THE COUNTRY quarter-finalists converge on ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne tomorrow to kick off this year’s Coates Talent League finals series. Top seed and minor premier Geelong enters the fray having earned a Wildcard Round bye, while the remaining three sides come in off hard-fought battles. We preview both of Saturday’s fixtures.

>> EXPLAINER: Coates Talent League Wildcard & Finals

Saturday September 7, 11:30am @ ETU Stadium

IN A NUTSHELL

Geelong Falcons enter the finals series looking to convert their minor premiership into a flag, as they take on GWV Rebels for a fourth time this season. The two regions faced off at the same stage last year, where the roles were reversed and the lower-ranked Falcons upset the Rebels. GWV will be hoping to exact revenge after a successful Wildcard Round.

H&A RECORDS

Geelong Falcons: 1st Overall | 1st Country | 11-4 | 127.11%
GWV Rebels: 11th Overall | 6th Country | 5-10 | 92.1%

STREAK

Geelong Falcons: WWW | L | WW | L | WW | L | WWW | L | W
GWV Rebels: LLLL | W | LLLL | WW | L | WW | L

WILDCARD

Geelong Falcons: Bye (automatic finals qualification)
GWV Rebels: def. Tasmania Devils 4.13 (37) to 5.4 (34)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Round 2 @ GMHBA Stadium
Geelong Falcons 13.12 (90) def. GWV Rebels 5.3 (33)

Round 9 @ Reid Oval, Warrnambool
GWV Rebels 7.4 (46) def. by Geelong Falcons 12.10 (82)

Round 19 @ La Trobe University
Geelong Falcons 10.13 (73) def. GWV Rebels 9.8 (62)

SQUADS

Geelong Falcons:

#6 River Stevens
#7 Noah Tullio
#11 Joshua Sanders
#13 Xavier Ivisic
#14 Benjamin Coote
#15 Cooper Ward
#18 Noah Caracella
#19 Cooper Patton
#20 Lachie Jaques
#21 Jack Skinner
#22 Zac McInnes
#23 Brady Hall
#27 Liam Kershaw
#28 Daniel Lowther
#29 Joe Pike
#33 Edan Ibbetson
#39 Kobe George
#44 Darcy Harrington
#46 James Hose
#58 Hugo Mikunda
#60 Jesse Mellor
#63 Mitchell Lindsey
#31 William Smith (EMG)
#42 Harry Morphet (EMG)
#43 Ryan Perkins (EMG)

GWV Rebels:

#1 Archie Taylor
#2 Harry Charleson
#3 Rhys Unwin
#5 Wil Rantall
#6 Jack Ough
#7 Oliver Hannaford
#8 Jonty Faull
#10 Harry Lawson
#12 Archie Caldow
#16 Harley Hicks
#17 Samuel McDonald
#18 Benjamin McGlade
#19 Mitchell Lloyd
#20 Floyd Burmeister
#21 Reggie Mast
#22 Jett Grayland
#23 Flynn Penry
#25 Hugh Toner
#27 Sinclair Burmeister
#30 Fraser Molan
#31 Talor Byrne
#40 Dean Harten
#41 Nedd Bennett
#42 Riley Holloway
#33 Cooper Glenwright-McGuane (EMG)
#34 Samuel Janetzki (EMG)
#36 Brodie Phillips (EMG)

ONES TO WATCH

They say premierships are built on defence and Geelong has one of the competition’s best. Lachie Jaques is the main man, though co-captain Brady Hall plays an integral role alongside fellow lockdown talls Jack Skinner and Zac McInnes. Good luck getting past them.

The Falcons lay claim to one of the competition’s hardest running midfielders in Xavier Ivisic. There are father-son candidates at either end of the ground in Noah Caracella (Essendon) and River Stevens (North Melbourne), while over-agers Joe Pike and Liam Kershaw also offer value.

Despite their home-and-away record, no less against the Falcons, GWV Rebels have an enviable spread of top-end talent. Although, they will be without midfield gun Sam Lalor for Saturday’s clash after he pulled up lame with a hamstring injury in Wildcard Round.

Seven collective draft combine invitees remain in the side, including the key forward pairing of Jonty Faull and Floyd Burmeister. The likes of Jack Ough and Rhys Unwin will look to give them ample delivery, while Oliver Hannaford provides power and tackle pressure at ground level.

Down back, Wil Rantall and Mitchell Lloyd will have to team up to shut down the likes of Daniel Lowther and Jesse Mellor. Meanwhile, rebound runners Harry Charleson and Archie Taylor will be the primary distributors out of defensive 50.

PREDICTION

Form doesn’t lie. While they may shape up a little differently this time around, these two sides have three previous meetings in the back of their minds and Geelong won all three by an average margin of 35 points. The Falcons should be wary, though, given GWV has trimmed that margin each time. Still, Lalor looms as a big loss and Geelong is as settled as any side in the premiership race. Falcons by 14.

>> 2024 Season Recap: Coates Talent League Country Wildcards

Saturday September 7, 2:00pm @ ETU Stadium

IN A NUTSHELL

Dandenong Stingrays and Gippsland Power meet for the third time this season in the ultimate tiebreaker, having taken one game off each other thus far. Both sides did enough in tough Wildcard Round conditions and will be up for the fight, while being quite familiar with each other having last met in Round 19.

RECORDS

Dandenong Stingrays: 3rd Overall | 2nd Country | 10-4-1 | 123.3%
Gippsland Power: 6th Overall | 4th Country | 9-5 | 96.5%

STREAK

Dandenong Stingrays: LL | WW | L | D | WWWW | L | WWWW
Gippsland Power: W | L | WW | L | WWW | L | WW | L | W | L

WILDCARD

Dandenong Stingrays: def. Bendigo Pioneers 12.7 (79) to 7.11 (53)
Gippsland Power: def. Murray Bushrangers 7.9 (51) to 6.8 (44)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Round 2 @ Belvedere Reserve
Dandenong Stingrays 14.9 (93) def. by Gippsland Power 16.13 (109)

Round 19 @ Morwell Recreation Reserve
Gippsland Power 11.15 (81) def. by Dandenong Stingrays 14.7 (91)

SQUADS

Dandenong Stingrays:

#1 Cooper Hynes
#2 Harvey Langford
#3 Harrison Doughton
#5 Riak Andrew
#7 Charlie Rowe
#8 Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves
#10 Ben Hopkins
#12 Tahj De La Rue
#14 Henry Hayes
#15 Kane Hurst
#22 Jordan Doherty
#32 Archie Le Clerc
#35 Justin Barnes
#37 Charlie Orchard
#39 Sonny Campbell-Farrell
#42 Marcus Prasad
#44 JayDe Varlet
#45 Elwood Peckett
#49 Toby Sinnema
#55 Fraser Marino
#59 Riley Hilliard
#65 Tairon Ah-Mu
#58 Mitch Toner (23rd)
#25 Jack Lawrence (EMG)
#34 Louis Hodder (EMG)
#53 Josh Granger (EMG)

Gippsland Power:

#4 Zachary O’Keefe
#7 Willem Duursma
#8 Thomas Matthews
#10 Max Donohue
#11 Marlon Neocleous
#12 Jesse Craven
#15 Lachlan Giliam
#16 Jobe Scapin
#17 Riley Senini
#18 William Brent
#24 Brodie Atkins
#25 Harrison Canning
#26 Mitchell Stevens
#27 Asher Eastham
#28 Harry Tatterson
#29 Ricky Mentha
#31 Alix Tauru
#33 Wil Malady
#34 Harry Butcher
#40 Jehi Esler
#42 Jonah Walker
#44 Lewis Robbins
#21 Oliver Wilson (23rd)
#6 Julian Callahan (EMG)
#23 Archie Terlich (EMG)
#43 Juddson Ryan (EMG)

ONES TO WATCH

Dandenong’s midfielders will be licking their lips at the proposition of getting stuck into a high stakes finals game. Co-captains Harvey Langford and Cooper Hynes are in ominous touch, while St Kilda father-son prospect Elwood Peckett has come into his own of late.

Mobile ruckman Jordan Doherty can impact like a fourth midfielder, too. The Stingrays also have speed and dynamism in defence, which is pillared by Riak Andrew. Watch for the likes of Ben Hopkins and Charlie Orchard to showcased their ability on the rebound.

Bottom-agers like Riley Hilliard, Toby Sinnema, and Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves are others who can help connect the field in transition. The Stingrays have a pair of exciting Under 16 talents to watch, too, in 23rd man Mitch Toner and crafty small forward Marcus Prasad.

While Dandenong’s leaders are poised to play key roles, Gippsland will be without skipper Xavier Lindsay due to a knee injury. Nonetheless, the lower-ranked side is not to be overlooked with its remarkable squad versatility and raft of emerging under-age talent.

The likes of Asher Eastham and Wil Malady are exciting targets forward of the ball, though the former is capable of performing a swingman role. Similar can be said for tall and small duo Alix Tauru and Ricky Mentha, who have both been named to start in defence.

Arguably the Power’s best bottom-ager is Willem Duursma, who will continue his midfield venture but is capable of playing just about anywhere, Fellow 2007-born talent Jobe Scapin offers similar flexibility, along with mid-forwards Zachary O’Keefe and Brodie Atkins.

PREDICTION

The ledger is even between these two sides in 2024, ironically with either team winning their away leg. Now they meet on neutral territory with no tomorrow. Dandenong will fancy its chances of owning the midfield battle, though Gippsland’s squad versatility means the Power can make moves on the fly. It’ll be a close one, Stingrays by 7.