State 16s Boys break long drought in Adelaide with hard-fought win over SA

The AAMI WA Football State 16s Boys got their National Championships campaign off to a flying start, defeating a fast-finishing South Australia in Adelaide for the first time in more than a decade on Saturday morning.

A best-on-ground performance from East Fremantle young gun Troy Warner inspired WA to carnival-opening victory over the Croweaters.

The exciting 2028 AFL Draft prospect and WA co-captain dominated in the midfield to help with Black Swans to a 12-point win – 9.14 (68) to 9.2 (56).

The younger brother of Sydney Swans pair Chad and Corey finished with 25 disposals, four clearances and four inside 50s, setting the tone early in the engine room.

There were plenty of other contributors all over the ground with Claremont tall Sam Gooch (14 disposals, 12 hit-outs, five clearances and four inside 50s) impressive in the ruck, East Fremantle sharpshooter Jayke Taylor (pictured above) the main focal point in attack with two majors and seven marks, East Perth spearhead Nate Cass chipped in with 2.3 and Swan Districts defender Coby Jackson stood tall in the back half.

Aiden Martignago, one of nine East Fremantle players out there, was lively through the middle with 16 disposals, five tackles four clearances and a goal, with his Sharks teammates Owen Hodge (16 disposals, four marks and four inside 50s) and Aiden Wilson (16, four inside 50s and a goal) also having a big say in the contest.

The win over SA means WA have now defeated their arch-rivals in the Kia WAFL and WAFLW State Games and State 18s boys this year.

WA were well on top in the inside-50 and clearance count but let their opponents off the hook with inaccuracy in front of the sticks.

After a slow start, WA finally got things going late in the opening term and started doing all of the attacking.

It took until the 16-minute break for the Black Swans to their first goal with Martignago converting a close-range free-kick.

His East Fremantle teammate and WA co-captain Jack Holland, who was strong in the opening half with two majors, then made it two in as many minutes, kicking it sweetly from 40m out after a strong mark on the lead to help his team to an eight-point quarter-time advantage.

WA got on top of the clearance battle in the second term thanks to Warner, who had a whopping 15 first-half disposals, and Gooch in the ruck but were wasteful in front of goals.

After five consecutive behinds either side of quarter-time, Holland slotted through his second at the seven-minute mark.

Fellow Shark Taylor, who was marking everything inside 50, then joined the party with his first of the day.

It was tough going for SA who could only manage one goal in the first and second terms.

West Perth’s Josh Oldroyd ran into an open goal late in the half to cap off a brilliant end-to-end passage of play as WA took a 23-point lead into the main break.

South Australia got off to the perfect start in the second half, kicking a goal within the opening minute to cut the margin back to 17 points.

WA couldn’t capitalise on their inside-50 entries before the Croweaters kicked another against the run of play midway through the third term as things began to really tighten up.

East Perth tall Nate Cate, who was prominent in attack, kicked a much-needed steadier late in the third to push the buffer back out to 19 points.

SA hit back once again before Taylor had his second with an after-the-siren set shot to make it a 20-point margin with a quarter to play.

The home side got to within single digits in the last quarter before a stunning goal on the run from 40m out from Wilson at the 16-minute mark put the result beyond doubt.

WA are back in action on Tuesday, July 14, taking on Vic Metro at People First Stadium in their first of two games in four days on the Gold Coast.

SCOREBOARD

WA 2.3 5.7 7.10 9.14 (68)

SA 1.1 2.2 5.2 9.2 (56)

WA goals: J Taylor 2, N Cass 2, J Holland 2, A Martignago, J Oldroyd, A Wilson

WA best: T Warner, S Gooch, A Martignago J Taylor, C Jackson, O Hodge, A Wilson