By Joel Preston
The Victorian/Tasmanian combined team has topped the table after day one of the National Under 15 Indigenous KickStart Championship with a display of dominance over the Queensland and New South Wales/ACT teams yesterday in Townsville.
The Victorians and Tasmanians flew ahead of the Queensland team with a seven goal lead at full time.
Kyle Thomas and Anthony Young made the most of their experience in last year’s competition with both players being named as most valuable along with ‘player-to-watch’ Jy Simpkin.
The Victorian/Tasmanian team scored a resounding victory over New South Wales/ACT with the score being 17 goals to nil at the final whistle.
The games leading goal kickers, Samual Walsh-Bannam and Aiden Domic scored four a piece and were both named as best on field.
2012 championship winners Western Australia started strongly after last year’s competition victory with wins over New South Wales and South Australia.
Western Australia is looking to make it three from three in Townsville this year and trails Victoria/Tasmania in second place on the KickStart ladder.
Sam Powell-Pepper presence was felt on the field leading Western Australia’s goal tally in both games.
The Northern Territory ended the day one undefeated with wins over South Australia and Queensland.
Players from regions extending through the Top End, Jabiru, Central Australia and Arnhem Land made up the Northern Territory team and the sides strong mix of taller players saw them to a two goal win over SA and a three goal victory over Queensland.
South Australian captain and player to watch Kym Lebois was named Most Valuable Player in both matches.
The SA side finished runners-up in last year’s competition and Lebois experience over three years of the competition has made him a dangerous player.
South Australia was closely defeated in their round one match against the Northern Territory and suffered a significant loss against Western Australia in round nine.
Queensland started the 2013 competition with day one losses to Victoria/Tasmania and Northern Territory.
The side hoped to regain its 2011 championship form but suffered a narrow loss to the Territorians and a seven goal loss to Victoria/Tasmania.
At the end of the day one ladder was the New South Wales/ACT side which suffered an 82 point loss to WA and 105 point loss to Victoria/Tasmania.
Liam Nelson was the sides most valuable player throughout the day.
This year players from the Pacific region are taking part in the KickStart Championships, competing in their own round robin tournament.
A curtain raiser game to the grand final will be played between a combined South Pacific team against an Indigenous combined side.
Game four and five saw Papua New Guinea defeat New Zealand and Oceania respectively, while Oceania drew with New Zealand in game six.
The championships continue today at Tony Ireland Stadium.
Match 8 – 2:15pm.
Oceania vs PNG
Match 9 – 4pm
NSW/ACT vs QLD
Match 10 – 5pm
VIC/TAS vs NSW/ACT
Match 11 – 6pm
SA v WA
