FOOTBALL
AFL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THE 2025 Marsh AFL National Under 18 Championships wrapped up recently with Victoria Country finishing runner-up in the spotlight round robin tournament, bringing much attention to the next stars of the game.
Under Gippsland Power coach Rhett McLennan, Vic Country finished the championships in splendid form, taking down rival Victoria Metro in the final match, 14.10 (94) to 9.10 (64) at RSEA Park, Moorabbin.
Vic Country set themselves up with a near 20-point lead at the main break, and only extended the margin as a number of Gippsland exports got in on the fun.
Four Power players featured in the final match of the U18 championship.
Foster’s Willem Duursma finished strongly and is only rising in many draft experts estimations ahead of his assumed high selection in this year’s AFL Draft, finishing with 27 touches, a goal, six marks, and five tackles in a best-on-ground performance.
Drouin’s Brodie Atkins added 24 disposals and a goal, followed by Inverloch’s Jobe Scapin with 16 touches and a goal, and Maffra’s Zachary O’Keefe with 13 disposals, eight marks, and a goal.
After losing their first two matches to Western Australia (three points) and South Australia (34), Vic Country finished strong with two wins through to the end.
On July 5, Vic Country previously defeated the Allies (conglomerate of New South Wales, ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, and Tasmania) in a 11.16 (82) to 10.10 (70) outing at IKON Park, Carlton.
This game was less of a cakewalk, with Vic Country seeing themselves behind early before catapulting in front in the backend of the first half.
They would then control the game the rest of the way home for their first victory of the championships.
Only Duursma and Atkins featured in this match, but both were amongst the best players, with Duursma adding 19 touches and five marks, and Atkins with 18 disposals and a game-high 10 tackles.
Others play over the course of the championships included Heyfield’s Mitchell Stevens and Bairnsdale’s Wil Malady playing in the first two matches against WA and SA.
Stevens still impressed with an average of over 20 touches in both games.
During the recent Coates Talent League bye for the championships, Stevens returned to his home club in North Gippsland against Yallourn Yallourn North and was a class above despite his age.
Traralgon’s Marlon Neocleous and Warragul’s Cody Templeton were both train-on players for the Vic Country squad.
Neocleous would lace up for the first match against WA as a bottom-age player.
The 2024 Traralgon senior premiership player didn’t look out of place, booting a goal and notching eight touches and three tackles as a small forward.
Three weeks ago, Neocleous hit the five-game threshold for Gippsland Power, as he is also enrolled at Caulfield Grammar, playing seven games at the time of writing for the public schools league in Melbourne.
He will likely line-up for Power in the next few weeks as they head into finals.
Gippsland Power captain and Moe’s Tom Matthews was also selected to the squad but did not appear in any matches across the championships, recovering from a meniscus tear.
South Australia were eventually crowned winners, going undefeated throughout the marquee tournament.
IN the U18 Girls National Championships, there still remains two rounds before a victor is revealed.
Victoria Country’s last game was July 20, in which they were comfortably beaten by Victoria Metro, 12.8 (80) to 4.6 (30) at RSEA Park.
Traralgon’s Ella Stoddart finished with 17 disposals and three marks in defeat, while fellow Traralgon girl Chelsea Sutton added seven touches.
Stoddart has been one of Vic Country’s most consistent players across their three matches so far, averaging 16 disposals and three marks as a key back.
In their first round win over the Allies, 10.6 (66) to 2.8 (20) at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham, Stoddart and Sutton were equally damaging with the latter hitting the scoreboard with a goal.
Vic Country most likely won’t take out the girls’ championship, with Vic Metro sitting atop with a win-loss record of 3-1 to date, ahead of Queensland.
Other Gippsland Power players featured in the Vic Country squad include; Woodside’s Grace Dillow, Wonthaggi’s Baia Pugh, and Pakenham trio Rebecca Fitzpatrick, Abby Hobson and Maya Crestani.
