Grigg stars in SA winBy Ben Guthrie
06/07/2011 10:13 PMSA 4.4 6.9 7.10 14.10 (94)
WA 2.1 6.4 8.8 11.10 (76)
Goals:
SA - McKenzie 2, Simpson 2, Mayes 2, McDonough 2, Grigg, Neale, Kennedy, Carger, Murdoch, Amato
WA - Lockyer 2, Yarran 2, Mitchell, Garlet, Williams, Verrier, Schlothe, AhChee, Waters
Best:
South Australia: McKenzie, Brown, Laird, Grigg, Simpson, Grundy, Mayes, Carger
Western Australia: Mitchell, Garlett, Coniglio, Hutchinson, Jupp
Full Stats of every player:
SA - Grigg (21d, 6m, 7t), McKenzie (18d, 7m, 2t), Neale (17d, 5m, 4t), Laird (17d, 6m, 2t)
WA - Mitchell (28d, 1m, 3t), Garlet (20d, 2m, 0t), Coniglio (19d, 2m, 2t), O'Meara (16d, 3m, 4t)
More at:
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/17944/default.aspx#fixtureid=5750&tab=Stats-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A KICKING masterclass from South Australian Mitchell Grigg has helped his team to an 18-point win over Western Australia in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Grigg was precise and penetrating in his delivery and unwavering in his attack on the ball as he accumulated 21 possessions, seven inside 50s and seven tackles.
He stepped up in the absence of highly-rated prospect, Chad Wingard, who did not play due to the after-effects of the concussion he sustained against Vic Metro last Friday.
Although Vic Metro's win in the earlier match made this game a 'dead-rubber', both teams were keen to impress the hoard of AFL coaches and recruiters in attendance.
Earlier, South Australia jumped out of the blocks with four goals to two in the first quarter.
The Sandgropers hit back with four of their own in the second term as they came charging back into contention to trail by just five points at half time.
They were led by Tom Mitchell, who has been signed by Sydney as the son of Barry, who racked up 28 hard-fought possessions.
Dayle Garlett added pace and bounce (20 possessions and seven inside 50s), Stephen Coniglio, who received the Larke Medal as best player in Division One of the championships after the match, gathered 19 possessions in the midfield and Riley Hutchinson provided great run from defence.
For South Australia, Brad McKenzie was damaging and productive in the midfield with 18 disposals and two goals, while Josh Simpson was lively as a small forward with two goals.
The intensity lifted in the third quarter as both teams tried desperately to gain match-changing momentum.
It set up a thrilling final quarter with the teams going goal for goal until a turnover by South Australia in their backline gifted Christopher Yarran an easy goal from the goal square as Western Australia took hold of an eight-point lead.
The Croweaters hit back just minutes later with a goal of their own to cut the margin to two points after forward Sam Mayes was awarded a free kick for holding in the goal-square.
However when the game was there to be won, it was the ever-reliable Grigg who found a way to win the important clearance and deliver the ball to teammate Matthew McDonough, who marked on the 50 metre arc.
McDonough wound up and sank a massive set-shot bomb to deliver the knock-out blow, and in the process snuff out any chance of a Western Australian revival.
When Ben Kennedy added another with a superb snap from the boundary the game was over.
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/17944/default.aspx#fixtureid=5750&tab=Recap