SOUTH AUSTRALIA has claimed a 77-point win over the combined GWS Giants and Sydney Swans Academy side in Blacktown on Sunday. The Croweaters put on a comprehensive scoring performance in the second of two trial games before their National Championships opener against the Allies on Sunday.

Richmond father-son prospect Louis Kellaway was named best afield for the victors, while Aidan Schubert booted a game-high four goals in the win. Boasting a wealth of Allies squad members – eight in total – the NSW Academies coughed up five or more goals across each of the first three quarters.

NSW ACADEMIES 2.1 | 2.1 | 6.1 | 9.3 (57)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5.3 | 11.8 | 17.10 | 20.14 (134)

NSW ACADEMIES:

#14 Lachlan Carmichael (Swans Academy)
Defender/Midfielder | 185cm | 27/08/2007

Most well known for his clean ball use and drive from the defensive half, Carmichael struggled to impact when in the backline during the first half, mostly seen applying pressure with the odd touch here or there. When given an opportunity through the midfield in the second half, Carmichael looked to impact every contest, scrapping to pressure opposition or win it himself. When Carmichael did win the footy he was typically clean with his use, spotting some clean handballs through traffic a few times.

#15 Kaiden McNamara (Swans Academy)
Defender/Midfielder | 186cm | 26/04/2007

Sharing kick-in duties for the game, McNamara was a safe user for his side in the defensive half, rarely kicking to contests and rewarding teammates that worked to get separation from the opposition. McNamara was impactful aerially as he to worked hard to be an easy option for teammates, but also held some impressive intercept marks in the defensive 50. 

#16 Harry Kyle (Swans Academy)
Midfielder/Forward | 188cm | 16/07/2007

Seeing quite a bit of midfield time, the Swans product showed good cleanliness when sweeping up loose balls and some composure when faced with pressure after winning the ball, doing his best work when linking up with runners by hand. 

#17 Riley Hamilton (Giants Academy)
Forward/Midfielder | 189cm | 15/08/2006

One of just two over-agers selected for the Allies squad this year, Hamilton showed class and composure with ball in hand against SA, and didn’t shy away from doing defensive work either. Hamilton’s class by foot in the forward half was particularly impressive, as he was able to quickly identify leading targets and execute well to hit them on the chest. With his brief stints through the midfield, Hamilton managed to get first hands on the footy from the ruck tap a few times, looking to hand off when opposition caught him.

#22 Max King (Swans Academy)
Midfielder | 192cm | 01/09/2007

Utilised more through the midfield this time out, King found himself winning first possession from the ruck tap a few times as his opponents struggled to hold him out of stoppages. King’s work rate was noticeable as he pressured well from stoppage and covered the ground to be in dangerous spots, even managing a speccy as he took an intercept mark on defensive 50 arc. Despite roaming further from the goals than he typically does, King got a goal for the game, slotting a set shot from outside the 50 after taking a contested mark against two opponents.

#27 Jim Houston (Giants Academy)
Ruck/Key Forward | 196cm | 10/02/2007

Houston battled hard through the ruck contests all day, having the most impact at boundary throw-ins where he could command the front spot by engaging contact with his opposition ruckman. Houston took a couple of marks around the ground, using the ball safely with shorter kicks to loose teammates his most common disposal option. He got a 50m penalty after an opponent stepped forward on the mark, seeing him convert from the goalsquare.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#7 Louis Kellaway (Sturt)
Midfielder | 180cm | 16/07/2007

The Richmond father-son prospect was most productive around stoppages, where he was able to read the ball well to get first possession off the tap. He did so whether taking it mid-air or running onto it as it spilled past others, and found options easily by hand rather than trying to do too much himself. When his side lost possession around contest, Kellaway was always one of the first to come in and pressure the opposition. 

#16 Sam Cumming (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Forward | 186cm | 27/07/2007

Continuing on from his strong performance against the SA U20s, Cumming was once again one of his side’s biggest ball winners and hardest fighters in the contest. There he constantly scrapped at ground level to find a way to get the ball going in his team’s favour. Cumming was more clean by foot than he typically has been, showing off impressive penetration on a few kicks and executing quickly after receiving the ball. Cumming was threatening when stationed forward, converting two majors over the mark. 

#23 Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (North Adelaide)
Midfielder/Forward | 182cm | 11/04/2007

Oudshoorn-Bennier, or ‘BOB’, was consistently damaging and dangerous around stoppages where he was able to demonstrate his burst speed and read of the ball off rucks’ hands. Oudshoorn-Bennier worked hard around the ground to be a releasing handball outlet from contests or an uncontested marking option in the defensive half, often looking to gain territory and maintain possession for his side when using it. His burst from congestion and long kicking also caused headaches for NSW, who struggled to structure up for the long balls in to defensive 50.

#26 Mitchell Marsh (West Adelaide)
Tall Forward | 191cm | 15/02/2007

While Marsh had a mostly quiet game, he truly owned the premiership quarter with 3.1 in the third term. As expected, Marsh looked dangerous aerially with his clean marking, leap, and speed all proving too difficult for the NSW defence to handle. Three of his four shots in the third quarter came from marks, with his most impressive goal being a quick kick off the deck through congestion in the goalsquare.

#28 Cameron Nairn (Central Districts)
Forward/Wing | 189cm | 15/10/2007

Possessing an enormous tank and good leading patterns, Nairn seemed to be involved in every SA passage heading forward. He worked hard around the ground to gain separation on the lead, taking numerous uncontested marks between the arcs and generally wheeling on to his left to deliver well weighted balls for teammates closer to goal. Despite most of his marks coming without pressure, Nairn showed he’s just as capable when opposition are close enough to get a fist in, holding a couple of overhead contested grabs. Nairn finished the game with three goals but could well have had more, missing a couple of gettable set shots and selflessly setting up teammates for others. 

#29 Dyson Sharp (Central Districts)
Midfielder/Forward | 187cm | 23/05/2007

As per usual, Sharp led the way for his side at stoppage and around contests, willing himself to win the footy almost every time he was around it and outmuscling any opponent in his way. Sharp’s pressure, particularly from stoppage, was high-level all game, not allowing any easy disposals for opposition in his area. Sharp was typically safe with his use by hand, generally looking for an option defensive side of the contest but also demonstrating his willingness to release the ball forward when it was the right option. Sharp was another who was cleaner by foot than he typically is, kicking to the advantage of teammates more often than not.

#37 Aidan Schubert (Central Districts)
Key Forward/Ruck | 198cm | 21/12/2007

The second tallest player afield, Schubert’s height and reach were simply too much for the NSW side to manage, as he reeled in contested marks for fun in the forward half, mixing his disposal between shots at goal and trying to set up teammates in better spots heading forward. Schubert was competitive in the ruck, looking to outmuscle opposition to control the drop zone before tapping, often looking to grab the ball and get it closer to goal when there was a ball up in the front half. Schubert’s kicking for goal was mixed, though he managed to slot a game-high four majors.