Last week was a busy week on the AFL calendar with twelve Sapphire Coast AFL male and female players participating in state or national championships across the state.
Over the 24th and 25th of September six Sapphire Coast AFL Youth Girls travelled to Bateau Bay to participate in the NSW/ACT Youth Girls State Cup as part of the ACT/South Coast side. The ACT/SC side started well against Western Sydney with the side stamping their authority in the first half piling on the forward pressure with no scoreboard reward whilst Western Sydney kicked two majors against the run of play. The second half saw eventual State Cup winners Western Sydney dominate the play although a goal to Tathra/Bega’s Tarni Evans saw the ACT/SC kick their first goal for the weekend in the sides 1.2-8 to 8.4-52.
Game two saw the ACT/SC side head into the match with plenty of confidence having already beaten the Central West early in the year at the Shoalhaven Junior Carnival. The side played with confidence dominating the majority of the game and although a couple of late goals saw Central West close the gap the ACT/SC was able to run out winners 4.5-29 to 3.3-21. Tough midfield play from Eden’s Hayley Spink and strong work down back from Bermagui’s Katlyn Scott were standout features of the match.
In the ACT/SC’s final game of day one, it appeared as though tired legs got the better of the team with a heavy defeat against favourites Sydney Harbour 10.10-70 to 0.0-0. With the girls unable to make the final on day two the ACT/SC was playing for pride against Northern NSW in their final match. Strong performances from Bermagui’s Grace Gowing and Mikayla Shaw and Bega’s Kaela Kull weren’t enough to see the girls finish on a high going down 3.6-24 to 0.0-0 in a contest that saw the ACT/SC put immense pressure on their opposition.
"With the team making their debut at the carnival this year, it gives the Sapphire and South Coast something to build on in future years. The girls can hold their heads extremely high due to some great performances over the weekend against established youth girls programs whilst running with one on the bench over the weekend. The girls were fantastic tackling the challenge of the weekend head on." Football Operations Coordinator Jarrod Moore said.
814 kilometres away in Shepparton, Victoria, Narooma’s Rhani Booth and Chenoa Lyons-Mongta took the field for the AFL NSW/ACT in the youth girls Kick Start championships which saw the girls take on the best indigenous players in the nation over three days.
Day one saw Lyons-Mongta exert her presence and star for the NSW/ACT side in game one although it wasn’t enough going down to Queensland 1.0-6 to 1.5-11. In game two against South Australia, the NSW/ACT girl were determined to get a win on the board and at half time they were on track to do so with a slender 1 point lead going into the second half. A dominant half saw NSW/ACT run out winners against South Australia 5.5-35 to 2.0-12.
Day two saw the NSW/ACT get off to a dream start with a win over Tasmania although the side was made work for the win with Rhani Booth starring down back in the final minutes to hold off Tasmania 1.4-10 to 1.0-6. Going into their matchup against eventual champions Western Australia, the NSW/ACT girls couldn’t have predicted how the game would pan out with the girls from the West far too strong in all facets of the game running out 8.11-59 to 0.0-0 winners.
Day three of the championships was a tough day for the NSW/ACT girls with Lyons-Mongta going down with a knee injury in their first game loss against the Northern Territory 6.4-40 to 0.0-0 whilst the side was also held scoreless against the host side Victoria 6.8-44 to 0.0-0.
“To be within a state squad is a great experience for the two Narooma girls being within an elite environment where the squad is together throughout the duration of the championships. Although it wasn’t an ideal finish for the girls in their final two games wins over the likes of Tasmania and South Australia is extremely impressive.”
“With female football on the rise, the opportunities for young female footballers are only going to grow with the girls now able to compete on a national level.” Moore said.
During AFL grand final week, Merimbula’s Jedd Martyn and Caleb Higgins and Pambula’s Kynan Baker and Flynn Cook headed to Albury to participate in the under 14 Joss State Trials for the ACT/South Coast side taking on the best players in the state in front of AFL scouts and NSW/ACT talent staff.
The trials started well for the boys from the Sapphire Coast with wins against Western Sydney 5.4-34 to 2.0-12, Northern NSW 3.7-25 to 2.1-13 and Sydney South 5.6-36 to 1.0-6. Jedd Martyn was superb off half back propelling his side forward whilst Flynn Cook got the better of his opposition in the ruck whilst also claiming possessions around the ground.
Day three started well for the ACT/South Coast side with a win against powerhouse Murray 7.7-49 to 1.1-7 although Sydney North inflicted the side’s first loss in the afternoon 4.1-25 to 5.3-33. The carnival ended on a good note for the ACT/South Coast defeating the Riverina with Caleb Higgins running hard on the wing claiming a number of possessions whilst Kynan Baker played well up forward laying a number of tackles throughout the carnival causing havoc for his opposition.
“The boy’s have been within the state system for a couple of years now and are playing integral roles for their representative side. The boys have tremendous upside within the game and their application to their training and improving their game is fantastic.” Moore concluded.
Last Modified on 07/10/2016 11:08