PORT ADELAIDE’s female Next Generation Academy Coach Naomi Maidment has credited clean ball use and team work for her side’s win in an under 16 Showdown against Adelaide's NGA on Sunday.

The Port NGA side, captained by West Adelaide midfielder Lauren Young, beat the Crows’ NGA comfortably - 9.8 (62) to 3.1 (19) - at Richmond Oval, now known as Hisense Arena.

Port Adelaide’s NGA zone includes players from the South Adelaide, West Adelaide, Woodville-West Torrens and Norwood football clubs while Adelaide’s zone is made up of the remaining SANFL clubs - Sturt, North Adelaide, Central District and Glenelg.

For the past six weeks, Port Adelaide’s squad of 25 has been participating in football and educational sessions at Alberton, learning what the game looks like at the next level.

Sunday’s game was the first time the sides had met in 2020 after Port won each of the three encounters last year.

In the AFLW curtain-raiser, Port Adelaide’s NGA side started strongly, kicking away early and never being headed.

“We went into the game having a strong focus on implementing what we had been training,” Maidment said after the game.

“We started the game well through use of clean ball movement and kicked away with early goals in the first.

“Our Captain for the day, Lauren Young, starred in the midfield and Shineah Goody (Woodville-West Torrens) had 3 goals to half time.

“Our forward pressure was a highlight of the match particularly from Port Lincoln local, Sachi Syme.

“What was evident was that we played as a team, each player performed the role they had been given resulting in a strong performance.”

The squad now heads back to Alberton to continue the Academy program, and planning for the second game of three against Adelaide Academy on Wednesday 25 March at Alberton. 

Goals: Shineah Goody 3, Sachi Syme, Marlie Fiegert, Hayley Taheny, Lauren Young, Khiani Russell, Jorja Hooper

Best: Lauren Young, Shinea Goody, Cherylee Waters, Sachi Syme