QUEENSLAND’S hopes of securing a maiden AFLW Under 18 Championships title after keeping its 2026 campaign alive yesterday. The Maroons regained some key players and some key momentum, after they bounced back from a first-up loss to Vic Metro to defeat Vic Country by 14 points at Brighton Homes Arena, 7.8 (50) t o 5.6 (36).

After missing a number of players in the game one loss, the home side brought back injured pair Ameleia Murray and Summer Browning as well as rotating in 2010-born star Kya Wills-Rawlings, all of whom provide plenty of run and carry. Back at home and well rested, they were the favourites in the contest, against a Vic Country side that had battled hard but faded late against the Allies a fortnight earlier.

In what was ultimately an elimination final in terms of title chances, it was Vic Country that got the jump on Queensland as Hannah Griffiths and Gippsland Power inclusion Mia Smith-Clark helped race the Vics out to as much as a 14-point lead before Mistee Sagigi conjured up a clever major against the tide. When Ava Bilyk streamed into goal from a forward stoppage it looked as though the Vics would take a double-digit lead into the first break, but she uncharacteristically missed much to her own disappointment.

Vic Country had smashed Queensland at the coalface, doubling them in clearances (10-5) and inside 50s (14-6) which was incredible considering Queensland had 26 more disposals (88-62). That largely indicated the Maroons were bravely defending in the first half, with Jade Brazier, Stephanie Aguinaldo and Freya McIntosh all among the home side’s top ball-winners, while Vic Country three midfielders in Carmela Perri, Lily Milner and Bilyk had combined for 20 disposals, six clearances and five inside 50s in a quarter.

However it took just three minutes for Queensland to respond to the Vic Country challenge as Indiana Scheffler and Molly Ferguson quickly snatched the lead. No sooner had they done that, and Milner crafted a brilliant snap up the other end to give the visitors some relief, but it was only remporary. Scheffler and Harlee McIlwain added more pain, and when Harriet Howe nailed a brilliant strike running inside 50, the danger signs were there. Ella Gibson‘s close-range goal in the last 90 seconds made it a game-high 20 points at the main change.

The momentum from the second term suggested Queensland would go on with it and run out big victors. In quarter two, Queensland turned the clearances around to win them (8-5) and the inside 50s (8-4), scoring six goals from eight entries in a ridiculously efficient fashion. Most of the quarter was played between the arcs when not locked inside Queensland’s front half and Vic Country would need to find an answer.

Credit goes to Vic Country for working its way into the contest with Geelong Falcons’ Claudia Collins booting back-to-back majors to trim the deficit back to a much more manageable nine points after holding the Maroons goalless. Incredibly, the visitors would also keep Queensland goalless in the fourth term, but would not score themselves, meaning that the Maroons came away with the 7.8 (50) to 5.6 (36) victory.

It was a tough contest that Queensland scored the win from, only booting 0.7 in the second half after 6.0 in the second term, but it was enough with the defence holding up well and saluting, while the Maroons also ended up winning the inside 50 battle (34-31), and only just losing the clearance duel (25-27).

Unsurprisingly the inclusions of Wills-Rawlings (22 disposals, four marks, six tackles, two clearances and three inside 50s) and Murray (20 disposals, three tackles, four clearances and two rebound 50s) provide valuable, while Aguinaldo (14 disposals, three marks, six tackles, three inside 50s and four rebound 50s) and Brazier (14 disposals, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s) were steadfast in defence.

Molly Ferguson was the most consistent performer across four quarters with a game-high 26 disposals, as well as two marks, four tackles, three clearances, five inside 50s, two rebound 50s and a brilliant checkside major. Freya Ross (20 disposals, six tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s was big around the ball, while McIlwain clunked five marks from 13 disposals, laid five tackles and kicked a goal.

The battle between two of the more natural rucks lived up to expectations, as both Sienna Clinch (nine disposals, 22 hitouts, three clearances and three rebound 50s) and Sophie White (10 disposals, three tackles, 17 hitouts and two clearances) had their various moments in the game. Georgia Garlick (23 disposals, five marks, five tackles, two clearances and seven rebound 50s) was reliable out of defence, working well alongside Scarlett Marsh (16 disposals, three marks, five tackles and three rebound 50s), while Perri, Bilyk and Milner combined for 11 clearances from 50 disposals between them.

Queensland can still win the AFLW Under 18s title in two ways. If the Maroons can beat both the Allies and South Australia, while Vic Country upsets Vic Metro, or if Metro does beat Country, then the Maroons must finish with a higher percentage than both South Australia and Vic Metro. Their first task is against the Allies at Brighton Homes Arena, while Vic Country heads west to tackle fellow 0-2 side Western Australia, before the respective teams converge on Shepley Oval to take on South Australia and Vic Metro respectively.

QUEENSLAND 1.1 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.8 (50)
VIC COUNTRY 2.4 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 5.6 (36)

GOALS:
Queensland: I. Scheffler 2, M. Ferguson, H. McIlwain, E. Gibson, M. Sagigi, H. Howe
Vic Country: C. Collins 2, L. Milner, H. Griffiths, M. Smith-Clark

RMC BEST:
Queensland: M. Ferguson, A. Murray, K. Wills-Rawlings, F. Ross, S. Aguinaldo
Vic Country: G. Garlick, L. Milner, A. Bilyk, S. Marsh, C. Perri