State 18s fight to the finish

WESTERN Australia’s State 18s finished with a hard-fought loss to South Australia at Etihad Stadium in the final round of the NAB National 18s Championships.

SA 11.9 (75) defeated WA 10.5 (65).

After being hit hard by injury in the first three games of the Championships, including a broken collarbone to captain Dom Sheed, WA was forced to fly in an additional player for the final game of the Championships.

Bradley Walsh joined the team for the match-up against the undefeated South Australians and contributed well in what was a tough contest against the eventual 18s champions.

WA trailed by just one point at quarter time and kicked the first two goals of the second half to take the lead before SA hit back with five unanswered goals heading into half time to set up a 20-point lead.

WA reduced the margin to 14 points by three-quarter time and could have been closer if not for a goal on the siren to SA’s James Battersby.

An ankle injury to WA forward Cameron McCarthy, who had kicked two goals until landing awkwardly in a marking contest, hurt WA’s chances of a come-back early in the last quarter.

Another goal to Battersby extended SA’s lead before WA booted two late goals to reduce the final margin to 10 points.

SCOREBOARD

SA 3.2 8.4 10.6 11.9 (75)

WA 3.1 5.2 8.4 10.5 (65)

WA Goals – McCarthy, Sokol 2, Keitel, Pickett, C. Cameron, Lim, Johnson, Marsh