Division one of the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships kicked off last weekend in Perth and Adelaide.

In this sixth part of our series, an AFL club's recruiting group talks us through Sunday’s match, in which South Australia easily accounted for Vic Country at AAMI Stadium.

The match
We probably weren't as surprised by this result as much as by Western Australia defeating Vic Metro a day earlier. While we didn't think that this particular Vic Metro team were as talented as it may have been promoted entering the championships, we still expected them to beat WA.

Although two or three Vic Country players had been well publicised, the recruiting staff from various AFL clubs probably didn't think that overall depth was there in the team this year compared to other years.

Conversely, South Australia had a more even spread of talent, which meant that they relied less on certain key players to have a major impact on the match. There were about eight or nine boys who played up to their ability or beyond original expectations, while the same could be said about only two or three Vic Country players.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA – player assessments

Hamish Hartlett
Recruiter 1: Most AFL Clubs will have identified Hamish Hartlett through the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships last year and he has carried that good form into this year. He uses the ball nicely on both his left or right side and makes the right decisions under pressure. Although he is ineligible for the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, he is a player that clubs will look forward to watching again next year.

Recruiter 2: A player of definite ability who simply understands how to play football. Hamish has genuine class and looks right at home playing against older boys despite being an under-age player in these championships.

Matthew Wright
Recruiter 1: There is not a lot of Matthew Wright in terms of size, but he extracts the best out of himself. There are always a number of ‘smalls’ who play well in these championships and he was one of them. He was busy around goal and used the ball nicely.

Recruiter 2: A real surprise packet in this match. He was particularly dangerous around goals and showed real poise under pressure.

Casey Carr
Recruiter 1: He's a genuine half-forward flanker who has the ability to play through the midfield. While his natural style is to play outside the contest, he does show some willingness to work inside the corridor on occasions. I am sure that he is a player that will be followed by clubs during the championships.

Recruiter 2: Casey Carr was a player that I didn’t know a lot about but who impressed me at various times during this match. He is a good size and appears to be quite versatile.

Zac Miller
Recruiter 1: Zac started the game particularly well. He took Victoria Country on early and his opponents didn’t quite know how to play on him. He's one of those players that's got some energy in his game and when he's on, he's extremely dangerous. The difference between his good and bad can be quite large but if he can get greater consistency into his game then he will certainly be a player to watch.

Recruiter 2: Zac displayed some good qualities in this match. He showed a greater urgency than I had seen in his play previously. While not dominating across four quarters, I was quite happy with what he did do today.

Brad Ebert
Recruiter 1: He was definitely a player entering the championships that everyone expected to be a genuine talent. He comes from very good football stock – he is the cousin of Brett and nephew of Russell Ebert – and pleasingly, he played up to his ability today. While he mainly played up forward, he displayed genuine leadership and direction to his team. Brad has a good future.

Recruiter 2: There is no doubt that most people would already be aware of Brad Ebert. Brad is a natural footballer with excellent kicking skills and leadership qualities. He is a player we would expect to figure prominently throughout the championships.

James Wundke
Recruiter 1: James is an AIS boy who, while being slightly built, has very good athleticism. He tends to play mainly in the ruck for South Australia because they lack genuine ruckmen, but he's still probably better suited to a key position. He's a player with a good attitude and someone we would expect to further improve with maturity.

Recruiter 2: Showed some talent and, while not a dominant player, he still did enough to suggest he was worth following across the championships.

VIC COUNTRY – player assessments

Nick Suban
Recruiter 1: Not eligible for this year's draft, but he has good skills. He is a left-footer and has a really good work-rate. He puts his body in and gives a lot of drive through the midfield or out of defence. Nick will be one to follow next year.

Recruiter 2: Nick Suban is a natural footballer who just knows how to give his all. He has good skills. While ineligible this year, he should be a genuine player again at the 2008 championships.

Chris Kangars
Recruiter 1: Kangars played okay in defence for Victoria Country. He's quite athletic and while he needs to read the play better, he does provide a good contest. He can play tall or short and presents himself at the contest quite well. He does have to work on his kicking, but at least he was one of the boys who tried hard against South Australia.

Recruiter 2: I like Chris Kangars. He works hard and seems to be improving with every match. A player to follow during these championships.

Scott Selwood
Recruiter 1: We all know that Scott has ability but he had a poor game today. He entered the championships with some expectations because he is the youngest of the Selwood clan (Adam, Troy and Joel). He's a really good type of boy but he played below his ability against South Australia. He has the skills but just has to work harder for longer.

Recruiter 2: There is little doubt that Scott is a player to watch – the bloodlines confirm that point. While disappointing today, I expect he will still perform okay in the next two matches.

Haelen Kay
Recruiter 1: Haelen gave Victoria Country a bit today, particularly early in the game. He was the one forward that looked talented enough to kick a winning score. He marked well overhead and kicked nicely. I was impressed by him today.

Recruiter 2: Showed a bit in this match. While no forwards dominated for Victoria Country today, he did show signs of worrying the opposition with his quick lead and agility.

Ben McEvoy
Recruiter 1: Ben is a player that we all know about because of his good form at under-16 level and this year in the TAC Cup compeition. He can play either ruck or various key position, which makes him quite an attractive player. He probably does his best work in the ruck because of his athleticism and competitiveness.

Recruiter 2: I like Ben McEvoy – he works hard and is willing to play in any position at any time. I expect that he will be a player to specifically watch throughout this year’s championships.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.