CTF Catch Up: State 18s Boys finish carnival with heart-breaking loss to Allies

The AAMI WA Football State 18s Boys suffered a heart-breaking finish to their AFL National Under-18s Championships, losing to the Allies by just six points in Ballarat on Wednesday.

Western Australia finished their carnival with a 2-2 record after a 12.12 (84) to 11.12 (78) defeat to a fast-finishing Allies, who stormed home from 23 points down at half-time in a remarkable game.

After four one-win tournaments in a row, the Black Swans took a significant step forward and were a lot more competitive across the tournament.

A five-goals-to-two second quarter broke the game open for WA but they were left to rue their inaccuracy in front of the sticks as the Allies kicked five majors in a row in the second half to turn the game on its head.

After his dominant second half in the midfield against Vic Country, Claremont first-round draft prospect Mellody started in the middle and had the first clearance of the contest and never looked back, gathering a game-high 30 disposals to go with six inside 50s and four clearances.

East Perth and West Coast Next Generation Academy speedster Garrison Kenh (22 disposals and four inside 50s) had his best game of the carnival, providing line-breaking pace and driving the ball with precision inside attacking 50 with his damaging left foot.

Giant Benji van Rooyen (18 disposals, 20 hit-outs, four clearances and a goal) was as consistent as ever in the ruck, impressing with his follow-up work around the ground and ability to hit the scoreboard, while fellow Tigers George Gale (25 and six inside 50s) and Harper Banfield (23, seven tackles and five clearance) set the tone in the midfield.

Swan Districts gun and WA co-captain Leo Steed (16 and a goal) had some good moments across the first three quarters but didn’t feature in the last due to illness which he was battling throughout the week.

The goals were shared up forward with West Perth spearhead Harvey Spawton-Guy the main focal point with three majors, East Fremantle livewire and Fremantle Next Generation Academy talent Finlay Yeo (two goals) exciting at ground level and Claremont winger and West Coast father-son prospect Noah Braun kicking a couple of eye-catching goals on the run.

It was a see-sawing opening term with the teams going goal for goal as Yeo did the damage for WA with two majors and Braun kicking a nice goal on the run.

Trailing by two points at quarter-time, WA dominated the inside-50 count early in the second quarter but couldn’t capitalise until van Rooyen struck is sweetly from 45m out at the six-minute mark after some pinpoint delivery from Kenh.

Spawton-Guy continued his strong carnival up forward with a long-range effort before left-footer Braun slotted through another with a classy snap.

Kenh’s second-quarter purple patch delivered another goal assist with Spawton-Guy marking it from close range before comfortably kicking it through which was the first time in a game a team had consecutive majors.

It was backflip time soon after as South Fremantle highlight machine Cam Maynard drilled one from the pocket to make it a 22-point margin late in the half.

WA kicked 5.8 in the second term on their way to a 23-point half-time advantage.

The Black Swans had a remarkable 15 scoring shots in a row either side of the main break but their inaccuracy in front of the sticks kept the Allies in the hunt.

After four consecutive goals for WA, the Allies hit back with four majors in a row of their own before three-quarter time to cut the deficit back to just two points.

The Allies then took the lead early in the final quarter with WA desperately needing a lift which they got through co-captain Gale who delivered a goal assist for Spawton-Guy.

It was another goal-for-goal affair in the last with Banfield having a couple of big moments in a passage of play to find debutant Cooper Ramsay and the East Fremantle product made the most of his chance to snatch the lead back for WA.

But it was the Allies finishing strong on their way to a hard-fought victory.

SCOREBOARD

ALLIES 3.3 5.4 9.8 12.12 (84)

WEST AUS 3.1 8.9 9.10 11.12 (78)

WA Goals: H Spawton-Guy 3, F Yeo 2 N Braun 2 C Maynard, B van Rooyen, L Steed, C Ramsay

WA Best: H Mellody, G Kenh, B van Rooyen, G Gale, H Banfield, H Spawton-Guy, F Yeo, N Braun