By JARROD POTTER
AFL YOUTH GIRLS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROUND 3
ONLY 26 hours to go now as Vic Metro and Vic Country enter the last phase of the Youth Girls Championships.
Vic Metro had to battle it out in the wind to overcome the vastly improved Vic Country side on Thursday afternoon, with the country girls taking it right up to their suburban counterparts.
After West Australia’s last-ditch one-point triumph over Queensland in the preceding game, Vic Country knew it would need a victory to book a place in the MCG grand final, but in the end the Metro polish and shine was too much for the regional footballers.
The odds-on championship favourites, Vic Metro booted two goals against the breeze in the third term before running away with the lead to set up a 6.9 (45) to 2.4 (16) victory.
Country bolted out of the gates in the first term though – getting away to a flier as Huntly star Isabella Ayre had it on a string.
From defence, she cleared it strongly and set up a couple of forward chances. Through the midfield she crumbed the tap-work from Emily Rylance and Alicia Rooth, but Ayre’s crowing moment was the intercept mark she took after a Vic Country behind part way through the first term.
She plucked the grab and ran in to snag her chance and put Country ahead with the hope of more goals to come.
Unfortunately for the blue-on-white Victorians though, their counterparts would not give them an inch from there on.
The likes of Kayla Ripari, Georgia Gee and Jas Grierson started winning the ball across the wings and doing the only thing the wind ever allows – boot it long and let the forwards sort it out.
Katherine Smith was the odd recipient of an horrendous switch-across-goals from Vic Country and the Metro skipper had no troubles slotting the goal to boot her side in front.
Following the footsteps of her grandfather Brian Shinners, Beaconsfield’s Georgia Gee was the next in her family tree to relish an outing at Shepley Oval – as she booted the next goal and generally roamed the midfield and wings with gusto.
Anna Hayes (three goals), Grierson and Brooke Struylaart weren’t to be discounted either as Metro’s prime targets up forward.
On Thursday it was Hayes’ turn to cash in, as she led well, slotted her set shots and generally caused havoc among the Vic Country back six.
While Vic Metro got on top, Vic Country didn’t let them take that mantle without going through the wringer first.
Captain Georgia Walker – who was fairly sore heading into the match – still shone and showed why she leads this side on and off the field as she had a part of everything Vic Country-esque through the last three terms.
In particular, her set-shot from 35 metres in the third term stood out – as the Dandenong Stingrays’ mainstay split the middle despite the swirling conditions. The Stingrays’ captain generated advantage throughout the day – with third and fourth efforts showing her customary best.
Never saying die either were Reni Hicks – who battled it out against Struylaart – Ayre and Lily Mitchen.
The match got away from the Country girls in the third term as the heavy gale was not used to advantage, instead leaving the majority of the scoring to the dogged work of Vic Metro’s forwards.
Hayes’ time to shine was the third term as she booted two of her bag against the howling and swirling wind – including an inspired set-shot that would’ve troubled many throughout the elite football world.
Courtney Jones and Hayes iced the game in the fourth term, leaving no doubt as to who is top of the pops heading into the last match tomorrow.
Vic Metro’s destiny takes them to the MCG on Friday evening from 5.20pm and coach Wayne Siekman believed it wasn’t as easy as the scoreboard suggested.
“To Scott and Vic Country – since he took over from last year you can see the improvement,” Siekman said.
“They play with a structure and a game-plan, got a bit more meaning for how they play the game and it was a good challenge for us.
“Just wish we could find a day without any wind – it just makes it hard for any player, whether it’s boys, girls, senior AFL players; when you’re kicking into a six-seven goal breeze it hangs up and makes it tough, but the girls pretty much set up the win in the third when we kicked two against it.”
It all boils down to who recovers better as Siekman thinks past results won’t matter half as much as tonight’s hard work off the field to prepare.
“The girls have worked hard this week and now their reward is to play on the MCG tomorrow,” Siekman said. “There’s three games down and one to go and the most important thing for tomorrow are the next 26 hours and as a team seeing who can get the most and best recovery done.”
Vic Country coach Scott Gowans remained upbeat about the performance as the underdogs stuck it out.
Their heart and soul was great we just found at the end that our tackling and pressure acts were up 15 at the end of the game and you can’t ask for more than that,” Gowans said.
“If you get beaten and your pressure acts are down then you’re disappointed, but when they’re up like that, that is as good as you can ask.”
Vic Country’s consolation final will be held at Punt Road Oval tomorrow (Friday) against Queensland from 12.10pm.
“Our focus is now recovery and to get ready for tomorrow – we’ve got a chance at winning a consolation final, which we’ve never done, and I’m just proud of them,” Gowans said.
“Metro are full of stars, so I thought today’s effort from the girls was really positive.”
YOUTH GIRLS SCOREBOARD
VIC METRO 6.9 (45)
VIC COUNTRY 2.4 (16)
Goals: Vic Metro: A. Hayes 3, K. Smith, G. Gee, Jones. Vic Country: I. Ayre, G. Walker.
