By JARROD POTTER
VIC Country continued its stellar start to the AFL under-18 national championships, smashing Tasmania by 61 points at VISY Park.
Kicking away to a five-goal-to-one opening quarter, the Victorians ensured the margin would remain ballooned up for the Tasmanians to chase.
A wasted second quarter by Vic Country let the visitors reduce the gap, as the home side sprayed 2.8 to go in only 26 points ahead.
A better third-quarter effort pushed the margin back out as Geelong forward Pat McCartin reeled in two goals and a number of one-take marks to surely impress the cavalcade of selectors on hand.
The small sticks remained the bane of Vic Country in the last term – wasting opportunities with a 5.5 final quarter as Aaron Saunders and Clay McCartney proved imperative in and around the forward 50.
Vic Country coach Mark Ellis said their lacklustre execution up forward was sloppy, but was overall pleased with his charges’ effort.
“I think so – it was a little bit scrappy up forward and probably the way we took the ball in, we needed to take a little bit more care with that,” Ellis said.
“But we got a lot of stuff to work on, which is good and we just got to get a few things tidied up.”
The Geelong connection ripped apart the southern state to devastating effect – with James Tsitas snaring 32 disposals and 12 tackles, while Falcons team mate Lewis Taylor also impressed through the forward half with 28 possessions of his own.
For the Dandenong Stingrays representatives, Zak Jones patrolled the defensive end with aplomb taking 21 touches and seven marks, while Clay McCartney impressed the coaching staff with three goals and 18 touches.
Gippsland Power trio Aaron Heppell (19 possessions), Josh Scott (13 possessions, six marks) and Saunders (11 possessions, two goals) all put their hand up for another week in the Vic Country colours.
Ellis was pleased with the one-two punch of McCartney and Saunders up forward as they roved to the taller forwards excellently.
“It is very exciting to have them down there and they know if they work hard, harass and that, they stay in the side – so it’s exactly what they’ve done,” Ellis said.
Vic Country heads over to South Australia for round three of the championships with its strongest squad of the carnival yet.
The Victorians will want to make amends for last year’s loss at Etihad Stadium to the Croweaters by 13 points.
SCOREBOARD
VIC COUNTRY 5.1 7.9 10.10 15.15 (105)
TASMANIA 1.1 4.1 6.2 7.2 (44)
Vic Country GOALS: McCartney 3, Willsmore 3, McCartin 2, Saunders 2, Drummond, Heppell, Lang, Merrett, Tsitas. BEST: Taylor, Holman, Tsitas, Willsmore, Jones, Leslie.
Tasmania GOALS: Dickenson 2, Joseph, Fox, Nankervis, Pearce, Willis. Best: Templeton, Grey, Jones, K.Kolodjashnij, Nankervis, McGuiness.
