WESTERN Australia secured second spot in Pool A by beating Vic Country in the final game of the Under 16 National Championships. The Sandgropers led by slender margins at the second and third breaks, but rallied home with three goals to one in term four at Fankhauser Reserve to run out 23-point victors.

The result sees Western Australia finish its carnival at 2-1, effectively four points away from the title having lost to undefeated champion Vic Metro by that margin on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Vic Country finished as the lone winless side in Pool A, albeit only losing by an average margin of 12 points.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2.1 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 11.10 (76)
VICTORIA COUNTRY 3.1 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 8.5 (53)

GOALS:
Western Australia: C. Williams 3, C. Creyk 2, B. Mepham 2, O. Richardson 2, A. Clayton, D. Narrier
Vic Country: M. Thompson 3, R. Walters 2, C. Dent, N. Mensch, T. Steinfort

BEST:
Western Australia: A. Abbonizio, F. Tomasini, J. Artemis, C. Creyk, K. Inferrera, C. Williams
Vic Country: L. Salopek, K. Walters, M. Thompson, L. Brand, O. Boddenberg, C. Dent

MVPs:
Western Australia: James Artemis (East Fremantle)
Vic Country: Max Thompson (Bendigo Pioneers)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

#7 James Artemis (East Fremantle)
Midfielder | 176cm | 05/03/2009

Stats: 19 disposals, 10 tackles, 5 clearances

With skipper Axel Walsh going down in the build-up to game three, Artemis was the natural choice for MVP with energetic performances across each match. The midfielder again showed an innate ability to read the ball at centre bounces, winning all five of his clearances there to account for half of his side’s tally. His turn of speed coming away from the contest was a weapon, and while he sometimes took on one opponent too many, certainly caught the eye with each flashing foray. Artemis is the cousin of 2024 WA U18 MVP, Jaxon, who is plying his trade at South Fremantle.

#12 Charlie Williams (Claremont)
Forward | 181cm | 28/07/2009

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals

Williams led the scoring for WA, booting all three of his goals in a lively second half. The Claremont prospect slotted two set shots after getting on the board with a finish under pressure, proving quite accurate when his side needed it. When not scoring, he provided a dynamic marking target atop the forward 50 to also help the Sandgropers launch deep inside their attacking zone.

#14 Campbell Creyk (West Perth)
Forward | 181cm | 03/04/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 2 goals

Coming off a lively Round 2 performance, Creyk backed it up nicely and was full of run for the West Australians. As usual, he worked high up the ground and looked to use his speed to hurt the opposition on the way back to goal. His ability to connect lines and take the game on helped WA carve out several fruitful attacks, impacting on top of his two open play goals in the second quarter.

#15 Finn Gunton (Perth)
Wing | 181cm | 16/12/2009

Stats: 24 disposals, 3 marks, 5 inside 50s

Taking up a starting spot on the wing, Gunton played the role well to provide link-up play and plenty of run in transition. He was able to connect up the line and drive his legs on the attack, working the ball into dangerous zones to launch inside forward 50. Gunton also displayed sharp lateral movement in tighter confines to compliment his speed on the outside, bringing the ball to space.

#23 Angus Abbonizio (Subiaco)
Midfielder | 183cm | 18/05/2009

Stats: 32 disposals, 7 clearances, 8 inside 50s

Abbonizio was nothing short of prolific on Friday, especially in the first half where he racked up 25 disposals – a remarkable feat in 23-minute flat quarters. The industrious onballer worked into all the right spots, providing support for teammates and linking up with 15 handball receives. He showed good power to make his way out of congestion with seven clearances and was shrewd when timing his runs on the outside, consistently bringing the game forward. His eight inside 50s attest to that.

#24 Kye Inferrera (Perth)
Midfielder | 184cm | 05/09/2009

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 marks, 4 clearances

An explosive piece of the West Australian midfield, Inferrera came to life in the second quarter with seven disposals and all four of his marks. Two of the said grabs were contested, with the Perth prospect rising high and applying physicality to win possession. He was another who impacted the game in transition, helping his side move the ball from end-to-end with plenty of flair and impetus.

#30 Fynn Tomasini (Perth)
Defender | 187cm | 20/05/2009

Stats: 25 disposals, 9 marks, 4 rebound 50s

Tomasini was integral to Western Australia’s movement out of defence, but proved his versatility with astute interceptions, too. With decent aerial range at 187cm, he read the ball superbly and seemed to grow in confidence with each passing mark, finding no issue in getting to several contests on either side of defensive 50. Tomasini also ensured his side could slingshot from teammates’ intercepts, working into space and generating some momentum on the rebound.

#35 Noah Hannaford (East Fremantle)
Ruck | 193cm | 23/03/2009

Stats: 16 disposals, 7 tackles, 15 hitouts

It was no surprise to see Hannaford named among Western Australia’s best given the context of the match. With skipper and mainline ruck Axel Walsh unavailable for game three through injury, the East Fremantle prospect was made to take up that role against a 208cm opponent. While winning the hitout count was always going to be a steep ask, Hannaford held his own at the contest and showed great dexterity to stay engaged after his initial efforts. He tackled well and peeled off to support teammates like a fourth midfielder would, fulfilling his duties well.

VIC COUNTRY:

#7 Max Thompson (Bendigo Pioneers)
Small Forward | 175cm | 06/03/2009

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 goals

A player with serious class in the forward half, Thompson again showcased his elite foot skills to take out Vic Country’s MVP award. The Bendigo Pioneers prospect is a deadeye and slotted two set shots in the opening quarter, including one from a rundown tackle. Thompson’s hunt and defensive endeavour were handy bonuses to compliment his hurt factor, also setting up teammates with sharp field kicking. He once again swapped in to the midfield for spurts after half time, but is always most dangerous in attack and was reliable in his impact with ball in hand.

#8 Oliver Boddenberg (Murray Bushrangers)
Midfielder | 181cm | 28/05/2009

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 clearances, 4 inside 50s

Boddenberg was once again one among Vic Country’s most prominent midfielders, proving a clean ball winner with 10 contested possessions – the equal-most of any Vic. His disposal was impacted by pressure at times, running at 48 per cent efficiency and often forced to dish out quickly, but he kept showing up and roving the packs nicely. His performance capped off a solid all-round series.

#11 Lincoln Brand (Murray Bushrangers)
Midfielder | 188cm | 19/05/2009

Stats: 22 disposals, 5 tackles, 5 inside 50s

Back in the side after missing game two, Brand got straight back in the swing of things. He had little trouble getting his hands on the ball, notching 20 uncontested possessions with his knack for supporting teammates and getting the hand-off. From there, Brand would look to steady as he took ground and attempted to find a target as the outside ball mover. He also tended to take his time during kick-mark passages, slowing the tempo down before looking up to restart the play.

#13 Leo Stephenson (Gippsland Power)
Forward/Midfielder | 182cm | 08/07/2009

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Having caught the eye with a near-speccy in game two, Stephenson showcased much of the same athleticism on Friday. While still a somewhat raw prospect, he went hard at the ball and won it in flashy style, executing spins and sharp scoops off the deck. Stephenson also competed well aerially and look to take ground – two traits which make him a real ‘moments’ kind of player. The dynamic forward was also afforded midfield minutes to help provide a spark in the second half.

#16 Kyan Walters (Geelong Falcons)
Utility | 185cm | 17/05/2009

Stats: 19 disposals, 3 clearances, 2 goals

Racking up 13 of his 19 disposals in the second half, Walters ended up exhibiting some of the traits which make him so dangerous in transition. The left-footed superboot slammed home a goal in the first quarter and went on to use the ball incisively on the run, helping pick apart the West Australian defence. Walters’ speed and running power meant he performed as a true 100m player, capable of driving his legs and finishing with a raking kick. He possesses genuine class.

#18 Louis Salopek (Dandenong Stingrays)
Defender/Midfielder | 184cm | 16/02/2009

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles

Salopek topped Vic Country’s disposal count for the second time in three games, only this time in a different role. The Port Adelaide father-son candidate started in defence and was a key transitional piece on the outside, helping his side link up from end-to-end. Salopek provided plenty of run and looked to utilise his sharp left-foot kicking with mixed success, while also showcasing strength to mark overhead. He ended up running out the game in midfield and was a hard worker throughout.

#20 Jayden Gourley (Dandenong Stimgrays)
Defender | 189cm | 24/05/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 7 marks, 6 rebound 50s

Gourley was again outstanding in the Vic Country defence, providing quality on the intercept and rebound. He showed dynamism in linking up with teammates to spark counterattacks, surging up the ground and penetrating by foot – 12 of his 14 disposals were kicks. Gourley’s timing to cut in and take the ball cleanly overhead made him a consistent thorn in Western Australia’s side, and he compounded that impact by getting dangerous on the way forward.

#27 Cohen Dent (Gippsland Power)
Ruck | 208cm | 09/04/2009

Stats: 12 disposals, 24 hitouts, 1 goal

With Western Australia’s mainline ruck missing game three, Dent feasted with 24 hitouts – a fair effort next to the Sandgropers’ total of 25. He was most dominant at the ball-ups, using his considerable frame and reach to get first hand to the ball. For a 208cm player, Dent also moved well and extended for a couple of clean overhead marks, including one deep inside 50 to boot a goal.