Queensland 15.8.98 defeated NSW/ACT 12.5.77
The Queensland Young Scorpions recorded one of the most memorable victories in AFL U16 National Championship history to take out the 2012 Division 2 Title in Sydney yesterday.
28-points down with 16 minutes to play the Maroons looked out for the count, their resilience and belief sorely tested by the desperate Rams who had led by 10-points at quarter time, 15-points at half time and 21-points at three quarter time.
When the Rams kicked the important first goal of the final term they looked set to run away with the game. But when everything seemed lost, Queensland – superbly coached by John Rankin and his team – refused to accept defeat and slammed on eight unanswered goals to record a stunning 21-point win.
The game started with the Maroons controlling play but not converting and they clocked four behinds before youngster Liam Moseley posted their first goal halfway through the quarter.
Matthew Hammelmann marked and kicked truly to put Queensland in front at the 15 minute mark however NSW/ACT finished the quarter strongly to hold a 10-point lead at quarter time.
Hammelmann kicked two more goals in the second quarter and when Jacob Watson found Ryan Agita for a goal, Queensland drew within a couple of points of the opposition. But the Rams again finished the quarter out well, kicking two late goals to hold a 15-point lead at the main break.
The Rams were inspired in the third quarter, kicking the first two goals to open up a 27 point lead. The Maroons kept their hopes alive with a goal to Liam Dawson but NSW/ACT replied immediately to keep a handy lead. Small forward Myra Tomsana snapped truly late in the quarter to reduce the deficit to 21-points at the last change.
The Young Scorpions looked tired and needed a spark early in the last quarter but the Rams kicked the first goal to make the job even harder.
Matthew Hammelmann kicked his fourth with a brilliant snap and when James Holland and Liam Dawson combined to find Nick Jackson with a strong goal Queensland closed the margin to 16-points.
Matthew Hammelmann was inspirational, kicking his fifth, then sixth goal with two more contested marks which lifted the entire Scorpions’ team.
Myra Tomsana snapped his second from the boundary line to put the maroons in front with seven minutes to go and after a four minute arm wrestle where the Rams desperately tried to stem the tide, the Scorpions finished brilliantly with Moseley, Darcy Trask and Tomsana kicking goals to ice the victory, Queensland winning 15.8.98 to NSW/ACT 12.5.77
The young Scorpions remained unbeaten for the championships and took out the 2012 Division 2 Nab AFL National Championships for the second year in a row and sixth time in nine years.
Young Scorpions midfielder, Broadbeach star Lachlan Weller, added cream to the win by winning the Alan McLean Medal for Best Player of the Championships – a medal his brother, Gold Coast SUNS player Maverick Weller won in 2008.
Queensland seem to have a mortgage on the McLean Medal, having now won seven of the last 9.
Surfers Paradise Rover Casey Haberfield capped off a great carnival, winning the Queensland Young Scorpions’ Most Valuable Player after a best-on-ground performance in the come-from-behind win. His tenacity courage and ball winning ability was infectious and proved inspirational to his team mates.
Goals: Matthew Hammelmann 6, Myra Tomsana 3, Liam Moseley 2, Nick Jackson, Liam Dawson, Darcy Trask and Ryan Agita
Best: Cassidy Haberfield, Matthew Hammelmann, Jacob Watson, Nick Jackson, Lachlan Weller, Robert Blood and Liam Dawson
