TWO more Northern Academies enter the fray as Round 5 of the Coates Talent League gets underway on Saturday. In our featured match of the round, 2023 grand finalists Eastern Ranges take on the Swans Academy, while the Northern Territory Academy bows out, and the Suns and Lions host Victorian sides.

Saturday April 27, 10:30am @ Highgate Recreation Reserve

IN A NUTSHELL

Minus their star midfield duo, Eastern Ranges will look to slot back into the wins column when they host a bolstered Swans Academy side which pushed Gippsland Power all the way last week.

TEAMS

Eastern Ranges:

B: #38 X. Taylor – #18 R. White – #37 J. Baldwin
HB: #8 L. Dovaston – #31 A. Barker – #19 M. Gamel
C: #44 S. Macdonald – #29 M. Porter – #35 B. Lloyd
HF: #42 L. Wright – #4 J. Ryan – #14 Z. Brown
F: #45 T. Swainston – #43 C. Zani – #5 D. Jamieson
FOL: #49 L. Monteath – #34 B. Spencer – #7 C. Anderson

INT: #11 W. Verrell, #13 C. West, #20 J. Armitage, #22 J. Newsome, #39 R. Muir, #56 L. Westlake

Swans Academy:

B: #16 C. Hill – #33 J. Mills-Vasas – #32 C. Este
HB: #1 N. Andreacchio – #14 K. McNamara – #10 L. Carmichael
C: #20 F. Rugge-Price – #29 N. Hawkins – #30 N. Chamberlain
HF: #24 R. Royal – #21 J. Roberts – #11 L. Jans
F: #7 L. Cabor – #34 T. Ryan – #12 M. Rider
FOL: #36 H. Podmore-Taylor – #17 D. Fitzpatrick – #9 J. Harrison

INT: #15 N. Hardman, #18 H. Cameron, #19 Z. Nandlal, #22 L. Sennitt, #31 T. Hitchens, #35 O. Clifton

ONES TO WATCH

Eastern will be without National Academy duo Josh Smillie and Christian Moraes on Saturday, leaving much of the ball winning load on Cody Anderson‘s shoulders. On the outside, tall wingman Seth Macdonald comes in for his first Coates Talent League game of the year.

The Ranges’ tall department will be tested, but smalls at either end of the ground like Lachy Dovaston and Jak Ryan should provide great ball use and pace respectively. Otherwise, it’s a very different looking team to what was fielded across the first three rounds.

Sydney will be buoyed by a few handy inclusions, perhaps none more so than that of captain Joe Harrison in midfield. His selection means bottom-ager Lachlan Carmichael will likely shift back to defence, while Max Rider and Noah Chamberlain could swap between the wing and forward line.

KEY MATCHUPS

Lachy Dovaston vs. Lachlan Cabor

Small defender against small forward. Dovaston is a bottom-ager with class and running power, while Cabor is an over-ager whose power and tackling pressure suit his role. Should this matchup go ahead, watch for Cabor to try and shut down Dovaston’s ability to distribute the ball.

Cody Anderson vs. Joe Harrison

Arguably the best midfielder from either side. Anderson is a raging bull who thrives on the contest, while Harrison is a hard runner who can accumulate and go forward. They may not necessarily mark each other at each stoppage, but will contribute to either sides’ success in a major way.

Seth Macdonald vs. Noah Chamberlain

If the team sheets are anything to go by, we’re in for a battle between two tall wingmen. Macdonald is accustomed to playing there and has great upside, while Chamberlain is usually a dynamic marking target up forward. Both cover the ground well at over 190cm, keep your eyes peeled.

Jak Ryan vs. Nicholas Andreacchio

Another matchup between a small forward and defender. Ryan’s energy has served Eastern well when pushing up the ground, while Andreacchio also brings the attack off half-back. Both have eye-catching speed and will take the game on – hopefully they take each other on, too.

PREDICTION

Eastern is a well coached side which plays as a team, but will be without some serious star power this week. Sydney put in a good account of itself in Round 4 and despite losing, will only be better for it on the back of some strong inclusions. Perhaps an upset here, Swans by 7.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Saturday’s second game sees the Suns Academy host Oakleigh Chargers at Austworld Centre Oval. Both sides will be without their National Academy stars, but the visitors have also been hit particularly hard at the selection table by the resumption of APS football.

Nonetheless, Charlie Richardson will be one to watch up forward, along with fellow tall Lucas Tovey down back. Collingwood fans will also have a keen eye fixed on Next Generation Academy talent Luke Quaynor – the younger brother of current Magpies star Isaac.

The Suns have named a squad littered with bottom-aged talent. Beau Addinsall, Jai Murray, Zeke Uwland, and Dylan Patterson should all feature in the middle of the ground, while talls Kalani White and Caleb Nancarrow promise to bookend the side nicely.

Squads for Sunday’s trio of games are yet to drop at the time of writing, but the Northern Territory Academy will play the last of its two games for the year. Tasmania is the Thunders’ opponent, currently winless from three games and coming off a loss to the Giants Academy.

Brighton Grammar’s APS bye should bode well for reigning premier Sandringham, which hosts Greater Western Sydney. Meanwhile, Northern Knights make the trip up to Brisbane to take on the Lions Academy, playing their first game in the Coates Talent League this year.

There are a couple of significant representative matches taking place in Victoria this weekend, too. The AFL Academy takes on Footscray at Whitten Oval on Saturday, before the Young Guns take centre stage against Vic Country at Highgate Recreation Reserve on Sunday.

>> SQUADS: AFL Academy vs. Footscray | Young Guns vs. Vic Country

ROUND 5 FIXTURE

Saturday April 27:

Eastern Ranges vs. Swans Academy
10:30am @ Highgate Recreation Reserve

Suns Academy vs. Oakleigh Chargers
12:40pm @ Austworld Centre Oval

Sunday April 28:

Tasmania Devils vs. Northern Territory Academy
10:30am @ La Trobe University

Sandringham Dragons vs. Giants Academy
12:40pm @ Trevor Barker Beach Oval

Lions Academy vs. Northern Knights
12:40pm @ Brighton Homes Arena