SOUTH Australia made sure it was a convincing national carnival, capping off the 2026 AFLW Under 18 Championships with a seven-point win over Queensland. The cup was already the Croweaters heading into the match, but by knocking off the Maroons at a windswept Shepley Oval, South Australia went 4-0 for the tournament and won its third title in five seasons.

In what was viewed as their potentially stiffest task against a Queensland side that had been mighty unlucky thus far, the South Australians needed all four quarters to finally shake off a dogged Maroons outfit and win, 6.4 (40) to 4.9 (33). Inaccuracy certainly didn’t help the northerners, but maximising the breeze in the final term with three unanswered goals to the Croweaters sealed the deal.

It took a while to relax, with both teams kicking two goals in the opening term which was a massive plus for the incumbent champions, only trailing by four points at quarter time despite a heavy deficit. Reigning MVP Emma Charlton already had 12 touches by quarter time, and the likes of Emily Mableson and Lani Cocks were finding plenty of it. Queensland had 10 more inside 50s (17-7) but 26 less disposals (52-78) painting a picture of the conditions.

Though Queensland deserved just as much plaudits for its second term performance in keeping South Australia to just two behinds for 19 minutes before Layla Vizgaudis got goalside and finished off with class in the last minute. It handed South Australia just a four-point lead going into the main break with not much separating the sides.

Zoe Petrides was busy alongside Under 16s MVP Lily Moana and the ever-consistent Molly Ferguson, as both sides refused to give the other too much leeway. Queensland peppered the goals early in the second half, but it was only through a couple of set shots from twin towers Harlee McIlwain and Indiana Scheffler that gave their side a buffer at the last change.

It was only 11 points, which considering the breeze was arguably four goals, still had the advantage the way of South Australia. But like anything in the match, it was far from simple, with the first Croweaters goal not coming until the 10th minute when Chelsea Newitt made no mistake. When Madeline Nuss kicked her second of the contest, the Croweaters were up by two and the momentum was all with the ladder leaders.

However Queensland was not going to just go away, spending some valuable minutes in the forward half where a behind to Aiyana Pritchard – who was having a great battle with the equally explosive Tori Evans – trimmed the deficit to a solitary point. It reminded everyone at the ground that one moment could be the difference.

That moment came in the 17th minute when a whistle blew signalling an anti-density free kick. The ball went to South Australia with the mark on the 50-metre line. As if poetic, the soon-to-be MVP in class with a capital ‘C’, Mableson, had possession. Players flooded back, leads came, and then the West Adelaide top-ager – with the breeze behind her – decided to have a ping, and it flew over the pack at the top of the goalsquare and bounced home which prompted wild celebrations for the absolute bomb which won sealed her side’s unbeaten national carnival.

Mableson ended the match with 26 disposals, five tackles, five clearances, eight rebound 50s and that brilliant goal, deservedly earning her team’s best player for the tournament as she had done two years prior at Under 16s level. Both she and Charlton (29 disposals, five marks, 13 tackles, seven clearances, three inside 50s and five rebound 50s) were enormous, while Lucy Moore (26 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances and four rebound 50s) capped off a great carnival spending time in defence as well as midfield.

The baton will be passed to the likes of Cocks (23 disposals, five tackles, three clearances, three inside 50s and three rebound 50s) who almost single-handedly ran 100 metres with five bounces before fellow future star Moana mowed her down highlighting the talent on display. Caitlin Hardin, Julia Faulkner and Miyu Endersby were again among the better players for the Croweaters.

Queensland had an even contribution, with Ferguson earning her state’s MVP and while she had a quieter 15 disposals, the Maroochydore product still laid 12 tackles, took three marks and finished with two clearances. Sienna Clinch (14 disposals, five marks, 18 hitouts and three inside 50s) played her best game of the carnival against a worthy opponent in Endersby, while Moana (16 disposals, seven tackles, four clearances and five inside 50s), Petrides (18 disposals, four marks, three clearances and six inside 50s) were all lively.

Stella Scott recorded a team-high 20 disposals, as well as three marks, four tackles, two clearances and two rebound 50s, while 2010-born Kya Wills-Rawlings and top-age talent Stephanie Aguinaldo were both busy out of the back half. McIlwain capped off her national campaign with another couple of majors in defeat.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 6.4 (40)
QUEENSLAND 2.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 (33)

GOALS:
South Australia: M. Nuss 2, E. Mableson, C. Newitt, L. Vizgaudis, P. Turner
Queensland: H. McIlwain 2, I. Scheffler, S. Aguinaldo

RMC BEST:
South Australia: E. Mableson, E. Charlton, L. Cocks, L, Moore, M. Endersby
Queensland: L. Moana, K. Wills-Rawlings, Z. Petrides, S. Scott, S. Clinch