REIGNING premiers Oakleigh Chargers enjoyed a strong win over Geelong Falcons and earned a league-high five players in our Coates Talent League Girls Team of the Week for Round 9. The Chargers had one more than Gippsland Power (four), with Dandenong Stingrays and Tasmania Devils not far behind (three apiece).

Our Round 9 Team of the Week captain is Murray Bushrangers’ Sophia Green after her enormous 36-disposal performance in the Bushies’ loss to Northern Territory. Just four players came out of that game, with Green’s teammate Holly Egan and Territory pair Kierra Zerafa and Marika Carlton also earning their spots.

Oakleigh had five representatives by itself, spread across the ground. In defence, captain Sienna Tallariti and bottom-ager Chloe Thorn are in respective back pockets. Sarah Poustie was named on a wing, while key forward Emma McDonald can be found up forward, and Chloe Bown on the interchange bench.

Gippsland Power had an eye-opening win over Sandringham Dragons as star talent Ash Centra had a huge day out. She starts on-ball, while her Power forwards Abby Hobson and Ava Deszcz are also starting. Ella Stoddart completes the quartet, named at half-back.

The other starting onballer is Priya Bowering who is one of three Tasmanian Devils in the side. She makes it along with fellow bottom-ager Harriet Bingley (forward pocket), while Lucy Thompson was fierce between attack and midfield. The sole Sandringham Dragon in the side was defender Jacinta Boyd.

Another skipper in Dandenong Stingrays’ mentor Zoe Besanko leads the ruck for Round 12, while forawrd Evelyn Connolly and midfielder Jemma Reynolds were the other Stingrays to slot into the team. GWV Rebels’ Claire Mahony and Elsie Conroy are key position bookends with the former also trialling out other roles, while Geelong Falcons’ Sara Howley and Bendigo Pioneers’ Lucia Painter complete the squad of 24.

The three chosen emergencies for Round 9 are Oakleigh Chargers’ Maggie Mahony, GWV Rebels’ Jovie Skewes-Clinton and Geelong Falcons’ Georgia Tyrrell.

2024 TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 9

B: Chloe Thorn (Oakleigh Chargers) – Elsie Conroy (GWV Rebels) – Sienna Tallariti (Oakleigh Chargers)
HB: Ella Stoddart (Gippsland Power) – Kiera Zerafa (Northern Territory) – Holly Egan (Murray Bushrangers)
C: Sarah Poustie (Oakleigh Chargers) – Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils) – Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons)
HF: Evelyn Connolly (Dandenong Stingrays) – Claire Mahony (GWV Rebels) – Ava Deszcz (Gippsland Power)
F: Abby Hobson (Gippsland Power) – Emma McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers) – Harriet Bingley (Tasmania Devils)
R: Zoe Besanko (Dandenong Stingrays) – Ash Centra (Gippsland Power) – Sophia Green (Murray Bushrangers) (c)
INT: Chloe Bown (Oakleigh Chargers) – Jacinta Boyd (Sandringham Dragons) – Marika Carlton (Northern Territory) – Lou Painter (Bendigo Pioneers) – Jemma Reynolds (Dandenong Stingrays) – Lucy Thompson (Tasmania Devils)

EMG: Maggie Mahony (Oakleigh Chargers) – Jovie Skewes-Clinton (GWV Rebels) – Georgia Tyrrell (Geelong Falcons)