IN the first game of a Victorian double-header, the Under 16s go head-to-head with Vic Country hosting Vic Metro at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday. The AFL Women’s Under 16s Championships are a shorter series to that of the Under 18s, and male Under 16s, with the Victorian derby being the final match of the series. Both sides had hitouts against other opposition, with Metro triumphing over a gallant New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT), while South Australia downed Vic Country in a bit of an upset. Given the results, Metro would head in as favourites, but are missing two of their top stars with Georgie Prespakis and Tess Flintoff not in the side. It opens up possibilities for others, with the likes of Emelia Yassir, Matilda Hardy and Makaylah Appleby to stand up, having shown impressive signs in Metro’s win over the Rams. Kasey Lennox was impressive in the NAB League Girls Grand Final for Calder Cannons, while Charlie Rowbottom – sister of Sydney’s James – knows how to find the football and put it through the big sticks. Likewise, Charli Murphy will provide a tall target inside 50, while Calder’s Tahlia Gillard is already 187cm despite being 15. Looking at the Vic Country side, Tara Slender is a player who immediately stands out, holding down a key position defence role at Bendigo Pioneers after an impressive V/Line Cup carnival last year. Dandenong’s Jemma Radford and Geelong’s Elizabeth Dowling are others who have shown terrific signs in their first year at NAB League Girls level following V/Line Cup success, while Gippsland’s Grace Matser is in a similar boat to Gillard, standing at 186cm having just turned 16 earlier in the year. Jaide Anthony is a forward to watch having booted multiple goals on debut in the NAB League Girls competition, while Nyakoat Dojiok has been a developing talent the last couple of seasons. The game is likely to be an exciting one, and being a curtain raiser to the Under-18 equivalent, it gives the Under 16s an idea of the level they strive to get to, and the pathway in place for them in the future. Last year, a Metro side led by Ellie McKenzie and Alyssa Bannan won the clash over Country at GMHBA Stadium, while Renee Saulitis and Tyanna Smith were among the best for Country. All four of those players are now representing Victoria at Under-18 level. The talented pathway is ever-growing, so expect the level of football to be even higher than that of last year with so many evenly talented players running around in the ‘Big V’.