Key defenders shine as SA beats WA to open its under-18 national championship defence

SA can thank its backline for helping it beat WA to open its under-18 national championship campaign on Saturday with Karl Finlay and Dyson Hilder among the side’s best.

Karl Finlay in action for Prince Alfred College this year. He was among SA’s best in its under-18 national championship opener against WA. Picture: Mark Brake (AAP).

North Adelaide team-mates Dyson Hilder and Karl Finlay have led from the back as South Australia beat WA by 11 points to open its under-18 national championship campaign on Saturday.

SA trailed by two points at half-time at Optus Stadium, but kicked four goals to one in the third quarter to win 7.4 (46) to WA’s 4.11 (35).

Key defenders Hilder and Finlay and captain Will Gould were among SA’s best as the backline constantly repelled WA’s attacking forays in the second half.

“The whole back seven were awesome to be fair, they were defending a lot of entries, but they all stood up really well,” SA coach Tony Bamford said.

“We gave Karl Finlay and Dyson Hilder our two best players and they’re our two key defenders.

“It was a hard slog, the ground was very slippery and there was a bit of dew on the ball, so it was like a comedy of errors early, with only four goals kicked in the first half.

“So to grind out the win in the end with a couple of blokes going down with cramp, they held on pretty well in the last quarter.”

Dylan Stephens led the disposal count for SA with 23, while Gould had 21 and Kysaiah Pickett – nephew of Norm Smith Medallist Byron – kicked a classy goal from the boundary. Cam Taheny was SA’s only multiple goal-kicker with two.

Several WA players’ draft stocks rose further, with skipper Deven Robertson (32 disposals, eight tackles) and Riley Garcia (28 and eight clearances) producing big games.

First-round draft prospect Luke Jackson (35 hit-outs and five clearances) was impressive in the ruck.

SA’s next game is against Vic Metro at Alberton Oval on Saturday. Its only injury concern was a corked thigh to Faheny, but he was managed in the second half.