The Australia Post Queensland Scorpions have raised hopes of a good showing at this year’s NAB AFL National U18 Championships with a vastly improved showing against the Calder Cannons at Coorparoo
Saturday, 14 May, 2011
The Australia Post Queensland Scorpions have raised hopes of a good showing at this year’s NAB AFL National U18 Championships with a vastly improved showing against the Calder Cannons at Coorparoo.
The Scorpions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, leading by two goals at the 20-minute mark of the final stanza before going down 15-10 (100) to 16-10 (106).
Still, coach David Ashkar was encouraged by a big improvement on previous showings against the Dandenong Stingrays and the Sandringham Dragons.
It could easily have been a draw, with Adam Oxley’s high snap on goal marked right on the line just before the final siren.
And according to AFLQ Talent Manager Bob Batty, a draw would have been a fair result after a spirited and high-quality contest against the 2009-10 TAC Cup champions played in perfect conditions.
The Scorpions led by five points at half-time and were always in the contest, but paid for a lapse of concentration in the closing stages.
“It was disappointing to lose but the boys will learn from that and all in all, aside for the last few minutes, it was the sort of consistent four-quarter effort we were looking for,” Batty said.
Significantly, too, it was some of the lesser lights who showed the way, with Luke Chitty, Henry Joyce and Chris Murphy significant improvers on earlier performances.
Rover Jackson Rolfe was voted the Scorpions best from small defender Josh Wagner, midfielder Chitty, midfielder/forward Alex Sexton, small defender Henry Joyce and half forward Oxley.
Sexton, in his first game with the Scorpions after the AIS/AFL Academy tour to Europe, kicked four goals to be a standout in a forward set-up that functioned nicely.
Jackson Starcevich, another newcomer, also finished with four majors after a quiet start, while Fraser Thurlow and Oxley each kicked two goals.
Oxley’s first half was exceptional as he played a hand in a number of goals before being tagged by the Cannons.
Also, Josh Kolka did well in the ruck, while captain Dalton Tucker was another influential on-baller.
The Queensland performance wasn’t helped by the withdrawal of Aaron Laskey through illness and the loss of vice-captain Jackson Allen 20 minutes into the game with a recurrence of calf problems that sidelined him a week earlier.
Laskey will certainly be right for the Scorpions first game in the championships against South Australia in Sydney on 4 June, and team officials are hopeful that Allen, too, will be available.
Match details
Queensland Scorpions 5-2 9-6 11-7 15-10-100
Calder Cannons 6-3 8-7 12-9 16-10-106
Qld Goals: Jackson Starcevich 4, Alex Sexton 4, Adam Oxley 2, Fraser Thurlow 2, Clay Cameron, Dalton Tucker, Lachlan Russ.
Qld Best: Jackson Rolfe, Josh Wagner, Luke Chitty, Alex Sexton, Henry Joyce, Adam Oxley.
