GOLD Coast Suns Academy handed Oakleigh Chargers their first loss of the Coates Talent League Girls season, as Round 9 saw eight games take place across the weekend. We took a look at some of the top performers, and as always, each note is the opinion of the individual author.

By: Peter Williams

Dandenong Stingrays:

#5 Sophie Butterworth

The key forward had a mixed bag in front of goal, booting 3.3 for the day in similar circumstances to her team. She had plenty of chances that either just missed or were ‘almost’ opportunities early, particularly in the first term. Her first major came off the deck late in the second term, before popping up for a second near the end of the third with a more clinical mark and set shot conversion. Butterworth’s third goal was a case of right place, right time, receiving the handball in the goalsquare and making no mistake.

#7 Mikayla Williamson

In one of her best performances of the year, Williamson was involved in everything and had greater impact with her touches in the game. She showed off her usual athleticism to creates metres gained, but focused more on her kicking to hit those shorter targets. Though not perfect, it was still an improvement, and then aerially, Williamson was starting to hold onto her marks with more confidence than earlier in the year. She even got forward to kick a great goal in the final term after missing a couple of chances prior, but all in all, she was outstanding.

#8 Meg Robertson

Robertson is one of those players who has natural football smarts so can find the ball really easy by getting into space and ultimately demanding it given the space she has created for herself. She finished with a massive 33 disposals and two goals, and realistically should have had a few more majors, but either they fell short or missed. Still, Robertson was able to impact the game in a big way and made the right decisions. At times her final execution by foot could be a it hit or miss, but her work rate to follow-up helped.

#25 Jemma Reynolds

The bottom-ager had the most impact on the scoreboard that she has had all season with three majors, but also set up a number of teammates. When in midfield, she used her evasiveness to avoid tacklers and run into space, with clean hands off the deck. She has a lovely technical kick with great creativity. Though not always a consistent high production performer, Reynolds has shown plenty of promising moments and her two goals off a couple of steps and another from a clever snap showed her eye around goal.

#26 Kayla Dalgleish

The standout player in a wide field of options, Dalgleish was sensational in attack. She started off her day with a goal on the run off a turnover, and then kicked another off a couple of steps. After filling her own boots, Dalgleish was able to set up her teammates, playing further a field and delivering inside 50. Her hands in close were very good, and Dalgleish provided a nice highlight with a huge leap late in the third term. At times she could rush and her execution could be a little off, but she looks incredibly damaging inside 50 and has the athletic traits to worry the opposition.

#45 Elli Symonds

Against undersized opponents, the athletic Symonds had a field day, often thumping it forward, then running onto it, with rare burst speed for a player of her size. She is a raw talent with plenty of upside, and the fundamentals are areas to still improve, but she has a high running capacity and just gets involved consistently. When forward in the final term, she took a strong mark and converted the set shot. Symonds is gaining confidence by the week and with another year in the system can iron out those fundamentals to be a well-round players.

Bendigo Pioneers:

#2 Steph Demeo

The small defender packs a punch and it is hard to knock her consistency with another 20-disposal effort in a heavy loss. She was clean by hand and composed with ball-in-hand moving well around the ground. She even applied a strong bump to an opponent as they were running into goal, forcing the shot to go wide. Tried hard all day for the Pioneers in a losing effort.

#8 Gabrielle Drage

After 1.4 on debut last week, the bottom-age forward found her kicking boots, albeit from limited opportunities. Though her run in for a set shot is somewhat unique holding the ball higher than most, it worked for her with a consistent left boot that saw the ball sail between the big sticks each time. She scored all of the Pioneers’ three goals, and it was like a carbon copy with all three set shots.

#14 Bryde O’Rourke

Certainly tried hard all day, and though she could not get her hands on the ball in the first term playing forward, she took a number of great marks in the final three terms. Even starting in the middle on an occasion and bursting away to get it forward, O’Rourke found herself up the other end at one point, laying a great tackle on Williamson in the defensive goalsquare. She had a few chances on goal though could not convert, but overall put in a solid shift.

#26 Jemmika Douglas

Douglas is the type of player you arguably want to be kicking more than handballing, but the pressure of the game, and the talented bottom-ager playing inside for the most part, forced her to do more of the latter. She released well by hand and when able to deliver by foot, hit a sizzling pass inside 50. She set up the first goal through a nice long kick, and took some strong grabs to settle down the side.

By: Peter Williams

Calder Cannons:

#1 Maddison Albrecht

A handy, hard-running talent, Albrecht smashed her previous best for disposals, picking up 23 in the loss. She found the going tough at times due to the conditions, and though she could be a touch cleaner at ground level, made up for it with her tenacity and defensive pressure. In the opening minute of the final term, Albrecht bumped on opponent off the ball at half-forward and kicked inside 50 to a dangerous spot as one of the her highlights for the game.

#5 Jade McLay

The double bottom-ager backed up her debut with an equally impressive game two playing out of defence and even getting a stint in the midfield. She has a booming kick that can breakdown opposition defensive zones, and though at times she can tend to go for distance of accuracy, putting it into space for the speedy Cannons forwards, especially in those wet conditions, can work. McLay has a strong body and she showed it in the final term at a centre bounce, getting a handball away and utilising hr power. She copped a big knock eight minutes into the final term however, hitting the ground hard in a tackle.

#25 Kayley Kavanagh

Hardly plays a bad game and that continued against the Lions Academy, finding her fair share of the ball and playing to the conditions. She was often watched at the stoppages, but when she did win the ball she showed good composure. At one stage she had a fantastic run-down tackle, but with a lack of options downfield, played on and was tackled herself. She did win a free kick in the second term and hit the scoreboard with a goal, and continued to battle on throughout the match.

Lions Academy:

#7 Jacinta Baldwick

A similar game to last week, Baldwick was able to contribute around the ground and hit the scoreboard, kicking a goal coming out of a forward stoppage in the opening two minutes. She was fierce with her defensive pressure and delivered inside 50 on a number of occasions, setting up scoring chances. Baldwick keeps on doing the right things in transition, and while there might be flashier moments from others, she has been a ray of consistency.

#10 Sophie Peters

The top-age talent kicked an early goal on the run that was perfectly weighted, and provided the crowd with some highlights. She has the speed and the leap to burst away or take a nice mark, and though she is still ironing out some areas in her game and could lift her production rate, she impacts a contest with the majority of her disposals. She only had the 10 touches, but it seemed like more.

#15 Evie Long

Really caught the eye with her performance and is another Lions Academy member who impacts more than her statistics might suggest. In her first game for the Academy at Coates Talent League level, she fitted right in and laid a great run-down tackle early in the match. Boasting some nice speed and a high competitive nature, Long was particularly noticeable because of her defensive attributes. She played a perfect wet weather brand driving the ball forward, and though at times her kicking could be a little off, she put it to the right spots.

#23 Rania Crozier

A 178cm forward with enviable athleticism, it is easy to see why Crozier is so highly rated to make the AFLW Academy. She is still piecing everything together, but is building nicely ahead of the national carnival with some outstanding burst speed and strong hands. She converted a snap from the pocket, and though a few other kicks either missed targets or were turned over, that element of her game is still a work in progress. She is good one-on-one and covers the ground well, even able to push up into the midfield or help out in defence if required.

#31 Lilly Baker

The bottom-age ruck boasts an enormous leap and she was able to often dominate the ruck stoppages against stronger, but less athletic opponents. Standing at 179cm, Baker already has the height on her side and she was able to win the ball in each third of the ground. The conditions made it tricky when it came to execution, but she did well getting back into defence to assist.

By: Liam Badkin

Western Jets:

#9 Sierra Grieves

Another massive game from the 17-year-old, Grieves delivered a best-on-ground performance despite being in a losing side. She fought tooth-and-nail to win the ball at the coalface and delivered a typically tough performance despite the circumstances. Grieves gave her teammates a chance with some clever outlet handballs to the outside runners, while on the defensive side, she was ferocious in not letting the opposition break away from the contest. Grieves finished with 30 disposals and 10 tackles, both game-high figures.

#14 Kiera Whiley

Whiley continued her season with another solid outing despite Western falling to the Jets. She seems to have a natural knack for finding the footy, and it was on full display with another 16 disposals in a losing side. Showed composure by foot at times and although not all of her kicks came off, the Western skipper showed creativity with her ball use. Laid three tackles on a day where the Jets found themselves second to the ball.

#17 Hannah Brodie

Brodie delivered her best outing of the year in the loss to the Ranges, accumulating a season-high figure in the disposal column and showed plenty of impact with ball in hand. The 17-year-old looked to get the ball forward whenever possible, and stood up above the manic pressure from Eastern. She finished the match with eight kicks, six handballs and two tackles to be one of her side’s strongest performers.

Eastern Ranges:

#9 Emma Stilve

In just her third appearance for the season, Stilve saved her best for the win over the Jets, leading the way up forward with a damaging performance. Hitting the scoreboard in a big way, she finished the game with a match-high three majors, all of which were a result of her positioning and cleverness around the play. Stilve provided plenty of energy around the contest and was rewarded with a number of scoring opportunities. Two of her goals came in the first half as Eastern got on top, and she was the match’s most impactful scorer in a big team win.

#10 Laura Stone

Returning to the side after a couple of weeks off, Stone had not missed a step as she delivered another eye-catching performance for the Ranges. She spent plenty of time at stoppages and through the midfield, making an impact with her ability to read the ball off the tap. Stone found herself able to break away from the congestion and either slam the ball forward or find a teammate running past for the outlet handball. She finished the match with 16 disposals and eight tackles in a strong return to the team.

#22 Grace Belloni

On a day where her side found plenty of the ball, Belloni was a standout. She recorded the most disposals of any Eastern side, and worked hard around the ground across all four quarters. She finished the contest with 12 kicks, 10 handballs, four marks, three tackles and three inside 50s, outworking her opponent to get to space and was one of the most prolific players on the ground for either side.

#42 Paula Pavic

Pavic engaged in a tough duel in the ruck, and took the chocolates in the end. Not only did her side emerge victorious, but Pavic got the win in her individual battle against Krystal Russell. Although Russell recorded more hitouts, it was not by much and Pavic’s follow-up work around the ground was an immense factor in the Ranges getting on top around the stoppages. She finished with 14 disposals (five kicks, nine handballs), three tackles and 15 hit outs in an excellent performance around the ground.

By: Michael Alvaro

Northern Knights:

#5 Zoe Hargreaves

After somewhat of a down week, Hargreaves was back to her explosive best on Saturday. The bottom-age midfielder led all comers with 29 disposals, streaming away out the front of several stoppages and tearing Murray to shreds with her turn of speed. Hargreaves’ pure power was difficult for Murray to combat, as she rounded out her game with a couple of nice overhead efforts, and the ability to penetrate by foot while running at full tilt.

#14 Ava Jordan

Another player to bounce back into form, Jordan produced arguably her best performance as a small forward to date with four goals from 19 disposals. After taking time to find her radar, the clever ball user went on to snap goals on either foot and punished Murray in front of the big sticks. Her clinical nature extended to assists too, with Jordan’s smarts and vision helping put teammates into countless scoring positions. She had previously only scored four career goals.

#18 Lauren Jatczak

Jatczak has compiled a strong season as Northern’s primary ruck and that continued on Saturday with big numbers of 25 disposals, eight marks, and 29 hitouts. The over-ager dominated aerially and looked to impose herself on the contest, taking the ball out of the ruck and clunking marks better than she ever has. Jatczak usually has a clear size advantage, but has also continued to make improvements on her game.

#40 Scarlett Johnson

Having slotted her only two goals of the season against Murray last time out, Johnson repeated the feat in Round 9. The 2007-born talent was a lively presence up forward, providing a clean marking option around the attacking arc and often driving the ball deep inside 50. At 171cm, she has the flexibility to play as a taller target, but also cover good ground. Her goals came in the first and last quarters, both from relatively long-range.

#46 Phoebe Hargreaves

Another 2007-born prospect, Hargreaves booted her first three goals for the Knights in an exciting performance up forward. The diminutive speedster had often gone by hand in her previous three games, but flipped that script and began to be more expansive by foot on Saturday – which showed on the scoreboard. She was effective at ground level and difficult to catch, often making sound decisions inside 50. Hargreaves also rotated to defence in an experimental third quarter.

Murray Bushrangers:

#9 Holly Egan

Egan ended up being quite far and away Murray’s best player afield, notching a team-high 23 disposals and seven rebound 50s for her efforts. The bottom-ager worked into the game nicely, initially getting into good defensive positions, but only later taking advantage with intercept marks. With ball in hand, she showcased her agility and ability to carry the ball in short spurts. Egan shifted from defence to the wing after half time and is certainly a versatile talent.

#16 Emma Suckling

Despite her day being ended in the final five minutes, Suckling compiled a second straight game of 21 disposals to be Murray’s most influential centre bounce attendee. With a good knack of knowing where to find the ball, she accumulated possessions and cleared her lines, continually cracking in on a tough day for the Bushies. Driving her legs out of the contest and doing more damage by foot are a couple of areas Suckling can look to hone.

By: Peter Williams

Sandringham Dragons:

#8 Judie Goldman

The Dragons midfielder picked up a massive 29 disposals, 24 of which were handballs. That is Goldman’s wheelhouse where she will win the ball and feed it out to teammates at a rapid rate, and do it well. The improvement comes from instances where she bursts out of stoppages but then automatically looks to handball rather than kick even if it is going backwards. When she did kick, they were effective, with a couple of short kicks hitting targets, including Ruby Dale on the final siren. She was one of the Dragons best for sure, and as that inside distributor works perfectly, but with her athletic traits, she can take her game to another level.

#9 Jasmine Shepherd

Played an important role across the ground, often intercepting or mopping up behind the play. When she had her opportunities she made good decisions and spotted up teammates in better spots on the field, such as nailing a 45-degree kick to Scout Howden at centre half-forward in the first term. Her hands and thumping kick help her out, and though she is not always a high production player, she can impact games with ball-in-hand.

#15 Sophie McKay

The classist player out there with a mix of hardness, McKay makes things happen whether it is by hand or foot and adds a point of difference to the Dragons midfield. She had a flying shot on goal early in the game that was touched on the line, but then kicked a ripping goal out of congestion in the second term which sailed home. She was terrific in congestion and was not afraid to hold her own against the opposition. Her defensive pressure was a high feature of the game and was one of the best Dragons in the win.

#28 Cameron Millias

The athletic Millias provided plenty of dash across the ground and burst from the stoppages or release by hand or foot. She produced a great run-down tackle at half-back in the fourth term and won a free kick to deliver into the middle. Though at times her final execution could be hit or miss, she kept looking to break the lines and get the ball forward in challenging conditions.

Tasmania Devils:

#14 Candice Belbin

The Devils skipper was her usual fierce self around the contests, leading by the front and trying hard to extract it from congestion. She set up a goal in the second term by snapping around her body and hitting a leading target in Bingley. Overall her nine tackles and three inside 50s helped drive the side forward.

#24 Georgia Clark

It was a tough day in the office for the vice-captain and talented forward who did not get a lot of luck due to both the conditions, and often having to deal with multiple opponents at marking contests. She only had the eight touches, but her work rate was high, and she kept presenting all day. Even with lower impact, Clark had a couple of nice touches including wrestling a ball away from ground level to release a running teammate, before winning it on the wing and under pressure spotted up Madi Lamb all alone at half-forward between opponents.

#25 Jorja Haberle

The double bottom-ager is becoming more settled to the team by the week, and had 16 disposals working between midfield and defence. She has a stronger body to shrug off would-be tackles, but also having the smarts to be in the right spots to spoil or apply pressure in the back 50. Haberle looks to take metres any chance she gets, and this was evident in the final term that, while tackled, was able to still gain a good 20 metres down the field.

#26 Harriet Bingley

Another double bottom-ager who covers the midfield-forward portion of the ground, Bingley has that touch of class about her, and also has the footy smarts and forward craft. She kicked her goal by being in front and leading to the drop zone, converting the set shot in the second term. Also having a few other chances including a couple of snaps and another late set shot that just fell short, Bingley could have had a real day out. In the third term, she burst away after winning it in the defensive side of the centre, and managed to bump off an opponent mid-run and keep going to kick long down the ground.

#29 Mackenzie Williams

Brought her own ball to the game, Williams was by far the most prolific ball-winner, racking up 31 touches mopping up in defence. Time and time again she would be there to receive the ball or intercept and thump it long down the ground. She also clunked seven marks, which considering the conditions, is no easy feat. Able to push into the middle at times, Williams used her strong body great leap to advantage. Her kicking can still be suspect at times, but she can gain valuable distance.

#32 Ella Nast

A bottom-ager who caught the eye in just her second game after returning to the side for the first time since Round 1, Nast looked comfortable in defence and provided great support to Williams as an intercepting target. She took a number of impressive marks and more often than not used it effectively. She did get bumped off it a little easy by a smaller player at ground level, but showed safe hands through the game.

By: Peter Williams

Gippsland Power:

#16 Ash Centra

It was a standout performance from the bottom-ager who earned our Rookie Me Central Player of the Week. Stationed in defence, Centra also pushed up the ground and rolled through the middle at times, as well as pumped the ball inside 50. Time and time again she would intercept, and often mop up, using her elite kicking skills to best advantage down the ground. She had a flying shot on goal in the third term that went well wide, but rarely looks under pressure and makes good decisions by hand or foot.

#19 Ella Stoddart

Supporting Centra in providing drive from defence, the powerful left-footer was clean at ground level and able to hurt the the Rebels on the rebound. She has a penetrating kick that can be hit and miss at times, but also pierce through opposition defensive zones. She provided good run and carry and looked to impact the game both in the air and at ground level, holding up the fort from the back 50.

#21 Amber Schutte

A fierce competitor one-on-one, Schutte was strong in the air and at ground level like her fellow defenders, and saved her side on a number of occasions. In the first term she got back to the defensive goalsquare to mop up and kick clear from danger, then again in the third term intercepted deep in defence and put it out to space at half-back. Her determination to get to the next touch was outstanding, as she collected her own kick just moments before the opposition arrived, and kicked further down the ground.

GWV Rebels:

#5 Jessica Rentsch

The electric speedster continued her upward trajectory this season with an impressive game and able to win the ball in the midfield as well. Her burst from the stoppage breaks the game open for her teammates, and while her final execution could still improve, she gains a lot of meterage in the process. She had a nice fend-off in the third term on the wing and kicked clear to half-forward, working hard to the end of the game.

#15 Millie Lang

It was a typical performance for Lang who mopped up consistently in defence and had a say in the air with a number of intercept marks. She showed clean hands off the deck when required and rarely made a mistake with her disposal. Though often under pressure, Lang is the type of player who can sum up the situation quickly and make the decision where to go without fuss.

#24 Lily Jordan

Though she might not have impacted the scoreboard, Jordan has that defensive element to her gam where she brings the heat around the ball. If she is not winning it, she is laying bone-crunching tackles and all the team things. She had a couple of rushed kicks going forward, but always looked to put it to the danger zone for a teammate to pounce on. Had a chance on goal that just missed, but continued to present.

By: Michael Alvaro

Geelong Falcons:

#7 Sara Howley

Notching up her second 40-disposal game for the season, Howley was utterly dominant through midfield. She balanced her possessions with a perfectly even 20 kicks and as many handballs, but looked most ominous when carrying the ball out the front of stoppages and launching inside 50. The bottom-ager breached the attacking arc 14 times, proving unstoppable once her turn of speed got her to the outside, and getting into good spots to launch scoring chains. While she tended not to blaze away, some of her execution at full tilt sometimes missed the mark. Howley hit the target when running in on goal in the first quarter though, and has great potential as a bottom-ager.

#8 Mekah Morrissy

Stationed out on the wing, Morrissy was particularly prominent in the first half en route to collecting 18 disposals. The bottom-ager proved difficult to lay a hand on, with her speed and agility causing headaches for NT defenders as she carried the ball into attack. Morrissy’s energy in those attacking phases was notable, and she backed herself to beat and burn opponents every time when hunting down loose balls.

#24 Chantal Mason

Mason dined out with another four goals on Sunday, taking her season tally to 18 in seven games – including 15 in the last three. She had plenty of supply (68 inside 50s) and took toll, with the Falcons spearhead proving dangerous as a focal point inside 50. At 177cm, she could have been a touch cleaner both in the air and at ground level, but knows where the big sticks are and continued her strong goalkicking form.

#25 Chloe Adams

Another of the Falcons’ high accumulating midfielders, Adams equaled her season-high of 31 disposals and broke new ground with 11 inside 50s. She looked more ominous in an attacking sense than in other games, working into good positions to get a handball receive and launch inside 50. Adams has sound fundamentals and is building a better outside game to go with the strong inside work she usually does.

#41 Johanna Sunderland

While there was not a whole lot for Geelong’s defence to do throughout the game, Sunderland won just about every contest she was involved in and owned her space. The top-ager managed 16 disposals, positioning well behind the ball to take intercept marks and crash packs with spoils, holding quite a high line. She also helped keep dangerous NT forward Kyanne Campbell quiet.

Northern Territory:

#2 Marika Carlton

The stats will not show Carlton’s true impact, with only nine disposals, four tackles, and three inside 50s to show for her efforts. Still, the 2007-born speedster lit up several passages of play with her line-breaking ability, streaming into attack with serious wheels. On a day where the NT’s midfield was soundly beaten, Carlton showed glimpses of promise, raw talent, and courage.

#6 Tatyana Perry

Leading the way for her side with 21 disposals, five marks and nine rebound 50s, the scoreboard damage could have been much worse if not for Perry. The talented bottom-ager played above her 170cm standing with clean intercept marks, but also provided sound decision making and a bit of dare on the rebound. Plenty of the NT’s defensive 50 passages went through her, as she mopped up plenty across a busy day for her side’s backline.

By: Michael Alvaro

Oakleigh Chargers:

#3 Sienna Tallariti

One of three Chargers to accumulate 24 disposals, Tallariti had the most kicks (21) and used that weapon to register 12 rebound 50s. She took on the kick-in duties as usual and consistently breached the arc from there, but also won her possessions in contests with a series of strong intercept marks in term three. The bottom-ager was generally clean and accomplished with ball in hand and has had two of her best games over the last fortnight.

#6 Maggie Mahony

Another bottom-ager with 24 touches to her name, Mahony did so from midfield to continue her consistent campaign. She looked balanced at the contest and often stayed upright through contact, doing most things right through the middle of the ground. A tendency of hers was to snap clearing kicks around the corner, perhaps as a product of the surrounding pressure. A next step for Mahony would be to expand her kicking game and fully take her couple of chances in front of goal.

#25 Emma McDonald

Making it three bottom-agers from three Oakleigh standouts, McDonald put on an absolute marking clinic inside attacking 50. The 180cm prospect has begun to put the pieces together, and it showed with her nine grabs and five scoring shots. Though for all her aerial brilliance with clean hands and terrific judgement, she only managed to convert two goals. McDonald rushed her set shots a touch and could well have finished with a bag of four or five goals – which would have proved match-defining.

Suns Academy:

#8 Sunny Lappin

Lappin, tied to three AFLW clubs for the 2025 draft, produced another promising performance in Gold Coast colours. Stationed up forward, the Carlton and St Kilda father-daughter candidate booted two first half goals and showcased her knack for clunking overhead marks at 169cm. She would often work as a link player, presenting outside attacking 50 and wheeling around keep the play moving.

#10 Ava Usher

Arguably best afield and at her brutish best, it is hard to believe that Usher has at least another two years left in the pathway. The 2007-born gun fell one touch shy of a third straight 20-disposal outing, but took toll with her haul of 19 and also prized a goal. It was a ripper at that, with Usher powering her way through a sea of opponents before slamming the ball home. That same end product lacked on a few kicks, but Usher tore the second half to shreds with her athleticism and dare in possession.

#18 Georja Davies

In perhaps her most complete Talent League outing so far, Davies put her stamp on proceedings with aerial presence both in the ruck and around the ground. She won a game-high 33 hitouts and clunked five marks, often dropping behind the ball to help relieve pressure. Along with Havana Harris, Davies’ mobility and skills at over 180cm were remarkably good, boding well for the Suns’ scope in several drafts to come.

#23 Josie McCabe

The sole 2023 draft eligible player on this list, McCabe may not have some of the raw upside of others mentioned but is a truly solid operator. She led the way through midfield and up forward, looking particularly effective when presenting up the ground on well timed, repeat leads. Her size was also a factor at the contest and she allowed others to shine as she laid 12 tackles.

#29 Dekota Baron

Yet another tall, 2007-born prospect on the radar, Baron stuck to her task nicely with a game-high three goals from nine disposals and four marks. She took the ball cleanly overhead and was an effective piece deep inside 50, converting her chances nicely over the mark to help Gold Coast gain the ascendancy heading into the final break. While may have a little further to go in terms of development compare to other teammates listed, but showed nice signs.

#30 Havana Harris

Perhaps playing second fiddle in the ruck to Davies this time out, Harris got to showcase her versatility with time up forward and even as a rover at the centre bounces. The 181cm bottom-ager took five marks among her 18 disposals, providing great variety in her play with lead-up presence and intercept ability when required. She is a dynamic, adaptable type joins in general play and shapes as the absolute unicorn of next year’s crop. Her upside is scary.