EVERY Coates Talent League region which featured in Round 8 is represented in our Team of the Week, with nine of the 10 teams laying claim to multiple entrants. The Dandenong Stingrays and Lions Academy are among five clubs to have three players in the squad after their thrilling draw. See who made the cut.

>> 2024 CTL Round 8: Snapshot | POTW

DEFENCE

B: Lachlan McArthur (WJ) – Lachlan Voss (SD) – Nelson Beikoff-Smart (GC)
HB: Max Roney (TD) – Mitchell Lloyd (GWV) – Ryan Gilder (BL)

There is a handy balance of styles and sizes in our Round 8 defence, which is built upon Mitchell Lloyd and Lachlan Voss in the key position posts. Lloyd was again superb on the last line in GWV’s loss to Western, while Voss proved solid as usual despite Sandringham going down to the Swans Academy.

The most prolific member of our hypothetical defence is Nelson Beikoff-Smart. The Suns Academy small posted 27 disposals (22 kicks) and 10 marks in an impressive end to his campaign. Fellow Queenslander Ryan Gilder was full of power for the Lions with 17 touches and five marks, slotting in at half-back.

At the opposite end of the field to Lloyd, Western’s Lachlan McArthur brought an intercept-rebound double threat similar to Gilder to post 21 disposals and a goal. Similar can be said for consistent Tasmanian Max Roney, who collected eight marks and six rebound 50s in the Devils’ win over Eastern.

MIDFIELD

FOL: Iliro Smit (ER) – Harvey Langford (DS) – Cooper Hynes (DS)
C: Thomas McGuane (WJ) – Geordie Payne (TD) – Zeke Uwland (GC)

Dandenong Stingrays co-captains Harvey Langford (33 disposals, nine inside 50s, one goal) and Cooper Hynes (27 disposals, nine inside 50s, four goals) take up starting positions in midfield after helping spur their side to an unlikely draw. The pair are joined in the middle by Player of the Week Geordie Payne.

Payne was outstanding with 29 disposals, nine inside 50s and four goals in Tasmania’s win over Eastern. Rucking to him and the Stingrays pair is fellow over-ager and mid-season draft hopeful Iliro Smit, who won 30 hitouts and kicked a freakish goal on the opposite side to Payne on Sunday.

The wing selection was a tough one again this week, with Thomas McGuane and Zeke Uwland capable of playing there, but arguably more prominent in other roles over the weekend. Both bottom-agers led all comers with over 30 disposals each, though McGuane did so in a winning side.

FORWARD

HF: Isaac Kako (CC) – Sam Buck (SD) – Max Rider (SS)
F: Tom Ryan (SS) – Tairon Ah-Mu (DS) – Jack Gerardi (WJ)

Plenty of match-winners make up our forwardline this week. Swans Academy pair Max Rider (four goals) and Tom Ryan (three) combined well to help knock off Sam Buck‘s Sandringham Dragons. The latter booted a round-high five goals from 15 disposals and five marks in the loss.

Dandenong big man Tairon Ah-Mu imposed himself with four goals in the draw with Brisbane, coming to life in term four with three majors. Jack Gerardi (three goals) was prolific in a low-scoring win, while Isaac Kako (29 disposals, 12 inside 50s, three goals) was busy as usual in Calder’s win.

INTERCHANGE

INT: Rohan Bailey (BL), Owen Bater (SD), Hussein El Achkar (CC), Oliver Hannaford (GWV), Joe Harrison (SS), Fergus McFadyen (BL)

Three more Northern Academy players feature on the six-man interchange, including two Lions Academy products. Namely, they are midfielder Rohan Bailey and power forward Fergus McFadyen, joined by Swans Academy captain Joe Harrison. Sandringham defender Owen Bater was terrific in his first game of the year, earning a spot alongside the competitive Oliver Hannaford and Calder small Hussien El Achkar.