• NAB AFL Under-18s: video, stats and more
BOTTOM-AGE Vic Country forward Ben Ainsworth kicked five goals against Western Australia to lead his team to a comfortable 32-point victory at Simonds Stadium on Thursday.
The win completed an unbeaten run for Vic Country to ensure they took the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships division one title for the first time since 2010.
Vic Country kicked 8.15 (63) to Western Australia’s 4.7 (31) to easily win, and its key forward Joshua Schache won the Larke Medal for division one's MVP.
Ainsworth, who is ineligible to be drafted until 2016, was the spark for the victory kicking five goals in the first three quarters. He was smart around the packs, sharking the ball and kicking accurately in blustery conditions.
Vic Country's Darcy Parish showed his class, picking up 29 disposals and revealing an ability to use the ball in tight by hand. He was the dominant midfielder on the ground.
He received good support from Jarrod Berry and Joe Maishman who ran hard and used the ball well.
For Western Australia, bottom-age player Sam Petrevski-Seton impressed. Skilful, quick and evasive he is one to watch in next year's batch, at one stage early in the game jumping three players as he ran with the ball and they grappled on the ground.
Highly touted youngster Callum Ah-Chee played up forward and struggled to have an influence. However, he showed his class in the third quarter when he kicked a nice goal from a tight angle.
Strongly built midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper was aggressive and won 20 disposals for the West Australians, but he did not have enough support, with Vic Country ruckman Gach Nyuon dominating the hit-outs.
Vic Country tall Schache was relatively quiet despite kicking one impressive goal in the first term, but was the NAB AFL Championships’ standout player. He competed hard along with Jacob Weitering, who played up forward in the first half, and Josh Dunkley who took six marks.
Weitering eventually went back to defence and steadied the ship with a crucial possession when Western Australia threatened with three consecutive goals in the third quarter.
Ainsworth made the most of the chances the tall forwards provided and his five goals proved the difference.
The Championships were dominated by eventual winner Vic Country. Picture: AFL Media
VIC COUNTRY 2.6 7.9 8.10 8.15 (63)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0.3 1.3 4.5 4.7 (31)
GOALS
Vic Country: Ainsworth 5, Schache, Maishman, Berry
Western Australia: Waterman, Taylor, Schoenfield, Ah-Chee
