MURRAY Bushrangers forward Joe Berry is a new entrant to the Rookie Me Central Medal top 10 leaderboard after his best afield outing in Round 16. The speedster was unleashed in midfield as his side came from behind to upset Sandringham Dragons by 18 points in Wangaratta on Saturday.

>> SCROLL for the Round 16 votes & leaderboard

Berry posted a season-high 22 disposals, seven marks and 10 inside 50s to collect the full three votes. While his numbers were impressive, he also got the nod for being integral to the Bushrangers’ final quarter blitz, seemingly being part of every scoring chain as the home side finished strongly.

The 18-year-old, who was recently crowned an Under 18 All Australian, is now placed ninth in the overall standings. There are only three rounds left to play in the Coates Talent League home-and-away season, though the race for this year’s medal is wide open and features a star studded field.

Eastern Ranges captain and top prospect Josh Smillie remains in pole position with 16 votes despite being absent over the weekend, though Dandenong Stingrays pair Harvey Langford and Cooper Hynes are hot on his heels. Only a single vote separates each step of the podium.

Langford yielded best on ground honours in Round 16 for his 23 disposals, seven tackles and one goal in the Stingrays’ thumping 81-point win over Eastern. Hynes did not poll a vote, though a handful of top 10 candidates did on the weekend and have thus shaken up the order heading into Round 17.

In Northern Knights’ 54-point defeat of Bendigo, skipper Zak Johnson nabbed two votes to draw level with three other players in fourth. Among them, Damon Hollow and Xavier Lindsay also bagged two votes apiece while Jagga Smith joins them on a total of 13 having spent the last fortnight at VFL level.

Pioneers utility Tobie Travaglia also added to his tally to stand alone in eighth place, as teammate James Barrat – who made his VFL debut with Essendon over the weekend – rounds out the top 10 alongside Bombers Next Generation Academy member Isaac Kako.

>> 2024 CTL Round 16: Snapshot | POTW | Scouting Notes

ROUND 16 VOTES

Dandenong Stingrays 16.5 (101) def. Eastern Ranges 2.8 (20)
By: Matthew Vella

3 – Harvey Langford (Dandenong Stingrays)
2 – Elwood Peckett (Dandenong Stingrays)
1 – Sam Toner (Dandenong Stingrays)

Murray Bushrangers 11.11 (77) def. Sandringham Dragons 9.5 (59)
By: Michael Alvaro

3 – Joe Berry (Murray Bushrangers)
2 – Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers)
1 – Luke Kennedy (Sandringham Dragons)

Northern Knights 18.10 (118) def. Bendigo Pioneers 10.4 (64)
By: Adrian Dixon

3 – Thomas Sims (Northern Knights)
2 – Zak Johnson (Northern Knights)
1 – Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Pioneers)

Geelong Falcons 6.11 (47) def. Tasmania Devils 4.6 (30)
By: Michael Alvaro

3 – Noah Tullio (Geelong Falcons)
2 – Lachie Jaques (Geelong Falcons)
1 – Max Roney (Tasmania Devils)

GWV Rebels 9.15 (69) def. by Calder Cannons 10.10 (70)
By: Declan Reeve

3 – Jack Ough (GWV Rebels)
2 – Damon Hollow (Calder Cannons)
1 – Oliver Hannaford (GWV Rebels)

Western Jets 8.8 (56) def. by Gippsland Power 9.12 (66)
By: Adrian Dixon

3 – Ricky Mentha (Gippsland Power)
2 – Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power)
1 – Lucca Grego (Western Jets)

TOP 10 LEADERBOARD

1st. Josh Smillie (Eastern Ranges) – 16 [3, 1, 3, 3, 3, 3]
2nd. Harvey Langford (Dandenong Stingrays) – 15 [3, 1, 3, 2, 3, 3]
3rd. Cooper Hynes (Dandenong Stingrays) – 14 [1, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3]
Eq. 4th. Damon Hollow (Calder Cannons) – 13 [2, 3, 3, 2, 1, 2]
Eq. 4th. Zak Johnson (Northern Knights) – 13 [3, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 2]
Eq. 4th. Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power) – 13 [2, 3, 3, 3, 2]
Eq. 4th. Jagga Smith (Oakleigh Chargers) – 13 [2, 3, 2, 3, 3]
8th. Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Pioneers) – 12 [3, 1, 2, 2, 3, 1]
9th. Joe Berry (Murray Bushrangers) – 11 [2, 3, 1, 2, 3]
Eq. 10th James Barrat (Bendigo Pioneers) – 10 [2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2]
Eq. 10th Isaac Kako (Calder Cannons) – 10 [1, 3, 3, 3]

LEADERS BY CLUB

Bendigo Pioneers – Tobie Travaglia (12)
Calder Cannons – Damon Hollow (13)
Dandenong Stingrays – Harvey Langford (15)
Eastern Ranges – Josh Smillie (16)
Geelong Falcons – Will McLachlan (9)
Giants Academy – Logan Smith (4)
Gippsland Power – Xavier Lindsay (13)
GWV Rebels – Mitchell Lloyd (6)
Lions Academy – Daniel Annable (6)
Murray Bushrangers – Joe Berry (11)
Northern Knights – Zak Johnson (13)
Northern Territory – Taj Murray (1)
Oakleigh Chargers – Jagga Smith (13)
Sandringham Dragons – Levi Ashcroft/Josh Dolan (5)
Suns Academy – Zeke Uwland (5)
Swans Academy – Ned Hawkins (6)
Tasmania Devils – Lenny Douglas/Geordie Payne (7)
Western Jets – Thomas McGuane (9)

CLUB LEADERBOARD

Dandenong Stingrays – 46
Gippsland Power – 46
Geelong Falcons – 44
Calder Cannons – 42
Tasmania Devils – 42
Murray Bushrangers – 41
Bendigo Pioneers – 37
Sandringham Dragons – 35
Eastern Ranges – 32
Northern Knights – 32
Western Jets – 31
Oakleigh Chargers – 24
GWV Rebels – 22
Swans Academy – 13
Lions Academy – 11
Suns Academy – 11
Giants Academy – 7
Northern Territory – 1