SA U23 Team defeats SA U18 Team

By ZAC MILBANK

The SA U23 team has held on for a thrilling two-point victory against the SA U18 team in a hard-fought feature match at Thebarton Oval.

Coached by Woodville-West Torrens mentor Narelle Smith, the SA U23s kicked the only goal of the third term to edge in front by the final margin of two points at three-quarter time.

Both sides then booted 3.1 in the final term as the game opened up in pursuit of victory, the mature-agers securing bragging rights over their younger counterparts.

Norwood’s Kiana Lee continued her red hot finish to the 2024 SANFLW campaign to earn MVP honours for the SA U23s while Central goalsneak Georgia McKee is continuing to build nicely after receiving the SA U18 MVP.

2024 SANFLW joint leading goal kicker Emily Brockhurst and Glenelg’s Kayla Robran booted two goals each for the SA U23s.

Coming off a blitzing 78-point win against the Allies in Game 1 of the AFL Girls National Championships, the SA U18s had six sole goal scorers.

Coached by former Norwood SANFLW mentor Brad Snell, the SA U18s will gain plenty from the nail-biting contest ahead of its final two Championship matches against Victoria Metro in Melbourne (August 11) and Western Australia at Thebarton Oval (August 24).

SA U23   1.1  2.4  3.6  6.7 (43)

SA U18  1.1  3.4  3.4  6.5 (41)

BEST – SA U23: Kiana Lee (Norwood), Georgia Swan (Sturt), Marlie Fiegert (Eagles), Melissa Anderson (South), Chloe Harding (Glenelg), Lily Whitcombe (Sturt)

SA U18: Georgia McKee (Central), Asha Dufour (West), Monique Bessen (Sturt), Chloe Tonkin (West), Ruby Ballard (West), Sophie Thredgold (Sturt)

GOALS – SA U23: Emily Brockhurst (South), Kayla Robran (Glenelg) 2, Chloe Harding (Glenelg), Kiana Lee (Norwood)

SA U18: Monique Bessen (Sturt), Asha Dufour (West), Ruby Ballard (West), Chloe Tonkin (West), Klaudia O’Neill, Georgia McKee (Central)