THE PERFORMANCES of two pick one contenders stood out as the new Coates Talent League season got underway. Players were faced with trick conditions, with five of Round 1’s six fixtures played across three venues on Sunday. Catch up on all the action in a snapshot.

>> Round 1 POTW: Willem Duursma (Gippsland Power)

BENDIGO PIONEERS 3.3 | 4.3 | 7.4 | 9.7 (61)
TASMANIA DEVILS 2.3 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 7.9 (51)

IN A SENTENCE:

In typically dour Craigieburn conditions, Bendigo Pioneers got on top of Tasmania Devils after half time and ground out a gritty 10-point win to snap their 329-day winning drought.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Bendigo Pioneers won the disposals (298-265), clearances (42-25), and rebound 50s (33-27)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Bendigo Pioneers

Tom Evans – 33 disposals, 4 clearances, 9 inside 50s
Cody Walker – 24 disposals, 4 clearances, 1 goal
Hunter Wright – 23 disposals, 9 clearances, 2 goals

Tasmania Devils

Oliver Depaoli-Kubank – 22 disposals, 4 marks, 3 clearances
Nathaniel Sulzberger – 19 disposals, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s
Jack Miller – 11 disposals, 5 marks, 3 goals

NEXT UP:

Pioneers vs. Murray Bushrangers | Sat April 5 @ Norm Minns Oval
Devils vs. Calder Cannons | Sat April 5 @ Highgate Rec Reserve

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 5.2 | 5.4 | 8.8 | 12.11 (83)
WESTERN JETS 0.2 | 3.4 | 6.6 (42)

IN A SENTENCE:

Five unanswered opening quarter goals set the platform for Sandringham Dragons’ 41-point win over Western Jets, kicking off Sunday’s double-header at RSEA Park.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Sandringham Dragons won the inside 50s (49-29) and scoring shots (23-12)
Western Jets won the disposals (337-307), marks (79-54), and clearances (35-29)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Sandringham Dragons

Ricky Theodoropoulas – 20 disposals, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal
Miles Tyrer – 20 disposals, 15 hitouts, 8 clearances, 1 goal
Rory Wright – 19 disposals, 4 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Western Jets

Thomas McGuane – 28 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 5 clearances
Oskar Ainsworth – 23 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances
Zayne Weis – 14 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 goals

NEXT UP:

Dragons vs. Eastern Ranges | Sat April 6 @ RSEA Park
Western Jets – Bye

DANDENONG STINGRAYS 4.2 | 5.6 | 8.8 | 15.12 (102)
GEELONG FALCONS 0.3 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 7.11 (53)

IN A SENTENCE:

Dandenong Stingrays bookended their 49-point win over Geelong Falcons strongly; booting four unanswered goals in term one, and seven to one in the final quarter.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Dandenong Stingrays won the disposals (316-263), marks (74-47), and inside 50s (50-42)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Dandenong Stingrays

Sam Lewis – 24 disposals, 9 clearances, 1 goal
Toby Sinnema – 22 disposals, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s
Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves – 18 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal

Geelong Falcons

Josh Lindsay – 27 disposals, 7 tackles, 7 clearances
Hamish McGowan – 16 disposals, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal
Jack Pickett – 7 disposals, 2 marks, 3 goals

NEXT UP:

Stingrays vs. Gippsland Power | Sun April 6 @ Morwell Football Ground
Falcons vs. GWV Rebels | Sat April 5 @ Mars Stadium

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 1.0 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 6.6 (42)
GIPPSLAND POWER 5.3 | 8.8 | 11.11 | 13.12 (90)

IN A SENTENCE:

Gippsland Power surged to a 48-point victory over Murray Bushrangers, setting up the result with five goals to one in a dominant opening quarter.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Gippsland Power won the disposals (336-290), tackles (70-26), clearances (32-22), and inside 50s (55-23)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Murray Bushrangers

Riley Onley – 28 disposals, 7 marks, 7 clearances, 1 goal
Harry Dean – 16 disposals, 7 marks, 6 rebound 50s
Liam Hetherton – 14 disposals, 5 marks, 3 goals

Gippsland Power

Willem Duursma – 36 disposals, 10 marks, 5 clearances, 1 goal
Marlon Neocleous – 23 disposals, 8 inside 50s, 2 goals
Wil Malady – 8 disposals, 5 marks, 4 goals

NEXT UP:

Bushrangers vs. Bendigo Pioneers | Sat April 5 @ Norm Minns Oval
Power vs. Dandenong Stingrays | Sun April 6 @ Morwell Football Ground

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 2.2 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 11.10 (76)
CALDER CANNONS 3.4 | 7.6 | 9.7 | 12.9 (81)

IN A SENTENCE:

Having led comfortably throughout the day – by as many as 32 points – Calder Cannons withstood a late Oakleigh Chargers surge to win by five.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Calder Cannons won the kicks (161-144), clearances (38-22), and inside 50s (45-39)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Oakleigh Chargers

Sam Allen – 20 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal
Hunter Holmes – 19 disposals, 6 tackles, 5 inside 50s
Sam Grlj – 18 disposals, 5 clearances, 2 goals

Calder Cannons

Cooper Duff-Tytler – 26 disposals, 14 hitouts, 8 clearances, 2 goals
Adam Sweid – 25 disposals, 5 clearances, 2 goals
Hussien El Achkar – 15 disposals, 4 goals, 2 behinds

NEXT UP:

Chargers vs. Northern Knights | Sat April 5 @ Highgate Rec Reserve
Cannons vs. Tasmania Devils | Sat April 5 @ Highgate Rec Reserve

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 2.4 | 3.6 | 5.7 | 7.12 (54)
EASTERN RANGES 3.1 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 8.9 (57)

IN A SENTENCE:

After getting acquainted in a preseason scratch match, Eastern Ranges held on to take out a thriller against the inaccurate Northern Knights by three points.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Eastern Ranges won the kicks (167-132), marks (70-33), and tackles (83-69)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Northern Knights

Sebastian Murphy – 25 disposals, 7 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal
Roman Moxon – 20 disposals, 4 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s
Tyson Gresham – 19 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 clearances

Eastern Ranges

Oliver Greeves – 23 disposals, 5 tackles, 4 clearances
Oliver McKenzie – 20 disposals, 5 marks, 7 rebound 50s
Lachy Dovaston – 11 disposals, 6 tackles, 3 goals

NEXT UP:

Knights vs. Oakleigh Chargers | Sat April 5 @ Highgate Rec Reserve
Ranges vs. Sandringham Dragons | Sun April 6 @ RSEA Park