SA U18 team defeat Allies in Game 1

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia has started the 2025 Marsh AFL U18 National Championships in positive fashion with a gritty seven-point win against the Allies at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney.

The Croweaters led at every change but were under constant threat from the Allies, who hit the front three minutes into the final quarter.

But it didn’t take long for Tony Bamford’s charges to wrestle back the momentum built by the hosts as Aidan Schubert nailed his fourth goal from a set shot after taking a mark on the lead.

And it was the one of the visitors’ finest passages of play, which began at half-back, that would seal the deal in the 21st minute of the fourth term.

SA forward Mitchell Marsh, who joined Schubert in booting an equal team-high four majors, sent a long ball from outside the 50m arc to the teeth of the goal where Cameron Nairn marked while running back with the flight.

Nairn converted for SA to push the lead out to 12 points and despite a late scrambling goal from the Allies’ Ryder Corrigan, the Croweaters were able to hold on for an opening victory.

Schubert, who finished with 13 disposals and seven marks to go with his four majors, was rated as SA’s best while ruck Sam Ainsworth had an influence in the middle with 16 disposals, six clearances and 20 hit outs.

Luke Candy was the Croweaters’ leading disposal-winner with 21 while skipper Dyson Sharp (17 disposals, five clearances) had an impact in the pivot while wings Jim Kelly (20 disposals, four clearances) and Harley Barker (15 disposals, two goals) were also prominent.

Long-kicking Marsh tallied 11 disposals and eight marks to go with his four-goal haul while Jett Dahlitz found plenty of the footy early before finishing with 16 possessions.

The Croweaters will now turn their attention to Game 2 against Victoria Metro at Alberton next Sunday before closing out their campaign with contests against Western Australia (Sunday June 15) at Alberton and Victoria Country (Sunday June 29) in Melbourne.

All matches in the 2025 Marsh U18 AFL National Championships will be live streamed via the match centre on the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.

South Australia  4.3  8.3  10.8  12.11 (83)

Allies  2.4  5.6  9.8  11.10 (76)  

BEST – SA: Aidan Schubert, Sam Ainsworth, Luke Candy, Dyson Sharp, Harley Barker, Jim Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Jett Dahlitz.

GOALS – SA: Mitchell Marsh, Aidan Schubert 4, Harley Barker 2, Cameron Nairn, Zane Peucker 1.

At Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney