Having banged on the selection door for several weeks, Drouin’s Brodie Atkins got added to Vic Country’s squad for its second game of the under-18s National Championships on Sunday.
And the bullocking midfielder made the most of the opportunity, arguably the best of the 12 local boys in action during Vic Country’s 34-point loss to South Australia.
He finished with 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and six tackles, injected into the on-ball brigade from the first bounce and bringing heat and hunger.
Willem Duursma was also strong but a step below his flashy best which has him in top-five considerations, finishing with 24 disposals and five intercept possessions.
Adelaide father-son prospect Mitch Stevens was particularly influential in the first half, playing as a halfback/winger, finishing with nine marks as he played above his size.
Jobe Scapin was typically silky but will be ruing a missed chance after a 40-metre run through the middle of the ground, while Zach O’Keefe (nine disposals) and Wil Malady (six disposals) were the other Power players in action.
Tairon Ah-Mu led the way among Dandenong’s contingent, kicking 2.2 and taking a game-high 10 marks, including four contested, as the main forward target.
The Berwick local also played as second ruck and had nine hitouts, mostly opposing first round prospect Aidan Schubert.
Bottom-ager Darcy Szerszyn justified his selection with a team-high seven intercept possessions as a reliable defender, while midfielder Callum Smith continued his strong form, collecting 20 disposals.
Alongside Atkins, Beaconsfield local Jay-De Varlet was also added to the squad for the second match and played as a connecting half forward.
After four goals in game one, Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves was quieter but nailed a tough last quarter set shot, while fellow co-captain Max Lee had 12 touches off halfback and Devon Meadows’ Toby Sinnema had 15 disposals on the outside against a South Australian outfit possessing the two best wingers in the draft crop.
South Australia took out the championships undefeated with the victory over Vic Country, which is in action on Sunday at 12.15pm, Ikon Park, against the Allies.
