WA 18s keep fighting in loss to SASunday, June 12, 2016 - 8:33 PM - by Chris Pike

WESTERN Australia wasn’t able to continue its winning start to the 2016 NAB AFL 18s Championships going down to South Australia on Sunday at AAMI Stadium, but it wasn’t without some impressive performances and a strong finish.

WA was coming off a tremendous start to its campaign for 2016 last Sunday with a 61-point win over Victoria Country at Domain Stadium before heading to Adelaide's AAMI Stadium this Sunday to take on South Australia.

It was the Croweaters, though, who kicked the opening four goals of the game and 12 of the first 15 to end up winning 12.10 (82) to 6.9 (45).

But WA finished strongly kicking the last three goals to show some good character to fight out a game that didn’t go their way.

After kicking four goals the previous Sunday against Vic Country, East Fremantle's Luke Strnadica was again a good performer for WA against South Australia kicking three goals from eight possessions and six marks.

South Fremantle's Shai Bolton, East Fremantle's Cameron Zurhaar and Claremont's Jake Waterman were the other goal scorers for WA.

Perth's Quinton Narkle was the best for the Black Swans finishing with 21 possessions and six clearances. An impressive 15 of his disposals were contested as he had no problem going in and winning his own football.

Perth's Zac Fisher has played impressive league football so far in 2016 so it was no surprise to see him impress in the 18s team with 20 disposals and three clearances.

As well as kicking a goal, Bolton had 14 possessions and seven inside-50 entries for WA.

Another Perth player, John Levien, also worked hard for 14 possessions, six marks and four rebounds from the defensive 50.

Sam Powell-Pepper was impressive again with 13 possessions with 11 of those contested to go with five clearances.

Dylan Brown also had 12 disposals, Aidan Clarke 12, Zurhaar 12, Matt Guelfi 11, Jake Patmore 11, Calvin Thorne 11 and Waterman 11.

Big man Jeremy Goddard battled hard in the ruck for six possessions and 21 hit outs.

Darcy Fogarty and Will Hayward kicked two goals apiece for South Australia.

Jack Graham collected 34 possessions for the Croweaters, Jonty Scharenberg 29, Andrew McPherson 20, Alex Villis 20, Dakota Nixon 19, Steven Slimming 19 and Jake Comitogianni 18. 

It took almost eight minutes for the first goal of the game and that came courtesy of Tyson Stengle for the Croweaters.

It was a tight contest for much of the rest of the first quarter despite WA unable to find a goal, but South Australia managed two quick goals before quarter-time to Ben Jarman and Slimming to lead by 17 points at the first change.

South Australia's lead then grew to 23 points when Fogarty goaled to open the second quarter but then WA got its first goal on the board of the game thanks to South Fremantle's Bolton.

The home team had the answers, though, and kicked the next two majors courtesy of Jackson Lee and Peter Ladhams to open a 29-point advantage.

It was then out to 37 points with a goal to Hayward before WA got its second half of the half through big man Strnadica just before half-time to make the margin 31 points at the long break.

WA made a bright start to the second half with a goal just over two minutes in to Strnadica to cut the deficit to 25 points, but South Australia kicked the last four goals of the term from Tye Bedford, Hayward, Villis and Callum Coleman-Jones to lead by as much 50 points before the last break.

Then the lead for South Australia was 55 points with a goal to Fogarty to open the final term. But to WA's credit they fought the game out well and kicked the last three goals from Strnadica, Zurhaar and Waterman to bring the final margin to 37 points.

WA returns to Perth on Saturday to take on the Allies at Domain Stadium starting at 11.20am.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA        0.4    2.5    3.7    6.9    (45)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA        3.3    7.6    11.8    12.11    (82)

WA – Goals: Strnadica 3; Waterman, Zurhaar, Bolton.
Best: Narkle, Fisher, Strnadica, Powell-Pepper, Brown, Guelfi, Waterman.
SA – Goals: Fogarty, Hayward 2; Coleman-Jones, Villis, Bedford, Ladhams, Lee, Slimming, Jarman, Stengle.
Best: Graham, Scharenberg, Comitogianni, Ladhams, Slimming, Bedford, McPherson, Villis.