AFL Under 18 Championships Report
Reported by Michael Robinson(VFL Footy News)

NSW/ACT Rams have won the Division 2 section of the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships following todays games at Victoria Park,Collingwood.

This is their 4th title and first since 2003.

In their 1st game today Queensland got off to a good start against the NT boys and at one stage led by 20 points half way through the second quarter.

NT then dominated from there led by Cyril Rioli (7 Goals) and Peter Rolfe (4 Goals). NT going on to win the game by 26 points.

NORTH TERRI  1.2  5.3  11.4  17.9(111)
QUEENSLAND   2.2  6.5  11.6  12.13(85)

Goals: NT: C.Rioli 7, Rolfe 4, Whitehurst 3, Liddle, Stewart Rioli, Motlop Qld: Zorko 3, Magin, Mulligan, Stewart 2, Hill, Enright, Fewkes

The AFL have announced a venue changes  to the final round of matches of the AFL Under 18 Championships.

Division 2-Tuesday July 10 (Games at Victoria Park,Collingwood)
Queensland vs Northern Territory at 11am
Tasmania vs NSW/ACT at 1:30pm


Division 1-Wednesday July 11 (Games at Casey Fields,Cranbourne East)
Victoria Metro vs Victoria Country at 10:15am
South Australia vs Western Australia at 12:45pm

(Please note the change of times for Wednesday's games)

Triple reigning premier Sandringham stretched the Devils' club-record losing streak with a 19.20 (134) to 14.8 (92) win at Aurora Stadium, but the home side scored a moral victory.

The Devils fought like their namesakes against a Melbourne-laced Sandringham, and had Lady Luck smiled on the locals they would have given the Zebras the fright of their lives.

Besieged coach Daryn Cresswell mingled with his players post-game, smiling and even announcing a temporary lift on the players alcohol ban, such was his delight with his dog-tired 22.

The biggest bonus for Crezza came from one man, midfielder Scott Stephens.

"I copped a lot of flack about making this guy co-captain of Tasmania," Cresswell said.

"He had 39 possessions tonight. His last six weeks have been outstanding.

"He played on a class player in Peter Summers and kept him to 18 possessions and had a ton of it himself.

"He's one player who shows great character and I was really pleased with him and the way he led from the front.

"I feel I made the right decision -- I never doubted myself, but a few other guys did."

THE Coburg Tigers staved off a gallant Northern Bullants side by 12 points at Preston City Oval yesterday, getting up 10.14 (74) to 8.14 (62) on a bitterly cold and rainy afternoon.

Despite going into the game as underdogs, the Bullants fired the first shot and when Mark Austin kicked the first of his three goals, the Tigers had some catching up to do.

With a patient forward structure and seemingly endless space, the Bullants looked the better side in the opening term and had a two-goal advantage at the first break.

David Teague and Josh Houlihan led the way with 10 possessions each.

The second quarter was sloppy as expected as the ball gathered mud, but Coburg came to life and began to run numbers behind the ball. The forward pair of Kent Kingsley and Jay Schulz were clearly hampered by the conditions.

"It was always going to be tough for those two. The conditions didn't suit them at all," Tigers coach Andy Collins said. Inaccuracy also cost Kingsley, who should have kicked at least four goals but ended with two.

Speaking at the Devils' training session at the venue in preparation for today's clash against reigning VFL premier Sandringham, Cresswell said it was important for the team to have a central training base.

"The football department will meet with Scott Wade in the next few weeks to discuss a system whereby we can train together a bit more than we have done," Cresswell said.

"Aurora is definitely a chance because it's very accessible and we can get on here in the summer months because there's no cricket played here."

But Cresswell said he didn't have a particular preference for either Bellerive or Aurora.

"Whatever best suits the footy team in terms of the best training venue where everyone can get together is more important to me rather than where it's at," he said.

The bottom-placed Devils face a tough assignment in today's game against the Melbourne- aligned Zebras, who boast a potent forward line of Nick Sautner, Ezra Poyas, Ben Holland and Byron Pickett.

But Cresswell said he was more concerned about the Devils' effort than the result.

His selection is a reward for persistence.

Schultz, who turns 25 on Tuesday, joined the Selkirk Roosters from Ballarat league club Sebastopol last year and has had to work hard to finally get the nod from coach Gerard FitzGerald.

It is appropriate that Schultz makes his debut in what is North Ballarat's first regional home game, with him being originally from nearby Horsham.

FitzGerald said Schultz was yet another endorsement for the Roosters' development system - giving players from throughout the western region an opportunity to play the best football outside the AFL.

Schultz's inclusion is to help cover the loss of the fleet-footed Steve Dinnell (knee) and Steve Clifton (hamstring).

The Roosters will not finalise their line-up until after a training session this morning, but as well as Schultz, the Kangaroos' Lindsay Thomas was last night the only other definite inclusion. Thomas replaces Matt Campbell,

who returns to the Kangaroos.

Gun full forward Aaron Edwards is also in the running to play for North Ballarat.

However, Edwards has been suffering from knee soreness and his availability will depend on how he pulls up after training with the Kangaroos today.

Why is it so important? Firstly, the Bombers are playing their arch-rival North Ballarat, and the bottom line is no Bendigo sporting side likes losing to their Goldfields foes.

And secondly, the Bombers simply need to keep winning games of football to hold their position in the VFL's top eight.

After belting Tasmania by 96 points at Bellerive Oval last Saturday, the Bombers have climbed up to seventh on the ladder after 12 rounds.

However, a loss against the Roosters at Stawell this Sunday could relegate the Bombers to as low as 10th on the ladder, such is the evenness of the competition.

'‘We have made significant ground in the past five weeks, but we're still in a very precarious position in that bottom part of the top eight," Knights said yesterday.

‘‘We still have to make every post a winner and I have no doubt this is the biggest game we have played this year.' ‘We are playing against North Ballarat, an arch rival, and they are sitting above us on the ladder.

‘‘Each week becomes fairly huge for us now and every game becomes like a mini-final." Both sides go into this Sunday's clash in terrific form.

"We are confident that in the second half of the year we can improve and make a bit of a run at the top group," coach Matthew Knights said.

"I have always had the aim in the VFL that you should be aiming to finish in the top four in a 13-team competition.

"I don't think you are worth your salt as a coach if you are not aiming for the top four.

"If you do achieve that, great, and you aim high. If you don't, then you reassess.

"We have won four of our last five games and dropped the other one against the Casey Scorpions (16 points).

"Our form line in the last month has been significantly better and during that time we have boosted percentage."

Bendigo (five wins) has moved up to seventh but is still two games behind Coburg Tigers (fourth) and North Ballarat (fifth) and half a game behind Port Melbourne (sixth).

Tomorrow's Round 13 game against North Ballarat is at the neutral Stawell venue.

"It is pivotal with North Ballarat sitting in the upper echelon of the ladder," Knights said. "They have strung three consecutive wins together and their form line is pretty decent. It is great to play in a country town to show VFL football, we are looking forward to it."