THE GOLD Coast Suns Academy claimed bragging rights in their opening Under 16 National Championships fixture, defeating the Brisbane Lions Academy by 47 points in a junior Q-Clash. A run of eight unanswered goals in the first half set up the Suns’ dominance at Brighton Homes Arena.

Key forward Callum Samuelson helped establish Gold Coast’s unassailable lead with three majors before the main break, all while the Lions remained goalless. Suns midfielders Paddy Fitzgibbon and Kobe Mundy were dominant throughout the day along with mainline ruck Travis Larkins.

We took note of the top performers from either side.

LIONS ACADEMY 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 4.7 (31)
SUNS ACADEMY 5.2 | 8.4 | 9.8 | 11.12 (78)

GOALS:
Lions Academy: K. Airdrie, J. Bannister, S. Hoiles, F. O’Brien
Suns Academy: C. Samuelson 3, O. Clark 2, P. Fitzgibbon 2, S. Chapman, K. Jorgensen, K. Mundy, L. Thompson

BEST:
Lions Academy: D. Pearson, F. O’Brien, F. Dunstan, C. Allan, B. Landers, S. Kernick
Suns Academy: K. Mundy, P. Fitzgibbon, T. Larkins, J. Moir, J. Gale, Z. Bugeja

LIONS ACADEMY:

#1 Samuel Kernick
Small Forward | 163cm | 12/06/2011

Stats: 15 disposals, 1 mark, 1 clearance

A bottom-ager who held his own, Kernick played the high forward role well. The diminutive prospect was evasive as you’d expect, often receiving the ball or sharking it off hands before wheeling around to look towards goal. That kind of play made Kernick the ideal connection piece for Brisbane, while his positioning and anticipation leant to crafty crumbing work. Most of his touches were outside 50.

#3 Craig Kellerman
Midfielder/Forward | 172cm | 30/07/2010

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles

Part of Brisbane’s midfield rotation, Kellerman caught the eye early with a persistent holding-the-ball tackle in the guts. While relatively slight, he attacked the ball hard and handled it cleanly, proving he could hold his own against the Suns’ powerful on-ball group. Kellerman also spent time forward and while he faded out of the game in term four, was a strong competitor throughout.

#6 Finn O’Brien
Utility | 176cm | 11/03/2010

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal

O’Brien was well and truly among the Lions’ best and seemed to grow as the game wore on. He started in a midfield-forward rotation and showed good application to not only hunt the ball, but lay desperate tackles at the contest. The classy small was then moved to defence after half time where he continued to tackle hard and prevent easy Suns scores. His ball use came to the fore as he dictated play by foot, while also streaming forward for a terrific running goal in the final quarter.

#12 Harley Wolbers
Midfielder | 179cm | 25/09/2010

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 clearances

Another hard-at-it member of Brisbane’s midfield core, Wolbers provided spurts of speed on the end of his ground ball attack. He showed an ability to take ground and launch attacks through the corridor, even ending up with several shots on goal for a tally of two behinds. Wolbers went on to show greater composure, while maintaining his willingness to approach the ball full-chested.

#13 Tyler Hutchinson
Midfielder | 181cm | 27/04/2010

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 tackles, 4 clearances

Playing somewhat of an unheralded role in the engine room, Hutchinson did the basics well. Namely, his ball handling and distribution work were sound, with the midfielder able to fight for possession and release teammates into space. He was strong over the ball and showed poise when required, while chiming in with a couple of gutsy marks to prove he was up for the fight all day.

#17 Finn Dunstan
Midfielder | 183cm | 08/05/2010

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 clearances

Dunstan’s speed and dynamism were points of difference in the Lions’ midfield, as he was able to exit congestion with the most ease. He showed his combativeness to fight for possession on the inside before looking to burst away and break through tackle pressure. Dunstan then applied pressure of his own, producing a couple of terrific rundown tackles which stuck in the memory.

#19 Max Bush
Defender | 184cm | 22/09/2010

Stats: 20 disposals, 7 marks, 4 rebound 50s

With Brisbane’s defence under the pump all day, Bush played a major role in not only absorbing pressure, but also repelling it. He took on some of the kick-in responsibilities and while prone to inviting pressure at times, was a trusted distributor. Bush also showed his intercept qualities with sound positioning behind the ball and got involved at d50 stoppages to launch clearing kicks.

#22 Charlie Allan
Defender | 185cm | 03/04/2010

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 4 rebound 50s

Another solid figure in the Lions’ besieged backline, Allan offered a sense of calm. He reeled in several clean intercept marks, held his own in one-on-one situations, and was able to recover loose balls across the defensive 50. All four of his marks came in the second half and he generally used the ball safely to ensure it wouldn’t be returning any time soon.

#23 Darcy Pearson
Defender/Midfielder | 185cm | 29/01/2010

Stats: 23 disposals, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 6 rebound 50s

Arguably Brisbane’s best on the day, Pearson led his side’s response in the second half. He made an immediate impact upon being moved into midfield, showing great energy and creativity to spark combination play out of the centre. Pearson’s work rate and dare saw him bring the ball forward and pose a threat in the front half, but he just as readily dropped back to receive pressure on the defence. All-up, it was a well rounded display and one which allowed the Lions to gain positives.

SUNS ACADEMY:

#1 Levi Thompson
Small Forward | 171cm | 23/08/2010

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 goal

The numbers don’t quite do justice for the talent Thompson showed, particularly in the first half. Operating as a high forward, his lightning quick hands and evasiveness immediately caught the eye as he helped the Suns connect into the final third. Thompson ran intelligent patterns and was difficult to tie down when working up the ground, even bringing his craftiness up to the front of stoppages. His day looked like ending early in the final term through injury, but he ended up getting back on the ground to see out the final siren.

#4 Jacob Moir
Small Forward | 174cm | 29/04/2010

Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s

Working in tandem with Thompson, Moir was a creative force in the front half. He provided that connection piece up the ground but was also able to have an impact closer to goal, producing a hat-trick of direct assists in the second term. Moir’s clean hands and vision allowed him to find teammates in space to shoot, although he couldn’t quite put his own pair of chances on target.

#10 Paddy Fitzgibbon
Midfielder/Forward | 181cm | 24/04/2010

Stats: 21 disposals, 8 tackles, 10 inside 50s, 2 goals

It was a well-rounded and industrious display from Fitzgibbon, who absorbed pressure just as well as he applied it. Showcasing terrific core strength, he remained upright in tackles and was able to release teammates by hand, staying engaged to continue the wave of possession. The midfielder also shut down several opposition exits with strong lock-up tackles to force stoppages. He then found space in the front half to have several opportunities to launch inside 50, while impacting the scoreboard with a couple of goals in the opening half. They couldn’t stop him.

#12 Jake Gale
Midfielder/Forward | 182cm | 14/10/2010

Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles

In a game which was played at a frantic pace at times, Gale’s physicality and tackle pressure stood out. He made his presence felt by getting in and under at stoppages, fighting for possession and looking to bust his way out of congestion. On the flip-side, he brought down opposition ball winners with ferocity and smothered their attempts to forge clean exits. His ball use was a little scrappy, but Gale’s intense pressure meant he made a major impact on the defensive end.

#15 Kobe Mundy
Midfielder | 184cm | 11/05/2010

Stats: 26 disposals, 8 tackles, 9 inside 50s, 1 goal

Arguably the best player afield, Mundy blended flair with substance. His explosive turn of foot made for several eye-catching stoppage exits, as the midfielder brushed off would-be tacklers and charged forward with vigour. His combativeness and attacking instincts were clear to see in those instances, but Mundy was also prepared to tackle hard and make repeat efforts for possession. He was the most effective midfielder at getting to the outside and breaking the lines.

#23 Harry Cloke
Midfielder | 185cm | 26/07/2010

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 6 clearances

Hailing from strong footballing pedigree, Cloke is the son of 76-game former Magpie Jason, nephew of Travis and Cameron, and grandson of 333-game great David. He’s cut from a slightly different cloth, shaping as a big-bodied midfielder. Cloke used his strong frame to have an impact at stoppages, but was also able to get on the end of handball receives and launch forward on his favoured left foot. His clean hands and ability to absorb pressure aided his lack of raw pace.

#28 Callum Samuelson
Key Forward/Ruck | 198cm | 27/07/2010

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 3 goals

Samuelson helped his side establish its first half dominance, booting three goals with clinical set shot conversions. The lean marking machine read the ball well in flight and did the early work to put himself in good positions to access it overhead. His finishing ability ensured he got full value for his chances, while also providing a chop-out in the ruck to enhance his impact.

#29 Zahn Bugeja
Key Defender | 196cm | 08/06/2009

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 5 rebound 50s

Bugeja played with plenty of authority and power, making an impact despite the Suns’ front half dominance. He was able to intercept the ball deep in defence and high up the ground, making good reads and attacking the aerial contest with vigour. Bugeja then used his momentum to charge forward and while he certainly invited pressure by running into trouble, showed the right intent to take the game on. His blend of size and speed made for a lethal combination.

#31 Travis Larkins
Ruck | 195cm | 14/05/2009

Stats: 15 disposals, 32 hitouts, 6 clearances

Making use of a size advantage and extra year of experience, Larkins dominated the ruck realm. He was particularly prominent at the centre ball-ups, winning clear hits and placing the ball into useful drop zones. Larkins also showed his mobility around the ground, looking to get involved in handball chains and showing no real awkwardness when carrying the ball at speed. His ability to stay upright and follow up at stoppage allowed him to have a sustained impact.