State 16s Boys beat Vic Metro, in box seat for drought-breaking title

The AAMI WA Football State 16s Boys are in the box seat for their first AFL National Under-16s Championships title since 2017 after knocking off Vic Metro on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

The Black Swans made it two wins from as many starts, backing up their first-up win over South Australia on the road with a 27-point triumph over Vic Metro at People First Stadium to remain the only undefeated team in the competition.

A win over Vic Country on the Gold Coast in their final match in Friday would guarantee the title, while a loss could still get it done if other results worked in their favour.

The only blemish on their second victory was an inefficient goal-kicking output of 8.23.

East Fremantle midfield duo Aiden Martignago (29 disposals, nine clearances and a goal) and Troy Warner (27 and eight inside 50s) were dominant for the West Aussies, combining for 56 disposals, 13 inside 50s and 12 clearances, while Perth’s Lincoln Workman (21 disposals and six inside 50s) got better as the game went on.

Martignago, who’s part of Fremantle Next Generation Academy, was WA’s most consistent across the four quarters.

Defenders Xavier Stewart (Peel Thunder/South West) and Aiden Wilson (East Fremantle) also did their bit, West Perth goalsneak Josh Oldroyd and East Fremantle tall forward Jack Holland booted two goals apiece and Subiaco livewire Zinzan Clark also impressed in his first game of the carnival.

Oldroyd kicked a beauty to kickstart WA’s day, dribbling the ball around the right-hand goalpost at the seven-minute mark for the first major of the contest.

Oldroyd was at it again to continue the Black Swans’ strong start before East Freo pair Martignago, who was in absolutely everything in the first term with six disposals and two clearances, and co-captain Holland joined the goal-kicking party.

WA were dominating the inside-50 count but let their opponents off the hook with errant goal-kicking, finishing the opening term with a wasteful 4.5 for a 27-point advantage.

Claremont big man Sam Gooch, one of WA’s best in the opening-game victory over SA, made it five goals in a row early in the second term when he launched one from about the 50m arc.

In his return from a knee injury, Clark was electric in attack, setting up several scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Vic Metro finally broke their goal drought midway through the second term, kicking two goals in three minutes to cut the deficit back to 23 points.

WA squandered a number of chances late in the half before the Vics made them pay with their third and fourth in a row just before half-time to make it a 14-point margin at the main break.

All of a sudden it was a single-digit margin early in the third term with Vic Metro continuing their goal-kicking assault.

Warner was doing everything possible to spark his team, racking up the footy across half-forward and driving the ball with class inside 50, but WA’s horror form in front of the sticks was contagious.

After a staggering 13 consecutive behinds, Holland slotted through arguably the most difficult shot of the lot with a brilliant snap around the body from deep in the pocket.

East Fremantle’s Jayke Taylor then took a strong contested mark at the top of the goal square just before the three-quarter time siren, but his after-the-siren set shot slammed into the right post.

Leading by 20 points with a quarter to play, Clark slotted through an important goal at the five-minute mark of the last to give WA some breathing space.

East Perth tall Nate Cass then sealed the deal at the 14-minute mark with a classy finish from the boundary.

SCOREBOARD

West Aust 4.5 5.11 6.19 8.23 (71)

Vic Metro 0.2 4.3 5.6 6.8 (44)

WA goals: J Oldroyd 2, J Holland 2, A Martignago, S Gooch, Z Clark, N Cass

WA best: A Martignago, T Warner, Z Clark, X Stewart, A Wilson, J Holland, J Oldroyd