CHAMPIONSHIPS: Eastern Allies defiant in defeat
The Eastern Allies have been defeated in their second match on the Gold Coast as a part of Round 2 of the 2019 NAB AFL Women’s Under-18 Championships.
Going down to Vic Country by 30 points, it was a tough match played in trying conditions. Following days of rain on the Gold Coast, the Southport surface was primed for mud-football.
The Allies started well, hitting the board through Canberra’s Jayde Hamilton early on, but the Vics were able to respond with two of their own.
The Allies started well in the second with Sydney’s Zoe Hurrell slotting another goal, but that would be all she wrote for the Allies in terms of scoring for the day.
Conditions made it hard to get a run on as players had their feet taken from underneath them by mud. A slow but steady increase in goals from the Vics, put the Allies to bed as they were unable to add to their own scoreline.
Head Coach, Steve Mahar said he was proud of his team’s intent throughout the whole match.
“Eloise Hiller-Stanbrook played exceptionally well,” said Mahar.
“She competed hard in the ruck and gave us first use of it.
“Jayde Hamilton was very clean at the stoppages and gave us a lot of run.
“Mia King from Tassie also gave us first possession at stoppages and set others up.”
Where Mahar thought the Allies let themselves down was in small lapses in concentration.
“We left Vic Country players open and at points, didn’t have great awareness.
“Having said that, we competed with a great deal of hardness and stuck to our game plan of driving the ball long at every opportunity.”
The Eastern Allies will now play Vic Metro in their final match of the Championships, this Friday at Bond University.
FINAL SCORE
Eastern Allies – 2.0.12
Vic Country – 6.6.42
Eastern Allies goals – Hamilton, Hurrell
Eastern Allies best – Hiller-Stanbrook, King, O’Donnell, Hamilton, Pease, Hurrell
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