Local boys stand out

By Marc McGowan
VICTORIA Country and Metro both saluted in the penultimate round of the National Under-18 Championships at Casey Fields on Saturday.
And they can largely thank their Dandenong Stingrays and Gippsland Power representatives for doing so.
Berwick-based Stingrays midfielder and Metro captain Tom Scully was best afield against Queensland, while Dandenong teammate Ryan Bastinac and Power onballer Ed Carr were in Country’s best players against the Northern Territory.
Country, which also included Gippsland trio John Butcher, Koby Stevens and debutant Jack Weston and Stingrays wingman Matt Shaw, kicked 11 of the last 12 goals to ultimately thump Northern Territory by 52 points.
But another slow start – which has plagued Country during the carnival – saw it trail by 14 points early in the second term.
The side’s third victory from four matches sets it up for a mouth-watering final-round clash with unbeaten Western Australia at Docklands today (Wednesday) at 1.45pm.
Country coach Rob Hyde is confident his players can take it up to Western Australia.
“We’ll just have to work hard again,” he said.
“They’ve got a few more quality players than Northern Territory, so we’ve got to stop them running and if we can bottle them up and then get our run going then we’re a chance to win it.”
Metro had a much tougher game on its hands against Queensland and, despite booting three of the first four goals of the match, was unable to shake its opponent all day.
Scores were locked at 49 with just 45 seconds to go in the final quarter before diminutive Calder Cannon Sam Ezard hauled in a great mark over Alik Magin and slotted a 50m major.
But first-year Metro coach Rohan Welsh was still a frustrated man afterwards and believes his players are leaving the hard work to too few.
Welsh was, however, full of praise for likely number-one pick Scully.
“He’s going to have to get stronger physically because he does take a bit of a battering, so that’s probably an area that he needs to work on,” Welsh said.
“But, in relation to his kicking, he’s probably as good as anyone I’ve ever seen at this level.
“He can be an inside or an outside midfielder, he’s got pace and he’s got a really good footy brain.”
Metro faces South Australia at 3.45pm after the Country-Western Australia contest.