Reports and results from day one of the 2016 AFL Youth Girls’ Championships played at Olympic Park Oval in Melbourne.
Match 1
Vic Metro v Queensland
Victoria continued its winning ways with an opening-round 50-point win over Queensland.
The reigning pool A premier jumped out of the blocks, booting five majors in the first term. Brooke Struylaart kicked three of those and finished the game with four.
Despite their slow start, the pressure around the contest from Queensland was fierce, with Shalesise Law and Jessi Henning relentless in the packs.
Metro extended its lead to 48 points at the major break and went further ahead when captain Katherine Smith slotted a goal in the third quarter. Defender Charis Ulu Peniata did her best to keep the visitors on the back foot.
At the last change, Queensland coach Craig Starcevich encouraged the team to keep persisting and it got some rewards in the last quarter, with Tori Groves-Little Tarni White and Tahlia Randall kicking goals.
Vic Metro 5.4 7.6 9.9 10.10 (70)
Queensland 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.2 (20)
Goals
Vic Metro: Struylaart 4, K Smith 2, Prespakis 2, Huntington, Hayes
Queensland: Randall, White, Groves-Little
Best
Vic Metro: Ulu Peniata, Mesiti, J Smith, Prespakis, Browning, Struylaart
Queensland: Randall, Bella, Blair, King, Clarke, Henning
Match 2
South Australia v Tasmania
South Australia led at every change and defeated Tasmania by 30 points in the second game of the carnival.
Eloise Jones and Brianna Walling dominated for the winners.
It wasn’t all doom for Tasmania, with the game providing a solid learning experience for first-time players.
South Australia 2.1 3.2 6.2 7.4 (46)
Tasmania 1.0 1.1 1.1 2.4 (16)
Goals
South Australia: Jones 2, Walling 2, Mackrill, Bosley, Boles
Tasmania: Stokely, Harris
Best
South Australia: Hatchard, Rosenzweig, Walling, Jones, Christensen, Mackrill
Tasmania: Collins, Stevenson, Stokely, Ochayi, Hill, Bannister
Match 3
Western Australia v Vic Country
Western Australia held off Vic Country by nine points in a tight contest.
Vic Country got off to a flying start, with Rebecca Webster booting the opening goal after a strong pack mark.
Western Australia’s Ebonee Hardie was dynamite in the middle of the ground, winning countless ruck contests while midfielders Courtney Hodder and captain Jasmin Stewart worked hard to push the ball forward.
Victoria Country held a slender advantage at the main break, with captain Georgia Walker leading from the front in a physical third quarter, with support from Isabella Ayre and Lily Mithen.
But West Australian full-forward Kate Bartlett stood tall, booting five goals to help her team seal the win.
Western Australia 0.2 2.2 5.4 6.6 (42)
Vic Country 1.0 3.0 3.0 5.3 (33)
Goals
WA: Bartlett 5, Duncan
Vic Country: Ayre 2, Kennedy 2, Webster
Best
WA: Hardie, Duffy, Hodder, Stewart, Adams, Bartlett
Vic Country: Walker, Ayre, Mithen, Cochrane, Kennedy, McEvoy
Match 4
NSW/ACT v Woomeras
NSW/ACT started its campaign impressively, holding the new Woomeras team scoreless.
Key forwards Kate Stanton and Jordyn Joliffe combined for nine goals.
Ace midfielder Alyce Parker continuously set up play with her classy and precise ball use. Angela Priftis also shone, providing plenty of run off half-back and giving her forwards countless opportunities.
The Woomeras put together their best football in the third term and showed plenty of fight. Ruby Riley and Felisha Swan were relentless.
NSW/ACT 5.2 9.3 12.4 17.5 (107)
Woomeras 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0)
Goals
NSW/ACT: Stanton 5, Joliffe 4, Miller-Hill 3, Arndt 2, Stewart, Stramandinoli, Allen
Woomeras: Nil
Best
NSW/ACT: Parker, Stanton, Priftis, Breward, McKinnon, Vella
Woomeras: Riley, Swan, Yarran, Phineasa, Karadada, Morris
