POTENTIAL top-five draft pick Gus Teixeira enhanced his claims as one of the best midfielders in this year's draft pool with a prolific four-goal haul in Vic Metro's dominant Marsh AFL Under-18 Championships win over the Allies on Sunday.
Teixeira kicked 4.3 from 20 disposals and seven marks as Vic Metro cruised to an emphatic 83-point win in Ballarat, with only wayward kicking stopping the hosts from an even bigger margin of victory.
VIC METRO v ALLIES Full match coverage and stats
Teixeira spent time forward and through the midfield, combining nicely in attack with fellow top-five chance Arki Butler who kicked 2.2 from 15 disposals and 10 marks in yet another reminder of his quality.
Northern Knights winger Toby Krasna has been viewed by clubs as one of the draft's biggest risers and bolstered his credentials in an impressive display, amassing 10 score involvements from his 20 disposals and kicking a nice goal.
Jordan Knapp (31 disposals, eight marks) found plenty of the ball through the midfield, while Albert Macgowan (25 disposals, 11 score involvements) also continued his exciting carnival so far.
George Dimer (20 disposals, three goals) and Angus Tippett (17 disposals, three goals) were the game's busiest forwards, taking advantage of Vic Metro's overwhelming territorial dominance.
They did the bulk of their damage inside an opening term where Vic Metro piled on eight unanswered goals, keeping the Allies scoreless to quarter time and racing out to a commanding 52-point advantage at the first change.
After the margin briefly ticked over 100 points early in the last quarter, the Allies eventually kicked four late goals to restore some pride and were led well by bottom-age Giants Academy member Cooper French (24 disposals, five clearances).
But clubs have long believed there is a lack of talent in the northern academies across this year's draft crop, hindering the Allies' chances, with those hopes further dented prior to the game when Giants Academy gun Ethan Matthews was forced to withdraw from the match and the remainder of the carnival with bone stress in his foot.
Vic Metro moved to 2-0 with the win, while the Allies fell to 0-3, with the under-18 championships continuing on Friday with a double-header at Marvel Stadium when Vic Metro takes on South Australia and Vic Country meets Western Australia.
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VIC METRO Â 8.4 Â Â 11.8 Â Â 17.15 Â Â 20.19 (139)
ALLIES Â Â Â 0.0 Â Â Â 3.2 Â Â Â Â 4.3 Â Â Â Â Â 8.8 (56)
GOALS
Vic Metro: Teixeira 4, Tippett 3, Dimer 3, Gayfer 2, Butler 2, Van Hattum, Miller, Krasna, Justice, Houndsome, Harris
Allies: Thompson 2, Callinan 2, Watts, Smiler, Meaney, Hill
