VIC Metro came away with the commanding 94-point win over the Allies in Blacktown on Saturday afternoon, which kicked off the 2024 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships. There were no shortage of talented players on the ground, with plenty of great individual performances which we took note of.

Allies:

#1 Mischa Barwin (Tasmania Devils / Tasmania)
Forward | 164cm | 04/12/2006

Stats: 11 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s

The talented bottom-ager has some clear upside and talent for the future, holding herself to account well against older opponents. Her tackling was fierce and she was clean at ground level, showing the traits she has displayed all season for the Devils. Her efficiency was a little down on her usual output and at times she tried to do too much and got caught, but the run she provided was important, and she was able to put the ball inside 50 on a number of occasions.

#6 Imogen Brown (UTS Bats / Swans Academy)
Forward / Midfielder | 169cm | 03/03/2005

Stats: 11 disposals, 11 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 2 behinds

The sole over-ager in the match, Brown had a huge first term where she was involved in winning two holding the ball free kicks. With the first set shot of the game, the Swans Academy member pushed it to the left for a behind, but remained involved throughout the term. She continued to have a crack and took a strong juggling mark early in the third, putting it to a dangerous spot deep inside 50.

#11 Lucy Thompson (Ulverstone / Tasmania Devils)
Midfielder / Forward | 170cm | 14/06/2006

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 behind

The Devils’ skipper crashed and bashed her way around the Allies midfield and was one of the most consistent onballers there. Though not winning a stack of the footy, she did win some critical clearances and even produced a strong fend-off on McKay to bounce away from her and kick forward. She was strong in the air and even had a shot late in the first half that was touched on the line.

#16 Priya Bowering (Lauderdale / Tasmania Devils)
Midfielder | 167cm | 02/01/2007

Stats: 25 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

A ball magnet all day, Bowering tried her heart out throughout four quarters and was another bottom-ager player who showed she could match it with anyone. She won the ball on the inside, but also spread around the ground, clearing the ball from danger on a number of occasions and even went forward and clunked a couple of marks. Her kicking efficiency could have been higher, but she won a lot of the ball under immense pressure.

#22 Mackenzie Williams (North Hobart / Tasmania Devils)
Defender | 171cm | 26/06/2006

Stats: 15 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 8 rebound 50s

Williams played her familiar intercept role in defence through the match and provided a settling aerial target for the Allies in the back 50. She read the ball well in flight entering the defensive zone, took it strongly and then cleared the ball to danger. She did turn the ball over a few times too, but she has a booming kick that can buy her side some time to reset. Was utilised in more of an offensive rebounding role than a lockdown job.

#23 Emma Juneja (Sydney University / Swans Academy)
Wing | 170cm | 08/05/2006

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances

The Sydney Swans Academy member was a standout throughout the four quarters for the Allies, working on the outside and having a great grasp of the game. She consistently ran hard both ways and got into defence to help out, playing goalkeeper on a couple of occasions. With ball-in-hand she was able to move it well in transition, and was typically strong overhead. Having enjoyed a really strong season, Juneja has an array of traits that catch the eye, and they were on display in the match.

#29 Ellie Hall (Murray Bushrangers / Giants Academy)
Defender | 174cm | 07/07/2006

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 4 rebound 50s

It was a tough day out for Hall who spent most of her time deep in defence and had little time to either provide run up the field or roll into the midfield like she has for the Bushrangers this season. Hall is good in the air, but is definitely a mark-first type and got beaten a few times in marking contests when her Vic Metro opponent had the front position. Still, she was desperate in her efforts to clear the ball and kept battling away until the final siren.

Vic Metro:

#1 Abbey Vicino (Ashburton / Oakleigh Chargers)
Forward | 157cm | 13/02/2006

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s

The usual midfielder/forward spent all her time as the latter given the depth of the Metro on-ball group, but it was not such as bad thing considering the way the game panned out. Vicino has a high work rate and pushed up to the wing, getting her hands on it plenty early. Though not utilised a heap as the game went on due to Metro having such dominant tall targets, the Chargers midfielder still buzzed around and looked busy. She had a quick snap on goal in the second term that was marked on the line and another late in the game that missed, while setting up one of McDonald’s goals late in the first term with a nice kick.

#5 Stasia Stevenson (SBL Wolves / Eastern Ranges)
Forward | 164cm | 02/10/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 7 marks, 7 inside 50s, 1 behind

Providing a nice link between midfield and attack, Stevenson did well as a high half-forward. While she did not get the same on-ball minutes she has for the Eastern Ranges – similar to Vicino – she has shown she has no qualms playing forward, and did well to set up multiple scoring chances. Boasting clean and quick hands and impressive smarts, Stevenson had a strong all-round game, and though she was sometimes beaten one-on-one in marking contests, she clunked a lot of grabs often by finding pockets of space and then disposing of it well in transition. The most memorable player was an incredible run-down tackle on Williams in the attacking 50 then hit up a lace-out pass to McKay.

#6 Sierra Grieves (Yarraville Seddon Eagles / Western Jets)
Midfielder / Forward | 163cm | 18/05/2006

Stats: 27 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

It was another big game from the Western Jets star who racked up a game-high 27 touches and did a lot of her best work on-ball. She covered the ground incredibly well, won an equal game-high six clearances and got forward late in the game to take a well-earned mark – that came with some contact – and converted the set shot goal. At times her efficiency was a little iffy due to the immense pressure she was on, though she is also capable of using her left side as well. One who had a consistent effort throughout the entire four quarters.

#14 Sophie McKay (Prahran / Sandringham Dragons)
Midfielder / Forward | 168cm | 27/04/2006

Stats: 26 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 6 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 behind

The potential Carlton father-daughter prospect was again among the best in a representative team, providing a point of difference in the middle with her explosive first few steps. She extracted the ball well from clearances and then went forward and had a couple of set shots. Though unable to covert on the day, she still showed some outstanding traits such as her clean hands and balance between inside and outside ball-winning. McKay will be a crucial part of the Metro midfield going forward, with her ability to get it from the inside to the outside seamlessly a key to her game.

#15 Sarah Poustie (Old Scotch / Oakleigh Chargers)
Midfielder / Wing | 170cm | 05/01/2006

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

Poustie started on the bench, but quickly got involved in the game, working hard into defence and putting her elite endurance to the test by running up and down the ground. Her aerial ability is always a point of difference compared to a lot of other similar players, and she got her chance to play on both the inside and outside. One instance she would look back on to improve is at a forward stoppage close to goal, Poustie went in and did get caught ball watching which allowed her opponent Ash Patton to pick up the loose ball and snap a goal without any body contact. Otherwise, Poustie had an eye-catching game.

#19 Chloe Bown (Kew Comets / Oakleigh Chargers)
Forward | 174cm | 20/12/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 1 goal

The bottom-ager had a massive first half, picking up 13 of her 19 disposals in the period. Providing a high marking target and being able to utilise her dangerous left foot, she set up several goal scoring opportunities in the first half, including a brilliantly weighted pass to Belloni in the goalsquare early in the second term. She gathered it cleanly at ground level if she didn’t mark it and then used her great vision to pick out teammates in the forward 50. In the opening 30 seconds of the fourth term, she also placed a well lofted ball to Brisbane for her teammate’s fifth.

#20 Georgie Brisbane (Blackburn / Eastern Ranges)
Forward | 175cm | 13/12/2006

Stats: 16 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles, 5 goals, 1 behind

It was a star performance from the Eastern Ranges skipper who has been growing in confidence this season. Kicking four first half goals, Brisbane’s contested marking was back, clunking four of her seven marks under pressure, quite often while copping some serious pressure around her but still having the ability fly and bring down the grab. The one regret for Brisbane will be dropping her easiest mark of the day all alone in the goalsquare and though she recovered well to snap, her opponent got a finger to it on the way through for one behind. Other than that, it was a near performance from the tall forward.

#21 Grace Belloni (Olinda Ferny Creek / Eastern Ranges)
Forward / Midfielder | 174cm | 09/09/2006

Stats: 23 disposals, 8 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 4 goals

In a throwback to her bottom-age season, Belloni found herself as more of a tall marking forward who pinch hit in the midfield. Her ability to jump and clunk marks is still very much there, and she was just another headache for an undersized Allies defence. Often Belloni just knew when to lead up and when to fall pack, often marking in space or getting out the back. When inside, she found her fair share of the ball, and along with Brisbane was a clear standout on the day with her impressive 23 disposals, eight marks and four goals.

#26 Emma McDonald (Ashburton / Eastern Ranges)
Forward | 179cm | 18/04/2006

Stats: 10 disposals, 8 marks, 4 goals, 3 behinds

McDonald was simply sublime in the air and once she got a jumped at the ball, proved unstoppable. She kicked our goals, but could have easily have had six or seven, uncharacteristically missing a few chances. Her hands are some of the best going around and she clunked marks on the lead, sliding along the ground and in packs, proving too overhead, and also willing to dish off unselfishly to teammates setting up two goals directly and plenty more indirectly.