By Brent Diamond
Williamstown ball magnet Michael Gibbons lived up his reputation as a big game specialist with 34 disposals and a goal in Victoria's 19-point loss to South Australia in the state league match at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Gibbons, who won the Norm Goss Medal for best on ground in last year's VFL grand final, was awarded the Frank Johnson Medal for the best VFL player on the ground.
The 21-year-old has been earmarked as a mature age AFL recruit in the making, and given the Seagulls' impressive recent strike-rate – Kane Lambert, Adam Marcon (Richmond) and Andrew Galluci (Carlton) have been drafted – Gibbons may well be the next.
Williamstown coach Andy Collins, the VFL head coach on Sunday, marveled at Gibbons, suggesting he was a young Sam Mitchell; the now veteran Hawk was forced to toil hard for his opportunity at Box Hill.
Sunday's match – despite being labelled as a victory players "will remember for the rest of your days, let alone your footy days" by victorious SA coach Graham Cornes – was certainly a spectacle for AFL recruiters eyeing the latest batch of top mature age prospects.
Zane Kirkwood, 25, is another firmly on the radar after collecting 30 disposals and eight clearances to go with his three goals.
Kirkwood, who described the game as a "tough contest", relished the opportunity as skipper and was a well-deserved winner of the Fos Williams Medal for the SANFL's best.
James Boyd, with 30 disposals and 10 clearances, was just as dominant, along with Joel Cross, who had 29 touches.
Cross is an outstanding story, given that he had a brief stint at Box Hill in the VFL before crossing to South Adelaide to become a dual Magarey Medallist in the SANFL.
Steve Summerton, vice-captain of the team, had 27 touches.
Another Rioli may also be destined for the AFL, with Glenelg's Willie Rioli having an exciting first half and finishing with four goals - including one from relentless tackling and second efforts.
Rioli, the son of Willie Rioli snr, who was drafted by Hawthorn in 1990 before having a successful career in the Northern Territory Football League, is a 20-year-old with the same family trademark forward and tackling pressure.
He is a cousin of current Hawk Cyril and former Bomber Dean, and a nephew of the late great Richmond champion Maurice.
He was certainly in the recruiting frame in 2013 as a 17-year-old, but had fitness struggles at 88 kilograms.
The 20-year-old now stands at 178cm and 80kg after a stint in the NTFL and playing 20 matches with SANFL club Glenelg.
Brett Eddy, a former Collingwood-listed player, was also dominant up forward for SA with four goals.
While it was a match predominantly for the smalls, the South Adelaide spearhead was easily the most dominant key position player. He could have easily had a more dominant day, adding three behinds to his tally.
Victorian skipper Jordan Russell said it was "great to stay involved and fight it to the end" after they trailed by 43-points at the 16 minute mark of the third term.
Ruckman Nick Meese was another of the VFL's best, dominating the ruck with 30 hit-outs and eight clearances, while Michael Sodomaco (23 disposals) and Nick Rippon (23 disposals and three goals) had better second halves. Rippon kicked two goals late when the result was afait accompli.
Sam Darley (22) and Leigh Masters (21) were the top VFL players.
A classy finish from Ben Cavarra gave the Vics some ascendancy heading into the first change, trailing by 13-points.
Successive goals to Eddy, Rioli and Lachie McGregor gave the home team a 29-point buffer, before Dan Coghlan finally drilled the first goal of the second term for the Vics at the 19 minute mark.
With SA leading by 25-points at the main break, Williamstown's Michael Gibbons, who had a massive first half with 18 touches, kicked the opening goal of the second half.
But for all of the promise of a comeback, as the pattern for much of the game, SA had the answers with successive goals to Kirkwood, Eddy and Rioli; names that South Australian great Russell Ebert would be proud of after his inspiring speech to the team on Friday night.