THREE games were decided by a goal or less in Round 2 of the Coates Talent League as contenders begin to emerge. A pair of Country and Metro sides have respectively started their campaigns 2-0, including three-time reigning premiers, Sandringham. Catch up on the weekend’s action in a snapshot.

CALDER CANNONS 1.3 | 7.5 | 11.6 | 16.9 (105)
TASMANIA DEVILS 1.3 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 (31)

IN A SENTENCE:

After a steady start, Calder Cannons poured on nine goals to one in the second half to run out comprehensive 74-point victors over Tasmania and move to 2-0.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Calder Cannons won the kicks (213-142), marks (109-60) and inside 50s (47-37).

BY THE NUMBERS:

Calder Cannons

Adam Sweid – 26 disposals, 7 tackles, 5 clearances, 1 goal
Felix Kneipp – 26 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances
Cooper Duff-Tytler – 24 disposals, 5 marks, 23 hitouts

Tasmania Devils

Rylee McHenry – 27 disposals, 8 clearances, 8 inside 50s
Lucas Wootton – 18 disposals, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s
Oliver Dean – 13 disposals, 4 marks, 18 hitouts

WHERE THEY SIT:

Calder Cannons | 1st, 2-0, 173.8%
Tasmania Devils | 13th, 0-2, 49.4%

NEXT UP:

Calder Cannons vs. Northern Knights | Sat April 12, 10:30am @ Highgate Rec Reserve
Tasmania Devils – Bye

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 3.0 | 6.2 | 10.4 | 13.6 (84)
BENDIGO PIONEERS 4.2 | 7.5 | 9.8 | 13.11 (89)

IN A SENTENCE:

Bendigo Pioneers stormed home with four of the last five goals to overcome a 14-point fourth quarter deficit and the accurate Murray Bushrangers by five points.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Bendigo Pioneers won the inside 50s (43-40) and scoring shots (24-19).
Murray Bushrangers won the disposals (298-270) and tackles (69-57).

BY THE NUMBERS:

Murray Bushrangers

Riley Onley – 23 disposals, 6 marks, 8 clearances
Zac Harding – 18 disposals, 36 hitouts, 8 clearances
Liam Hetherton – 9 disposals, 7 hitouts, 5 goals

Bendigo Pioneers

Hunter Wright – 23 disposals, 10 clearances, 1 goal
Jaidi Jackson-Leahy – 23 disposals, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s
Tom Evans – 18 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles

WHERE THEY SIT:

Murray Bushrangers | 9th, 0-2, 70.4%
Bendigo Pioneers | 4th, 2-0, 111.1%

NEXT UP:

Murray Bushrangers vs. Geelong Falcons | Sun April 13, 12:30pm @ QEO
Bendigo Pioneers vs. Gippsland Power | Sun April 13, 10:00am @ QEO

GWV REBELS 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.9 | 8.13 (61)
GEELONG FALCONS 3.2 | 5.5 | 7.9 | 8.11 (59)

IN A SENTENCE:

GWV Rebels snuck ahead for the first time in the second half with five minutes left to play, and survived a late Jesse Mellor poster to start their season with a two-point win over Geelong Falcons.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

GWV Rebels won the marks (88-75), hitouts (36-15) and rebound 50s (43-36).
Geelong Falcons won the clearances (35-26) and inside 50s (51-45).

BY THE NUMBERS:

GWV Rebels

Talor Byrne – 23 disposals, 6 marks, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal
Ethan Drever – 22 disposals, 6 marks, 8 rebound 50s
Floyd Burmeister – 17 disposals, 6 marks, 3 goals

Geelong Falcons

Josh Lindsay – 25 disposals, 5 marks, 4 rebound 50s
Oliver Johnston – 22 disposals, 3 marks, 8 clearances
Jack Pickett – 11 disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals

WHERE THEY SIT:

GWV Rebels | 5th, 1-0, 103.4%
Geelong Falcons | 10th, 0-2, 68.7%

NEXT UP:

GWV Rebels vs. Dandenong Stingrays | Sun April 13, 3:00pm @ QEO
Geelong Falcons vs. Murray Bushrangers | Sun April 13, 12:30pm @ QEO

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 4.10 (34)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 2.3 | 10.3 | 11.10 | 16.15 (111)

IN A SENTENCE:

After a goalless first half, Northern Knights could do little to stop the resurgent Oakleigh Chargers, who posted eight-straight majors in the second quarter to set up a 77-point thumping.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Oakleigh Chargers won the disposals (330-282), inside 50s (55-34) and scoring shots (31-14).

BY THE NUMBERS:

Northern Knights

Hugh White – 28 disposals, 7 clearances, 2 goals
James Allison – 21 disposals, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s
Tyson Gresham – 17 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 goals

Oakleigh Chargers

Aaron Sharkie – 29 disposals, 6 marks, 6 inside 50s
Sam Grlj – 21 disposals, 6 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal
Zac McCarthy – 19 disposals, 17 hitouts, 6 clearances, 1 goal

WHERE THEY SIT:

Northern Knights | 11th, 0-2, 52.4%
Oakleigh Chargers | 6th, 1-1, 162.6%

NEXT UP:

Northern Knights vs. Calder Cannons | Sat April 12, 10:30am @ Highgate Rec Reserve
Oakleigh Chargers vs. Sandringham Dragons | Sat April 12, 2:00pm @ Trevor Barker Oval

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 3.1 | 8.1 | 11.2 | 14.6 (90)
EASTERN RANGES 3.0 | 6.3 | 9.5 | 13.6 (84)

IN A SENTENCE:

Archie Ludowyke‘s fifth goal saw Sandringham Dragons secure a six-point win over Eastern Ranges, moving to 2-0 after what was a high-quality, high-scoring clash.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Sandringham Dragons won the clearances (38-23) and inside 50s (45-42)
Eastern Ranges won the handballs (141-166) and tackles (51-43)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Sandringham Dragons

Rory Wright – 21 disposals, 7 clearances, 1 goal
Jhett Haeata – 15 disposals, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals
Archie Ludowyke – 13 disposals, 6 marks, 5 goals

Eastern Ranges

Oliver Greeves – 31 disposals, 6 clearances, 10 inside 50s
Oliver McKenzie – 24 disposals, 4 marks, 6 rebound 50s
Lachy Dovaston – 16 disposals, 6 tackles, 3 goals

WHERE THEY SIT:

Sandringham Dragons | 3rd, 2-0, 137.3%
Eastern Ranges | 8th, 1-1, 97.9%

NEXT UP:

Sandringham Dragons vs. Oakleigh Chargers | Sat April 12, 2:00pm @ Trevor Barker Oval
Eastern Ranges vs. Western Jets | Sat April 12, 1:30pm @ Avalon Airport Oval

GIPPSLAND POWER 3.2 | 5.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 (74)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 8.8 (56)

IN A SENTENCE:

Four goals to one during the premiership quarter proved the difference as Gippsland Power beat Dandenong Stingrays by 18 points to continue their impressive start to the season.

WHERE IT WAS WON:

Gippsland Power won the handballs (173-123), tackles (71-51) and clearances (39-23)

BY THE NUMBERS:

Gippsland Power

Cody Templeton – 27 disposals, 3 clearances, 5 goals
Brodie Atkins – 27 disposals, 4 tackles, 7 clearances
Marlon Neocleous – 19 disposals, 6 tackles, 1 goal

Dandenong Stingrays

Toby Sinnema – 20 disposals, 4 marks, 4 inside 50s
Marcus Prasad – 17 disposals, 5 clearances, 1 goal
Tairon Ah-Mu – 16 disposals, 5 marks, 2 goals

WHERE THEY SIT:

Gippsland Power | 2nd, 2-0, 167.3%
Dandenong Stingrays | 7th, 1-1, 124.4%

NEXT UP:

Gippsland Power vs. Bendigo Pioneers | Sun April 13, 10:00am @ QEO
Dandenong Stingrays vs. GWV Rebels | Sun April 13, 3:00pm @ QEO