The Queensland Scorpions bounced back from last week’s loss to Tasmania with a 7-point come-from-behind win against Division 2 favourites Northern Territory in Round 4 of the NAB AFL U18 National Championships in Melbourne.
NT won the toss and kicked to the Northern end. Aided by a 2 goal breeze they settled well, kicking a couple of goals by the 10 minute mark before the Scorpions started winning contested possessions lead by James Ives and Isaac Conway.
Down back Josh Smith and Jamie Skennar were also well on top for Queensland and James Ives snapped truly late in the quarter to see them 9-points down at quarter time.
Big men, Aliir Aliir and Jermaine Wardle started impacting the game and Coleman- Broome and Bourke goaled to get the scorpions in front.
Conway, Power and Tickner missed easy shots but Cain Tickner recovered to kick a long goal and send the scorpions 6 points clear.
NT steadied last 5 minutes of the third term, kicking 3 quick goals to hold a 13 point lead at the long break. Apart from the late quarter lapse Queensland had dominated possession and just needed to start taking chances to start putting some scoreboard pressure on the Territorians.
Blake Grewar Andrew Boston and Jordon Bourke all had great chances to kick-start the scoreboard pressure early in the third quarter but all 3 hit the post from kickable set shots.
Rhys Power showed the Scorpions how to do it with a great left foot snap under pressure that reduced the margin to 5-points.
Wagner delivered beautifully to Ryan Johnson who calmly went back and slotted a goal from 40 metres out to put the Queenslanders ahead.
Aliir Aliir was winning crucial centre bounces and his great tap work resulted in a long kick to Bourke for his second but the Territory replied to tie up the scores at three quarter time.
Coach Ray Windsor implored his charges to take the game on and outrun the fleet footed NT team in the final quarter.
The final quarter started well for the Scorpions with Smith and Tickner kicking long to Bourke, who pulled in a great contested mark and kicked his 3rd goal to put the Scorpions 6 points clear.
Brian Coleman-Broome brilliantly crumbed the next foray forward and snapped his second goal, but NT rallied and kicked 2 quick goals to take a 1-point lead halfway through the qua
An unbelievable snap from an impossible angle on the boundary line from Wasley-Black put some real belief in the minds of the NT players as they snuck away to a 7 pt lead.
But the Scorpions were not about to lie down and dominated possession for the last 7 minutes starting with Coleman- Broome snapping truly for his third goal.
Daniel Brown had a chance from close in to put the Scorpions in front with time running out but his shot just missed to tie the scores.
Hard working Jermaine Wardle took a great mark and with the help of a 50 metre penalty his goal put the Scorpions 6-points clear with a couple of minutes left on the clock.
James Ives, Josh Smith and Wardle again featured enabling Rhys Power to mark. His shot again hit the post but the Scorpions were joyous as the siren sounded to signal a brave 7 point victory.
The win has kept the Scorpions Championship hopes alive with the final round seeing Northern Territory take on Tasmania before Queensland meet rivals NSW/ACT at Simonds Stadium Geelong on Thursday 5 July at 2.05 pm
Final Scores
Queensland Scorpions 11- 8- 74 defeated Northern Territory 10-7-67
Goals – Jordon Bourke 3, Brian Coleman-Broome 3, James Ives, Rhys Power, Ryan Johnson, Jermaine Wardle, Cain Tickner
Best: Aliir Aliir, Josh Smith, James Ives, Jesse Wallin, Andrew Boston, Cain Tickner
