SOUTH Australia has arrived at the 2026 AFL Under 18 National Championships after a thumping 66-point win over the Allies on Sunday. Having made a losing start to their title defence last week, it took a quarter time rev-up from coach Tony Bamford to kickstart the Croweaters in Alberton.

Whatever he said seemed to work, as SA piled on seven goals to one in the second term to set the platform for their victory. Skipper Kodah Edwards made a statement in midfield, while spearhead forwards Jack Slattery (six goals) and Charlie Bradford (four) filled their boots in the win.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 0.4 | 7.7 | 12.10 | 16.13 (109)
ALLIES 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 6.7 (43)

GOALS:
South Australia: J. Slattery 6, C. Bradford 4, A. Long 3, K. Edwards, E. Herbert, K. Ivins
Allies: C. Murray 2, J. Beams, C. Bovill, C. Hardy, A. Watts

BEST:
South Australia: K. Edwards, J. Slattery, M. Webb, J. McNicol, J. Leys, C. Bradford
Allies: C. Murray, C. Hodge, A. Devine, E. Matthews, H. Meaney, A. Watts

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#4 Jacob McNicol (Glenelg)
Midfielder/Forward | 179cm | 28/06/2008

Stats: 26 disposals, 6 marks, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s

Industrious as ever in the forward half, McNicol built on his game one performance. Never shy of racking up possessions, he worked hard to find space and accumulate during slow play, but looked far more dangerous when putting speed on the ball. McNicol’s lateral movement and ability to accelerate helped to get on the outside and drive into dangerous launch zones where he could create scores. He has that great knack of stringing together repeat possessions in a single passage.

#5 Sam Tassone (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Defender | 180cm | 12/02/2008

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 marks, 2 rebound 50s

Once again earning a run through midfield in combination with his work down back, Tassone put his running power on show. He was constantly in positions to either receive on the overlap or mark in space, spreading hard to become an option for teammates several times in the same passage. Tassone used his speed and foot skills to get his side moving in the right direction, bringing a good amount of energy to the contest.

#6 Jake Eime (Central District)
Defender | 183cm | 29/07/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 4 rebound 50s

South Australia’s main playmaker out of defence, Eime was relentless in his pursuit to put speed on the ball. While able to chip around in slow play, he looked dangerous when accelerating to take quick meterage on the rebound. He showed a knack for mopping up spills across the defensive half and immediately flicked the switch to attack with his raw pace. Eime also competed bravely in the air, sitting under high balls and rightly earning free kicks for the contact he was prepared to wear.

#11 Jack Leys (Woodville-West Torrens)
Wing | 183cm | 11/05/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 clearances

After missing game one through injury, Leys made an impression on Sunday. The Richmond father-son prospect started brightly, showing strength in one-on-one situations to hunt the loose ball and tackle hard. He was poised with ball in hand and tended to wait for the right option to appear rather than forcing the issue. That allowed his dart-like kicking to shine along with several bits of combination play which helped South Australia move quickly into attack.

#12 Gabriel Patterson (Glenelg)
Forward | 185cm | 26/03/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 tackles, 4 inside 50s

While his side was slow to get out of the blocks, Patterson made an electric start. He hit-up hard as a connection piece and showed his pure speed when the ball hit the deck to effortlessly leave opponents in his wake. Patterson’s dynamism posed questions of the Allies both high and deep in the forward half, although for all his creativity and flashy moments he couldn’t quite find a way to impact the scoreboard. Still, he clearly has high-end talent – consistency is the next step.

#15 Kodah Edwards (South Adelaide)
Midfielder/Forward | 184cm | 25/07/2008

Stats: 27 disposals, 6 tackles, 6 clearances, 1 goal

It was a statement game from South Australia’s captain, who took charge of the contest when his side needed it. He showed improvement on the spread from the outset, but truly dominated with his clearance work in tandem with Webb. Edwards’ clean and quick hands, combined with powerful bursts saw him navigate stoppage exits to perfection, albeit with a few dump kicks in between. His desperation was evident with gritty tackles and a clear effort to stay engaged in all phases of play. He capped off his performance with a running goal in the final quarter.

#19 Memphis Webb (North Adelaide)
Midfielder | 184cm | 04/06/2008

Stats: 27 disposals, 6 tackles, 2 clearances

Webb was at the forefront of South Australian players who broke the game open after quarter time. His physical power helped to absorb and lay tackles, as Webb found ways to exit stoppage with slick work by hand. He picked up 15 handball receives, highlighting that effective combination play with the likes of Edwards. Webb also made an uptake in his dynamism, stepping into space with great poise before looking to drive his legs forward. After an ACL injury wiped out his bottom-age year, he is well and truly finding his feet.

#25 Anthony Long (West Adelaide)
Forward | 185cm | 23/03/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 7 marks, 3 goals, 4 behinds

No one had more scoring shots than Long’s seven on Sunday, as the forward 50 threat finished with 3.4. He may have left a few on the table, but cashed in on his side’s dominance to find space around goal. Long was proficient at timing his leads to gain separation and earn straightforward shots, although was also dangerous with his strength and smarts in open play. He made a few effective forays up the ground and showcased how penetrative his foot skills can be.

#28 Kale Matthews-Hampton (Sturt)
Defender | 188cm | 19/05/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles

With much of the play living in South Australia’s front half, you could forgive a defender like Matthews-Hampton for running cold. But that wasn’t the case, as he advanced up the ground to intercept and counterattack. While a little shaky in his delivery by foot at times, the athletic backman consistently looked to take the game on and drive his side into attack. He took ground when able to and sparked plenty of aggressive forward bursts in doing so.

#31 Charlie Bradford (West Adelaide)
Tall Forward | 193cm | 08/02/2008

Stats: 10 disposals, 6 marks, 4 goals

One of two tall forwards to fill their boots on Sunday, Bradford found reward for his work rate. The mobile top-ager was seen presenting high up the ground, providing a marking target down the line and flying high on several occasions. Importantly, he also made an aerial impact closer to goal and it led to his four majors. Bradford extended nicely overhead and was clinical from a range of situations, slotting conventional set shots and snaps around the body.

#34 Jack Slattery (Woodville-West Torrens)
Tall Forward | 192cm | 27/09/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 6 goals

It was only fitting that Slattery put the stamp on South Australia’s 66-point win with his six goal after the final siren. The over-ager kickstarted his side with three majors in the second term as he began to stick his marks and provide a focal point inside 50. He imposed himself in the air anywhere within 65 metres of goal, flying confidently at the ball and finishing with aplomb. Slattery took marks competing one-on-two, on the lead, and on the end of several quick entries.

#39 Ethan Herbert (North Adelaide)
Ruck/Key Forward | 199cm | 01/11/2008

Stats: 22 disposals, 11 hitouts, 7 clearances, 1 goal

Another of South Australia’s leaders who lifted in a big way after game one, Herbert made his presence felt around the contest. He started forward but was far more impactful in the ruck, using his craft and bodywork to access the ball. That usually meant grabbing it out of the air and dishing off to the likes of Edwards and Webb to clear congestion. The mobile tall spread and covered the ground well in spurts, but can continue to work on enhancing his effectiveness as a forward.

ALLIES:

#7 Archie Devine (North Hobart/Tasmania)
Defender | 181cm | 13/02/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 9 marks, 3 rebound 50s

Doing plenty of work in tandem with Murray, Devine was a playmaking force in the Allies’ defence. His foot skills were precise throughout the day, shifting the play from side to side or bringing it forward on the end of running bursts. He hardly put a foot wrong and looked most dangerous when looking to drive and be aggressive, inciting quick ball movement to fight fire with fire.

#9 Caylen Murray (Lions Academy/Queensland)
Defender/Forward | 181cm | 16/01/2008

Stats: 31 disposals, 9 marks, 7 rebound 50s, 2 goals

Despite his side losing by 11 goals, Murray was clearly the best player afield. Along with Devine, he distributed the ball with neat foot skills out of defence and consistently looked to take the game on. Murray’s speed and timing made him a constant threat on the overlap, often seen attacking the corridor and burning away from opponents. There have been question marks on his defensive game, but he held up well in one-on-one situations and hunted the loose ball in pressure situations. While guilty of forcing the issue at times, Murray was one of the few Allies capable of hurting SA. He was even swung forward in the final quarter and slotted two richly deserved goals.

#12 Cooper Hodge (Lions Academy/Queensland)
Midfielder | 183cm | 26/07/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 3 clearances

Hodge missed game one but got up to speed in no time, becoming his side’s most prominent inside midfielder. The combative ball winner was often sighted clearing the packs with an opponent hanging off him, which impacted his disposal but showed great tenacity. Hodge thrived at the stoppages with his clean hands and core strength, getting the Allies moving forward any way he could.

#17 Henry Meaney (Swans Academy/NSW)
Midfielder | 184cm | 23/08/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 4 clearances

While the Allies were thrashed 15-6 in centre ball-ups, Meaney found a way to get his game going. He was more prominent at stoppages around the ground, showcasing his quick and clean hands to release onto the outside. The smooth moving midfielder also spread typically well in the attacking phase, getting on the end of handball chains and using the ball with poise.

#23 Ethan Matthews (Giants Academy/NSW)
Midfielder | 186cm | 09/04/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles

After a stat-stuffing first game, Matthews had a little more trouble racking up possessions but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The Giants Academy star attempted to lift his shellshocked side after half time, making a great double effort to tackle the opposition ruckman and leaning on his deep running tank. Matthews showed his balance and poise in glimpses, able to spark combination play out of stoppages and around the ground. His one-touch handling was another standout trait.

#33 Mason McGroder (Swans Academy/NSW)
Key Defender | 195cm | 18/09/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 2 rebound 50s

Another of the Allies’ inclusions, McGroder showcased his athlete athletic traits in defence. His ability to peel off, receive and launch end-to-end forays proved eye-catching, using his top-end speed to bound through the corridor and pose questions of South Australia. While his ball use remains a work in progress, McGroder showed improvement in his intercept game late in the piece, using his leap and reach to make an impact in the air.