Vics look to forget weekend’s events

By Paul Pickering
IT was a forgettable weekend for the Vics – and most of the locals – in round three of the National Under-18 Championships.
Gippsland ruckman Nathan Vardy and Dandenong midfielder Mitch Hallahan were both rushed to hospital during Vic Country’s 51-point loss to South Australia at AAMI Stadium, while a 30-possession outing from Berwick’s Tom Scully couldn’t stop Vic Metro from being thrashed by Western Australia at Subiaco.
Scully was among few winners for the Metro boys as they slumped to a 63-point defeat against the tournament favourites on Saturday.
The Metro and Stingrays skipper could hardly have offered more than his eight clearances and six tackles for the afternoon, but even he was powerless to stop the rampaging Sandgropers.
Fellow Dandenong captain Ryan Bastinac was similarly brave in Adelaide on Sunday, but his efforts couldn’t prevent Country from suffering its first defeat of the championships.
Bastinac and Gippsland duo Koby Stevens and Edward Carr were among the better performers in the slippery conditions, while Stingrays winger Matt Shaw made a solid Big V debut.
Unfortunately, that was where the good news ended for the local contingent.
Hallahan left the field in the third quarter after receiving a heavy knock to the ribs, and Vardy followed after copping a kick below his knee midway through the last term.
Both were later cleared of any broken bones, but went home nursing some severe bruising.
Meanwhile, big men John Butcher (Gippsland) and Corey Millard (Dandenong) struggled to come to terms with the conditions and had little influence on the game.
Both Victorian sides will be looking to bounce back against less-fancied opponents when the carnival comes to Casey Fields on Saturday, 27 June. Vic Country will play the Northern Territory from 11am, before Vic Metro clashes with Queensland at 1pm.