ROUND 14 victors Oakleigh Chargers and Dandenong Stingrays have set themselves apart in our Coates Talent League Team of the Week, combining for nine representatives in the 24-player squad. See who made the cut! Note, the Gippsland-Tasmania fixture has been postponed until further notice.

>> 2024 CTL Round 14: Snapshot | POTW

DEFENCE

B: Aaron Doyle (NK) – Mitchell Lloyd (GWV) – Noah Yze (OC)
HB: Ben Hopkins (DS) – Tadhg McCarthy (OC) – Blake Leidler (OC)

Three Chargers feature in our backline this week after breaking through for consecutive wins. A pair of them are club-tied, with Tadhg McCarthy leading the line as a Collingwood NGA candidate, while Noah Yze (Melbourne father-son) squeezes in having also rotated through midfield.

Blake Leidler also made the cut after his 10-mark outing. Meanwhile, GWV Rebels tall Mitchell Lloyd hauled in 12 grabs to be a lock at full back. Dandenong over-ager Ben Hopkins was another who made good on midfield exposure with 26 touches, and Aaron Doyle patrolled the besieged Northern defence.

MIDFIELD

FOL: Zac Harding (MB) – Zane Cochrane (OC) – Xavier Kardachi (WJ)
C: Liam Kershaw (GF) – Archer Day-Wicks (BP) – Toby Sinnema (DS)

Player of the Week Zac Harding was a popular choice and captains the side after posting 28 disposals, 26 hitouts and two goals in Murray’s loss to Dandenong. He rucks to Bendigo centreman Archer Day-Wicks in our hypothetical side, who also showed out in a loss with 24 touches and three goals.

Joining them at the centre bounces are big-bodied ball winners Zane Cochrane and Xavier Kardachi. The former was again strong around the contest in Oakleigh’s win over Eastern, while the latter picked up a round-high 31 disposals as Western comprehensively upset the third placed Geelong Falcons.

Speaking of, over-age Falcons wingman/defender Liam Kershaw (24 disposals, 10 marks) earned a spot in the side after being recognised by his coaches as best afield. Dandenong bottom-ager Toby Sinnema (23 disposals, one goal) slots in on the opposite wing as one of four Stingrays in the squad.

FORWARD

HF: Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (DS) – Harry Armstrong (SD) – Joshua Dolan (SD)
F: Archie Leclerc (DS) – Louis Emmett (OC) – Keighton Matofai-Forbes (WJ)

A quartet of forwards bagged four goals apiece to headline this week’s front six. Namely, they are Dandenong teammates Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves and Archie Leclerc, Oakleigh ruck/forward Louis Emmett – all of whom are bottom-agers – and Sandringham spearhead Harry Armstrong.

Western Jets captain Keighton Matofai-Forbes made an emphatic return with three majors and eight marks to lead his side to victory. Sandringham and Vic Metro workhorse Joshua Dolan was also lively as ever in victory, racking up a game-high 26 disposals, six inside 50s and one goal.

INTERCHANGE

INT: Oskar Ainsworth (WJ), Archie Caldow (GWV), Jhett Haeata (SD), Hugo Mikunda (GF), Flynn Penry (GWV), Josh Smillie (ER)

Another of the weekend’s four-goal performances sees Western’s Oskar Ainsworth claim his spot on the interchange bench. Sandringham speedster Jhett Haeata snared three from 21 touches to also make the cut, while GWV Rebels talls Archie Caldow and Flynn Penry showed their dynamism in prolific outings. Rounding out the bench is consistent Geelong midfielder Hugo Mikunda. Oh, and potential top pick Josh Smillie who returned to action for Eastern on Sunday.