Torrens University SA U16 defeated by Victoria Metro

By ZAC MILBANK

The Torrens University SA Under-16 team has succumbed to Victoria Metro by 21 points in its second game of the AFL National Championships on the Gold Coast.

Playing at the a mud-soaked Southport Oval, the Croweaters lost control of the contest when their arch rivals piled on 3.4 to just three behinds in a match-defining second term.

SA struck early through strongly-built Matthew Roberts, who protected the drop zone of the ball nicely to take a strong chest mark, which he duly converted from a 15m set shot.

But it was to be the Croweaters’ only major until nearly five minutes into the final term as the Big V broke an early run of nine consecutive behinds to take a 17-point lead into the main change.

After failing to trouble the scorers in the third term, SA sprang to life when captain Jason Horne received a free kick for holding the man at the top of the goal square.

Ten minutes later, clever SA forward Isaiah Dudley kicked a nice chip pass over the top for key forward Morgan Ferres to mark in the goal square.

Suddenly the Croweaters had trimmed the margin to just 12 points with just under 10 minutes to play.

But Victoria Metro did enough to hold on as they kicked a sealing major in the 20th minute of the final term.

Roberts finished with a game-high 31 disposals to play an important role for the Croweaters while Dudley (20 disposals) was particularly creative with his ball use while also laying 10 tackles.

The Torrens University SA U16 team – with a 1-1 win-loss record after defeating WA in Game 1 – will now prepare for its final contest against Victoria Country at the Gabba on Friday.

VICTORIA METRO  0.6  3.10  4.11  5.15 (45) 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA  1.2  1.5  1.5  3.6 (24)

LEADING DISPOSALS – SA: Roberts 31, Dudley, Murley 20, Poulter, Tunkin 19, Jefferies 18.

GOALS – SA: Roberts, Horne, Ferres.