VAFA U23s win AAFC Carnival minor final

By Nick Armistead

Victoria                             4.4, 7.9, 12.12, 17.15 (117)

Tasmania                          0.1, 1.3, 2.4, 2.4 (16)

GOALS, Victoria: T. Quinn 5, A. Caplan 2, J. Cowan 2, J. Fletcher 2, S. Caven 2, M. Evans 1, N. Petering 1, T. Williams 1, P. Tiernan 1

Tasmania: Z. Mihocek 1, T. Chugg 1

BEST, Victoria: J. Cowan, J. Fletcher, T. Quinn, S. Caven, J. Quaile, T. Williams

Tasmania: M. Horne, L. McCarty, Z. Mihocek, D. Riley, B. Lovell, M. Zanetto

The Victorian Amateur Football Association Under 23’s concluded their 2015 AAFC Carnival in spectacular fashion with a 101-point victory against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena.

Led by University Blues forward Tom Quinn’s five-goal haul, the VAFA were clinical as they piled on 17 goals to two in the minor final.

After a slow start in which neither side could gain the ascendancy, Peninsula speedster James Fletcher made the breakthrough the VAFA required after a 50m penalty put him 15m out from goal.

Quinn took no time to follow-up Fletcher’s good piece of work, using a soccer-based skillset encompassed by very few to maintain possession in the forward 50 and slot his first goal of the day.

Tasmania was able to regain composure and slow the VAFA’s momentum via a bevy of strong tackles and pressure acts through the midfield.

Monash Blues ruckman Charles Rossetti was crucial to a number of VAFA first-quarter goals, using slick hands to give both Michael Barnes and Quinn chances before some Nick Petering magic on the boundary gave the VAFA a four-goal buffer.

Leading by 27 points at the first break, Quinn was instrumental in increasing his side’s lead by kicking two majors in the second term.

Josh Cowan continued the red-hot form he has showcased throughout the carnival with a dominant performance off the halfback line and through the midfield, racking up disposals at will and finishing with two long-range goals.

The second half was much of the same, with the VAFA using quick and precise hands to slice and dice their way through the Tasmanian zone and pepper their forwards with a barrage of inside 50s.

Tasmanians Mark Horne and Zach Mihocek did their utmost to stem the flow of goals, throwing their weight around and creating a hard-fought contest around the stoppages.

The second half started well for Tasmania after they kicked the first goal and reduced the deficit to 35 points.

However, the Big V was up to the challenge as they piled on 10 unanswered goals to run out the match.

Captain Simon Caven was the main beneficiary of a dominant third quarter after coaching staff switched him to the forward line, kicking two majors and contesting valiantly each time the ball was in his vicinity.

Patrick Tiernan, Gabe Hamilton, Tom Williams, Adam Caplan and Cowan continued to wreak havoc all over the ground, while Quinn completed his five-for with the last goal of the match.

Following a disappointing round-robin in which the VAFA won only one of their three matches, the minor final ended the carnival in spectacular fashion and gave all involved a well-deserved reason to smile.