AN incredible performance from South Australia has seen them run out whopping 84-point winners over Western Australia in the respective state’s first matches of the 2022 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships. The match, played in perfect footballing conditions at Thebarton Oval, saw a tight start as the teams were feeling each other out. But once the Croweaters got going, they slammed home 13 goals to one after the first break – and eight goals to zero in the second half – to un out 15.10 (100) to 2.4 (16) winners.

The signs were ominous from the first bounce, with a quick inside 50 and then set up kick from Under 16s talent India Rasheed to set up a snap on goal which was true from Norwood’s Sachi Syme. The West Australians through Anjelique Raison and Bella Mann were showing good resistance, but the weight of numbers – both through clearances eventually won out with Syme this time getting it to Hannah Ewings 30m out and the AFLW Academy member made no mistake.

It took an individual passage of play from last year’s AFLW Under 18 Championships Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ella Roberts to get the Sandgropers on the board, slamming home a goal off a step from 50m. It would be one of only two goals for the Sandgropers in the match, as the home side ran away with the contest. South Australia would have a couple of chances on goal but not add to the margin significantly, heading into the break with a six-point lead. Shineah Goody (11 disposals, four marks), Syme (nine disposals) and Georgia McKee (eight) were lively int he first term, with Mann’s five the most by any West Australian.

The second term is where the match started to get away from the Sandgropers, as South Australia slotted five goals to one. In the blink of an eye, McKee slotted the first from a downfield free kick after Ewings was felled, then Lucy Boyd dribbled one home, and Ewings and McKee combined for Ella Little to take a contested grab in the goalsquare. She made no mistake, and the South Australians were out to a 24-point lead five minutes into the second term. The visitors somewhat responded with a Tara Stribley snap under pressure followed by a great contested mark and goal to Georgie Cleaver.

Despite that slight reprieve, South Australia slotted two more from a casual 55m Ewings goal off a couple of steps, and then a Dakota Williams mark in the square. By the half-time siren, South Australia lead by 30 points, with a 16-6 clearance differential. Remarkably, Western Australia had more inside 50s (18-15), but could only score twice, whilst the Croweaters managed five goals from six scores.

The second half was more of a procession for the home side, as they booted eight goals to zip, and had an overwhelming amount of inside 50s (27-8). Though the Sandgropers did better in the clearances in the second half, they still lost it overall 28-12, as the Croweaters slotted 15 goals from 25 scoring shots to two from six. McKee and Ewings both made their way to three goals, with Goody getting everywhere on the field, and Lana Schwerdt and Little having an impact.

The South Australians moved the ball cleanly and precisely going forward with structure, and whilst the West Australians battled hard defensively and never stopped trying – such as a hard worked rushed behind on the line from defender Alli Nokes, they were just overwhelmed in the end.

Goody starred with 33 disposals, 10 marks, seven tackles, five clearances, two inside 50s and a goal, whilst Ewings and McKee both slotted three goals from 20 touches. Schwerdt (22 disposals, six tackles and four clearances) was really impressive, with Piper Window (17 disposals, four marks, five tackles, four clearances and a goal) also amongst the best. Syme finished with two goals, whilst in defence Kiera Mueller had seven of her side’s 24 reound 50s. Keeley Kustermann and Molly Brooksby shared in 16 disposals apiece.

For the Sandgropers, Roberts worked hard all match to record 15 disposals, four marks, two tackles, seven inside 50s and a goal predominantly playing forward, whilst Jaime Henry (17 disposals, three marks and eight tackles) won more of the ball than any other Sandgroper and gave it a crack for four quarters. Raison (12 disposals, seven rebound 50s) and Nokes (12 disposals, four rebound 50s) worked hard in defence, whilst captain Mann (12 disposals, three marks and four tackles) tried across four quarters, and the ruck duo of Cleaver and Lauren Wakfer also recorded double-digit disposals.

On pure numbers the South Australians had 125 more disposals, 18 more marks, 11 more tackles, 16 more clearances and 16 more inside 50s during the 15.10 (100) to 2.4 (16) victory. Next up on the agenda, South Australia takes on Vic Country at Adelaide Oval next Saturday in a curtain raiser to the Crows-Tigers AFL game, whilst Western Australia clashes with a WAFL Women’s composite team.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2.2 | 7.3 | 11.6 | 15.10 (100)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.4 (16)

GOALS:

SA: H. Ewings 3, G. McKee 3, S. Syme 2, L. Boyd, E. Little, D. Williams, L. Schwerdt, S. Goody, T. Walker, P. Window
WA: E. Roberts, G. Cleaver

RMC BEST:

SA: S. Goody, H. Ewings, G. McKee, L. Schwerdt, S. Syme
WA: E. Roberts, G. Cleaver, J. Henry, B. Mann, A. Raison