Following three days of pulsating group-stage action in the National Youth Championships 2024 Boys' Tournament, the top two teams from each group have progressed to the finals.
The tournament football stakes became evident today as many sides faced an all-or-nothing battle, with goal-difference proving crucial in most groups.
The Quarter-Finals will begin tomorrow (Friday, 19 July) while teams who failed to qualify will continue to contest play-off and placement matches to determine their overall positions in this year's Championships.
Quarter Finalists Confirmed
In the Under 15 Age Group, the first round of finals will take place at JJ Kelly Park from 9:00am to 1.15pm AEST. All finals matches will head straight to penalties should the scores be level at the end of regulation time.
Victoria Blue (1st, Group A) will take on Northern NSW (2nd, Group D), South Australia (1st, Group D) will play Queensland Maroon (2nd, Group A), NSW Metro Navy (1st, Group B) will face their counterparts NSW Metro Sky (2nd, Group C) before Victoria White (1st, Group C) play their fellow statesman Victoria Silver (2nd, Group B).
In the Under 16 Age Group, WIN Stadium will host the Quarter-Finals from 9:00am to 1.15pm AEST.
NSW Metro White (1st, Group A) take on Northern NSW (2nd, Group D), South Australia (1st, Group D) will play Victoria Blue (2nd, Group A), NSW Metro Navy (1st, Group B) come up against NSW Metro Sky (2nd, Group C) before Victoria White (1st, Group C) will challenge Queensland White (2nd, Group B) for the final place in the Semi-Finals.
A familiar sight for seasoned manager
After a seventeen-year playing career in England's top football divisions, leading Football West's National Training Centre and the title of Perth Glory FC's longest-serving manager, it's fair to say Kenny Lowe has seen many players come and go during his career.
Currently overseeing the Western Australia Under 16 side, who narrowly missed the Quarter-Finals due to goal difference, Lowe recalls witnessing some household names walk the same path his squad are treading at this year's National Youth Championships.
"It feels a bit like déjà vu for me being here and seeing these players come through," said Lowe.
"Western Australian players like Josh Risdon (15 caps for the Subway Socceroos), Adam Taggart (19 caps for the Subway Socceroos), and Trent Sainsbury (58 caps for the Subway Socceroos) have been to World Cups and done it all."
"These boys are on the exact same pathway, so hopefully, they can continue on that path."
Making the 4,000km trip to Wollongong from Western Australia is a new experience for most of the squad but the opportunity to get outside of their state and compete against the best of the best is worth its weight in gold according to Lowe.
"We're a big fish in a little pond. When we come here and get exposed to this high standard of football, they're forced to raise the bar, which is super important," Lowe said.
"Then some of the boys think, you know what? I'm actually pretty decent. So it's just a win, win all around."
Tough Tassie proving their worth
Tasmania's Under 15 team may not have reached the finals, but their performances so far in the National Youth Championships has been nothing short of impressive.
The Tasmanian side was an equal match for larger Member Federation outfits, NSW Metro Sky and Queensland Silver, recording draws in both encounters.
Head Coach Franco Previdi was full of pride to see the determination and grit his side has shown during the tournament.
"I'm very happy and we can't be prouder of these young men," Previdi said.
"We come from a small state, and we try to develop these kids as much as we can, so holding our own with some of the other teams here is fantastic to see."
Preparing for the National Youth Championships was a challenge for the tenacious Tasmanian team. Typically, they would have 20 to 30 matches under their belt as preparation, but bad weather and logistical challenges limited them to just two training sessions before making the trip to Wollongong.
Despite the limited preparation, Tasmania still has plenty to prove in the placement group matches and Previdi is eager to unearth more Tasmanian talent and showcase their potential.
"Two or three boys make the move to the mainland every year after the National Youth Championships which is good to see and a great experience for them," Previdi said.
"We have a lot of good players out there (Tasmania). The local competition is getting stronger, but it's the development of those kids that's important and why you come here. You see examples like NSW, Queensland and Victoria, they always have an extra gear.
"So for us it's all about the experience and these kids are very, very focused and I'm very proud."
More on the 2024 National Youth Boys' Championships:
CLICK HERE to view the Official National Youth Championships 2024 Boys' Tournament Digital Program with Fixtures
CLICK HERE to watch* the National Youth Championships 2024 Boys' Tournament thanks to Kommunity TV (*subscription required)
CLICK HERE to view the live tables and results
