The 2015 U18/Draft Thread

[Pkbaldy]

The big game today ended well.

FT Vic Country 11.7 73 d Vic Metro 10.8 68

With one of Vic Country's underagers Jy Simpkin kicking the winning goal after the siren.


Got no information on stats or BOG yet. But will post when I find out.

[_wato]

WITH 30 seconds left in their first game of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, Vic Metro led Vic Country by a point and had the ball at the top of its forward 50.

A scuffle broke out before the ball-up, distracting some Metro players and opening space on the already wide expanses of Simonds Stadium.

Country defender Christian Buykx-Smith gathered the ball and passed to Jacob Weitering, who had been pushed forward to create something out of nothing.

The highly rated Weitering smartly played on from the mark on the wing and kicked the ball to a leading Josh Schache, who knew he had to crash the pack of players.

The ball spilt to ground, clever bottom-ager Ben Ainsworth crumbed it, and squared it to teammate Jy Simpkin in the goalsquare. The siren rang, Simpkin converted his shot, and Country claimed a five-point win, 11.7 (73) to 10.8 (68).

Coach Paul Henrikson was already folding up his notepad in the box at the start of the perfect final play, resigned to losing the game everyone predicted his side to win. But he was pleased each decision made in the final perfect play was right.

"It was a bit of luck. It just fell for us, really," Henriksen said on Sunday. "We try to work on scenarios at training and it worked out."

Until that stage Vic Metro, led by exciting prospect Harley Balic, looked likely to cause an upset.

Balic was the most consistent and influential player in the contest, gathering a game-high 27 disposals through the wing and half-forward. His creativity, class and strength in close makes him a difficult match-up, and a likely first-round pick at this year's NAB AFL Draft.

The 18-year-old's long goal on the three-quarter time siren put Metro within seven points at the final break, and a snap â€" after breaking through a couple of tackles and baulking another â€" late in the final term appeared set to be the match-winner but was touched off the boot. It was Metro's final score before Simpkin's goal.

Nick O'Kearney (26 disposals), half-back Ben Crocker (24), Jade Gresham (22 and two goals), James Parsons (14 and six marks) and Ryan Clarke (20) controlled the midfield battle for Metro, while ruckman Mark Covacevic was also solid.

It was fitting three of Country's best players â€" Ainsworth, Weitering and Schache â€" contributed to the last goal.

Ainsworth is not eligible for the draft until next year but the small forward excited in the first half with his strength in the air, finishing skills and goal smarts. By the main break he had collected 10 disposals, six marks and kicked 2.2 and although he was quieter after that, he remained lively.

Weitering again highlighted his credentials as 2015's possible No.1 pick by showing poise in the back half before his switch forward, while Schache was imposing in attack and kicked two goals.

Rhys Mathieson, a midfielder who thrashes and crashes out of trouble, was also good with 19 disposals and five tackles while David Mennen also did some impressive things as an over-ager through half-back.

Vic Country will travel to face Western Australia next Sunday in Perth, while Vic Metro will play South Australia at AAMI Stadium on Saturday in round two of the championships.

With a stack of this year's most talented draft prospects lining up for Vic Country it is expected to win the division one title, but Henriksen will be looking for more against WA, who also won its first game of the carnival over the weekend.

"We were a bit off for the first 15 minutes and I wondered whether we'd turned up," Henriksen said.

"I thought our effort started to get going after that, and we were still in touch and hadn't been blown out of the water. We'll have to go back and reassess, because there were some poor pieces of play. But a win like that brings the group together."

VIC METRO        3.3   5.5   8.6  10.8  (68)
VIC COUNTRY    2.2   6.5   9.7  11.7  (73)

GOALS
Vic Metro: Gresham 2, Hardwick 2, Kerbatieh, Balic, Houston, Crocker, Parsons, Silvagni
Vic Country: Ainsworth 2, Schache 2, Berry 2, Maishman, Cole, Holmes, Simpkin, Skinner

BEST
Vic Metro: Balic, Crocker, Collins, O'Kearney, Parsons, Gresham
Vic Country: Ainsworth, Weitering, Mennen, Mathieson, Rice, Schache

[_wato]

A STANDOUT performance from midfielder Luke Partington wasn't enough to lift South Australia to victory in the opening game of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, with Western Australia claiming a one-point win.

Partington, a ball-winner from Norwood and member of the NAB AFL Academy, gathered 28 disposals and six clearances in an explosive display through the midfield for South Australia.

He also pushed into attack to kick a goal and sent the ball inside the forward 50 on nine occasions, but Western Australia held on to claim the 11.7 (73) to 9.18 (72) win.

The victors got off to a strong start at Lathlain Park in Perth, booting the first three goals of the game against the South Australians, who have won the past two division one titles.

In an exciting game in good conditions, South Australia steadily pegged back the deficit and when Cameron Hewett (the younger brother of the Sydney Swans' George) kicked a goal at the 23-minute mark of the last term, they were within one point.

The siren soon sounded, with the South Australians left to rue their inaccuracy in front of goal after kicking 18 behinds to Western Australia's seven.

Hard-working midfielder Tom Bennett was the most prolific for the winners, gathering 21 disposals and kicking a goal, while exciting youngster Brayden Hackett continued his lively year in finding 19 disposals and six marks.

Key forward Dylan Smith has caught the eye of recruiters at colts level in the WAFL, and again the 198cm prospect showed his athletics traits by picking up 16 disposals and eight marks.

He also booted a goal and was dangerous in attack alongside medium forward Marshall Jones, who kicked four goals.

Although ineligible for the draft until 2016, bottom-aged West Australian pair Sam Petrevski-Seton and Sam Powell-Pepper showed why they will be among the most entertaining players to watch during the national carnival.

Petrevski-Seton started well and finished with 18 disposals, while Powell-Pepper kicked an important goal in the final term.

Half-back Riley Bonner was classy in delivering the ball down the wing, collecting 24 disposals and nine rebound-50s, while Hugh Haysman kicked two goals in the second term and finished with 21 touches.

Captain Will Snelling (19 disposals) and over-ager Oleg Markov (18 disposals, six marks) were other good contributors in the defeat.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA   3.2  6.3   9.7   11.7  (73)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA        1.2  5.6  7.13  9.18  (72)

GOALS
Western Australia: Jones 4, Ridley 2, Waterman 2, Bennett, Powell-Pepper, Smith
South Australia: Haysman 2, Milera 2, Dew, Hewett, Francis, Partington, Quinn

BEST
Western Australia: Hackett, Bennett, Watson, Jones, Waterman, Florenca, Petrevski-Seton
South Australia: Partington, Francis, Haysman, Markov, Milera

[Pkbaldy]

Wow didn't expect that from SA... Really thought they would destroy WA... Partington and Francis look the goods. And Markov was a good contributor but was overlooked last year. Hope the kid gets a chance this year and gets drafted.

Don't know much about the WA players though.... But they can't be too bad.

[kilbluff1985]

Hardwick any relation?

[elephants]

Medium forward Marshall Jones, who kicked four goals.

This guy

[_wato]

Medium forward Marshall Jones, who kicked four goals.

This guy

What Ele? This isn't me mate, this is off the AFL website, should've quoted that hahaha

To be fair to SA, had they kicked straight they would've pumped WA

[Nige]

Starting to really like O'Kearney, Balic and Hardwick.

[elephants]

Medium forward Marshall Jones, who kicked four goals.

This guy

What Ele? This isn't me mate, this is off the AFL website, should've quoted that hahaha

To be fair to SA, had they kicked straight they would've pumped WA

Oh haha, not having a crack. I just know the guy :p

[Kellogscrunchynut]

Kieran Malone of the Northern Knights racked up 285 supercoach points against the Dandenong Stingrays.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/northern-knights-midfielder-kieran-malone-racks-up-285-supercoach-points-against-dandenong-stingrays-in-tac-cup/story-fngnvocb-1227376768286

[Ricochet]

Kieran Malone of the Northern Knights racked up 285 supercoach points against the Dandenong Stingrays.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/northern-knights-midfielder-kieran-malone-racks-up-285-supercoach-points-against-dandenong-stingrays-in-tac-cup/story-fngnvocb-1227376768286

:o

[_wato]

Schache kicked 8 goals 4 behinds, had 12 marks and 24 disposals against WA, kids an absolute jet

[Mr.Craig]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-03/afl-media-to-broadcast-six-under18-games-live

[Mat0369]

Nice. See he's named in the back pocket, but isn't he more of a running half back?

Rice, Silvagni and Bradley all potential father son picks for Carlton this year. I think Jack can play another year of TAC footy as well so he might not even nominate this year. We have had an academy going since 2008 where we have had the kids come down and train with the players. I think the Saints have had Bailey at training recently as well



Those are the three prospects.

[Pkbaldy]

Nice. See he's named in the back pocket, but isn't he more of a running half back?

Rice, Silvagni and Bradley all potential father son picks for Carlton this year. I think Jack can play another year of TAC footy as well so he might not even nominate this year. We have had an academy going since 2008 where we have had the kids come down and train with the players. I think the Saints have had Bailey at training recently as well



Those are the three prospects.

From what I have seen the Saints took interest in him first and had him doing little training sessions with a few of the other young ones who can nominate for father son, then drifted away (probably once he saw Carlton make the top 8 the other year), and has this year and last year done a few things with our club. So will be interesting if he does pick a club or just goes in hopeful.

He looks to be in the 30-50 range at the moment. So looks to be either 3rd rounder if he goes father-son.