By Ant Wingard @AntWingard
Queensland have suffered two losses in the NAB AFL Women’s Under-18 Championships in Perth last weekend, going down to a strong Western Australia side in both games.
The Sunshine state lead for most of the match, kicking three of the game’s first four goals to take an 18-point lead at the main break.
But a lapse in concentration allowed the home state to find their footing in the contest, and by three-quarter time, the Queenslanders found themselves up by just a solitary goal.
West Australian forward Kate Bartlett sealed the win for her side in the dying stages of the final quarter – the first time the Sandgroupers had lead in the game since the 12-minute mark of the opening term.
Queensland’s ability to transition the ball from defence to attack throughout the game was a constant highlight as the team’s style of play became easily apparent on the wide expanses of Subiaco Oval.
Queensland Under-18 head coach, Craig Starcevich, was pleased by his side’s performance in the opening contest.
“That was our most impressive game for the weekend and most disappointing we didn’t get the win,” Starcevich told aflq.com.au.
“We had a number of shots on goal but didn’t take the opportunity and were pipped by three points.”
Queensland’s second game – played at Bassendean Oval early on Monday morning, returned a slightly different result as the side suffered a 25-point loss.
In dewy conditions, the players were challenged in the wet affair, struggling to adapt to a different surface than that of days prior.
Western Australia booted the opening two goals of the contest before Jemma Abbott responded for the away team, sparking life into her side before the first break.
But following a stagnant second term where no sides could find the goals, Western Australia ran away in the third term to set up their second win over Queensland.
Queensland conceded three goals in the third quarter something Starcevich said was the difference by the time the final siren sounded.
“The third quarter costs us dearly in that game,” he said.
“We had three goals kicks on us in the third quarter and then we steadied and came home strong in the end.”
Western Australia v Queensland Game 1
Subiaco Oval
Western Australia: 1.2 1.2 3.3 4.5 (30)
Queensland: 2.1 3.6 3.9 3.9 (27)
Goals: WA: M. Hyde 2, S. Duffy, K. Bartlett. QLD: C. Hammans, J. Abbott, G. Brehmer
Best: WA: M. Dowrick, S. Verrier, S. Whale, S. Duffy, M. Hyde, M. Sergeant. QLD: D. Heslop, L. Postlethwaite, K. Farrar, L. Bella, Z. Farquharson, C. Hammans.
Western Australia v Queensland Game 2
Bassendean Oval
Western Australia: 2.0 2.1 5.4 6.4 (40)
Queensland: 1.0 1.2 1.2 2.3 (15)
Best: WA: M. Bowen, M. Dowrick, E. O”Driscoll, R. Roux, A. Dowrick, T. Pescud. QLD: D. Heslop, J. Tawhiao-Wardlaw, K. Farrar, M. Goodwin, Z. Farquharson, N. Grider.
Goals: WA: K. Bartlett 2, R. Roux, M. Hyde, S. Duffy, T. Anderson. QLD: J. Abbott, C. Hammans.
