FOUR games took place over three games in the Coates Talent League Girls competition, with a number of players stepping up in the absence of others. We took note of some of those players in our weekly Scouting Notes, with a focus on top-age players who took part in the Victorian trials, or non draft-eligible younger players. As always, all notes are the opinion of the individual author.

Northern Knights:

#5 Zoe Hargreaves

The bottom-age midfielder won more of the ball than anyone else in the game and was lively on the inside. She moved well through traffic and in the first term, delivered lace-out of her sister Phoebe on the lead. Though she is a lighter bodied player, Hargreaves packs a punch with some strong tackles. She gave away a couple of free kicks trying to win the ball at ground level, but was one of the prime movers for her team.

#11 Hannah Scott

Resuming her role in defence, the top-ager provided run out of defence and was able to clear the danger zone on more than a few occasions. Though often under pressure she typically looked to play the safer option down the line and buy her teammates time in the back half of the ground. along with 22 disposals and eight rebound 50s, Scott laid 10 tackles.

#37 Olivia Jesser

One of a number of impressive 2007-born players in the Knights side, Jesse had a breakout game in her fifth game. She booted 3.2, and two came via free kicks after laying great tackles inside 50, with her first being a clever snap around her body. She found the ball at half-forward and applied good pressure to her opponents.

#42 Teresia Koliavu

In the absence of Lauren Jatczak, Koliavu took the number one ruck role, and despite her young age, held her own. She not only showed off her athleticism at the stoppages, but also worked her way forward. She kicked a goals from a set shot 35m out in the final term, and while her execution is still raw around the ground, she took a number of good marks and held her own against more experienced opponents.

Calder Cannons:

#1 Maddison Albrecht

Working hard around the ground, Albrecht is very good at accumulating the ball in quick succession, looking to release by hand or just clear the danger zone. Predominantly a short kicker, Albrecht still held her own defensively, laying six tackles.

#5 Jade McLay

The standout Cannon in the match, McLay was everywhere from defence to midfield and even pushed forward at times. She might be a double bottom-ager, but McLay has terrific strength and power, and can sidestep opponents too. Boasting an underrated burst, McLay also has a thumping kick. A promising player for the future.

Gippsland Power:

#15 Jasmine Sowden

A clear best-on despite a loss, Sowden was huge around the ground, racking up 30 disposals and being a prominent midfielder. She was the subject of our Coates Talent League Player Focus which ran through her performance in detail.

>> JASMINE SOWDEN PLAYER FOCUS

#16 Ash Centra

It was another eye-catching performance from Centra who was calm and composed with ball-in-hand and used great vision to hit targets down the ground. At one point in the third term she danced between four players on the wing and somehow got it clear, albeit with a scrubber kick at the end. Though occasionally clearing the danger she would turn the ball over, she looked to hit those high-risk, high-reward kicks, including switching the play in defence to try and get her side moving quickly in transition.

#19 Ella Stoddart

Stationed in defence alongside Centra, Stoddart found plenty of the ball rebounding out of the back half and charging down the field. She is reliant on her penetrative left boot, so when corralled she can tend to not get the penetration or accuracy, but has the burst to burn off an opponent to make space for herself and charge forward. Still, her natural game smarts and reading of the play shines whenever she plays and is a crucial cog in the Power’s team.

#29 Rebecca Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick has been an impressive addition to the Power side mid-season and has fitted in well at half-forward. She slotted a goal in a game where they were at a premium, and works hard up the ground to win touches in the back half of the ground as well. Early in the third term she was crunched by a front-on tackle but bounced back up to finish the game well.

Tasmania Devils:

#2 Ava Read

The clever forward was able to do the most damage on the scoreboard in the win, kicking two goals from five scoring shots and still winning 13 disposals. Her first came in the opening term against the momentum where she won the ball and ran to the goalline to make it a certainty. Her second was in the third term where she turned an opponent inside out and kicked a great goal on the run. That came a minute after missing a set shot in what was a lively third term for the bottom-ager.

#9 Mia Anderson

Getting better each week, the 2007-born Anderson was at her prolific best accumulating 20 disposals playing through the middle of the ground. She was clean at ground level and looked to attack forward of centre, and while sometimes the final execution could have been a little tidier, the conditions made life difficult. An impressive talent who continues to build.

#15 Priya Bowering

After a quieter first half, Bowering came to life in the second term, bursting away and using her mix of power and smarts to create space for herself. In one instant early in the fourth term, Bowering fended off an opponent and weaved around another to have a flying shot on goal. That shot missed to the right, but she looked lively there, and when in defence. She showed off her versatility around the ground and is already known for her contest work.

#26 Harriet Bingley

Capable of playing midfield or defence, Bingley is a powerful player with strong hands and a booing kick. She took a nice intercept mark in the middle of the ground in the second term, and routinely pushed into defence to help out. The wind wreaked havoc on a lot of long kicks which made it difficult for Bingley, but she finished with an equal team-high 25 touches.

#29 Mackenzie Williams

Williams has become accustomed to racking up big numbers and that was the case again on the weekend, where the bottom-age defender had 25 disposals, 11 marks, seven inside 50s and seven rebound 50s. Between mopping up in defence and pushing up the ground to pump it inside 50, Williams was always clearing the danger with her booming kick. Her execution is the question mark, but a little tidier with that and there is a lot to like with how she is developing.

Oakleigh Chargers:

#2 Sarah Poustie

It was another hard working effort from the bottom-ager who cracked in on both the outside and inside of midfield. She recorded 21 disposals and laid 12 tackles, routinely putting her body on the line. Poustie delivered a lace-out pass to McDonald inside 50 in the third term, and got into the right positions to have multiple possessions in a single chain.

#3 Sienna Tallariti

It was another big game from the Oakleigh utility who amassed a game-high 27 disposals, as well as four marks, three tackles, three inside 50s and four rebound 50s. She mopped up in defence both in the air and at ground level and looked to attack wherever possible, setting up her teammates down the ground. While not always pinpoint, Tallariti makes good decisions with ball-in-hand and is among the most in-form players in the competition.

#5 Abbey Vicino

Vicino is a clean player both at ground level and in the air, working hard on the defensive end with her tackling pressure and then to feed the ball to running teammates. Often a kick-first player, Vicino was a 50-50 split between hand and foot and seemed to have more impact by opening up plays for her side. She also brought the heat with a few good tackles but her ability to pick the ball off the deck at speed was the most eye-catching aspect.

#25 Emma McDonald

Though the talented key forward did not have as dominant day as recent weeks, her work rate and second efforts really stood out. She ducked out the back early in the game to dribble home a goal from a handball receive reading the play well, then snapped a goal in the third quarter as well. She had another couple of chances in the second half that just missed, and had a few marking chances, but was closely checked by opposition defenders.

#37 Chloe Bown

The double bottom-ager was on debut and among the best, using the ball well and running hard across the ground. She finished with a memorable 19 touches, four marks, six tackles and three inside 50s in her first game, and at 172cm is a good size for a midfielder. Given she started in the middle, it shows the wraps on her ability, and she did not let her team down with her performance.

Eastern Ranges:

#6 Hayley McLaughlin

The dominant ball-winner on the Ranges side, McLaughlin was everywhere for her side, winning seven more touches than an other player as she worked hard behind the ball to often intercept and send it forward. Her work rate was fantastic as per usual, and she got back into defence to clear the ball from danger. Though her side did not get the chocolates, she was busy throughout the four quarters.

#17 Grace Baba

Opposed to McDonald early in the game and then even being thrown forward later in the match, Baba was impressive in her one-on-ones and defensive efforts. She laid a fantastic smother to save a goal in the first term, only to have bad luck for the handball to go out to her direct opponent. She spoiled the ball clear on a couple of occasions and even laid a good bump on a player going for goal. Her positioning within marking contests was noticeable, and late in the game found herself having a set shot with the last kick of the game. It missed, but she could go home pleased with her efforts in defence.

#37 Evie Parker

Looking lively throughout the game, Parker provided some run across the ground and set up Eastern’s sole goal with a nice collect, run inside 50 and put into space for Emma Stilve. She finished with 16 disposals and laid seven tackles, but just seemed to create things whenever she had the ball.

#38 Georgia Stubs

A standout for the Ranges alongside McLaughlin Stubs did well behind the ball, intercepting when getting back there, and even producing a running down tackle. She would look to transition the ball quick forward, and lead by example with her 13 tackles. In the absence of key midfielders, Stubs was one who stepped up and backed up her Victorian trial game form.

Western Jets:

#9 Sierra Grieves

As she has done all year, Grieves was a workhorse at the stoppages and had a number of crucial clearances to thump the ball forward. Working against the momentum, she tried hard all game and had a huge first term, often winning it in space and driving it out of defence into attack. On the wing, Grieves did well to get the ball out of bounds against multiple opponents and nullify that contest. She took a number of strong marks around the ground and had a couple of shots on goal that just missed. Her clean hands off the deck at speed were impressive as she was once again the standout Jet.

#17 Hannah Brodie

Playing in defence, Brodie mopped up on a number of occasions, both at ground level and in the air. She was able to win the ball and dispose of it under pressure, though was right foot dominant having to adjust and lean onto that right side when bursting away. Overall held her own en route to 16 disposals and eight rebound 50s.

Sandringham Dragons:

#15 Sophie McKay

The star of the show and our Player of the Week, McKay was simply superb with 28 touches and three goals in the Dragons’ big win over Western Jets. She just about did everything one could expect of the prospective Carlton father-daughter selection, with her ball-winning ability and work rate on show. She would win it at the stoppage both first and second possession, burst forward to be involved in transitional chains, then be active inside 50 to either mark or snap quickly on goal and finish with three majors from five scoring shots. McKay also had eight inside 50s, a lot of which came via clearances or hard running, and her performance was one of the most complete ones of the season.

#33 Olive McLean

The 165cm forward had some lively moments with a nice snap around her body under pressure late in the third term to convert a goal. She worked hard up the ground and close to goal and even delivered a lace-out pass to McKay going inside 50 earlier in the term. Overall, she finished with 15 disposals, two marks, six tackles and a goal.

#35 Sophie Crofts

Crofts rotated well with Ruby Dale in the ruck, and showed off a huge leap against her respective opponents. She comprehensively won the hitouts and was a neat, low, short kick which looked impressive for a tall. Only the 11 disposals, but had 34 hitouts and her influence far outweighed her numbers. Still a bottom-ager and possesses good athleticism for a 177cm player.