WESTERN Australia's firepower was on show on the opening day of the NAB AFLW under-19 championships, kicking 9.7 against the Allies.
Vic Country and South Australia played out a tough affair in the latter's first outing in the championships proper, while the Woomeras knocked off the Medleys in their opening bout.
VIC COUNTRY v SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Vic Country powered away to a 15-point win over an impressive South Australia in the opening game of the day.
Spearheaded by 16-year-old Paige Scott's three second-half goals, Country overran South Australia after trailing by 11 points at one stage in the first quarter.
South Australia's pressure in the first half was top-class, causing skill errors and preventing Country from finding any space or time inside forward 50.
A name to definitely watch for the future is Lauren Young, a tall Port Adelaide NGA product who starred in the middle and up forward. The 15-year-old finished with 29 disposals, six tackles and five inside-50s, playing well beyond her years.
Country's defenders – led by Jaide Anthony, Nyakoat Dojiok and Annie Lee – kept them in the hunt in the first half, as South Australian mids Zoe Venning and Laitiah Huynh peppered their attacking half.
Anthony was later stretchered off after a dangerous tackle in the fourth quarter, for which Brooke Tonon was sent off with a red card.
South Australian ruck Zoe Prowse showed great agility in the stoppages, while 19-year-old Tahlita Buethke presented well around the ground and marked cleanly.
Country skipper Grace McRae (22, six marks) worked hard on the ball, while Renee Tierney worked hard across half-forward.
VIC COUNTRY 1.3 2.5 4.5 5.6 (36)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2.0 3.0 3.3 3.3 (21)
GOALS
Vic Country: Scott 3, Slender, Tierney
South Australia: Breguet, Clifton, Halfpenny
BEST
Vic Country: McRae, Tierney, Anthony, Scott, Dojiok, Leonard
South Australia: Young, Venning, Huynh, Morriss, Lane, Buethke
WOOMERAS v MEDLEYS
A well-rounded team performance has seen the Woomeras defeat a fast-finishing Medleys by eight points.
Both teams are representative development under-17 sides compiled of players from around the country, with the Woomeras comprised of Indigenous players and the Medleys of players from a multicultural background.
The Woomeras took a 15-point lead into the final break, and the Medleys kicked 2.4 to the Woomeras' 1.1 in the final term.
Despite the best efforts of lively and agile Medleys midfielder Elaine Grigg (19 touches, four clearances), the Woomeras capitalised whenever they went forward, putting the Medleys' defence under enormous pressure throughout the match.
Grigg worked well with fellow South Australian Zoe Bihocek, who marked taller than her height, while Ammie Vamah (NSW) was a constant presence in attack.
Woomeras forward Annashae Michael (WA) ran rampant in the third term, with accuracy her only issue, kicking 1.3.
Victoria's Jemmika Douglas was one of the Woomeras' best, finding plenty of the footy with a game-high 21 touches, laying eight tackles and kicking two goals to boot.
WOOMERAS 2.0 3.0 5.5 6.6 (42)
MEDLEYS 1.0 2.2 3.2 5.4 (34)
GOALS
Woomeras: Douglas 2, Blurton, Michael, Feifar, Campbell
Medleys: Kikoak 2, Baptiste, Tyson, Vamah
BEST
Woomeras: Putron, Douglas, Blurton, Szombathy, Michael, Gayamangu
Medleys: Grigg, Tyson, Vamah, Kikoak, Bosenavulagi, Farancois
WESTERN AUSTRALIA v ALLIES
Western Australia comfortably accounted for the Allies, winning by 33 points.
Led by star 16-year-old forward Ella Roberts early, Western Australia got off to a flier and then put the foot down in the third term, kicking three goals to none.
The Allies – made up of players from NSW/ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania – opened their scoring in the second quarter through a set shot from Cynthia Hamilton (the younger sister of former Sun Lexi).
The pace of Western Australia's forward line – including Aisha Wright and Mylee Leitch – troubled the Allies defence, while at the other end, their teammates Jaide Britton, Amy Franklin and Bella Mann controlled the play.
Allies coach Jared Crouch would have been thrilled with his team's last-quarter fightback, kicking two goals after managing two to three-quarter time.
Hamilton (22, 10 tackles, seven inside 50s) found plenty of the footy in the middle for the Allies, as did Jess Doyle (18) and Ella Maurer (16).
Most of Western Australia's drive around the ground was generated by Nyra Anderson (21, six clearances), Courtney Rowley (25, five marks) and Emily Bennett (21, seven marks).
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2.3 4.5 7.6 9.7 (61)
ALLIES 0.0 2.1 2.2 4.4 (38)
GOALS
Western Australia: Lakay 2, Hardy, Roberts, Reidy, Leitch, Wright, Reilly, Anderson
Allies: C. Hamilton, Doyle, Bush, McLeay
BEST
Western Australia: Roberts, Mann, Dyke, Rowley, Schilling, Wakfer
Allies: C. Hamilton, Doyle, Ransom, McLeay, Hendrie, Gaffney
