WA’s top youth girls to play at Etihad

Eleven girls in the WA U18 Youth Girls team have been selected to play in a curtain-raiser match to the Women’s Exhibition game at Etihad Stadium in September at the conclusion of the Youth Girls National Championships in Melbourne last month.

Players selected include Sabreena Duffy, Beatrice Devlyn, Courtney Hodder, Emily McGuire, Mckenzie Dowrick, Tayla McAuliffe, Jasmin Stewart, Sonia Dorizzi, Ebonee Hardie, Rachel Ashley and Kate Bartlett.

Courtney Hodder was named A-Section MVP at the championships after a standout performance throughout the week-long competition.

Hodder was also named WA MVP and best on ground for her team in their Grand Final loss to Vic Metro at the MCG.

WA will use the Grand Final loss as a valuable learning experience after being held scoreless by a talented Vic Metro line-up which scored 14.11-95 to finish the Championships as undefeated winners.

As the only two sides to have won the competition in the past, WA and Vic Metro faced each other in a curtain-raiser to the Round 7 Richmond-Hawthorn clash.

West Australian Football Commission General Manager of WAFL and Talent, Steve Hargrave, congratulated Hodder on her MVP award and said he was extremely proud of all the WA players for reaching the Grand Final.

“These young players, our coaches and support staff have done Western Australia proud,” he said.

“While we didn’t get the result we were hoping for in the Grand Final, I know they will all learn from this experience.

“We will review the game and look at the result to make sure these players gain all they can from the opportunity.”

“These girls are all talented individuals and future stars of the National women’s competition so I know they’ll bounce back better and stronger.”

After a tight start to the Grand Final, Vic Metro hit the scoreboard first and took a 19-point lead into the first break.

Hard running from WA midfielders Hodder and Maddison Ugle in the second quarter wasn’t enough to get them on the scoreboard.

WA lifted its intensity in the third quarter, constantly tackling and harassing their opponents, but still remained scoreless and Vic Metro was 69 points ahead at three quarter time.

WA slowed the play down in the last quarter and had their highest number of forward 50 entries, but the Vic Metro defence remained resolute.

Vic Metro 3.1 8.2 10.9 14.11 (95)
Western Australia 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0)

Goals
Vic Metro: Huntington 5, Hayes 3, Struylaart 3, Prespakis 2, Smith

Best
Vic Metro: Smith, Huntington, Prespakis, Ripari, Struylaart, Vesely
Western Australia: Hodder, Ashley, Ugle, McGuire