Finalists are locked in as the group stage of the 2024 National Youth Championships Girls' Tournament Day 3 came to a close at the Home of the Matildas in Melbourne.
On a perfect day for football, each team fought until the final whistle attempting to force their way up the table to progress further into the competition.
The tournament now enters the final stages which will be contested over three days, moving from the Quarter Finals (Saturday, 6 July), Semi-Finals (Sunday, 7 July) before the National Youth Champions are crowned on Monday, 8 July.
Finalists Confirmed
Ten teams have been whittled down to eight in the Under 15 Age Group as the Quarter Finals get underway on Saturday. NSW Metro, Invitational XI and Western Australia will progress from Group A with Capital Football missing out. Victoria Blue, Northern NSW and South Australia progress from Group B while Queensland Silver falls short. Queensland Maroon and Victoria White will progress from Group C meaning NSW Country and Tasmania won't advance.
Capital Football, Queensland Silver, NSW Country and Tasmania will continue to play over the next three days in placement group matches.
The Under 16 Age Group has been cut in half with 12 teams becoming six ahead of the Quarter Finals. NSW Metro (Group A) and Victoria (Group B) will advance straight to the Semi-Finals on Sunday after finishing on top of their respective groups.
Northern NSW and Queensland Silver from Group A and Queensland Maroon and NSW Country from Group B will contest the Quarter Finals tomorrow.
Capital Football, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia will continue to play over the next three days in placement group matches after missing out on the finals.
Cold won't stop red-hot Queensland
There's a big difference between the tropical climate of Queensland and the frost and freezing weather Melbourne has experienced this week, but that hasn't stopped Football Queensland's Under 15 Maroon side from playing some scintillating football.
Mica Robinson, the Under 15 Queensland Maroon Coach, said the players will be reaping the benefits of this tournament for years to come.
"It's been really cold but really fun and a good learning opportunity for the girls. The football has been great," she said.
"Some of these girls are playing at an extremely high level, and every game is tough. The good thing about tournament football is they get plenty of experience and also learn that every game is different. Just because one game goes a certain way, something else could happen the next.
Robinson and her talented Queenslanders will advance to the final stages after finishing atop Group C in the Under 15 Age Group without losing a game.
Cross-code Match Official Workshop
While the action was taking place on the pitch, behind the scenes, a day-long meeting brought together top match officials from each Member Federation to discuss improving support and opportunities for female referees.
Annie White, Umpires Talent Programs Lead at Australia Football League (AFL), and Sarah Pryer, Women and Girls Experience Officer at AFL, spoke at the Member Federation Referee Workshop focused on gender equality in officiating.
The event underscored the importance of mentorship, comprehensive training, and an inclusive environment, highlighting Football Australia's commitment to empowering female officials.
Comradery Guiding Capital Football
Chemistry and cohesion are two of the most important aspects of any football side, and Capital Football's Under 16's team has it in bucketloads.
Captain of Capital Football Under 16's side Georgia Ritchie, is leading the charge by championing team bonding within her team.
"I think it's so important to have a connection off the field because that also helps your connection on the field," Ritchie said.
"We've been doing a lot of team bonding activities together and making sure everyone is included and no one is left out. I think it's really working and we're really gelling as a team."
The proof is in the pudding as Capital Football secured their place in the Finals with two wins from the group stage. As the tournament reaches the pointy end, the CommBank Junior Matilda hasn't lost sight of what is important to her and the team.
"The games have been high-level until the last minute and high-intensity action from the start," Richie said.
"I just want to perform well and focus on myself and the team. I want to make sure that the team works well together and the team is happy and everyone is enjoying themselves."
National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament Day 2 Results
Under 15 Group A Results:
| Game 1 | |
| NSW Metro: 6 (Gabriella White x2, Zoe Panagopoulos x2, Jada Taylor & Mikaela Gavranic) Western Australia: 0 |
Invitational XI: 5 (Summer Smith x3, Fernando Cassidee & Andie Chaseling) Capital Football: 0 |
Under 15 Group B Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Victoria Blue: 2 (Joanna Zois & Minnie Clark (OG)) South Australia: 0 |
Northern NSW: 2 (Lacey Dobson & Sophie Johnson) Queensland Silver: 1 (Olivia Garnett) |
Under 15 Group C Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Queensland Maroon: 3 (Zahra Ahmed, Arabella Ryan & Mia Afoa) Tasmania: 0 |
NSW Country: 0 Victoria White: 1 (Siena Gill) |
Under 16 Group A Results:
| Game 1 | |
| NSW Metro: 2 (Halle Thomas & Eliza Familton) Northern NSW: 0 |
Western Australia: 3 (Shenae Rebelo, Cate Mcauliffe & Lacey Heys) Capital Football: 0 |
| Queensland Silver vs BYE | |
| Game 2 | |
| Capital Football: 0 NSW Metro: 3 (Skye Halmarick x3) |
Queensland Silver: 1 (Kayla Murcutt) Western Australia: 0 |
| Northern NSW vs BYE | |
Under 16 Group B Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Tasmania: 1 (Hollie Jones) NSW Country: 3 (Madison Cachia, Allyssa Ng Saad & Rylee Steele) |
Queensland Maroon: 3 (Valentina Oberdan, Emily Doring & Isabela Hoyos) South Australia: 0 |
| Victoria vs BYE | |
| Game 2 | |
| Victoria: 7 (Alice Francou x2, Jasmine Millar x2, Poppy O'Keeffe, Kaya Jugovic & Merve Yucel) NSW Country: 2 (Allyssa Ng Saad x2) |
South Australia: 4 (Sienna Calvanese, Georgia Peck, Ellena Vega & Nikki Kastanos) Tasmania: 1 (Georgia Peck (OG)) |
| Queensland Maroon vs BYE | |
More on the 2024 National Youth Championships:
CLICK HERE to view the Official National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament Digital Program with Fixtures
CLICK HERE to watch* the National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament thanks to Kommunity TV (*subscription required)
CLICK HERE to view the live tables and results
