VIC METRO won the bragging rights in the all-Victorian battle at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, defeating Vic Country by 16 points. There were plenty of individual standouts in the match, with Metro kicking away in the third term to take the win. As always, we noted down a handful of the eye-catchers from both sides in our Scouting Notes.

VIC COUNTRY:

#1 Lila Keck (Bendigo Pioneers)
20/10/2005 | 162cm | Midfielder/Forward

Keck played one of her most consistent games of the year, stepping up further afield from her usual forward pocket role. Finishing with 23 disposals and often looking to open up the angles going forward by foot, Keck was a crucial player in transition and kicked a clever goal from a snap after missing a set shot she would normally nail. Throughout the game her kicking was generally effective, and though her handballing at times under pressure was a little rushed, she was able to leave her mark on the match in between the arcs.

#7 Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons)
29/01/2006 | 173cm | Midfielder/Wing

Howley started on the inside and had a huge start to the match, accumulating 11 disposals in the opening term as well as taking three marks. She got into the right positions and was neat by foot, working hard up and down the ground. Her ability to find space throughout the contest was impressive, and while she was a little quieter as the game went on, was key in getting the game going. She set up a goal to Jordan via a handball, and also had a late flying shot on goal that was touched on the goalline.

#14 Bryde O’Rourke (Bendigo Pioneers)
28/11/2005 | 175cm | Midfielder/Forward

The Bendigo Pioneers’ top-ager provided her usual amount of dash going forward in transition and tried to break the lines all she could. Though not a massive ball-winner, O’Rourke had a strong finish to the game, including a great burst off half-back to kick long down the ground. Her execution was a bit rough, but her work rate to get into handball receive positions to drive it forward was key to her play.

#16 Ash Centra (Gippsland Power)
02/06/2006 | 173cm | Forward

A clear best-on for Country, Centra was sublime throughout the contest, collecting 23 disposals, four marks, three clearances and two inside 50s. Her delivery by hand or foot was well timed, and at one point, she had a one-touch pickup at full speed under pressure in the middle to spin out of trouble and kick forward. Her clean hands at ground level and in the air were a feature of her game, and her delivery inside 50 was a treat for forwards. Centra’s ability to lower the eyes to hit up targets both leading out and in space was eye-catching throughout the contest.

#17 Mikayla Williamson (Dandenong Stingrays)
08/05/2005 | 174cm | Midfielder

One of a number of four-quarter performers, Williamson also finished with the 23 disposals, while having four marks, four clearances, three tackles, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s. She worked hard to get into ball-winning positions and applied great defensive pressure even when not rewarded with a tackle. Though she made a few mistakes by foot, the majority of her work was in a contested situation, and her ability to extract the ball from a contest and get to the outside was very strong. She was also quite clean both at ground level and in the air.

#29 Elli Symonds (Dandenong Stingrays)
07/10/2006 | 179cm | Ruck/Forward

The bottom-age ruck certainly had her moments and had a great battle against Eastern Ranges pair, Jess Vukic and Jacinta Hose. Symonds still had the 16 hitouts, but her best work came around the field where she racked up 17 disposals, quite often from groundball situations. She was clean at ground level and got involved with second and third efforts, while showing her ability to move well for a big, running down Kavanagh. She did spend time off the ground late in the second term after a full body smother left her worse for wear, but she returned to still have an impact, setting up Chantal Mason with the final goal of the game.

VIC METRO:

#1 Ava Jordan (Northern Knights)
29/04/2005 | 148cm | Forward

After only having the one touch in the first term, Jordan stepped up to have an influence throughout the match, particularly in the third term. She first set up a couple of scoring chances to Tamara Henry in the forward half of the ground and missed a snap herself, but came to play in the premiership quarter. Jordan kicked her first goal off hands in the goalsquare then nailed a ripping major later in the term with a well-timed snap off the outside of her right boot to curl in.

#9 Hayley McLaughlin (Eastern Ranges)
22/11/2005 | 164cm | Wing/Midfield

Similar to Jordan, McLaughlin really got going in the middle of the game, working hard between the arcs. She clunked a number strong marks and took risks going inside 50 and looking for spare options, with some neat short kicks out in front. Even if she did not directly hit a target, McLaughlin put the ball into dangerous spots, where in one instant she was able to set up a goal to Jordan inside 50. In the fourth term, she saved a certain goal with a diving lunge to touch it on the line.

#13 Kiera Whiley (Western Jets)
07/04/2005 | 173cm | Midfielder

After a quieter start to the game, Whiley’s move into the midfield proved fruitful for Vic Metro and she used the ball well by hand or foot. She reads the ball well off hands at the stoppage and creates her own space running out the back. Her delivery inside 50 was clean, and she ended up with 15 disposals, of which 13 were contested. Her six clearances speak to her inside prowess, and she was critical in extracting the ball to outside runners or going herself.

#14 Kayley Kavanagh (Calder Cannons)
06/07/2005 | 169cm | Midfielder

Kavanagh won the first clearance out of the middle to start the day, and though she only had the two along with three inside 50s, still played a relatively important role on the inside. With nine of her 14 touches being contested, Kavanagh showed she could use both sides of her body. A little quieter after a dominant first term, Kavanagh still had her moments, and continued to crack in when not in possessions, laying a team-high seven tackles.

#21 Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner (Western Jets)
01/07/2005 | 178cm | Forward

In what was her first AFLW Under 18 Championships match for 2023, Weston-Turner wasted no time asserting herself on the contest. Playing forward, Weston-Turner looked dangerous each time she went near it, and racked up a massive six disposals and two marks in the third term, threatening to steal the game from Country. She kept misfiring with chances which with a little more composure could have seen her have an even more dominant game, but she was clearly a standout for the Metro team. Her final attempt in the last five minutes saw her run in and kick her first goal of the day to record a record of 1.4.

#27 Emma McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers)
18/04/2006 | 180cm | Forward

Returning for her second national carnival match after being rotated out for the loss against South Australia, McDonald looked lively in the pairing with Weston-Turner. She presented well and was clean overhead, kicking two second quarter goals to get her side going. Her ability to lower the eyes and show great footy IQ was a highlight. Even when McDonald does not mark it, she is able to crash the pack and bring it to ground, while recovering well from the marking contest. Overall, McDonald finished with 11 disposals, three marks and two goals.

#28 Sienna Tallariti (Oakleigh Chargers)
10/07/2006 | 175cm | Defender

After suffering an early injury against South Australia, Tallariti took her chance in the final game of the carnival. The Oakleigh Chargers bottom-ager had 13 disposals – all kicks – and took four marks, mostly intercept in the defensive 50. She was strong one-on-one and thumped the ball down the ground, running at 100 per cent efficiency. Though she only had the limited chances in this national carnival, she looms as a key player next year for Vic Metro.