FOOTBALL
AFL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
PLENTY of Gippsland juniors are representing the region at this year’s AFL National Championships.
A total of 13 local players stretch across the Boys and Girls U18s Victoria Country squads, headlined by Traralgon pair Marlon Neocleous and Lily Milner and Mirboo North’s Clancy Snell.
Potential high-end AFL draft pick and Lowanna College student Xavier Ladbrook and Traralgon’s Levi Macumber also feature in the boys squad.
Vic Country opened its national campaign with a victory over the Allies, 14.12 (96) to 12.11 (83), at Blacktown International Sports Park, Sydney last Sunday (June 14).
After a combative opening half, Vic Country began to breakaway from the Allies during the third quarter, which thwarted any push from the combined state side into the final term.
Neocleous shined with 19 disposals, five marks and a goal on the day, while Snell and Ladbrook finished with 14 touches each.
Bairnsdale’s Wil Malady had all of the ball down forward, totalling five scoring shots for a return of two goals and nine marks.
Vic Country could make it five straight selections as the top pick in the AFL Draft, as Cody Walker is expected to come in as father-son for Carlton. His dad Andrew played 200 games for the Blues.
Last year’s Number 1 Pick was Foster’s Willem Duursma to the West Coast Eagles.
Reversely, in the girls competition, the Allies handled Vic Country, 8.8 (56) to 5.8 (38), earlier in the day at Blacktown International Sports Park.
Vic Country held leads at halftime and three quarter time, but allowed the Allies to boot four goals in the last quarter to its one.
Milner had nine disposals and three tackles, while Woodside’s Grace Dillow finished with 18 touches and a goal.
Milner also played in the Marsh AFL National Academy Girls match for the All Stars the weekend before.
The All Stars where made up of the best 19-year-olds and under in the Talent League system, and upset the AFLW Academy by four points at the Kennedy Community Centre, Dingley Village on June 7.
The U16 Development Championships also got underway on the King’s Birthday long weekend.
Four Gippsland Power players feature in Vic Country’s U16s squad, including Traralgon’s Fletcher Adams, who has previously played state representative basketball for Victoria Bushrangers.
Vic Country completed an emphatic victory over fierce rivals Victoria Metro by 48 points at the Kennedy Community Centre.
