NAB AFL U18 National Championships 2007

[Gordon Bennett]

I saw all the Vic Metro v Vic Country match, and the 1st qtr of the WA v SA match.

Vic Metro 17 8 110
Vic Country 9 8 62

WA well on top at quarter time- the WA boys playing like they knew they had the title - lots of enthusiasm and talent.

[mightytiges]

Thanks GB 

Victoria Metropolitan: 4.3, 7.6, 14.8, 17.8 (110)
Victoria Country:         2.2, 4.3,  4.6,   9.8 (62)

Goals -
Victoria Metropolitan: Maric 4, Grimes 3, Grant 3, Simpson, Cattapan, Potts, Arrowsmith, Polkinghorne, Daniher, Kreuzer
Victoria Country: Gaylor 3, Kay 2, Selwood, Ford, Normington, Hall

Best -
Victoria Metropolitan: Grimes, Maric, Simpson, De Bruin, Potts, Farmer
Victoria Country: Selwood, Suban, Normington, Ford, Steven, Gaylor

Sportal Match report:
http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/AFL-news-display/city-slickers-too-strong-30861

[mightytiges]

I saw all the Vic Metro v Vic Country match, and the 1st qtr of the WA v SA match.

WA well on top at quarter time- the WA boys playing like they knew they had the title - lots of enthusiasm and talent.

Who was most impressive in your opinion GB?

I see Kreuzer and Cotchin are not named in the Metro bests. Ruckman Simpson looked fairly good in the mud last week and he's named in the bests today. How did you see his game?

[Gordon Bennett]

continued:

Cotchin very good across half-back, but came off during the 2nd qtr and spent time with the physio's. Played under some duress in the 3rd qtr, then limped off about the 13min mark. Took no further part.

Kreuzer - didn't set the world on fire, yet appears to have the world at his feet.He was unlucky to miss out on the "best" list. A good game. I feel he'll be taken at No. 1, despite the good form of some West Aussies.

Maric - kicked 4, and showed a lot of polish.He reminds me a lot of a young Nathan Brown - perhaps not as much flair, but with a deadly accurate kick. Many people say that we shouldn't take a small forward at No.17/18, but this guy is a great finisher, and can play on the ball. He played on-ball for 5 minutes in the 2nd qtr, and then again for the first 10 mins of the last qtr. In that time on-ball in the last qtr he had 4 kicks, one handball, and 2 tackles - not too bad in 10 mins of play.

Daniher - very good until injured - will be seriously looked at by Essendon and Swans under F/S.

Gaertner - 196cm played on the wing - a bit unco and untidy, but good raw material

Farmer - very solid back pocket - nothing flash
Croft - 192cm - showed a bit in defence
Grimes - very good in 2nd half
Hurley - dominant in last qtr

[Gordon Bennett]

Who was most impressive in your opinion GB?

I see Kreuzer and Cotchin are not named in the Metro bests. Ruckman Simpson looked fairly good in the mud last week and he's named in the bests today. How did you see his game?

I liked Maric the most.
Simpson played mainly across half-forward - he was okay - I thought his form in the first game was more impressive. The ruck was shared between Kreuzer and Sullivan v McEvoy. All three are good. Simpson at 194cm is a promising KP.

[Gordon Bennett]

Finally, a word on the WA boys - they are chock full of good 190cm players
Myers 190
Pears 192
Notte 194
Rance 194
Morton 192
Gourdis 193

all good players.

[mightytiges]

Who was most impressive in your opinion GB?

I see Kreuzer and Cotchin are not named in the Metro bests. Ruckman Simpson looked fairly good in the mud last week and he's named in the bests today. How did you see his game?

I liked Maric the most.
Simpson played mainly across half-forward - he was okay - I thought his form in the first game was more impressive. The ruck was shared between Kreuzer and Sullivan v McEvoy. All three are good. Simpson at 194cm is a promising KP.

Cheers GB.

If Kreuzer goes at 1st pick then it'll be either us or Carlton who get him. I'm still unsure about us taking a ruckman with our first pick and missing out on a quality onballer. Kreuzer reminds me a bit of Josh Fraser. Cotchin is/was classed at #2 but he is more a Lids type. Interesting to see which way we go with our first pick especially if we don't end up with first pick. Plough would love to draft the WA kids.

Thanks for the correction on Simpson. He did a fair bit of the ruckwork with Sullivan against SA while Kreuzer played ruck rover hence why I thought he was a ruckman.

Any thoughts GB on the youngest Selwood? Apparently below Joel at Geelong but up there with his other two older brothers.

[Ramps]

You could build a 10 year defence with Pears, Myers and Rance. Masten has nice hands and I feel his ability to feed might actually be really useful for the type of runners we have. Sampey is ok, Notte reminds me of Neil Balme minus about 30 kgs, Morton knows how to use it brilliantly. Id be picking the WA boys as well.

[Gordon Bennett]

Any thoughts GB on the youngest Selwood? Apparently below Joel at Geelong but up there with his other two older brothers.

My feeling is that if you draft him you will get a sure bet AFL player.
He looks accomplished. No champ, but will play in your best 22 on a regular basis.

[Gordon Bennett]

You could build a 10 year defence with Pears, Myers and Rance. Masten has nice hands and I feel his ability to feed might actually be really useful for the type of runners we have. Sampey is ok, Notte reminds me of Neil Balme minus about 30 kgs, Morton knows how to use it brilliantly. Id be picking the WA boys as well.

I like Pears and Myers. Less keen on Rance.

If we had picks 1, 17 and 18, we could do a lot worse than pick Kreuzer, Maric and Pears/Myers.

[bluey_21]

don't need maric IMO

Kreuzer, Henderson, Selwood for me at this stage

[one-eyed]

Western Australia 20.11 (131)
South Australia    8.6 (54)

Goals:
WA: Palmer 3, Notte 3, Gourdis 3, McGinnity 2, Sampey 2, Morton 2, DeBoer, Yarrin, Browne, Ellard, Jacky.
SA: Staple 3, Hartlett, Wright, Carr, Jesson, Day.

Best:
WA: Naitanui, Browne, Morton, Palmer, Pears, Rance, Rich.
SA: Goodwood, Petrenko, Blesing, Day, Thompson, Stable.

=============

Vic Metro   17.8 (110)
Vic Country 9.8 (62)

Goals: Vic Metro: Maric 4, Grimes 3, Grant 3, Simpson, Polkinghorne, Kreuzer, Potts, Arrowsmith, Daniher, Cattapan. Vic Country: Gaylor 3, Kay 2, Selwood, Ford, Normington, Hall.

Best: Vic Metro: Hurley, Simpson, Cattapan, Farmer, Grimes, Kreuzer, Maric. Vic Country: McEvoy, Suban, Austin, Curnow, Kangars, Normington, Selwood.

==============

Larke Medal (Div 1 B&F): Cale Morton (WA)

MVP Division 1:
Vic Metro: Matthew Kreuzer
Vic Country: Nick Suban
South Aust: Levy Greenwood
Western Aust: Rhys Palmer

[one-eyed]

The U18 All-Australian team is:

WA: Chris Masten, Rhys Palmer, Daniel Rich, Patrick McGinnity, David Myers, Alex Rance, Cale Morton, Nicholas Naitanui

Vic Metro: Matthew Kreuzer, Addam Maric, Michael Hurley, Jack Grimes

Vic Country: Nick Suban, Scott Selwood, Ben McEvoy

SA: Brad Ebert

NSW-ACT: Craig Bird, Taylor Walker

Tasmania: Aaron Joseph, Tom Collier, Aaron Cornelius

Northern Territory: Cyril Rioli

http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=47082

[bluey_21]

As would be expected WA dominated the AA

[mightytiges]

These seem to be the names bandied around the web and press to make up the top 30-35.

Matthew Kruezer (VM)
Trent Cotchin (VM)
Jack Grimes (VM)
Chris Masten (WA)
Lachlan Henderson (VC)
Bradley Ebert (SA)
Rhys Palmer (WA)
Cale Morton (WA)
Jarad Grant (VM)
Ben McEvoy (VC)

Marlan Motlop (NT)
Tom Bellchambers (TAS)
David Myers (WA)
Cyril Rioli (NT)
Tony Notte (WA)
Callan Ward (VM)
Tom Collier (TAS)
Pat Veszpremi (VM)
Scott Selwood (VC)
Tom McNamara (SA)

Adam Maric (VM)
James Wundke (SA)
Steven Gaertner (VM)
James Mulligan (QLD)
Brent Connelly (VC)
Tayte Pears (WA)
James Polkinghorne (VM)
Luke Potts (VM)
Ashley Arrowsmith (VM)
Scott Simpson (VM)

Mitchell Farmer (VM)
De Bruin (VM)
Dan McKenna (VC)
Hamish Hartlett (SA)
Tom Holmes (SA)