ROWVILLE Secondary College has taken out the Herald Sun Shield Division 1 Intermediate Boys final in a tug of war that was ultimately decided by victorious captain Baxter Sruk, who was adjudged best afield.

On a picturesque Tuesday afternoon in Port Melbourne, the modest but ardent crowd was treated to an even contest where the two sides traded scores in a free flowing contest.

At three-quarter time, it was all squared up at 41 points apiece before Rowville gained a match-winning lead midway through the final term thanks to a heroic effort from their captain, Sruk.

It capped off what was a victorious day for Rowville, who saw their intermediate girls side run out comfortable winners in the previous match.

ROWVILLE SECONDARY COLLEGE 3.2 | 5.3 | 5.11 | 8.15 (63)
SCOTCH COLLEGE 2.3 | 4.4 | 6.5 | 7.8 (50)

GOALS:       
RSC: B. Sruk 3, C. Austin, A. Harrison, J. Lewis, J. Schultz, M. Stewart
SC: B. White 2, S. Demetriou, B. Ockleshaw, H. Timms, J. Millar, H. Spiden

BOG: Baxter Sruk (Rowville Secondary College)

SCOUTING NOTES

ROWVILLE SECONDARY COLLEGE:

#11 Ashton Harrison
Forward

One of the most eye-catching players on the ground. The razor-sharp forward possesses clean hands and innate forward craft that came in handy when setting up dangerous inside 50 entries from the centre. His performance featured flickers of audacious showmanship, including multiple blind turns out of congestion as he ventured up the field to provide a connective option.

#18 Riley Henderson
Forward

Henderson is a canny small forward and reliable user of the ball. He regularly found pockets of space in the forward half of the ground and was able to pinpoint teammates in dangerous positions. He was involved in multiple plays through the centre of the ground that resulted in forward 50 entries, and in a couple of instances, shots on goal.

#26 Caiden Moran
Midfielder

The hard-working midfielder was one of the busiest players on the ground in the first half. Moran was a constant presence at stoppage, procuring contested ball in congestion and scooping up loose ball on the wings. A highlight of his game was a contested mark he took flying through the air with reckless abandon.

#27 Ethan Wood
Defender

The athletic defender, who featured as a member of Vic Country’s recent Under 16 squad, was one to watch coming into the match. He justified said interest early on with an impressive intercept mark. Wood continued to fly for marks all day, regardless of the degree of difficulty. His aerial ability is an obvious strength and his bravery is equally notable. Without the ball, Wood has a defence-first mindset and tenacity that will serve him well. At one point in the game, he tracked a ball up to Rowville’s forward 50 before spoiling the ball out of an opponent’s hands. He also exhibited ferocity at ground level, delivering a goal-saving effort deep into the game that set the tone for the final quarter.

#30 Jessie Lewis
Wing

After a moderate opening half, Lewis had his own ball in the third quarter. He ended up as Rowville’s best winger on the day and took the chocolates in an engaging battle with his opposite number, Remy Spalding. His conditioning is clearly a hallmark of his game, although he was most prominent on the outside of stoppages, he inevitably pushed up into the coalface and was still finding it at will.

#43 Baxter Sruk
Midfielder/Forward

The expectations on the recently crowned Under 16 MVP were high heading into the game. To Scotch’s credit, they blanketed him early, preventing him the time and space necessary to generate scores from the midfield. Sruk often had to dispose of the ball with opponents hanging off him. His ability to play effectively deep inside 50 came in handy as he ran rampant in the second half. After peppering the goals in the third term, the powerful midfielder dropped the hammer on his opposition in the last quarter, kicking two crucial goals in general play on his booming left boot and opening up a match-winning lead in the process. He has formed a happy knack for kicking decisive late goals.

SCOTCH COLLEGE:

#3 Hugo Spiden
Midfielder

The Scotch midfielder was ever-present around the ball and, importantly, collected possessions forward of centre. He was responsible for Scotch’s second goal which he nailed from a set shot 30 meters out, and also hit the scoreboard on another occasion. Spiden also memorably took a strong pack mark in the last quarter, proving he possesses a hard edge to his football.

#6 Eli Kravic
Midfielder

The potent midfiedler and Collingwood Next Generation Academy prospect was one of the most damaging users on the ground. His forwards were eager to get on the end of his penetrative left boot. Kravic’s ball use inside 50 was occasionally stunning and directly resulted in shots on goal. In one instance, he exploded out of a stoppage, leaving players in his wake before delivering the ball into the forwardline. His class stood out, even in a fairly high-quality match.

#9 Ashton Sellers
Forward

Sellers is a hardworking forward with strong hands and an impressive aerial capacity. Despite not hitting the scoreboard, Sellers was one of the more effective forwards on the ground and wasn’t afraid to fly for big marks. He was a focal point at half-forward who aided in setting up set shots for teammates.

#30 Remy Spalding
Wing/Defender

Spalding played primarily on a wing for Scotch but showed versatility as an intercept marker in defence, clunking multiple strong grabs under duress. He stood out as one of the more physically mature bodies on the ground – couple that with a strong endurance base, and he’s shaping up as quite the prospect.

#36 Hugo Timms
Ruck

Timms was recently named the NT’s Most Valuable Player at the Under 16 National Championships. At times, the limber big man showed exactly why he received that honour. Athleticism for his size sets him apart; it allows him to play as a ruck and then follow up as a large midfielder. He proved a nuisance in forward 50 stoppages for this reason, as he was able to run on to his taps and forge snaps on goal.

#49 Franklin Murray-Wright
Defender

The athletic defender became a factor in the second half, demonstrating his contested marking and ability to take the ball at the highest point. Murray-Wright took consecutive intercept marks at half-forward in the third term as Scotch kept Rowville goalless and threatened to establish a lead. Late in the game, Murray-Wright was switched forward and was able to get on the end of a pass inside 50, beating his direct opponent on the lead by a decent margin.

#72 Flynn Adler
Midfielder

Easily one of the most prolific midfielders on the ground. Adler is a high-intensity on-baller with a low centre of gravity centre and is reminiscent of some of the best ball-winners in the AFL. Even as the tide had turned against Scotch, his effort never dropped off. In the final term, he bravely stood under a high ball with two opponents threatening from either side.