JUST two rounds remain in the Coates Talent League Girls season, and in fitting circumstance, the Rookie Me Central Medal winner will face-off against the most likely runner-up in the final round of the regular season. Dandenong Stingrays’ Jemma Reynolds and Gippsland Power’s Ash Centra are just one vote apart on the leaderboard, with both players having two games remaining in their season.

Reynolds’ Stingrays face Geelong Falcons on Sunday at Werribee, while Centra’s Power will take on Murray Bushrangers up at Highgate Recreation Reserve. Then, in what would be a fitting finale to not just the season, but the Rookie Me Central medal race, the Stingrays lock horns with the Power in Round 17 at Morwell.

As it stands, Reynolds has the narrowest of leads with 42 votes to Centra’s 41, but also has the tougher opponent this week, with Geelong not far behind the Stingrays on the ladder. The Falcons also have the red-hot Sara Howley, last year’s winner of the medal, who is coming off a Vic Country MVP at the recent national carnival.

She can theoretically rise as high as second if she polls a perfect 10 votes and Centra does not poll, though another top five finish seems inevitable with the players above her in Tayla McMillan (38 votes), Sierra Grieves (38), Zoe Hargreaves (34) and Priya Bowering (31) having one game left, or in the case of McMillan, no games left to poll.

However as football often has ‘mathematical chances’, Grieves could technically take the medal with a four (shared) or five-vote game in Round 16, if Reynolds and Centra do not poll, or Reynolds only polls one vote, in the final fortnight. Considering their performances this season that seems unlikely, but Grieves and Howley will more than likely be among the top five players with one of the aforementioned talents.

Behind that group having had fantastic seasons are Oakleigh Chargers’ Sarah Poustie who hit the 30-vote mark, two clear of talented Tasmanian bottom-ager Mischa Barwin. The Chargers’ strength this season – having a stack of stars – is often the weakness when it comes to voting awards, with said votes shared around. That is the case here with Emma McDonald (24 votes) and Chloe Bown (22) helping Oakleigh to be the only team with three players on 20 or more votes. The latter earned best afield honours in the Chargers’ win over Oakleigh.

Eastern Ranges midfielder/forward Grace Belloni is among a contingent of seven players with 20 or more votes this season, as both GWV Rebels (Millie Lang and Isabella Davies) and Sandringham Dragons (Scout Howden and Sophie McKay) have two players in that bracket.

Incredibly, double bottom-ager Sophia Green is inside the Top 20 despite being two years younger than most, and playing for the winless Murray Bushrangers. Green has polled 20 votes. Reynolds’ Stingrays teammate Kayla Dalgleish is the other player on 20 votes. Another Rebel – Claire Mahony – rounds out the Top 20 with 19 votes.

In terms of individual club leaders, Davies joined Lang in sharing the Rebels’ top vote-getter on 21, while lower down the order, Calder Cannons top-ager Maddison Albrecht consistent season since returning was rewarded, taking the lone lead with nine votes.

Looking at the club-by-club total votes, Eastern Ranges holds the lead by 11 votes off Oakleigh Chargers, but the Chargers have one more game to play, while the Ranges are done for the year. Taking on Sandringham this weekend, Oakleigh can poll up to 15 votes in a match.

Tasmania Devils have been the biggest risers in the last couple of weeks, moving up three spots to be equal third with Gippsland Power who also moved up a place. Both sides have polled 109 votes. Northern Knights (106) have one game remaining, while Dandenong Stingrays (105) could emerge ahead of the group given they along with the Power have two games left. Geelong Falcons (99 votes) are just shy of the ton.

TOP 20 LEADERBOARD

1st. Jemma Reynolds (Dandenong Stingrays) – 42 votes
2nd. Ash Centra (Gippsland Power) – 41 votes
Eq. 3rd. Tayla McMillan (Eastern Ranges) – 38 votes
Eq. 3rd. Sierra Grieves (Western Jets) – 38 votes
5th. Zoe Hargreaves (Northern Knights) – 34 votes
6th. Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils) – 32 votes
7th. Sara Howley (Geelong Falcons) – 31 votes
8th. Sarah Poustie (Oakleigh Chargers) – 30 votes
9th. Mischa Barwin (Tasmania Devils) – 28 votes
10th. Lou Painter (Bendigo Pioneers) – 26 votes
11th. Emma McDonald (Oakleigh Chargers) – 24 votes
12th. Chloe Bown (Oakleigh Chargers) – 22 votes
Eq. 13th. Grace Belloni (Eastern Ranges) – 21 votes
Eq. 13th. Isabella Davies (GWV Rebels) – 21 votes
Eq. 13th. Scout Howden (Sandringham Dragons) – 21 votes
Eq. 13th. Millie Lang (GWV Rebels) – 21 votes
Eq. 17th. Kayla Dalgleish (Dandenong Stingrays) – 20 votes
Eq. 17th. Sophia Green (Murray Bushrangers) – 20 votes
Eq. 17th. Sophie McKay (Sandringham Dragons) – 20 votes
20th. Claire Mahony (GWV Rebels) – 19 votes

LEADERS BY CLUB

Bendigo Pioneers – Lou Painter (26)
Calder Cannons – Maddison Albrecht* (9)
Dandenong Stingrays – Jemma Reynolds (42)
Eastern Ranges – Tayla McMillan (38)
Geelong Falcons – Sara Howley (31)
Giants Academy – Isla Wiencke (11)
Gippsland Power – Ash Centra (41)
GWV Rebels – Millie Lang & Isabella Davies* (21)
Lions Academy – Isabella McDonough & Laura Roy (10)
Murray Bushrangers – Sophia Green (20)
Northern Knights – Zoe Hargreaves (34)
Northern Territory – Kierra Zerafa (6)
Oakleigh Chargers – Sarah Poustie (30)
Sandringham Dragons – Scout Howden (21)
Suns Academy – Havana Harris (17)
Swans Academy – Imogen Brown (8)
Tasmania Devils – Priya Bowering (32)
Western Jets – Sierra Grieves (38)

* indicates new leader

CLUB LEADERBOARD

Eastern Ranges – 145
Oakleigh Chargers – 134
Gippsland Power – 109
Tasmania Devils – 109
Northern Knights – 106
Dandenong Stingrays – 105
Geelong Falcons – 99
GWV Rebels – 78
Sandringham Dragons – 67
Western Jets – 63
Murray Bushrangers – 62
Bendigo Pioneers – 58
Suns Academy – 54
Calder Cannons – 36
Lions Academy – 28
Giants Academy – 21
Swans Academy – 21
Northern Territory – 8