GEELONG Falcons and Northern Knights dominate the extended AFL Draft Central TAC Cup Girls’ Mid-Season Team, emphasising their strong start to the season.

The team of 24 players was selected based on the amount of times players were picked in our AFL Draft Central Team of the Week, with a total of 27 players selected two or more times. We extended the team out to 24 players with three emergencies to ensure each player with multiple nominations made the side.

Geelong and Northern make up a combined third of the team, with four representatives from each side. Falcons defender Denby Taylor, and mid/forwards Olivia Purcell, Samantha Atkins and Nina Morrison all made the squad, while from Northern, the versatile Ellie McKenzie, ruck/forward Gabby Newton and dangerous forwards Alex Pronesti and Alyssa Bannan made the final team.

Gippsland Power and Murray Bushrangers have the next highest amount of representatives with Power centre-half forward Nikia Webber and half-back Emily Haeusler both joining midfield dynamo Tyla Hanks in the team.

Bendigo Pioneers, Eastern Ranges, Murray Bushrangers and Western Jets make up a quarter of the final 24-player squad. For the Pioneers, midfield duo Kodi Jacques and Megan Williamson have made the cut, while for the Jets, bookends Isabelle Pritchard and Caitlin Greiser have been impressive this season. It was a surprise to see Eastern only have two nominees, but it spoke of their depth given the amount of nominees they have had over the season. Consistent half-back Georgia Macpherson and ruck Sarah Kendall start on the field for the side. It was equally as surprising to see the Bushrangers with just two nominees with the reliable Grace Egan and consistent midfielder Tamara Smith join gun centre Rebecca Webster in the final squad.

Of the remaining sides who had a representative, Eleanor Brown (Sandringham Draogns) starts at half-back, now doubt moving up onto a wing; Madison Prespakis (Calder Cannons) will look to influence the midfield; Georgia Clarke (GWV Rebels) will position herself at centre-half back; and Gemma Lagioia (Oakleigh Chargers) will look to have an impact from the bench.

Western Jets’ Elisabeth Georgostathis, Murray Bushrangers’ Tamara Smith and Sandringham Dragons’ Eliza McNamara were the only three players to have made two AFL Draft Central Team of the Weeks, named as emergencies in our Mid-Season Team.