ROOKIE Me Central has announced its extended Coates Talent League Team of the Year for 2024, featuring 48 of the competition’s best performed players. A whopping 195 hopefuls earned nominations via our 24-man teams of the week throughout the season, making them eligible for the final squad.

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Country programs Bendigo Pioneers and Dandenong Stingrays are the most represented regions with five players apiece. They locked horns in the weekend’s Wildcard Round. A further six sides boast four players in the squad, while 12 of the 13 full-time teams contributed at least three players overall.

The Pios and Stingrays also share the honour of producing the players with the most nominations, being James Barrat and Harvey Langford respectively. Both were named in nine teams of the week, leading the way ahead of five others who featured eight times, and 12 who did so on five or more occasions.

Including Langford, a handful of pick one contenders are up for selection in the final team. Eastern’s Josh Smillie and Oakleigh’s Jagga Smith were locks having tied for the Rookie Me Central Medal, while Sandringham pair Levi Ashcroft and Murphy Reid snuck in for their exceptional form in limited games.

Only three bottom-age players, eligible for next year’s AFL Draft, have been selected. Gippsland utility Willem Duursma is one, and certainly has the credentials to be the best of the 2025 crop, while Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (Dandenong) and Thomas McGuane (Western) were also undeniable.

Of the 48 players selected, 12 hold positions as Coates Talent League captains or co-captains. The competition’s leading goalkicker, Joshua Murphy, is also in contention to make the final cut alongside a pair of teammates who also landed in the top five of this year’s goalkicking charts.

Stay tuned to Rookie Me Central as we cut the squad down to a final 24 later in the week, and hand over the 2024 Rookie Me Central Medal to a pair of deserving victors.

2024 RMC COATES TALENT LEAGUE TOTY SQUAD:

Bendigo Pioneers (5): James Barrat, Archer Day-Wicks, Lachlan Hogan, Jobe Shanahan, Tobie Travaglia
Calder Cannons (4): Damon Hollow, Isaac Kako, Jayden Nguyen, Patrick Said
Dandenong Stingrays (5): Jordan Doherty, Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves, Ben Hopkins, Cooper Hynes, Harvey Langford
Eastern Ranges (3): Cody Anderson, Josh Smillie, Christian Moraes
Geelong Falcons (4): Xavier Ivisic, Lachie Jaques, Joe Pike, Noah Tullio
Gippsland Power (3): Willem Duursma, Xavier Lindsay, Alix Tauru
GWV Rebels (3): Harry Charleson, Oliver Hannaford, Mitchell Lloyd
Murray Bushrangers (4): Joe Berry, Joshua Murphy, Jack Whitlock, Matt Whitlock
Northern Knights (4): Jesse Dattoli, Zak Johnson, Thomas Sims, Gabriel Stumpf
Oakleigh Chargers (2): Jagga Smith, Kane Emery
Sandringham Dragons (4): Levi Ashcroft, Adrian Cole, Luke Kennedy, Murphy Reid
Tasmania Devils (4): Lenny Douglas, Connor Ling, Dom Pitt, Max Roney
Western Jets (3): Lucca Grego, Xavier Kardachi, Thomas McGuane