WESTERN Australia produced a memorable come-from-behind victory at Kennedy Community Centre on Saturday to defeat Vic Country and record their maiden AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships win for 2026. The Sandgropers trailed by 16 points heading into the last change, but the belief was high as the visitors were aided by a strong breeze. They piled on four straight goals to one behind to come away with the 6.4 (40) to 5.3 (33) victory.

The contest was not played in ideal conditions, with a blustery breeze to the Dingley Bypass end as is so often the case at the ground. Vic Country took advantage of it in the first term, dominating the play and having 13 inside 50s to three. Despite that forward half lobsidedness, Country kicked just two goals – through Grace Dillow and Skylah McPherson, as the visitors held up well defensively and realistically ‘won’ the quarter given the wind advantage seemed far greater.

Conditions only deteriorated in the second term as the Sandgropers got the advantage, but instead Country put a spanner in the works when they worked the ball forward and Dillow made it two from two chances and handed her side a 19-0 lead. It was not much, but every goal up the opposite end was worth about three or four down the one with the strong breeze.

Fortunately the West Australians gained some important front half advantage, though with the rain now settling in and blowing directly into the face of leading forwards, it made life incredibly difficult for the yellow and black. Three straight behinds until bottom-age star Hannah Seaborn converted a set shot from a free kick and the side had something to celebrate midway through the term.

Like Western Australia had done in the first term, Vic Country would have walked off the ground happy to have ‘won’ the term without winning it, only conceding 1.3 while booting a goal themselves and holding a 10-point margin. Then, the skies opened up as if Mother Nature had enough of punishing those on-field, and in turn, so did the scoring.

Seaborn took just 70 seconds to kick her second goal of the contest and cut it back to four points with the all-important major into the breeze, before some Mia Smith-Clark magic returned fire up the other end. The midfield battle between Ava Bilyk and Lexi Strachan was as intriguing as the overall matchup, with the pair having some great individual plays throughout the course of the match.

Another Country player who was putting in her best shift of the championships was Murray small Eliza Roche, who after looking dangerous in the forward 50, converted a goal to make it a 16-point deficit at the last change. However for the last 27 minutes, the home side would only manage one behind, with the finish one for the West Australians to savour.

Perth bottom-ager Niah Catto lit the spark for the visitors, conjuring up a ripping goal out of nothing with the West Australians pressing early and within 50 seconds, the deficit was back to 10. She would double up by taking it cleanly breaking through traffic and then slamming it home to make it two, and the danger was very real for the home team with all the momentum at the Sandgropers feet.

The pressure got to Vic Country when Charli Bassett received a free kick and the opposition dropped the ball on the ground which was followed immediately by the umpire’s whistle signalling 50 metres. She went to the goalsquare when the East Perth top-ager put her side in front for the first time in the match with nine minutes remaining.

The job was not done yet, it took until some clever roving from bottom-ager Caitlin Boss in the 17th minute to strike cleanly and seal the deal, making it a two-kick game. While theoretically Vic Country could act quick and get a couple of scores, the wind and momentum were both in the Sandgropers’ favour and that is how the match ended, with a seven-point advantage to the visitors which signalled their first win over the carnival.

Strachan (19 disposals, nine tackles, nine clearances, three inside 50s and four rebound 50s) was a standout for the Sandgropers alongside fellow National Academy and West Perth teammate Cara Dziegielewski who, as expected, took control at the stoppages with 16 disposals, three tackles, 26 hitouts, two clearances, four inside 50s and three rebound 50s.

The inclusion of Summer Ajduk saw her race out of the blocks and have nine disposals in the first quarter before finishing with 15, while the speed of Lucy Gilbey (14 disposals, three tackles, four inside 50s and four rebound 50s) off a wing and defensive combination of Mia Carlshausen (13 disposals, four marks, three tackles, two clearances and three rebound 50s) and double bottom-ager Beatrice Crane (12 disposals, two marks and four rebound 50s) was important, particularly given the move of India Bonadeo forward for the match. She teamed up well with Seaborn who laid 11 tackles to go with her 10 touches, three clearances and two goals.

For Vic Country, Bilyk was the clear best-on, racking up 28 touches, three marks, five tackles, six clearances, five inside 50s and three rebound 50s, while Roche (16 disposals, six marks, five tackles, three clearances and four inside 50s and Beth Morris (19 disposals, two marks, three tackles, one inside 50 and two rebound 50s) found plenty of the ball in assorted roles.

The likes of Greea McKeegan, Zoe Zach and Lacey Nihill spread the field and tried to create some movement, while the defence of Milly Shortal, Gabrielle Mehrmann and Georgia Garlick did its best to try and stem the tide. Ultimately, it was a third straight defeat for Vic Country who take on Vic Metro in the championships finale, while the Sandgropers battle with the Allies as part of that same triple-header at Shepley Oval.

VIC COUNTRY 2.1 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 (33)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 6.4 (40)

GOALS:
Vic Country: G. Dillow 2, E. Roche, S. McPherson, M. Smith-Clark
Western Australia: H. Seaborn 2, N. Catto 2, C. Bassett, C. Boss

RMC BEST:
Vic Country: A. Bilyk, E. Roche, M. Shortal, G. McKeegan, G. Garlick
Western Australia: L. Strachan, C. Dziegielewski, L. Gilbey, H. Seaborn, M. Carlshausen