TWO GENUINE title contenders face off in Round 2 of the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships in what is a serious must-win clash. Dropping one game does not automatically rule you out of taking out the national championships trophy, but two is almost certainly fatal to those hopes. We take a look at the massive contest tomorrow.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Saturday, June 29
Venue: Revo Fitness Stadium, Claremont
Time: 11:30am AWST (1:30pm AEST)
Live stream: AFL.com.au or the AFL app

PREDICTED LINEUPS

Western Australia:

B: Marie Polimeno – Ava Stewart – Sienna Timmermans
HB: Maya Louvel-Finn – Olivia Crane – Mia Carlshausen
C: Lexi Strachan – Renee Morgan – Sunni-Quay Peters
HF: Layla Quinn-Schofield – Olivia Wolmarans – Lucy Greenwood
F: Alicia Blizard – Mel Grage – Alira Fotu
R: Cara Dziegielewski – Carys D’Addario – Juliet Kelly
INT: Heidi Ireland – Avuya Nomlatyu – Mia Russo – Charli Bassett – Ella Gilbey

South Australia:

B: Tessa Davis – Miyu Endersby – Sophie Thredgold
HB: Emily Mableson – Polly Turner – Sophie Eaton
C: Monique Bessen – Emma Charlton – Charlee Brooksby
HF: Georgie Fielder – Eloise Mackereth – Imogen Trengove
F: Layla Vizgaudis – Chloe Tonkin – Summer Ross
R: Kate Alexander – Lucy Moore – Julia Faulkner
INT: Ruby Lynch – Hope Taylor – Lucy Waye – Lily Baxter – Lily Smart

CHANGES

Western Australia:
IN: Alira Fotu
OUT: Emma Henderson

Vic Country:
IN: Ruby Lynch, Hope Taylor, Kate Alexander
OUT: Taya Maxwell, Charli Hazelhurst, Tara Lord

ANALYSIS

Western Australia is known for its height and South Australia’s tall depth is put to the test with injuries to both Taya Maxwell and Charli Hazelhurst. Fortunately for the Croweaters they have plenty waiting in the wings in the form of bottom-age pair Kate Alexander and Ruby Lynch with the former likely to play ruck and the latter set to chop out and has the potential to play up either end as well.

No doubt the added pace and height of Alira Fotu to the Sandgropers forwardline will stretch the South Australian defence, though Polly Turner has been named back there alongside Miyu Endersby and Tessa Davis who will likely rotate between the dangerous Olivia Wolmarans, Alicia Blizard and Fotu. Layla Quinn-Schofield is one who could get off the chain with the attention firmly on the others especially with the powerful forward likely to lineup on one of the offensive South Australian half-backs.

The Achilles heel for Western Australia was when it got over the back of the intercept markers deep in defence last week with Queensland able to score once finding space goalside. Olivia Crane will likely spend more time behind the ball to aid with the intercepting, while Sunni-Quay Peters has been earmarked to take the wing role, but can also drop back and be a marking target.

The big challenge will be trying to matchup on either Lynch (if forward) or Chloe Tonkin who are both superb aerial players, the latter being one of the best, if not the best contested mark in the draft crop. Given the form of the hard-running Imogen Trengove and Lucy Waye, the Croweaters will always look to stretch the opposition up and down the field.

Like in many cases, it comes down to the midfield and Western Australia arguably has the best in the championships for inside ball-winning. South Australia has the depth though and as Emma Charlton showed last week, they can get their hands on the ball plenty. Both these sides have high production midfielders and with Mia Russo better for the run and Carys D’Addario in red-hot form, it is a game not to be missed.

PREDICTION

The equivalent game a couple of years ago was essentially the decider at the Under 16s Championships with South Australia coming out on top. Western Australia is closer to full strength than the Croweaters given the injuries, but you can never count out the visitors. Expect a response from South Australia, but it could be the moment the Sandgropers get them. Either way, should be a thriller to the final siren.