By JARROD POTTER
AFL VICTORIA METROPOLITAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROUND 1
THE first outing is in the can for the South East Juniors interleague sides after facing the best and brightest from around the state in the 2015 Metro Junior Championships.
With teams representing under-16 Youth Girls, a pair of under-15 boys and two under-14 boys sides – the SEJ contingent is well represented at the next level.
Coached by former SEJ Youth Girls representative Chloe McMillan, the next generation of under-16 Youth Girls team stormed away to take a 9.11 (65) to 5.7 (37) triumph over Western Youth Girls composite side.
They had to fight back as the Western charges dug in at Holm Park Reserve on a frosty Wednesday night.
But the Demons emerged triumphant as Brooke Struylaart (three goals) and Logan O’Connell-Webb (two goals) booted SEJ back in front.
For a brand new side with little time to train together, McMillan thought the SEJ effort was exceptional.
“It’s been going really well,” McMillan said.
“All the girls played together as a team and that’s a little bit harder coming from the different teams and playing against each other week by week.
“But bond they had and the way they played together was fantastic.
“What we’re doing is not all entirely win driven – as long as the girls can grow as a player on and off the field that’s the most important thing.”
“It’s definitely a lot different than being a player but thoroughly enjoy it and can only learn from it and go forward from here.”
McMillan praised Struylaart (Beaconsfield) – who won the best-on-ground medal – for changing the game through the third quarter to boot a couple of crucial goals.
The Youth Girls coach also praised Teagan Sheldon (Parkmore), Courtney Jones (Cranbourne), Georgia Gee (Beaconsfield), Sophie Phillips (Cranbourne) from defence and the skipper Cassandra Rowe (Tooradin-Dalmore).
“She (Rowe) did really well – inside midfielder so you don’t get to see much of the flashy stuff from Cass, but she does whatever you need of her,” McMillan said. “She does the job and that’s all you can ask.”
The Youth Girls interleague side will head to South Metro next Saturday to face SMJFL at Boss James Reserve before finishing their round-robin matches against Northern Football League from 10am on the Queen’s Birthday Monday (8 June) at Lyndhurst’s Marriott Waters Reserve.
McMillan wanted to thank to all the parents for the support and the league for getting it up and running.
In the boys’ matches, the under-15 1s were knocked off by WRFL by 25 points, Division 2 doubled WRFL’s score to win by 34, under-14 1s were bested 4.2 (26) to 9.7 (61) while Division 2 had a tough night against WRFL 0.6 (6) to 15.13 (103).
INTERLEAGUE ROUND 1 RESULTS
SEJ YOUTH GIRLS
South East Juniors 9.11 (65)
Western Youth Girls (WRFL and EDFL) 5.7 (37)
South East Juniors goals: B. Struylaart 3, L. O’Connell-Webb 2, C. Jones, C. Bray, N. Weston, G. Gee. Best: B. Struylaart, S. Phillips, C. Jones, E. Browning, L. O’Connell-Webb.
SEJ UNDER 15 (1)
South East Juniors 8.3 (51)
Western Region FL 11.10 (76)
South East Juniors goals: M. Ryan 3, K. Potter 3, J. Hamilton, K. Nasser. Best: I. Adamopoulos, J. Docherty, T. Collard, K. Nasser, K. Potter.
SEJ UNDER 15 (2)
South East Juniors 10.8 (64)
Western Region FL 5.4 (34)
South East Juniors goals: C. Batson 2, J. Pratt 2, J. Berry 2, J. Drake, J. Arena, C. Bryan, I. Cook. Best: M. Mason, J. Cairns, J. McKenna, J. Drake, T. Woodall.
SEJ UNDER 14 (1)
Western Region FL 9.7 (61)
South East Juniors 4.2 (26)
South East Juniors goals: J. Barker 2, C. Tucker, A. Mackenzie. Best: C. Weightman, A. Mackenzie, J. Stuart, B. Giliberto, M. Wilson.
SEJ UNDER 14 (2)
Western Region FL 15.13 (103)
South East Juniors 0.6 (6)
South East Juniors best: J. Wynen, L. Bellinvia, C. Caple-Loupos, R. Hollis, D. Mutimer, J. McCallum.
