QUEENSLAND’S 2026 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships campaign will be remembered for the one that got away, a heartbreaking two-point loss to the Allies in Round 4 costing the Maroons a shot at the title decider. The 1-3 finish belied a genuinely competitive carnival, with midfielder Molly Ferguson underlining her status as one of the competition’s premier ball-winners across every appearance.

RESULTS

Queensland finished the national carnival with a 1-3 record, placing fourth overall.

Round 1: Vic Metro 10.9 (69) def. Queensland 5.3 (33) – GMHBA Stadium

Vic Metro kicked five goals to nil in the first half, four of them in the opening term, to set up a comfortable 36-point win in the tournament opener, with Queensland’s brief final-term fightback arriving too late.

Round 3: Queensland 7.8 (50) def. Vic Country 5.6 (36) – Brighton Homes Arena

The Maroons broke the game open with six second-term goals to record their maiden win of the carnival, with contributions spread evenly across the side.

Round 4: Allies 8.10 (58) def. Queensland 8.8 (56) – Brighton Homes Arena

In the best contest of the carnival, Allies forward Lolita Savala slotted the match-winning set shot moments before the final siren, denying Queensland a famous win and a shot at the title race.

Round 5: South Australia 6.4 (40) def. Queensland 4.9 (33) – Shepley Oval

Queensland led at the final break, but was run down by an undefeated South Australia outfit, who kicked three unanswered final-term goals with the breeze to complete their title-winning campaign.

MVP

Molly Ferguson (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Midfielder | 161cm | 20/04/2008

Stats: 21.2 disposals, 3.2 marks, 7.5 tackles, 3.8 clearances, 1.8 inside 50s, 0.8 rebound 50s, 0.2 goals

Ferguson was amongst Queensland’s best in every outing, finishing fourth in national best-and-fairest voting and earning an All-Australian selection at half-forward. A relentless accumulator through the midfield, she backed up a stoppage-dominant carnival with genuine defensive pressure, her 30 tackles among the most of any player nationally.

KEY PLAYERS

Stephanie Aguinaldo (Gold Coast SUNS Academy)
Defender | 170cm | 04/04/2008

Stats: 13.5 disposals, 4.0 marks, 2.2 tackles, 2.0 inside 50s, 3.5 rebound 50s

Aguinaldo’s clean overhead marking and drive from defensive 50 made her one of the most damaging users of the ball in the competition. Her run and carry combined with her defensive accountability made her a well-rounded perfomer.

Harlee McIlwain (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Forward | 174cm | 07/04/2008

Stats: 9.2 disposals, 3.2 marks, 3.5 tackles, 0.5 inside 50s, 0.8 goals

A genuine target inside 50, McIlwain provided a reliable marking option throughout, while also showing off her tackling pressure at ground level to earn selection at centre half-forward in the national All-Australian team.

Aiyana Pritchard (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Forward/Wing | 175cm | 21/12/2008

Stats: 11.0 disposals, 1.2 marks, 2.2 tackles, 2.2 inside 50s, 0.5 goals

Pritchard’s ability to play not just half-forward but also off a wing and showcase her speed-endurance mix, the National Academy member was a handful against any opponent given her ability to impact in the air or on the ground.

Zoe Petrides (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Forward/Midfielder | 165cm | 28/09/2008

Stats: 15.0 disposals, 2.0 marks, 3.2 tackles, 1.8 clearances, 2.2 inside 50s, 1.5 rebound 50s

Rarely quiet, Petrides buzzed around the contest all carnival regardless of whether deployed forward or through the midfield, her evasive craft through traffic a constant highlight.

Freya Ross (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Midfielder | 169cm | 04/11/2008

Stats: 14.8 disposals, 1.5 marks, 7.0 tackles, 3.2 clearances, 2.2 inside 50s

Queensland’s hardest worker at ground level, Ross backed up her disposal numbers with relentless defensive pressure, her tackle tally trailing only Ferguson’s for the entire carnival. Having already stood out as a wing in the past, Ross showed off her inside game.

Stella Scott (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Midfielder/Defender | 165cm | 19/12/2008

Stats: 15.0 disposals, 1.8 marks, 2.8 tackles, 1.0 clearances, 2.0 rebound 50s

Scott really added her prowess at half-back in a defensive 50 role across the carnival, her composure with ball in hand allowing Queensland to play out of trouble under pressure which added to her natural midfield ability.

Sienna Clinch (Gold Coast SUNS Academy)
Ruck/Forward | 182cm | 15/06/2008

Stats: 9.0 disposals, 2.5 marks, 3.2 tackles, 22.8 hitouts, 1.8 clearances, 1.5 inside 50s, 1.8 rebound 50s

Sharing ruck duties with Ella Gibson, Clinch more than held her own at every stoppage and offered genuine value around the ground when not directly involved in the ruck contest, capped by a goal and seven touches in the Round 4 thriller against the Allies.

Jade Brazier (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Defender | 179cm | 13/05/2008

Stats: 11.2 disposals, 2.5 marks, 1.5 tackles, 4.5 rebound 50s

A tall, reliable presence in defence, Brazier’s rebound 50 numbers were the best of any Queensland player across the carnival, repeatedly turning defence into attack with clean disposal by foot.

Summer Browning (Gold Coast SUNS Academy)
Wing | 166cm | 16/12/2008

Stats: 11.0 disposals, 1.0 marks, 4.0 inside 50s

A running type off the wing, Browning’s forward-half work was a key part of Queensland’s ball movement, her inside 50 tally the equal-highest on the team and a constant source of supply for the Maroons’ tall targets. While she missed the first game due to injury, her last two matches were really solid.

FUTURE STARS

Queensland’s bottom-age crop was headlined by a trio who offered genuine signs for the 2027 carnival.

Ameleia Murray (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Midfielder | 161cm | 13/09/2009

Stats: 13.0 disposals, 0.7 marks, 2.3 tackles, 1.7 clearances, 0.7 inside 50s, 1.0 rebound 50s

Already touted as a top-five prospect for the 2027 draft, Murray’s run and carry stood out even in a carnival where injury limited her to just three games, her class evident whenever she found the ball.

Indiana Scheffler (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Forward | 181cm | 28/10/2009

Stats: 6.0 disposals, 1.5 marks, 1.5 tackles, 1.2 goals

Forming a “twin towers” partnership with McIlwain inside 50, Scheffler finished the carnival as Queensland’s leading goalkicker despite being a year younger than most of her opposition.

Grace Cooper (Gold Coast SUNS Academy)
Forward | 177cm | 04/10/2009

Stats: 9.0 disposals, 1.3 marks, 3.0 tackles, 1.0 inside 50s, 1.3 goals

A bottom-age key forward with a knack for finding the scoreboard, Cooper booted four goals from just 12 disposals against the Allies, her class overhead already turning heads ahead of a top-age season in 2027.