OAKLEIGH Chargers dominate our Coates Talent League Team of the Week after their monumental upset win over rivals, Sandringham Dragons in Round 19. A league-wide high of four Chargers feature in this week’s squad of 24 – see who made the cut in our final team for the season.

>> 2024 CTL Round 19: Snapshot | POTW | Scouting Notes | Votes

DEFENCE

B: Lachlan McArthur (WJ) – Mitchell Lloyd (GWV) – Ricky Mentha (GP)
HB: Blake Leidler (OC) – James Barrat (BP) – Lachie Jaques (GF)

Six different regions are represented in this week’s backline, though four members are from the Country conference. The key position pillars are Mitchell Lloyd (GWV) and James Barrat (Bendigo), who soared for a combined 15 marks in resolute performances as their respective sides suffered losses.

Up on the flanks, there is plenty of dash and dare coming through Blake Leidler (Oakleigh) and Geelong co-captain Lachie Jaques. The former ran riot with 24 disposals in the Chargers’ win over Sandringham, while the latter had his moments with 15 touches and six tackles, also spending time in midfield.

Joining Lloyd on the full back line are Western over-ager Lachlan McArthur (25 disposals, seven marks, seven rebound 50s) and Gippsland Power’s Ricky Mentha (20 disposals, four marks), whose sides also went down over the weekend. Nonetheless, both helped relieve pressure and set up play from the back.

MIDFIELD

FOL: Louis Emmett (OC) – Harvey Langford (DS) – Josh Smillie (ER)
C: Murphy Reid (SD) – Sam Lalor (GWV) – Jagga Smith (OC)

Arguably the season’s best midfield group has been left until last. An array of top 10 prospects for this year, and potentially one in 2025, feature in the six-man selection. Leading the engine room is Player of the Week Harvey Langford, who had 33 disposals and four goals in Dandenong’s win over Gippsland.

Joining him at the centre bounces are Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie, who both returned to top form in best afield performances. Lalor’s GWV Rebels were defeated by Geelong, but he mustered 25 touches and a goal. Meanwhile, Smillie (29 disposals, one goal) led Eastern to a road victory over Northern.

The wings are makeshift this week, with Jagga Smith and Murphy Reid both having played through the middle. They were impossible to deny a starting spot. Smith’s 33 disposals and two goals were integral to Oakleigh’s win over Reid’s Sandringham. The latter had it 25 times and snared a single goal.

With an array of elite prospects in this year’s intake headlining the hypothetical on-ball group, Oakleigh bottom-ager Louis Emmett has the pleasure of rucking to them. The mobile tall is a fourth midfield of sorts, and proved as much with his 22 disposals, five marks and one goal on Saturday.

FORWARD

HF: Finn O’Sullivan (OC) – Jack Whitlock (MB) – Jesse Dattoli (NK)
F: Hussien El Achkar (CC) – Jobe Shanahan (BP) – River Stevens (GF)

Every player in this week’s forwardline kicked multiple goals, spearheaded by Jobe Shanahan‘s six. He booted over half of Bendigo’s goals in a loss to Jack Whitlock‘s Murray Bushrangers. The pair combine as our key forwards, after the latter clunked nine marks and kicked two majors from 21 touches.

The most prolific small this week was Calder’s Hussien El Achkar, who snared five goals from 21 disposals in his side’s win over Western. The bottom-ager is a member of Essendon’s Next Generation Academy, and will have a key part to play if the top Metro region is to advance through to finals.

In the opposition pocket is another club-tied player in River Stevens (North Melbourne father-son, who kicked two of his three goals in term four to restore Geelong’s lead. Northern’s Jesse Dattoli was another to impress in front of the big sticks with three majors, while also having a team-high 26 touches.

Meanwhile, pick one contender Finn O’Sullivan continues to recapture his best form upon returning to Oakleigh’s lineup. Having debuted for Richmond VFL a fortnight ago, the midfielder showed his class with three goals from 18 disposals. His ability to break forward from the middle was exceptional.

INTERCHANGE

INT: Lucca Grego (WJ), Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (DS), Nash King (CC), Remy MacLean (ER), Riley Onley (MB), Rhys Unwin (GWV)

An influx of midfield talent leaks onto the interchange bench this week. Among the standouts were Calder’s Nash King (34 disposals) and Western’s Lucca Grego (29), who went head-to-head on Sunday. Murray bottom-ager Riley Onley impressed again, while GWV livewire Rhys Unwin brought his energy and speed to the middle off a forward flank.

Another bottom-ager, Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (Dandenong) stood up when his side needed it with a pair of second quarter goals. It was also impossible to deny Eastern’s Remy MacLean a spot in the side. While he was squeezed out of a starting spot by two gun talls, his four goals were integral to the Ranges’ 23-point victory over Northern.