For those that are interested -
Unlike AFL SOO (when it still existed), this pretty much attracts all the best players for each state - hoping, of course to attract the eyes of the massed ranks of AFL recruiting gurus.

As always, I'll be supporting the Vic Country lads. Another posible bonus is that this series traditionally attracts shocking wet weather wherever it is held - we can still do with more of this now.

NAB AFL Under 18 Championships
23 June, 2005

Teams from all eight States and Territories will participate in the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships which commences this weekend in Melbourne. The Championships, which are part of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, begin with Division Two matches this Saturday and Division One matches on Sunday. The Championships will conclude the following weekend after each team has played three matches in a round-robin format.

Teams in Division One consist of Vic Metro, Vic Country, South Australia and Western Australia.

Division Two teams consist of: Tasmania, the Northern Territory, Queensland and NSW/ACT.

Vic Metro has won six of the nine Division One titles that have been contested. In Division Two, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Queensland have won two titles. NSW/ACT has won three titles.

This is the 10th year since the re-structure of the Championships, with both the Under 16 and Under-18 Championships introduced in 1996. During this time, an average of 42 players from the Championships each year have been drafted on to a senior AFL list.

Thirteen of the current 16 AFL club captains are graduates of the National Youth Championships: Mark Ricciuto (South Australia, 1991/92), Michael Voss (Queensland, 1992), Anthony Koutoufides (Vic Metro, 1990), James Hird (NSW/ACT, 1989, 1990), Steven King (Vic Country, 1995), Peter Bell (WA, 1993), Adam Simpson (Vic Metro, 1993), David Neitz (Vic Metro 1990/91/92), Warren Tredrea (South Australia, 1995/96), Ben Matthews (NSW/ACT, 1995), Nick Riewoldt (Queensland, 1999, 2000), Kane Johnson (Vic Metro, 1994/95).

A kid a year below me that went to my school...is in the State Under 18s championships.

In Perth they still talk about 1987...when we got virtually all of the Eagles legends from that WA Teal Cup squad.

His name?? (In case he's good - will follow how he goes).



True - And guess what, WA is going in as favourites this year, having wong the Under 16 Nationals for the last 2 years.

Program
Div 1 - Sunday at Princes Park
SA v Vic Country, Vic Metro v WA

Wednesday at Kardinia Park
Winners v Losers of Sunday matches.

Sunday at Princes Park
Loser 1 v Loser 2 then 'GF' Winner 1 v Winner 2.

Div 2 - Today at Princes Park
NT v Tas, Qld v NSW/NT

Tuesday at Kardinia Park
Winners v Losers of Sunday matches.

Saturday at Princes Park
Loser 1 v Loser 2 then 'GF' Winner 1 v Winner 2.

Go Tassie Mariners Go

This also off the AFL website

Apple Isle thumps NT
3:33:15 PM Sat 25 June, 2005
Matt Burgan
Sportal for afl.com.au
Tasmania has started its NAB AFL under-18 championship campaign in brilliant style, with key forward Todd Grima produced a scintillating performance, kicking 10 goals, as the Apple Isle comfortably overcame the Northern Territory by 62 points.

Tassie 18.5 (113) defeated the Thunder 8.3 (51) in the first match of the 2005 carnival, staged at Optus Oval in chilly, but sunny conditions on Saturday.

The heroics of Grima, on top of Tasmania's deadly accuracy in front of goal, were crucial to the win, as the Apple Isle booted 11.1 to 5.7 in the first half, before running away with the victory.

The 18-year-old, 193cm tall key forward, from the Northern Bombers, was outstanding as he kicked three goals in the opening term - including the first two of the match. He then bagged another three in the second quarter to have six goals by the first half.



He then added a further four goals after the main break to hit doubles figures in one of the best individual efforts in the history of the under 18 tournament.

Grima's conversion was spot-on, kicking 10 goals straight from his 12 kicks, while he claimed nine marks - including six contested marks. His efforts will surely get the football pundits talking.

Mitchell Thorp (18 disposals and a goal), Cameron Beck (16 touches and two majors) and Darren Crawford (17 possessions and one goal) were other players to shine for Tasmania.

For the Territory, Trevor Oliver racked up 25 touches - the most for the match - to be among his side's best, while Nathan McLean notched up 20 kicks and took 11 marks. Bradley Stephensen was also a strong performer, with 22 disposals and 20 hit outs.

Tasmania controlled the match right from the start, when it slammed five goals to one, claiming a 23-point lead at the first change.

Although the Thunder fought back and reduced the margin to 11 points at the 17-minute mark of the second term, which included two from Matthew Campbell in this period, Tasmania answered strongly with four in a row before half time.

Tassie took a 35-point advantage into the long break and from that point onwards it never looked back.

A three quarter-time lead of 43 points was blown out to 10 goals in the final quarter, giving Tasmania one of its best results in recent years.

NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1.2 5.7 6.3 8.3 (51)
TASMANIA: 5.1 11.1 13.4 18.5 (113)
GOALS - Northern Territory: Campbell 2, Calma 2, G.McLean, Oliver, Rioli, Stephensen Tasmania: Grima 10, Beck 2, Fagan 2, Charlesworth, Crawford, Thorp, Wells
BEST - Northern Territory: Oliver, Stephensen, N.McLean, Campbell, Measures, Corrie Tasmania: Grima, Thorp, Beck, Crawford, Howard, Armstrong, Lonergan, Turner, Neville
UMPIRES - Fila, Keating, McDonald
At Optus Oval

Paul Bower...didn't play too badly...and Peterss knows Gumbleton.

He was on the damagind Dower and stopped him after half time when he went on him.

Watched him at an interschool football match (were they play football for a day to find the house champion)

And he was playing with a ripped shirt...has got plenty of talent...and did well.

WA was a much better outfit in the second half...and was impressed with our fighting qualities.

It brought a tear to my eye seeing the big black swan on our yellow jersey...what a magnificent sight for a proud sandgroper...as much as the Big V is to the Victorians.

The Big V in Teal Cup is rather morphed as it is either a light blue V for metro or a navy blue V for country.

Nah it was navy blue for metro

and white for country.

But your right, I reckon they should be combined with Victoria A and Victoria B rather then country and metro...population dictates that they have 2 sides...but just have an A and a B side.

Woooooooo!!!! go Scotty Gumbleton... To bad he is not quite old enough to be drafted this year

I want the Vic country lads to have their own team (despite the weekend result). The full results were -

Division 1 matches played at Optus Oval:

Game 1 Final Scores: South Australia 14.8 (92) def Vic Country 5.11 (41)

GOALS - South Australia: Cleve Hughes 3, Tom Rischbieth 3, Scott Bricknell, Scott Dutschke, Ricky Ebert, Sam Elliott, Tom Hurley, Nick Lower, Brad Sugars, Bradley Yeomans. Vic Country: Benjamin Fraser 3, Xavier Ellis, Jonathan Simpkin

BEST - South Australia: Sam Elliott, Luke McEntee, Jace Bode, Tom Hurley, Brad Sugars, Darren Pfeiffer, Bradley Yeomans, Scott Bricknell. Vic Country: Benjamin Fraser, Lachlan Hansen, Xavier Ellis, Dale Thomas, Josh Bowe.

Game 2 Final Scores: Vic Metro 13.10 88 def Western Australia 9.7 (61)

GOALS - Vic Metro: Beau Dowler 4, Simon Phillips 3, Leigh Adams, Greg Bentley, Myles Krakouer, Ben McKinley, Marc Murphy, Rees Thomas. Western Australia: Cameron Heise 2, Josh Kennedy 2, Hayden Ballantyne, Jesse Gribble, Scott Gumbleton, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, Matthew Seal

BEST - Vic Metro: Nathan Jones, Marc Murphy, Rees Thomas, Beau Dowler, Matthew Spangher, Gareth Bowes. Western Australia: Cameron Heise, Andrew Swallow, Josh Kennedy, Leroy Jetta, Alan Toovey, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls.

Divison 2 played today at Optus Oval:

Game 1 final scores: Tasmania 18.5.113 def Northern Territory 8.3.51

Tasmania Goalkickers: Todd Grima 10, Cameron Beck 2, Ben Fagan 2, Mitchell Thorp 1, Darren Crawford 1, James Charlesworth 1, Jonathan Wells 1
Best players: Todd Grima, Darren Crawford, James Armstrong, Jason Howard, Sam Fielding, Sam Lonergan, Marcus Turner, Heath Neville.

Northern Territory Goalkickers: Matthew Campbell 2, Harold Calma 2, Randall Rioli 1, Gavin McLean 1, Bradley Stephensen 1, Trevor Oliver 1.
Best players Nathan McLean, Bradley Stephensen, Danny Measures, Martin Corrie, Joshua Cubillo, Trevor Oliver.

Game 2 final scores: Queensland 9.9. 63 def NSW/ACT 7.5.47

Queensland Goalkickers: Julian Kannis 3, Brent Renouf 2, Daniel Dzufer 2, Lee Spurr 1, Rhan Hooper 1
Best players: Ricky Petterd, Wayde Mills, Gavin Urquhart, Andrew Scott, Rhan Hooper.

NSW/ACT Goalkickers: Sam Rowe 1, Malcolm Lynch 1, James Bennett 1, Kieren Jack 1, Nick Paine 1, Adam Prior 1, Dylan Addison 1.
Best: Sean Logie, David Conway, Kieren Jack, Ben Mankarious, Sam Rowe, Trent Goodrem (Delta's little brother).

Next matches:

Division 1- Wednesday 29 June, Skilled Stadium

South Australia v Western Australia, 10.30am

Vic Metro v Vic Country, 12.45pm

Sunday 3 July Optus Oval

Loser Match One v Loser Match Two, 11am

Winner Match One v Winner Match Two, 1.30pm

Division 2 - Tuesday 28 June, Skilled Stadium

Tasmania v NSW/ACT, 11am

Queensland v Northern Territory, 1.30pm

Saturday 2 July Optus Oval

Loser Match One v Loser Match Two, 11am

Winner Match One v Winner Match Two, 1.30pm

The latest - Queensland to play Tassie in Div 2 final.

Queensland into 'final'
4:43:12 PM Tue 28 June, 2005
Matt Burgan at Skilled Stadium

Queensland has thrashed Northern Territory by 51 points to set up a fascinating showdown with Tasmania for the second division title in the 2005 NAB AFL under 18 championships. ...

After winning two of the past three division-two titles in 2002 and 2004, Northern Territory suffered its second consecutive 50-plus point defeat, after Tasmania thrashed it in the opening match on Saturday.

Queensland never looked in doubt, leading at every change, while the Territory was never in the hunt, after it produced just one goal in the first half. Queensland dominated the first half and added a further three goals in the second term, as the Thunder was held scoreless during that period. ...

QUEENSLAND: 5.1 8.4 11.6 15.7 (97)
NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1.3 1.6 3.7 6.10 (46)
GOALS - Queensland: Screech 3, Kannis 2, Spurr 2, White 2, Dempsey, Dzufer, Fletcher, Mills, Mueller, Nuss
Northern Territory: Calma-Holt 2, Gale, Irwin, G.McLean, Wonaeamirri
BEST - Queensland: Howard, Spurr, Kannis, Screech, Lucy, White, Fletcher
Northern Territory: Oliver, Wonaeamirri, Calma-Holt, Stephensen, Measures
UMPIRES - Brown, Elliott, Ryan

Tassie wins again
2:38:44 PM Tue 28 June, 2005
Matt Burgan at Skilled Stadium

Tasmania has held off New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory by 11 points in a nail-biting clash at Skilled Stadium on Tuesday, to record its second win of the 2005 NAB AFL under-18 championships. ...

NSW/ACT's Kieran Jack - the son of rugby league great Gary - had a stellar match, as he notched up 23 possessions. He also had nine tackles and 10 clearances and was ranked the best player on ground. James Bennett was again prominent for NSW/ACT. ...

In a nail-biting final term, NSW/ACT's Adam Prior got the ball-rolling when he kicked truly to again level the scores. It was a see-sawing contest, until two in row from Tassie, courtesy of Leon Noel and Sam Lonergan, gave the Apple Isle the four points.

TASMANIA: 3.4 6.8 8.10 11.11 (77)
NEW SOUTH WALES/AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: 3.1 5.1 8.4 10.6 (66)
GOALS - Tasmania: Thorp 2, Birchall, Chapman, Charlesworth, Fielding, Grima, Iles, Lonergan, Noel, Wade
NSW/ACT: Jack 2, Johnston 2, Fyfe, Lynch, McConnochie, A.Prior, Toussis, Wilson
BEST - Tasmania: Birchall, Wade, Crawford, Lonergan, Iles, Graham
NSW/ACT: Jack, Bennett, A.Prior, Logie, Goodrem, Twomey
UMPIRES - Kelleher, McDonald, Hay

Great signs for Queensland to defeat the Northern Territory...which is an AFL state.

They certainly are progressing, competed well in the State of Origin with WA this year.

Some fantastic signs in the sunshine state.

And whats more, Queensland are without their young 'superstar' full forward, a kid by the name of West (forgot his first name) who caused a sensation a few weeks by kicking 13 goals in a trial match against Victoria's top under 18 side (a record at elite <18 level) and was being toted as a possible #1 draft pick. Tragically, in the very last minute of the match he 'did' his knee, requiring a full reconstruction and out of action for 12 months.

Tassie are showing the benefits of having their side playing regularly together in the Vic <18 TAC Cup, whereas Vic Country only play together as a team in the national championships itself, and had only 2 training sessions prior to it, because of the distances involved.

I think hot_dogma was talking about the 'V' symbol on the guernseys...

Victoria Metro -- Navy blue with light blue 'V'
Victoria Country (VCFL) -- White with navy blue 'V'

The colours of the VMFL are light blue so how is this so?