Victorian Amateur Under 18 were victors in both matches against the New Zealand Under 20's in Auckland over the October Labour Day long weekend but the figures dont tell the whole story.
The weekend was a great success and a fantastic follow on effect from the inaugaral Under 20 NZ, National Provincial Championship held in Christchurch 6 months earlier. The New Zealand Under 20 team was selected from three regions incorporating Canterbury, Auckland and Wellington regions.
The age group ( Under 20 ) had initially been targeted by AFL New Zealand to ensure maximum participation from local competitions but the actual team that New Zealand fielded for the weekends matches against Victoria finalised at an average age of 18, much he same as their opposition.
New Zealand captain Andriu Sucu took the field as the most experienced player for the home side with a little over 50 games whilst Canterbury's Dan Oliver, at 16 years of age was at he other end of the scale with three games to his credit.
Victorian visitors from the home of AFL football were always going to be a tough first assignment. From the presentation of their national jumpers the day before the game, to the rousing Haka lead by Vice Captain Cameron Heka and until an outstanding seven goal last quarter burst to finish the weekend, the New Zealanders breathed new life into the future of AFL in New Zealand.
Just the day before Wellington Tigers had taken out the Senior National Provincial Championships for the first time in seven years. The Tigers team boasted five under 20 players that had missed selection from the National Under 20 team. A quick look through the senior team lists from other provinces revealed a similar trend with every team featuring players under the age of twenty within their ranks.
The last Senior NPC fixture involving four provinces in Wellington in September 2007, had a total of three players under the age of twenty. It is estimated that the average age of players competing in this years senior championships had dropped by four years per player in comparison to the previous event.
Discussions between AFL New Zealand and Victorian Amateur Football Association are on going to make this an annual event and with the prospects of senior matches involving the two associations, the future looks as bright as ever.
Dan Oliver and Mitch Harding from the New Zealand Under 20’s have been selected to compete for New Zealand in the inaugural Oceania Cup to be held in Fiji in December 2009.
Saturday:
AFLNZ U20 1.1 2.2 2.3 5.6.36
VAFA U18 0.5 3.6 6.11 8.11.59
AFLNZU20 Goals: Mitch Harding 3, Cameron Heka 1, Brad Fleming 1: Niki Dow,
AFLNZU20 Best: Mitch Harding, Andriu Sucu, Kiwi Kapene-Belcher, Matt Crighton, Ben Hick
VAFA Goals: Hunt 3, Crane, Cheeseman, T Sullivan, Shipsides, Ross.
VAFA Best: T Sullivan, Overman, Pappon, L Sullivan, Hunt, Ross.
Monday:
AFL NZ U20 0.2 4.7 5.10 12.12.84
VAFA U18 6.5 9.7 14.11 16.11.107
AFLNZU20 Goals: Campbell Rawson 2, Zac Williams 2, Robbie Gore 2, Niki Dow 2, Ben Hick 1, Mitch Harding 1, Cam Heka 1, Michael Boyce 1
AFLNZU20 Best: Campbell Rawson, Liam Ackland, Michael Gregson, Robbie Gore, Niki Dow, Matt Crighton
VAFA Goals: Ross 3, L Sullivan 3, Scott 2, Crane, Ratcliffe, Overman, Hogan, Cole, Coombe, T Sullivan, Shipsides
VAFA Best: Hunt, Scott, Coombe, Ross, Crane, L Sullivan, T Sullivan