ALTHOUGH the Central Allies did not come away with a win, many players certainly showcased their talent and showed what they are made of. The side only met on the Saturday prior to the beginning of the Gold Coast carnival on the following Monday, which was two days later, so to scrape through with some admirable performances is a commendable effort considering the circumstances.

Key players:

Montana McKinnon

McKinnon had one of the strongest sets of hands during the carnival, taking plenty of marks in the back half and positioning herself well against opponents. She was great in a one-on-one situation, using her good bodywork to outmuscle opponents. Her kicks and tackling were also a highlight of her game and allowed her to be rewarded with a spot in the All Australian squad and a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for her state.

Janet Baird

Named the Central Allies MVP, Baird proved how dangerous she can be with the ball in hand. Her run and carry across the ground was excellent and generated plenty of excitement during the carnival. Baird’s closing speed was also fantastic as she laid some bone-crunching tackles to stop opponents in their tracks.

Nikki Gore

A real leader on the field, Gore’s swift ball movement through the midfield allowed her to create many scoring opportunities. Her quick hands and precise kicking exemplified her excellent ball use and she was very deserving of an All Australian spot considering the fantastic efforts she has put in for the Central Allies.  

Esther Boles

The captain of the side and a player who displayed an incredible work ethic, Boles was sensational in the midfield. She went in hard at every contest and was able to display clean hands on the inside. Her kicks were long and penetrating and often helped her side to clear congestion.

Rachelle Martin

Although she only stands at 153cm, Martin was a highly dangerous forward for the Central Allies. She was able to sneak behind the pack many times to get the ball forward and she was able to use outside space well. Martin displayed a high work ethic throughout the carnival, displaying a constant aggression to win the football and create scoring opportunities.

Hannah Munyard

Munyard was an absolute bull through the midfield, winning the hard balls on the inside and displaying constant aggression to get it out to a runner on the outside. Munyard’s clean hands and long kicking were vital for her side and she excelled in both those areas. She was a player that never gave up and was at every contest trying to win the ball.

Katelyn Rosenzweig

A dominant force up forward, Rosenzweig enjoyed getting amongst the goals. She led well to the ball and often positioned herself well in one-on-one contests to take solid marks. She too had a long kick that created many forward thrusts for her side.

Tabitha May

Named Northern Territory’s MVP, May worked hard throughout the tournament to create run and carry in space. Another player who likes to tackle hard and she did so with intent, always trying to win the football.

RESULTS:

Monday July 9

EASTERN ALLIES 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 6.8 (44)
CENTRAL ALLIES 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2.4 (16)

GOALS:

Eastern Allies: Lillian Doyle 3, Zoe Hurrell, Brea Quinlivan, Brianna McFarlane.
Central Allies: Arthurina Moreen, Katelyn Rosenzweig.

ADC BEST:
Eastern Allies: Lillian Doyle, Alyce Parker, Chloe Haines, Zoe HurRell, Brianna McFarlane.
Central Allies: Nikki Gore, Katelyn Rosenzweig, Esther Boles, Montana McKinnon, Arthurina Moreen.

Wednesday July 11

VIC COUNTRY: 1.1 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 6.6 (42)
CENTRAL ALLIES: 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 (19)

GOALS:
Vic Country: Lucy McEvoy 4, Molly McDonald, Nikia Webber.
Central Allies: Danielle Ponter 2, Katelyn Rosenzweig.

ADC BEST:
Vic Country: Lucy McEvoy, Nina Morrison, Jordyn Allen, Olivia Purcell, Nikia Webber, Sophie Van De Heuvel
Central Allies: Danielle Ponter, Amber Ward, Nikki Gore, Rachel Dunstan, Esther Boles, Hannah Munyard

Friday July 13

VIC METRO: 3.1 | 5.2 | 9.5 | 10.6 (66)
CENTRAL ALLIES 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 3.3 (21)

GOALS:
Vic Metro: Gabby Newton 2, Daisy Bateman 2, Britney Gutknecht 2, Cleo Saxon-Jones, Holly Bate, Madison Prespakis, Georgia Patrikios.
Central Allies: Danielle Ponter, Katelyn Rosenzweig, Rachelle Martin.

ADC BEST:
Vic Metro: Madison Prespakis, Georgia Patrikios, Daisy Bateman, Katie Lynch, Sarah Kendall, Eleanor Brown
Central Allies: Hannah Munyard, Montana McKinnon, Madeline Gault, Nikki Gore, Amber Ward, Madison Bennett