In division one, Victoria Metro can’t be dismissed as they have the advantage of playing in Melbourne. They have won nine of the past 14 championships and logically deserve to start as favourite.
Each year they are able to develop a special spirit and camaraderie that makes them a very strong force and this will be the case in 2003.
However, in the lead-up games to the championships, arguments could be presented that one of the other division-one participants in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria Country might provide a turn-up.
Western Australia has re-vamped its colts’ competition this year and has invested a lot of focus into making its under-age system similar to the TAC Cup model and although a handful of players have played senior football this season, the majority of players have remained with the colts to gain some continuity with their coaching.
Players have been allowed to develop in key roles as Western Australia looks for a new way of forging ahead with its youth program.
Gerard McNeill, the former Fremantle football manager and a respected coach in Western Australia, is now in charge of the state’s under-18 side and he’ll receive support from the likes of Ross Glendinning, who will be a selector and a specialist coach.
Although its preparation has been short, Western Australia has a particularly tall group that might help give them the edge in the aerial duels.
South Australia, now in the second year of its football academy, which was introduced last year with Peter Jonas in charge, will have Darren Trevena as coach in 2003. Trevena took the Northern Territory to victory last year in division two. Jonas has since taken up a post as an assistant coach with Sydney.
South Australia’s band of midfielders look very impressive and they have had a five-match lead-in program, playing against some SANFL clubs, but also against Tasmania and New South Wales. They also played against the under-20 South Australian side and could win its first title since the championships went to under-18 level in 1996.
Vic Country won this title when they joined in 1989, while they achieved another victory in division one in 2000. They will again have a group of very talented players that could get them over the line.
In division two, we have had four different winners in four years and all of the lead-ups through the National Challenge Cup suggest that it’s a four-way showdown, with any of the sides capable of winning.
It’s really the one that gels together and produces the best footy through the week that will win it. Certainly the tactics used by the coaches to get through the 12 quarters of footy over the eight days is going to vital.
The sharing of the workload among 25 players, a little bit of luck with injury and the ability of players to recover quickly from pretty tough contests, which are played at an intensive pace at a high level, will have a big influence on the outcome.
