ONE of the most consistent performers in 2023, Eastern Ranges talent Laura Stone continued her outstanding season with another best on ground performance for the Ranges. Catching the eye back in Round 3 where she won Player of the Week, Stone was at it again named best-on in the Ranges’ huge win over Tasmania. Her work in Round 5 was the subject of our Player Focus.

Box Hill VFLW, HawthornMidfielder, Medium Defender

Laura Stone

Height: 170cm

Weight: -

DOB: 22-11-2005

2023 Coates Talent League Girls: Round 5
Eastern Ranges 13.17 (95) defeated Tasmania Devils 3.2 (20)

STATS: 26 disposals (10 kicks, 16 handballs), 1 mark, 5 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50s

FIRST QUARTER

Laura Stone started the game off in the centre square, a familiar position having come through the pathway initially as a defender, but has settled into the midfield role in her top-age year after a taste of it last season. Her first touch was a quick handball out of the opening stoppage, and then had a kick down the line within a minute. Though that kick would be turned over, she would continue to find the ball across the course of the quarter.

Stone is the type of player who bobs up when a team need to extract the ball from a stoppage and she did this on a number of occasions. Unfortunately late in the first term, she was run down and pinged holding the ball, but her efforts in trying to accelerate away were worth the risk.

SECOND QUARTER

Stone started to get going across the second term, winning an early touch from a stoppage on the wing. Though usually winning most of her ball at the stoppages, she dropped back into the defensive 50 where she won the pill via a handball receive. After having to rush a kick forward while under pressure, Stone was far more composed a moment later.

She ran past for the handball in the defensive half of the ground and kicked forward with great technique, then setup a goal with a nice pass to Grace Belloni. Her ability to read the play off hands is what stands out for the Ranges midfielder, and that aspect helps her assess the situation quickly and get the ball forward to dangerous positions.

THIRD QUARTER

The Ranges top-ager’s smooth movement out of a stoppage was on display early, kicking to advantage in the opening moments of the penultimate quarter. She was clever and clean to handball from a stoppage after initially looking to kick, but she had that touch of composure to re-assess and deliver it well by hand to a free teammate closer.

Time and time again, Stone would read the ball off hands from the ruck stoppage and either try to burst away to get some meterage and kick forward, or more often than not, draw an opponent and release by hand to a teammate. At the 18th minute of the term, Stone exploded out of a stoppage and kicked forward to Belloni’s advantage, working hard to put the ball into space.

FOURTH QUARTER

The final term saw Stone continue to rack up the ball, and though she did have trouble winning it off the deck before being taken in a tackle, she was able to cleanly pick it up a few minutes later and fire off a quick handball. Her handball release skills and timing associated with that really stands out, and her vision that she equips to use by hand is also above average.

In the final half of the fourth quarter, Stone was able to win another couple of handballs then finish off in the final minute with a kick inside 50 in front of teammates. That kick set up a scoring opportunity, and while the Ranges ultimately did not capitalise, Stone was lively in driving the ball from midfield to attack.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ….

Laura Stone is a naturally gifted player with impressive speed and evasion, and can run out games strongly. She is clean by hand, reads the taps well and uses the ball well when given time and space. Though a clean skilled player, Stone’s ability to dispose by foot under pressure is continuing to evolve, as is consistency at ground balls.

All in all, there are not too many deficiencies in her game, and she certainly has a lot of impressive tricks that make her a standout prospect with a point of difference. On natural ability, Stone is a first round prospect and it will be fascinating to see how she continues to develop across the course of the year.