SA U18 Girls defeated by Victoria Metro

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia was unable to overcome its slow start as it succumbed to Victoria Metro by 21 points in Game 2 of the 2024 Marsh AFL U18 Girls National Championships in Melbourne.

Now sitting with a 1-1 win-loss record after defeating the Allies by 78 points in Game 1, the Croweaters failed to register a major until Asha Dufour ran into an open goal in the 19th minute of the second quarter.

SA slowly worked its way into the game but still trailed at every change before showing some promise in the last term.

The visitors kicked 3.2 to their rivals’ 2.2 in the final 20 minutes as they began to produce the clean style of play which has been a hallmark of their national campaigns across the past two seasons.

Sophie Eaton snapped truly from 15m out in the pocket before SA teammate Monique Bessen goaled on the run to give their team consecutive majors for the first time in the match, midway through the fourth quarter.

Joint vice-captain Charlotte Riggs took a strong overhead mark at the top of the goal square before kicking SA’s fifth but the desperate charge was all too late.

SA’s Laela Ebert led the way on the stats sheet with 25 disposals, five tackles and five clearances while the silky Grace Martin rarely wasted any of her 20 disposals by foot.

Joint vice-captain India Rasheed finished with 18 possessions to match Dufour while Chloe Tonkin impressed in the ruck with 16 disposals, four clearances and 19 hitouts.

The Croweaters will now turn their attention toward their final contest against Western Australia, to be played at Thebarton Oval on Saturday August 24.

Victoria Metro  3.0  5.0  7.2   9.4 (58)

South Australia  0.2  1.4  2.5  5.7 (37)

BEST – SA: Esther Schirmer, Laela Ebert, Bianca Portaro, Grace Martin, Violet Patterson, Lucy Boyd

GOALS – SA: Asha Dufour, Georgia McKee, Sophie Eaton, Monique Bessen, Charlotte Riggs

At RSEA Park, Melbourne