MASSIVE wins to Gold Coast Suns Academy, Geelong Falcons and Oakleigh Chargers saw the trio of sides make up 50 per cent of the Talent League Girls Team of the Week for Round 8. The Suns Academy contributed a league-high five players after a 110-point win over Western Jets, while Geelong Falcons (four) and Oakleigh Chargers (three) were not far behind. A further four sides had two representatives with four having one and five teams without a repressentative.

Gold Coast Suns Academy young gun Ava Usher was our Player of the Week for Round 8 and therefore our captain in the Team of the Week, named at half-forward after four goals from 21 disposals in the huge victory. She was joined inside 50 by fellow Sun and four-goal player Alannah Welsh.

Geelong’s Chantal Mason booted 4.4 in the Falcons’ win over Murray Bushrangers, while teammate Caitlin Charles was lively at half-forward. Dominating the airways at centre half-forward in Oakleigh’s big win over Northern Knights, Emma McDonald slotted into centre half-forward. Rounding out the forward six was Bendigo Pioneers’ Jemmika Douglas.

The other Pioneers’ representative was bottom-ager Lucia Painter who was named on-ball beside another top-end 2006-born talent in Geelong Falcons’ Sara Howley. Her hard-running teammate Mekah Morrissy was named on a wing, with Chargers’ ball-winner Jorja Jackson on the other wing.

In the centre was Calder Cannons consistent midfielder Kayley Kavanagh who produced another consistent performance in the Cannons’ come-from-behind win, while double bottom-ager Jade McLay impressed on debut and was named at full-back. She is sharing the key position spots in the back 50 with Tasmania’s Tunisha Kikoak, while a pair of Stingrays – Dandenong skipper Jemma Ramsdale and best on ground in the win over Eastern Ranges, Ruby Murdoch – are also in there.

Rounding out the back six are a couple of silky bottom-agers in Northern Territory’s Tatyana Perry and Suns Academy’s Tara Harrington. The other remaining Suns Academy players in the side are ruck Havana Harris and midfielder Charlotte Adamson.

Completing the bench are a mix of players from various teams including Lions Academy’s Jacinta Baldwick, Tasmania Devils’ Mackenzie Ford, Sandringham Dragons’ Judie Goldman, Gippsland Power’s Jasmine Sowden and Oakleigh Chargers’ Sienna Tallariti. The three emergencies for Round 8 are Tasmanian Georgia Clark, Eastern Ranges’ Hayley McLaughlin and Dandenong Stingrays’ Elli Symonds.

2023 TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 8

B: Jemma Ramsdale (Dandenong Stingrays) – Jade McLay (Calder Cannons) – Tatyana Perry (Northern Territory)
HB: Tara Harrington (Suns Academy) – Tunisha Kikoak (Tasmania Devils) – Ruby Murdoch (Dandenong Stingrays)
C: Mekah Morrissy (Geelong Falcons) – Kayley Kavanagh (Calder Cannons) – Jorja Jackson (Oakleigh Chargers)
HF: Caitlin Charles (Geelong Falcons) – Emma McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers) – Ava Usher (Suns Academy) (c)
F: Alannah Welsh (Suns Academy) – Chantal Mason (Geelong Falcons) – Jemmika Douglas (Bendigo Pioneers)
R: Havana Harris (Suns Academy) – Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons) – Lou Painter (Bendigo Pioneers)
INT: Charlotte Adamson (Suns Academy) – Jacinta Baldwick (Lions Academy) – Mackenzie Ford (Tasmania Devils) – Judie Goldman (Sandringham Dragons) – Jasmine Sowden (Gippsland Power) – Sienna Tallariti (Oakleigh Chargers)

EMG: Georgia Clark (Tasmania Devils) – Hayley McLaughlin (Eastern Ranges) – Elli Symonds (Dandenong Stingrays)