WITH representative stars away, a bunch of less heralded names came to play in Round 13 of the 2023 Coates Talent League season. We noted some of the top prospects from the weekend’s action, with a narrow focus on bottom-agers and those who have made representative squads.

>> Coates Talent League Round 13: Snapshot | POTW | TOTW

Note: The Tasmania Devils vs. Oakleigh Chargers fixture was called off due to travel complications.

WESTERN JETS:

#1 Massimo Raso

Usually quite polished and classy, Raso was made to rush on a few occasions in Round 13, but still posted solid numbers with 20 disposals, five rebound 50s and a goal. His lone score came in the first quarter with a quick checkside finish, which was indicative of how the bottom-ager looked to dispose of the ball. Many of his clearances came of one or a few steps, before he began to drive his legs more in the second half.

#25 Jovan Petric

Petric has fared well in a different role down back of late, and again was among his side’s standouts with a high of 29 disposals, nine marks, and seven rebound 50s. The 197cm over-ager positioned well behind the ball to clunk a series of intercept marks, doing so cleanly before looking to move the play on quickly. Though not overly damaging with possession, he showed positive intent to carry the ball and let his foot skills come to the fore.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:

#1 Jesse Dattoli

It was somewhat of an indifferent day for Dattoli, who started in midfield but looked much more lively when shifted inside 50. He ended up with 20 disposals, five marks and two goals, but also had many more shots at the big sticks. The bottom-aged Vic Metro squad member looks a natural forward with his freer movement and eye for goal causing a few headaches for the Western defence on Saturday.

#10 William Green

Green was rotated out of the Vic Metro squad and returned to skipper his Knights, warming into the contest after a relatively timid opening quarter. He got going with a couple of good defensive efforts in term two and started forward in the third, where he snuck free for a few of his six marks. Green also began to dictate play from the ruck and despite his rather loping style, proved hard to wrap up in tackles.

#11 Lucas McInerney

Playing his first Talent League game since Round 4, McInerney reacclimatised to the level nicely to gather 17 disposals and three inside 50s from the wing. The bottom-ager showcased his class with agile moves through traffic and clever ball use, with his kicking a particular weapon. McInerney also hit the scoreboard in term four, taking advantage of a Western turnover to finish coolly.

#13 Kristian Ferronato

There were few more prominent players afield than Ferronato on Saturday, with the top-ager continuing his strong form to register 29 disposals and three goals. He worked hard from contest to contest to also notch five marks and lay seven tackles, continuing to show up for his side. Ferronato’s goals were his classiest and most damaging disposals, with two snapped home under pressure from tight spots inside 50.

#19 Charlie Naish

Naish is another Knight who has found a strong streak of form, and that continued against Western with 25 disposals, six marks, and four inside 50s from half-back. The Richmond father-son prospect was aggressive in his decision making both with and without the ball, taking a high line through the corridor and maintaining his momentum on the intercept. He thrived in attacking phases with efficient ball use, but marking was one of the best features of Naish’s game.

GEELONG FALCONS:

#2 Tobyn Murray

Geelong’s equal-leading disposal getter with 27, Murray was busy as ever in midfield. He constantly got his legs pumping and looked to move the ball on quickly, bringing great energy to the on-ball battle and generating some nice chains of play to the outside. He was also creative in the forward half and chiseled a few sharp passes inside 50.

#10 Patrick Hughes

Along with Murray, Hughes notched a team-high 27 touches and laid six tackles as his side’s most prominent inside ball winner. He benefited from Mackenzie Butcher’s hitout dominance, consistently sharking the ball off ruck taps and flicking it on to teammates who could get out of trouble. The top-ager wasn’t always one-touch but played a key role in helping his side gain ascendancy at the source.

#27 Archie Sinnott

Utilised in arguably his most natural position on the wing, Sinnott produced his most prolific game in a number of weeks with 22 disposals and five marks. The over-ager looked best when afforded enough time and space to wheel onto his left foot, which is an absolute weapon. He proved as much with a nice steady and goal in the opening quarter, but was less effective under pressure.

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#3 Xavier Lindsay

Leading all comers with a new personal-best of 34 disposals, Lindsay had little trouble accumulating possessions despite his side’s tough loss. The bottom-ager wasn’t as prominent at centre bounces but had a say through the middle of Avalon Airport Oval and displayed some nice traits. He fared well overhead for his size (182cm) and used the ball pretty soundly, especially when breaking forward down the corridor.

#11 Tom Hanily

Hanily has been a great addition to Gippsland’s side over his four games this season, having no less than 24 disposals each time. He hit that mark once again on Saturday, showcasing a sharp turn of speed and clean handling in midfield. The top-ager would often shark the ball and jet to the outside, with his first instinct to handball and often getting it back in the same play. Hanily was more polished than most for the Power, bringing his side’s play to life in short spurts.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#17 Harvey Langford

Dandenong’s leading ball winner with 28 disposals and five inside 50s, Langford continued his eight-game streak of ticking over 20 touches. The bottom-ager was strong at the contest, displaying a clean set of hands and standing up in tackles to flick out effective handballs. Langford’s left peg also came in handy when attacking and when he wasn’t directly assisting others, he hit the scoreboard himself off a forward 50 intercept and set shot conversion.

#23 Noah Mraz

A bottom-ager who is part of Vic Country’s Under 18 squad, Mraz did his chances of a late call-up no harm on Saturday night. He was used in every key position post, starting forward when Dandenong had the wind advantage and swinging back in opposing terms, before also getting a few brief runs in the ruck. Though beaten in his first contest, Mraz competed well and displayed his dexterity at 197cm. He had a couple of shots on goal for 1.1, with his goal coming from a ruck infringement in the opening quarter.

#40 Cooper Hynes

Earning Player of the Week honours in Round 13, Hynes continued his strong form with 24 disposals and three goals, playing mostly in midfield. Along with Langford, the bottom-ager was strong in tackles and despite not escaping to the outside as much, did some great work under pressure in front of goal. He finished and improvised with good skill on a couple of occasions, only needing a couple of steps to send the ball straight through the middle.

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:

#13 Josh Docking

A Vic Metro squad member, Docking showed glimpses of why he earned representative honours with his 14 disposals. The nifty wingman was often matched on taller and more rangy opponents but outsmarted them running both ways, helping link play in either arc. He used the ball just as shrewdly and worked hard to get into good positions at the fall of the ball, including on his front-and-centre gather before goalling in term two. Docking can benefit from using his non-preferred foot and finding more range in his kicking, but bats well above his weight most weeks.

#16 Luke Lloyd

As has often been the case in recent weeks, Lloyd got on his bike outside 50 to present up the ground and help connect Sandringham from midfield to the attacking arc. The 193cm talent snapped up five marks among 15 disposals, proving clean as usual and hardly making a handling error. Lloyd also converted the game’s first goal with a shot over the mark.

#70 Archer May

May has a handy knack for stepping up at key points in games, and did so again on Saturday with a big third quarter. Kicking against the wind, he gave Sandringham a fighting chance of turning its deficit around with imposing work inside 50. His physicality and clean marking came into play inside 50, and he converted one of two straightforward chances, making it two goals overall after previously thumping home an innocuous shot from the elbow of forward 50.

BENDIGO PIONEERS:

#17 Jobe Shanahan

Though arguably his best form has come in defence, Bendigo has done well to expose Shanahan in all thirds of the ground this season and again did so on Sunday. The bottom-ager plied his trade as a midfielder-forward, getting his hands on the ball 17 times. He got his marking game going between the arcs for six overall and got after it at the stoppage, though can improve on finding exits should he spend more time at the centre bounces.

#21 Mitch Doddos

Doddos has hit his stride in recent weeks as a ruck-forward, and continued to build on Sunday with 18 disposals, nine marks, 10 hitouts and two goals. The over-ager flew at the ball nicely and owned his space inside 50, slotting a pair of set shots as reward for his aerial efforts. Doddos’ scores came as Bendigo broke away, before being were challenged across the second and third terms.

#45 Hugh Byrne

A surprise leading ball winner for his side with 20 disposals, six marks and eight inside 50s, Byrne was a force up forward. He converted one of two chances in the opening term and presented strongly up the ground thereafter, taking bodies with him as he attacked the ball on the lead. The top-ager looked hard to stop at full tilt, proving a touch matchup at 191cm.

CALDER CANNONS:

#2 Isaac Kako

Another player to have produced a good stretch of form over the current block, Kako was lively in his usual forward post. The bottom-ager worked up the ground and looked to hurt Bendigo on the way back, using his pace on fast breaks and proving a nightmare with his constant movement. Though some of his disposals were too cute, Kako was creative and snared two classy goals from 19 touches for his efforts.

#10 Damon Hollow

With Nash King called up for Vic Metro duties, Hollow enjoyed a good bout of midfield minutes but still managed to hit the scoreboard with two goals. One came in the final minute of term one and the other with 30 seconds left in the game, though there was plenty more good work in between. The bottom-ager showed a good turn of speed to get outside of the contest and also leapt well at the ball to defy his 180cm standing.

#14 Hugo Garcia

Notching up over 20 disposals for the first time this season over the last fortnight, Garcia again thrived in midfield. He did few things wrong, proving clean and using spurts of speed to balance his inside-outside work, with the latter consisting of nine tackles. The top-ager used his punchy left-foot kicking and broke away more proficiently after half time.

#16 Mahmoud Taha

There is no question that Taha can rack up plenty of possessions and he did so with relative ease on Sunday to register 33. The Essendon NGA prospect didn’t have it all his own way though, finding it tough to execute effective skills and not doing a whole lot to catch the eye. Still, he played his role well with clean extraction and strong effort at the source – that’s his game.

GWV REBELS:

#10 Rhys Unwin

He may have only produced a modest nine disposals, but there was plenty to like about what Unwin did on Sunday. The crafty small forward started off with a super opening goal from the top of attacking 50, which he later doubled via a set shot in the third term. Unwin had a few more chances which he put wide, but also set up others with his evasion and sharp decision making in tight spots.

#21 Oliver Hannaford

A standout among GWV’s even spread of ball winners, Hannaford notched 21 touches and laid eight tackles as he enjoyed an extended run in midfield. The bottom-ager was busy with ball in hand, looking most lively when able to drive his legs to the outside and generate momentum at the source. He also soared for a few gutsy marks in the opening half, planting himself in good positions behind the ball when the Rebels were attacking.

#37 Flynn Penry

Playing just his fourth game of the season, Penry gave a glimpse of his potential as a deceptively nimble 203cm ruckman. He won a game-high 21 hitouts, but was arguably more impressive with his work in open play, looking comfortable with ball in hand. He was hard to move in contests but agile in possession, shifting his hips to step around opponents and playing the basics well when firing off handballs. Potentially one to watch in the tall category if he can put it together consistently.

#45 Wil Rantall

A fourth bottom-ager in GWV’s allotment for Round 13, Rantall has come into his own since debuting in Round 8. He’s a handy athlete and basketballer at 194cm, finding form in defence of late before producing arguably his best game on Sunday with 13 touches and five rebound 50s. He shows signs of rawness but made few mistakes with the ball and looked to be positive when sparking GWS’s rebounds.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:

#2 Nick Newton

Murray finished with the top three ball winners on Sunday and Newton was among them, collecting 25 disposals, nine marks and five inside 50s from midfield. The over-ager used his burst speed to break clear of the contest, driving his legs and looking surprisingly agile for his size. He also broke a few tackles along the way and looked to chain possessions in positive attacking forays.

#20 Jack Whitlock

In a game where his side only booted three goals, Whitlock was up against it as a tall forward but fared relatively well for his 10 disposals, five marks, and four inside 50s. The 199cm bottom-ager clunked a couple of clean overhead marks, using his range to meet the ball at its highest point as a hard player to spoil. He was largely a one-touch handler and got reward for effort in the form of a final quarter set shot goal. Along with twin brother Matt, he has great potential.