Bulldogs young talent shines on national stage

SOUTH Fremantle's young talent continues to make its mark on the national stage with five players taking part in Western Australia's State 18s side and another five in the 16s line-up in this week at the national championships.

On the back of Mason Shaw (Port Adelaide) and Adam Carter (West Coast) being drafted last year, a host of star South Fremantle players from the colts showed their talents on the big stage at the national championships and will be in contention to enter the AFL next year as a result.

In the recently completed National 18s Championships, Dylan Main, Jarrod Pickett, Blaine Johnson, Ben Sokol, Tom Vandeleur and Cameron McCarthy all did well representing WA after being key players in the South Fremantle's successful colts team.

WA's 18s carnival began with a 62-point win over Tasmania in Launceston on June 2 with Bulldog pair Johnson and McCarthy booting two goals apiece with Sokol adding another.

The next game was an 82-point victory against the Northern Territory at Lathlain's Brownes Stadium on June 8 with Johnson booting three goals, and McCarthy and Sokol two each while Pickett added one and Main was one of WA's best players on the day.

It was then onto Subiaco's Patersons Stadium to take on Victoria Metro on June 15 where WA lost for the first time by 19 points. However, Johnson was outstanding again up forward kicking four goals with McCarthy also a standout performer with three.

It was then onto Geelong's Simonds Stadium where McCarthy proved to be the hero for WA kicking the winning goal in the three-point win over Victoria Country on June 28.

McCarthy took a soaring mark in between a nest of Vic Country defenders with only 30 seconds left on the black before kicking the match-winning goal.

WA's final game of the carnival then came on July 3 when carnival champions South Australia prevailed by 10 points in a game where unfortunately McCarthy suffered a lower leg injury.

McCarthy was still named in the All-Australian team from the carnival and the AFL's national talent manager Kevin Sheehan couldn’t have been more impressed with the 195cm key forward over the course of the carnival.

"A key marking target up forward was Cameron McCarthy from Western Australian. He was a boy who ended with an injury but gee he made his mark throughout the championship," Sheehan said.

"He took some great marks and none were better than that one in the dying seconds of the game against the Victorians down at Simonds Stadium. He kicked that goal after the siren to win the game."

South Fremantle's young talent coming through continues to be put onto the national stage as well with Kade Stewart, Joel McComb, Callum Ah Chee, Jesse Mirco and Brad Kersten named in the WA State 16s squad taking part in the championship this week at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney.

By Chris Pike