The PFL EGT South v EGT North Colts Clash on Friday night 19th July was a blockbuster affair under the lights at UWA Sports Park. A contentious goal after the siren saw North defeat South 8.10 (58) to 8.8 (56), levelling the series at one win apiece.

Spectacular goals, an abundance of talent on display and some of the fiercest contest work seen all season saw both teams treat the match like a grand final. With a vocal crowd lining the boundary, it certainly felt like one.

Both sides burst out of the blocks. South opened the scoring through Freo CBC's Zac Spark, before Ben Crook (Mt Lawley) responded with a goal minutes later in what proved an early glimpse of the influence he would have on the contest. There was little to separate the sides early, with South having the lion's share of the ball and choosing a more direct, straight-running brand of footy that caught North flat-footed at times, helping to claim a 3.1 (19) to 1.4 (10) quarter-time lead.

The turning point for North was territorial rather than scoreboard-driven. After losing the pressure count in the opening term 110-139, North flipped that battle in the second, opting for more controlled ball use and owning territory through quick leads that created space behind, finding joy going long. South had an answer for it. Their forward-half pressure was suffocating, and they dominated at the stoppage — Rhys Mercer (Cockburn Lakes) and Thornlie's Cory Aitchison were at the heart of it, feeding a run-and-carry game that kept North on the back foot. South held their lead into the main break, up by 7 at half-time, helped by a Benjamin Mansell (Bullcreek Leeming) goal and North's own inaccuracy in front of goal, kicking just 1.3 for the term.

North started the third quarter brightly through James Ford's (Swan View) second goal before South produced its strongest period of the match, piling on 2.5 unanswered to open up a 16-point lead. Just when the game looked to be slipping away, Ellenbrook's Sheldon Pickett produced one of the moments of the night. Gathering the ball on the 50-metre arc with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter, Pickett somehow snapped truly from no less than 40 out while off balance, to see it sail in through the big sticks. Unfortunately, succumbing to cramp from the booming kick, he took no further part in the match, but his goal completely shifted the momentum heading into the final term.

The last quarter somehow reached another level. North played its best football of the night, using the wings to drive repeated forward entries before goals to Scarborough's Charlie Brunton, Reece Jolliffe (Ocean Ridge) and Jae Forde (Wanneroo) gave the side its first lead since the opening minutes.

South refused to surrender. Mansell kicked his third goal to wrestle back momentum before Hammond Park's Harry Randall put South four points ahead with just over two minutes remaining, seemingly enough to secure back-to-back victories.

With seconds remaining, Scarborough's Archer Davey nabbed the ball out of the contest and burst forward, launching a Hail Mary deep inside North's forward 50. Ben Crook, shifted to full-forward after Pickett's cramp, got through two South defenders to take a contested mark at the top of the goal square. Calmly going back after the siren, Crook converted to set the North supporters into a rapture and seal one of the most memorable representative victories in recent years.

Out of the many standout performances, Mercer and Aitchison were outstanding through the midfield for South, with Flynn Fulton (Manning Rippers) also making an impact while hitting the scoreboard. In defence, Piara Waters' Louie Miskiewicz led strongly from the backline against a difficult matchup, holding up well against North's forward talent for much of the afternoon. For North, Kai Millington (Mt Lawley) and Aidan Carberry (Scarborough) were exceptional around the contest, while Ford's tireless running, ability to create scoring opportunities and two-goal performance earned him Best on Ground honours.

The statistics reflected just how evenly fought the contest was. South dominated clearances 33-18, while North's intercept game proved decisive, finishing ahead 49-43 and consistently turning defence into attack. North also generated an expected score of 65 to South's 57, highlighting its ability to create quality opportunities despite trailing for much of the evening.

The event itself showcased the remarkable depth of talent throughout the EGT Colts competition. The players, coaches, volunteers and supporters all played their part in producing one of the best games of football seen this season, with anticipation already building for next year's EGT North v South Colts Clash.

EGT North v South Colts Clash FINAL RESULT
North 8.10 (58)
South 8.8 (56)

Best on Ground: James Ford (Swan View)