Clean sweep for the Rams in Coffs Harbour

The Under-18 AFL NSW/ACT Rams Youth Girls team had a successful few days in Coffs Harbour over the weekend as they came together for the Northern Academy Series and training camp ahead of the upcoming 2019 NAB AFL Women’s Under-18 Championships.

Selected through their respective Regional Academies of Sport, twenty-five girls from across New South Wales and the ACT took on the Northern Territory, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Academies.

The team arrived in Coffs Harbour on Thursday afternoon and had a busy weekend of training, education sessions, workshops and three matches at Coffs Harbour’s C.EX International Stadium.

The Rams put in strong performances across the weekend, winning all three matches against their northerly neighbours.

Rams Head Coach, Steve Mahar said the training camp in Coffs Harbour gave the team a chance to grow and improve as a group.

“The girls who make up our Under-18 Youth Girls side come from right across New South Wales and the ACT – from as far as Albury in the south through to Grafton in the North – so to get them together for three days of training and playing is really valuable,” said Mahar.

“Over the weekend the team took in lots of information and really bonded as a group ahead of the Championships kicking off next month. To win all three games against strong opposition in the Gold Coast Suns Academy, Northern Territory and Brisbane Lions Academy was great reward for effort.

“I’m looking forward to seeing continued improvement when they play Tasmania in early June for Round One of the national Championships.”

AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Talent Pathway Manager, Ash Moeller said the rise of talented girls playing AFL had risen well in recent years.

“Over the last few years it’s been really impressive to see the improvement on the field across our female talent program,” said Moeller.

“The girls have worked hard to get to this position and it’s exciting to see them work well as a team.

“Working closely with the Regional Academies of Sport has been beneficial to their development, and as a result we’ve seen an increase in skill level across the board.”

The Under-18 AFL NSW/ACT Rams Youth Girls side will next come together from June 1–3 when they take on Tasmania at Blacktown International Sportspark for the first two rounds of the 2019 NAB AFL Women’s Under-18 Championships.

MATCH RESULTS:

Game 1: AFL NSW/ACT Rams 2.0 (12) defeated the Gold Coast Suns Academy 1.2 (8) Goals: Fell, Hamilton

Game 2: AFL NSW/ACT Rams 10.9 (69) defeated AFL Northern Territory 1.1 (7) Goals: Fell 3, Whelan 2, Doyle, Jolliffe, Edwards, O’Donnell, Phillips

Game 3: AFL NSW/ACT Rams 6.4 (40) def Brisbane Lions Academy 3.2 (20) Goals: Tarrant 2, Doyle 2, Jolliffe, Fell

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