clean handling and smooth lateral movement made navigating tight spaces a breeze, most often stepping into space and linking up by hand. Meaney has made a habit of snapping goals each game and did so again on Sunday, although shanked a set shot later in the piece. His chains of possession and ability to go from inside to out made for good viewing throughout the match.

#23 Guy Jenkin
Forward/Midfielder | 177cm | 25/11/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal

While not his most prolific game in terms of stats, Jenkin played a key connective role for the Swans. He ventured high up the ground and read the cues expertly to know where to run or how to impact. The top-ager leant on his aerobic power in those instances and directed traffic on the way back to goal. Speaking of, he notched up a couple of direct assists and bagged a major late in the first term after a strong mark overhead. He even got a run at the centre bounces and was a willing tackler – typical of both Jenkin twins.

#35 Will Morahan
Key Defender | 193cm | 17/05/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 7 marks, 5 rebound 50s

Morahan was a constant thorn in Brisbane’s side, proving near-impossible to beat across the defensive 50. He either split or won each aerial duel, soaring for a series of terrific intercepts but just as often landing on his feet to recover and rebound. The over-ager was aggressive in his approach to attacking and defending, nailing opponents in tackles and taking them on with his raw speed. He can be erratic at times but hit some lovely kicks up the field and completed an incredibly all-round performance. He’s a real competitor with great athletic traits for a tall.