A TOP two battle between two sides who are 5-1 in the Coates Talent League Girls season highlights a four-match fixture for Round 10 of the 2023 season. We take a look at the clash between Oakleigh Chargers and Eastern Ranges, as well as the three other matches which begin tonight at Parade College.

Saturday June 17 @ Warrawee Park, 1:30pm

Oakleigh Chargers are coming off their first loss of the season, going down to Gold Coast Suns Academy by two points a fortnight ago. Eastern Ranges bounced back from their first defeat – at the hands of Dandenong Stingrays – to take care of Western Jets in Round 9 by nine goals.

Unfortunately neither side will be full strength due to the AFLW Academy taking on the Under 23 All-Stars, with top 10 talents Alyssia Pisano and Laura Stone, Vic Metro ruck/forward Jess Vukic and skipper Ava Campbell missing from Eastern, while Oakleigh will be without running defender Lara Hausegger and athletic utility Jemma Rigoni.

TOP-AGE DRAFT WATCH:

#10 Amy Cariss-Brett (Oakleigh Chargers)
20/03/2005 | 166cm | Wing

Playing for Vic Metro last weekend, the eye-catching winger was not as efficient as she would have liked to be, but still created plenty of dash. Highly rated internally, Cariss-Brett starred the last time the Chargers played at Warrawee Park, running rampant on a wing against Calder Cannons. She might even see some inside minutes at different points, but does her best work on the outside with her running capacity.

#38 Georgia Stubbs (Eastern Ranges)
16/07/2005 | 167cm | Midfielder

Stubbs was one of the better top-agers in Vic Metro’s trial last weekend, doing her chances of making the ‘Big V’ no harm. In a winning Vic Metro Green side, Stubbs had 17 disposals, three marks, four clearances and laid seven tackles. She ran at a 64.7 per cent efficiency, while winning more than 60 per cent of her possessions in a contest. The Ranges midfielder also kicked a goal and had a hand in another.

FUTURE STARS:

#25 Emma McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers)
18/04/2006 | 180cm | Key Forward

Each game McDonald plays she seems to grow in confidence and get better, and in the last two rounds, has booted 6.5 from an averaged of 14.5 disposals and 8.5 marks. Difficult to contain once she starts clunking them, McDonald is a player who looms as a high-upside talent and one near the top of the Victorian talents for 2023. Often just inside 50, McDonald is a natural target, and once she can tidy up her finishing to be a little more consistent, watch out.

#3 Sienna Tallariti (Oakleigh Chargers)
10/07/2006 | 168cm | Medium Utility

Tallariti seems to have found her position in defence, having played on all three lines. She still has the capacity to go into the midfield and have an impact, or up forward and clunk a critical mark, but her form in the back 50 has been undeniable. Since the community break, Tallariti has averaged 25 disposals, four marks and 10 rebound 50s for the Chargers, and that continued into the Vic Metro trial. Tallariti had 17 disposals – 88.2 per cent efficiency – three marks and eight rebound 50s, then went into the middle and had three clearances. A unique talent.

#6 Maggie Mahony (Oakleigh Chargers)
1/10/2006 | 165cm | Midfielder/Forward

A workhorse in the middle and a player who just gets into the right spots to win the ball, Mahony has been an ultra-consistent midfielder for the Chargers. Thriving on the contested ball, Mahony has picked up 20 or more touches in five of her six matches, including a 30-disposal game against the Falcons back in Round 3. Her defensive traits are what stands out, with a fierce tackling technique, while her ability to break away from the stoppages catches the eye. In the Vic Metro trial she had 12 disposals – 75 per cent efficiency – laid four tackles, had four clearances, six inside 50s and booted a goal.

#22 Grace Belloni (Eastern Ranges)
09/09/2006 | 175cm | Midfielder/Forward

Belloni is that prototype midfielder that clubs love, standing at 175cm and able to roll into the stoppages as well as go forward and be a leading target. In four of her six games this season, Belloni has recorded 20 disposals, and while she still has areas to develop, possesses a versatile kick she can utilise over multiple distances. In the Vic Metro trials, she was a standout for the losing Blue side, picking up 17 disposals, three marks, three clearances and laying five tackles. Will likely be among the prime Eastern Ranges ball-winners tomorrow.

#35 Georgie Brisbane (Eastern Ranges)
13/12/2006 | 175cm | Tall Forward

Brisbane is a promising tall forward who has been a marking target inside 50 for the Ranges all season. Though still ironing out some consistency in her games, she has already had a 20-disposal game and provided a target inside 50. Though ultimately she has only converted the three majors, there are plenty of forward options for the Ranges so the goals get shared around. Her ground level work is pretty solid for a player of her size, and though she missed out on the Metro trials on the weekend, should be a tough player to stop in this game.

#12 Georgia Knight (Eastern Ranges)
11/10/2006 | 164cm | Medium Forward

Another forward option for the Ranges, Knight is dangerous around goals and has a penetrating kick. She has a lot of footy IQ and goal sense and moves on a dime deceptively well for a strong player. Though a little quieter the last two weeks – unsurprisingly in the loss to the Stingrays as a forward – she has the potential to do a lot of damage, kicking eight goals in her first four games. Sometimes she can rush a little on the run and it results in misses, but she has strong hands and a high offensive presence.

PREDICTION:

Oakleigh Chargers have lost less players due to the AFLW Academy and Under 23 All-Stars match and should be favourites. Eastern Ranges were in trouble without Stone against Dandenong Stingrays and the Chargers have an even deeper bottom-age midfield than the Stingrays do. If as expected the Chargers win the midfield battle, they will get more chances on goal, but the Ranges will stretch their opponents if they can get it inside 50 enough.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Northern Knights vs. Calder Cannons
Friday, June 16 @ Parade College, 6:30pm

Two sides still in contention for top four spots clash in a Friday night battle at Parade College. Both the Knights and Cannons come into the clash with four wins from six matches, but the Cannons have gone down in two of their past three and only just escaped with the other, a massive come-from-behind win over Gippsland Power.

Northern Knights have a lot of bottom-age talents so will not be as affected by the AFLW Academy and Under 23 All-Stars match, with Zoe and Phoebe Hargreaves both in great form, while forward Isabella Parnell impressed in the Vic Metro trial. Calder will be minus ball-winner Kayley Kavanagh who was a late call-up to the Under 23s side, but will have bottom-ager Kyla Forbes and consistent midfielder Bridie Collings for the game.

Gippsland Power vs. Tasmania Devils
Saturday, June 17 @ Warrawee Park, 1:30pm

Gippsland Power could take advantage of a Tasmania Devils side missing three of its key players in captain Candice Belbin, and talls Georgia Clark and Tunisha Kikoak. The Power are at full strength for the clash, with bottom-age defenders Ash Centra and Ella Stoddart in great form, and Chelsea Sutton one to watch for the future.

For the Devils, they had a great start to the season but have hit a bit of a form lapse of late, and will hope to take advantage of the Knights and Cannons facing off to leapfrog the other. With Dandenong Stingrays also having a bye, the Devils could move into fifth with a win. Minus those leaders, the Devils will be skippered by Bellah Parker in the match, while Harriet Bingley and Mackenzie Williams are future talents.

Western Jets vs. Sandringham Dragons
Sunday, June 18 @ Avalon Airport Oval, 10:00am

Sandringham Dragons broke their winless drought last week to move four points clear of the Western Jets in a Sunday morning battle between two of the bottom three sides. The Jets are yet to win since winning the grand final last year, but have a lot of young players coming through the team. Sandringham is the same, with its bottom-age contingent the strongest year at the club.

Western Jets midfielder Sierra Grieves has been a phenomenal ball-winner all year and that continued for Metro Green in the trials, and now she will face one of her teammates in that game, in Sophie McKay. The Jets also have Tamara Henry as a classy forward option, while the Dragons will utilise Judie Goldman as that inside midfielder often opposed to Grieves.