DANDENONG Stingrays lead all-comers in our Rookie Me Central Talent League Girls Team of the Week in Round 13, with four representatives following their win over Sandringham Dragons. Each of the Talent League Girls winners had multiple representatives, while the six losing sides combined for a total of four players each.

This week’s captain is our Player of the Week, Maddison Albrecht who kicked 2.3 from 30 disposals for Calder Cannons up on the border at Mildura. She was named on a half-forward flank next to Gippsland Power’s sole representative Ash Centra who kicked 2.3 herself from 24 touches.

The forwardline is filled with first-time Team of the Week representatives with Northern Knights’ Kira Lemire, Calder Cannons’ Shauna McElligott and Dandenong Stingrays’ Makhaela Bluhm stretching across the front line. Completing the inside 50 contingent is GWV Rebels’ forward Claire Mahony.

The Stingrays also have ruck Elli Symonds in the side again, tapping it down to a couple of double bottom-agers in Phoebe Hargreaves and Chloe Baker-West. The latter racked up an all-time competition-high of 49 touches, while the former was best-on in the Knights’ win over Western Jets. Hargreaves’ sister Zoe also made the team, named on the bench.

Geelong Falcons captain Chloe Adams was named in the centre, with teammate Mekah Morrissy. In a realistic team for Round 13, both wingers are specialist wingers and bottom-agers, with Morrissy and Oakleigh Chargers’ Jacinta Baxter either side of Adams.

The strength of the midfield was evident given the likes of Geelong Falcons’ Sara Howley (36 disposals), Calder Cannons’ Jade McLay and GWV Rebels’ Molly Walton who all had big games. Dandenong Stingrays forward Zoe Besanko looked impressive despite just the nine touches, kicking a couple of strong goals. She was named in the team with teammate Mikayla Williamson.

Sticking with the teammate theme and the final bench player is Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Abbey Vicino, while her teammate Lucy Cronin slotted into a back pocket again. Next to Cronin at full-back is Geelong Falcons defender Johanna Sunderland as the other player back there with other teammates on the field.

The remaining three defenders are all sole representatives with regular Team of the Week representative Lou-Lou Field making it again. Murray Bushrangers’ Holly Egan returns to the side, while Tasmania Devils’ Grace White earned a spot after an impressive game in her new role as a defender.

Though tough to pick, the three chosen emergencies were Dandenong Stingrays’ Kayla Dalgleish, Murray Bushrangers’ Majella Day and Northern Knights’ Tahlia Plunkett. Though Sandringham Dragons and Bendigo Pioneers missed out on representatives, Cameron Millias and Bryde O’Rourke respectively were close, as was Tasmania Devils’ Meg Harrison.

2023 TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 13

B: Lou-Lou Field (Western Jets) – Johanna Sunderland (Geelong Falcons) – Lucy Cronin (Oakleigh Chargers)
HB: Holly Egan (Murray Bushrangers) – Grace White (Tasmania Devils) – Mikayla Williamson (Dandenong Stingrays)
C: Jacinta Baxter (Oakleigh Chargers) – Chloe Adams (Geelong Falcons) – Mekah Morrissy (Geelong Falcons)
HF: Claire Mahony (GWV Rebels) – Ash Centra (Gippsland Power) – Maddison Albrecht (Calder Cannons) (c)
F: Kira Lemire (Northern Knights) – Shauna McElligott (Calder Cannons) – Makhaela Bluhm (Dandenong Stingrays)
R: Elli Symonds (Dandenong Stingrays) – Phoebe Hargreaves (Northern Knights) – Chloe Baker-West (Calder Cannons)
INT: Zoe Besanko (Dandenong Stingrays) – Zoe Hargreaves (Northern Knights) – Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons) – Jade McLay (Calder Cannons) – Abbey Vicino (Oakleigh Chargers) – Molly Walton (GWV Rebels)

EMG: Kayla Dalgleish (Dandenong Stingrays) – Majella Day (Murray Bushrangers) – Tahlia Plunkett (Northern Knights)