AFTER an all-Country weekend last time around, the Coates Talent League’s Metropolitan regions are set to take over in Round 13. A trio of fixtures are slated for Saturday and Sunday, with a bunch of handy bottom-agers and school football guns returning to the fold in lieu of Victoria’s state Under 18 stars.

Saturday June 29, 11:00am @ MacPherson Park

IN A NUTSHELL

In their first game since the start of the month, Western Jets will look to extend their three-game winning run against a struggling Oakleigh outfit. The Chargers, whose lone win of the season came all the way back in April, have lost thrice since going down to the Jets in Round 9.

RECORDS

Western Jets: 9th | 4-4 | 119.6% | LLWLLWWW
Oakleigh Chargers: 13th | 1-9 | 62.0% | LLWLLLLLLL

LAST TIME

Coates Talent League Round 9:
Oakleigh Chargers 11.7 (73) def. by Western Jets 13.13 (91)

TEAMS

Western Jets:

B: #32 N. Asciak, #36 J. Marron, #6 D. Weeks
HB: #13 W. Barker, #16 K. Sexton, #43 O. Greenshields
C: #45 M. Harvey, #2 D. Snell, #19 M. Gardiner
HF: #47 C. Olivieri, #34 L. Fazzolari, #1 M. Raso
F: #25 O. Ainsworth, #27 H. Kadour, #4 J. Gerardi
FOL: #50 J. Tanner, #10 T. Burton, #11 T. McGuane

INT: #9 L. Hare, #14 L. Fitzgerald, #26 F. Davis, #28 X. Kardachi, #38 K. Long, #49 A. Hobson

Oakleigh Chargers:

B: #15 N. Yze, #23 L. Tovey, #45 L. Callaghan
HB: #33 L. Quaynor, #21 B. Leidler, #35 T. Wenzel
C: #25 S. Allen, #30 A. Sharkie, #4 P. Retschko
HF: #31 J. Ison, #8 C. Richardson, #27 W. Davey-Motlop
F: #3 K. Askew, #63 Q. McKay, #55 I. Markovsky
FOL: #64 J. McLaughlin, #20 Z. Cochrane, #65 A. Phillips

INT: #12 B. Fergusson, #24 K. Emery, #38 S. Grlj, #48 M. Kondogiannis, #50 C. Smith, #34 M. Clark

ONES TO WATCH

While a bunch of big names are missing due to representative football, Oakleigh will be particularly buoyed by inclusions via the school football break. Vic Metro trio Charlie Richardson, Patrick Retschko, and Lucas Tovey have all been “rotated” and slot straight into the Chargers’ side.

Allies squad member Waylon Davey-Motlop is also available away from his Xavier College duties. Elsewhere, Collingwood Next Generation Academy member Luke Quaynor will get some extra support down back in the form of Blake Leidler, while Zane Cochrane headlines the midfield.

Western has just two players in the Vic Metro squad, with one donning the Big V this weekend and the other out injured. That leaves bottom-agers Thomas McGuane (Collingwood father-son) and Thomas Burton to run the engine room, which should see some useful rotation.

Solid top-age talent like Daniel Snell and Xavier Kardachi have put together strong seasons and will also get a chance in midfield. Up forward, Jack Gerardi has booted 12 goals in his last three games, so watch for him to get creative alongside skilful small Massimo Raso.

PREDICTION

Western’s togetherness has been a feature of its campaign and with three wins on the trot – including one over Oakleigh – it is difficult to look past the Jets. Although, Oakleigh boasts a greater number of Victorian representatives this week and will be boosted by players usually tied to APS commitments. Perhaps an upset is on the cards, Chargers by 5.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Recruiters will race from Melton to Craigieburn on Saturday to catch the matchup between Calder (4th, 6-3) and Northern (10th, 4-5). The two sides met back in Round 3 with the Cannons running out 30-point victors on that day. The hosts are 2-0 in June, while Northern has lost three straight games.

Sunday’s lone fixture is a Grand Final rematch between Sandringham (3rd, 6-3) and Eastern (8th, 5-4). The Ranges will play host at Trevor Barker Beach Oval after the Dragons took out the Round 3 reverse fixture by 19 points – when both teams were at relative full strength. They’ll look much different this time.

ROUND 13 FIXTURE

Saturday June 29:

Western Jets vs. Oakleigh Chargers
11:00am @ MacPherson Park

Calder Cannons vs. Northern Knights
2:10pm @ Highgate Recreation Reserve

Sunday June 30:

Eastern Ranges vs. Sandringham Dragons
10:00am @ Trevor Barker Beach Oval