Southport key forward/ruckman Fraser Thurlow has been named ‘Most Valuable Player’ for the Australia Post Queensland Scorpions at the 2011 NAB Australian U18 Championships.
Thursday, 7 July, 2011
Southport key forward/ruckman Fraser Thurlow has been named ‘Most Valuable Player’ for the Australia Post Queensland Scorpions at the 2011 NAB Australian U18 Championships.
Thurlow (pictured) took the award from Morningside’s Peter Yagmoor after the Scorpions campaign finished with a 33-point loss to Tasmania in cold and blustery conditions at Geelong’s Skilled Stadium today.
It was disappointing end for coach David Ashkar and his team as, not for the first time, poor disposal cost them dearly in a 7-10 (52) to 13-7 (85) result which saw Tasmania claim the division two title undefeated.
Queensland pulled to within 10 points late in the third quarter but, paying heavily for a poor first half, were unable to go on with the job.
“We had plenty of opportunities but our use of the ball and our conversion was poor,” AFLQ Talent Manager Bob Batty said of a match played in 12 degrees, with a high chill that made it seem more like about eight degrees.
“There were lots of positives – we had nine 17-year-olds in our group which is a good thing – but at the end of the day we let ourselves down too often.”
In the first quarter Queensland had seven shots at goal for three behinds and four out-of-on-the full.
In the first few minutes alone they had five inside 50 entries for two behinds and two out-on-the-full.
“If we’d kicked even three goals it might have been a different game because we would have had the momentum and they would have been under pressure,” Batty lamented.
The Tasmanians led 4-2 to 0-3 at the first change and 6-5 to 1-5 at halftime before the Queenslanders got into stride after the long break.
They kicked four goals in a row and, according to Batty, had the Apple Islanders “under the pump”.
But Tasmania kicked the last goal of the third quarter to steady and take a 16-point buffer to the final change at 8-6 to 5-8. They were not seriously challenged in the run home.
Fullback Luke Reynolds was judged Queensland’s best player for an outstanding shut-down job on Tasmanian gun Julian Dobosz, who had kicked 25 goals in five games prior to today.
Reynolds restricted Dobosz to two kicks and one goal – a soccer effort off the ground in the goalsquare.
Acting captain Jackson Allen, who started at centre half back before being swung into the midfield, was next best for the Scorpions, playing a key role in their third quarter rally.
Jackson Starcevich played as a high half forward, pushing up the ground to provide a target for players running out of defence, and did a fine job.
Clay Cameron, too, worked hard as the second centre half forward, while Aaron Laskey did a good job in the midfield and kicked two goals, while fellow on-baller Adam Oxley completed a solid campaign with another handy effort.
The consistent Andrew Boston topped the Queensland possession list with 17, while Henry Joyce (15), Yagmoor (14), Laskey (14), Allen (13), Oxley (12), Tom Davidson (11), Josh Wagner (11), Cameron (10), Starcevich (10) and Thurlow (10) also had their moments.
This was after captain Dalton Tucker (hamstring), Tom Fields (shoulder) and Michael Wyld (shoulder) were ruled unfit, leaving the Scorpions with a bare 22 players for their last game.
The Scorpions finished the carnival with a 1-2 win/loss record against division two opposition – they beat the NT in superb fashion, were disappointing against NSW/ACT, and offered a mixed performance against Tasmania.
Match Details
Tasmania 4-2 6-5 8-6 13-7 (85)
Queensland 0-3 1-5 5-8 7-10 (52)
Queensland Goals: Laskey 2, Sexton 2, Davidson, Murphy, Cameron.
Queensland Possessions: Boston 17, Joyce 15, Yagmoor 14, Laskey 14, Allen 13, Oxley 12, Davidson 11, Wagner 11, Cameron 10, Starcevich 10, Thurlow 10.
Queensland Best: Reynolds, Allen, Starcevich, Cameron, Laskey, Oxley.
