Young Indigenous talent took centre stage at Adelaide Oval on Sunday morning in the Grand Finals of the Beach Energy McLeod Challenge.

Crows members and supporters celebrating AFL Indigenous Round got to their seats early to watch the nine-a-side curtain raisers.

In the boys division the All Stars team (comprised of students from Salisbury High/St Michaels/Henley High and Thomas More) defeated Rostrevor/Immanuel College, 6.5 (41) to 3.5 (23). Isiah Glancey from Salisbury High School was named best on ground.

In the girls competition, Wiltja Residential defeated the All Stars (made up Immanuel College/Unity and Para Hills), 15.10 (100) to 7.2 (44), with Lynda Scrutton-Turner from Wiltja the standout player in the Grand Final.

Tom Hedditch from Beach Energy made the presentations to the winning teams.

The Beach Energy McLeod Challenge is a nine-a-side tournament for year 8/9 boys and girls, which identifies talent for the Beach Energy Youth Leadership program. The minor rounds were played at AAMI Stadium in early May and attracted more than 200 children from 25 schools.

Crows legend Andrew McLeod, in conjunction with his wife Rachael, helped to develop and now run the Clubs’ Indigenous programs, which includes the Beach Energy McLeod Challenge. The three key programs use sport and mentoring to engage and educate Aboriginals youths, providing them with the experience, skills and knowledge required to seek independence, self-determination and the individual capacity to achieve their goals.

The Beach Energy McLeod Challenge, Beach Energy Aboriginal Youth Leadership Program, and the Future Leaders Program are unique in that they focus on continued mentoring of participants from across South Australia.