A SUPER Saturday of NAB League Girls action sees our latest Team of the Week come in hot, with another competitive squad of 24 making selection difficult as ever. Among the best represented teams, the Western Jets and Eastern Ranges each have four representatives, while Dandenong Stingrays contributed three after each side secured 50-plus point wins.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

The Round 4 Player of the Week was a relatively clear choice, especially with Charlotte Baskaran out of the running. Eastern Ranges skipper Bridget Deed won the honours this time around, after a stellar performance in her side’s runaway win over Northern Knights. The over-age midfielder racked up 35 disposals – remarkably only her second-most for 2022 – and was simply everywhere as the Ranges ran riot after half time. She takes the figurative captain’s armband this week, and sits at the heart of the side’s midfield.

DEFENDERS:

There is a mix of current and future stars in this week’s backline, headlined by a couple of top-age mainstays. Eastern’s Mia Busch slots in at half-back, with Murray standout Keeley Skepper on the opposite side. The latter has cut her teeth mostly in midfield this season, but is no stranger to the back flanks and finds a home there this week.

A pair of strong aerial duellers take up the key position posts, albeit not suiting the traditional tall rolls. Greater Western Victoria (GWV) interceptor Jamie-Lee Speakman clunked eight marks on the Rebels’ last line and was a lock for full back, while Northern’s Tannah Hurst proved a safe pick after stepping up in a besieged Knights defence.

The pockets are filled by a couple of futures, in the form of Ella Stoddart (2007-born) and Lou-Lou Field (2006). The former again showed her wares in a tough Gippsland loss, while the latter looked classy with her 13 touches in Western’s big win. Both players made their league debuts in this season.

MIDFIELDERS:

With skipper and Player of the Week, Deed a lock for centre, the rest of the centre bounce rotation has a certain feel to it. All three followers come out of the Western Jets, and were just about impossible to overlook. Both Charlotte Baskaran and Montana Ham had over 30 disposals, combining for 22 inside 50s as Baskaran also slotted two goals. Hitting to them is Krystal Russell, who beat out the tallest ruck in the league to win 20 hitouts as the Jets engine room purred.

On the outside, Northern’s Rylie Wilcox is her side’s sole representative after putting in another shift for the winless region. Her speed and defensive pressure were on point in a tough role to play. On the opposite wing, Tasmanian standout Claire Ransom has been squeezed to the outside, but was terrific with 20 touches in the Devil’s runaway win over Bendigo.

FORWARDS:

There are a couple of more genuine talls propping up the forward line, with Tasmania bottom-ager Bellah Parker (three goals) and Geelong over-ager Analea McKee (six marks) earning their spots having commanded the forward 50 in their respective victories.

A couple of rotational players fit on on flanks. Dandenong gun Charley Ryan was again a great watch as the Stingrays got up by 51 points, booting one goal from an equal team-high 19 disposals. Meg Robertson matched that feat, but slotted two majors to fit into a pocket, while Geelong’s Grace Purcell features opposite to Ryan after her 24 disposals and 11 tackles in a thrilling Falcons win.

Making it two under-agers up forward, Eastern Ranges debutant Georgia Knight makes her maiden Team of the Week appearance after snaring three goals. The 2006-born talent looked a natural inside 50, faring well close to goal with her positioning, smarts, and conversion.

INTERCHANGE:

There is plenty of talent on the bench, across a few age groups as well. Isabelle Khoury was unlucky not to sneak in up forward or in midfield, but comes in as the sole over-ager on the interchange. Top-age jets Amber Clarke and Charlotte Taylor feature again, along with Calder’s lone representative in Reese Sutton.

The list is rounded out by a couple of 06’ers in Gippsland’s Ash Centra and Bendigo’s Lucia Painter. The electric Centra was again prominent in the front half despite falling short of a goal this week, while Painter continues her impactful form in the Pioneers’ midfield rotation, despite their second loss in as many weeks.

In the unlucky emergency category, Murray Bushrangers gun Zarlie Goldsworthy could not quite dislodge some of this week’s guns, while Brooke Barwick was another Devil to impress, and fellow under-ager Sara Howley lead all comers in Geelong’s win but found competition for spots very competitive.

ROOKIE ME CENTRAL NAB LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 4

B: Lou-Lou Field (WJ) – Jamie-Lee Speakman (GWV) – Ella Stoddart (GP)
HB: Keeley Skepper (MB) – Tannah Hurst (NK) – Mia Busch (ER)
C: Rylie Wilcox (NK) – Bridget Deed (ER, c) – Claire Ransom (TD)
HF: Grace Purcell (GF) – Bellah Parker (TD) – Charley Ryan (DS)
F: Georgia Knight (ER) – Analea McKee (GF) – Meg Robertson (DS)
FOL: Krystal Russell (WJ) – Montana Ham (WJ) – Charlotte Baskaran (WJ)
INT: Ash Centra (GP) – Amber Clarke (DS) – Izzy Khoury (ER) – Lucia Painter (BP) – Reese Sutton (CC) – Charlotte Taylor (OC)

EMG: Zarlie Goldsworthy (MB) – Sara Howley (GF) – Brooke Barwick (TD)