COATES Talent League Girls action returned to Victoria over the weekend with all 12 Victorian teams taking to the field. We took note of some of the top performers from each fixture, with some huge individual performances and others who caught the eye.

>> ROUND 1: Round wrap | Player of the Week | Player Focus

Murray Bushrangers 11.13 (79) defeated Bendigo Pioneers 2.2 (14)

Murray Bushrangers:

#3 Rain Dodd
Midfielder/Forward | 165cm | 13/01/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s

The versatile Dodd rotated between attack and midfield on the day and tried to use her mix of strength and speed to break away from opponents. On a couple of occasions it did not pan out as planned, but her ability to break the lines when free was able to create something different forward of centre. Dodd is not afraid to use her body one-on-one and throw herself at the hardball.

#9 Eliza Roche
Forward | 165cm | 03/03/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals, 2 behinds

Roche was a little bit of composure away from arguably having four or five goals and going home with a massive bag. She still kicked two and showed her class, with the last one coming midway through the fourth using the outside of the boot from congestion. She converted the first of the game from a set shot, then had a couple of near misses as well. Clean and dangerous in front of goal, she is definitely one to remember for next season.

#15 Nikhita Spiteri
Midfielder/Forward | 171cm | 20/07/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 2 marks, 9 tackles, 4 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 3 behinds

Spiteri had an enormous first quarter, seemingly everywhere and working hard between on-ball and forward. At times she can be a little rushed with her disposal, but had maximum impact inside 50 by setting up Bell with no less than three of her teammate’s four first quarter goals. She missed a few chances herself in front of the big sticks, but her elite defensive pressure – which has always underpinned her game – was still there. A dominant ball-winner for the Bushies.

#23 Madison Ibrahim
Defender/Midfielder | 169cm | 12/12/2006

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 tackles 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 2 behinds

The over-age prospect will head to Essendon VFLW later in the season, but had a nice first outing for the Bushrangers. She played off half-back and pushed further afield to even have a say in front of goal. It was a case of third time lucky for the Vic Country representative, with carbon copy attempts from forward stoppages or lurking around the back of congestion to get onto her left side. Could have had a couple more goals, but will learn from it, such as one instance running past for a handball but on her right side so spent tickets switching to her left which added pressure.

#24 Rose Bell
Forward | 170cm | 18/03/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 3 inside 50s, 6 goals

Had a day out in front of the big sticks with a ridiculous four-goal first quarter before kicking two more in the third. Her ability to know where the big sticks are and finish convincingly was very good, with just one of her goals coming from a set shot and the rest from either soccers off the deck, toepokes or snaps. By the time she’d kicked her sixth she couldn’t help but get boot to ball, almost tripping over it as she kept it in front of her around the goalpost and avoiding the nearby defender. An absolute day out.

Bendigo Pioneers:

#2 Olivia Lacy
Midfielder/Defender | 169cm | 15/06/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 marks, 8 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

The standout for the Pioneers across the four quarters, Lacy worked hard all game through the midfield and then provided some support in the back half at times too. Her highlights included a huge run-down tackle on Rain Dodd as her opponent attempted to fend her off, and her well-weighted kicks around the ground. Clean at ground level, Lacy has had more efficient games, but she balanced her inside and outside work and distributed well across the ground while taking half a dozen marks.

#5 Ava Bibby
Ruck/Forward | 186cm | 09/05/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 19 hitouts, 5 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The key forward started life as a ruck to get her hands on the ball more, and for a 186cm player showed great intent at ground level. Bibby is not afraid to do the grunt work and get her hands dirty, or likewise shark it from the ruck and put it forward. Right up there with Lacy as the most influential players, she provided a target and still got time in forward half. Looked comfortable as that roaming ruck to be a target all over the field.

#12 Issy Boulton
Midfielder/Defender | 162cm | 21/05/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 7 rebound 50s

Started on-ball then moved into defence where she found her place when the Bushrangers were attacking hard. She took some kick outs and applied great pressure, saving a number of goal scoring opportunities in the process. Her kicking was a little hit and miss under said pressure, but she worked into space well and provided more drive out of defence than anyone else.

GWV Rebels 3.2 (20) defeated by Geelong Falcons 7.7 (49)

GWV Rebels:

#7 Maggie Johnstone
Utility | 171cm | 06/06/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 marks, 9 tackles, 8 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 3 goals

It might not have been enough to drag her team across the line but Johnstone had one of the performances of the round. It might fly under the radar due to her side losing, but she was phenomenal across all three lines. She started on-ball, went forward then assisted in defence and not only dominated around the stoppages, but slammed home all three of her team’s goals. At times Johnstone can do a little too much and gets pinged holding the ball, but she has the licence to try and power through stoppages, and her goal sense and raking boot allows her to break the game open.

#8 Scarlett O’Donnell
Forward/Midfielder | 171cm | 03/11/2006

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 2 behinds

Internally has been talked up for over 12 months as one to watch, and with another preseason behind her, the over-ager looked to have got everything in order to have a good year. She has some great athletic traits with a nice burst, and while missing a couple of chances – hitting both posts just six minutes apart – she also spent time in the midfield and was able to keep speed on the ball with one-twos or outbodying her opponent.

#35 Alexandra Oldaker
Wing | 165cm | 08/11/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Liked her work out on a wing where she presents as a player stronger than her size might suggest. She competed well in the air and though she did drop a couple she should have taken, recovered well and applied great defensive pressure to her opponents. Oldaker covered the ground well and held a great line, while boasting a booming kick that cleared any congestion going forward.

Geelong Falcons:

#9 Georgia Tyrrell
Midfielder | 168cm | 04/08/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 3 marks, 15 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s, 1 goal

It was a typical Tyrrell performance to kick off her top-age campaign with copious amounts of defensive pressure and clean hands in traffic. She laid a ridiculous 15 tackles and ran hard both ways to be a consistent ball-winner across the four quarters. Tyrrell is one of the most reliable players and has the opportunity to step up in midfield alongside Huxtable, being a prominent extractor for the Falcons this year.

#24 Alana Mulvahil
Midfielder/Forward | 163cm | 16/02/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Put up some big numbers and assisted Tyrrell and Huxtable through the middle before resting forward and looking to hit targets forward of centre. Not quite as big as her midfield counterparts, Mulvahil still brought plenty of tackling pressure, and her low bullet kick early in the third to Meg Lappin before running on for a handball receive and another low bullet inside 50 to a leading target was a moment that would have made anyone stand up and take note.

#26 Ava Bilyk
Forward/Midfielder | 167cm | 07/07/2008

Stats: 28 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles, 4 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

Vic Country’s Under 16s representative from last year started forward and worked up the ground at times to get her hands on the ball, covering the ground with ease. She is one of those players who has the flexibility to play with fluidity that even if her role is forward, she is capable enough to work up the ground, win the ball and be able to get back to still fulfil that role. She was the pick of the bottom-agers on the day and among the best on the field, with her kicking and smarts again highlighted, finishing off with a set shot goal in the first term.

#38 Stella Huxtable
Midfielder/Forward | 172cm | 22/12/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 1 mark, 10 tackles, 7 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 3 behinds

Like Tyrrell, Huxtable is just such a reliable player that coaches know what they are going to get week-in, week-out. She rotated between on-ball and forward, and kicked 1.3 that actually could have been four or even five goals. So close to producing one of the performances of the round, Huxtable had three accurate long-range launches that were touched on the goalline or goalsquare, and another that only narrowly missed before putting one through that just evaded the Rebels defender’s hands.

Calder Cannons 4.9 (33) defeated Western Jets 4.6 (30)

Calder Cannons:

#3 Chloe Baker-West
Midfielder/Forward | 165cm | 02/02/2007

Stats: 38 disposals, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 2 behinds

Baker-West picked up where she left off in limited appearances last season to put up a stat-stuffing performance. Rotating between midfield and attack she had a league-high 38 disposals in the narrow win, while presenting up forward and showing great strength overhead. For a full recap on her performance check out our Player Focus on Baker-West below.

>>> CTLG Round 1 Player Focus: Chloe Baker-West

#5 Jade McLay
Midfielder/Forward | 178cm | 01/02/2007

Stats: 31 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 4 clearances, 8 inside 50s

Similar to Baker-West just looked that level above throughout four quarters with her ability to find the ball. She used her strength around the stoppages and then rotated forward with her fellow National Academy member to impact across both areas. She can tend to go for distance over accuracy at times, but given the power she puts into her kicks, it is mostly effective for the purpose. On the day, McLay opted for a lot of quick, flick handballs before drawing contact, allowing extra time for teammates to run on.

#15 Shauna McElligott
Forward | 162cm | 05/03/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50, 2 goals

Showed promising signs as a bottom-ager last season and finished Round 1 as arguably the most impressive outside of the two Academy members. Her work rate was eye-catching, but it was her mix of skill and defensive pressure that made her a two-way threat. McElligott plays taller than her 162cm might suggest, and her kicking technique is effective, while always following up her short touches. Kicked two goals in the space of a few minutes during the second term with great forward craft and showed she could be in for a big year.

Western Jets:

#2 Addison West
Defender/Midfielder | 166cm | 16/05/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

An eye-catching bottom-ager who was another with great shades of defensive pressure to match her offensive work, West ran hard from the back half of the ground and provide some dash in transition. Her brilliant run-down tackle in the first term set the tone, and she was quick by hand and foot. After seven disposals in the first term only had the five in the last three quarters, so will look to build consistency but the traits are there.

#30 Alex McBride-Loane
Defender | 174cm | 03/04/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 11 rebound 50s

Had her work cut out for her from the start and did her best to consistently rebound from the back 50. Often taking kick-outs, McBride-Loane utilised her booming kick to clear the danger, and put her body on the line in marking contests as well. The Western tall was always happy to play the safe option and rush the ball through or put it to non-damaging positions. Had a couple of crucial spoils or touches to save goals as well.

Gippsland Power 2.1 (13) defeated by Dandenong Stingrays 18.14 (122)

Gippsland Power:

#9 Lily Milner
Midfielder/Defender | 172cm | 25/01/2008

Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

While finding the going tough and not having a heap of options in transition with the breeze, Milner did work hard throughout the four quarters to apply defensive pressure and then create some gaps from which to run. Tended to kick it a little high in the air given the conditions which resulted in some turnovers, but her natural class and ability to get into the right spots was evident.

#19 Ella Stoddart
Midfielder/Defender | 174cm | 30/01/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 5 rebound 50s

Started on-ball then went back to assist in an under-siege defence, Stoddart was alight first-up and tried hard. She cracked in when she needed to, and did win a few critical contested possession as well as intercepting in defence. Ultimately like her team the midfield was overwhelmed but did have a few nice moments here and there.

#33 Maya Crestani
Ruck | 184cm | 02/08/2007

Stats: 7 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 22 hitouts, 1 rebound 50

Taking control of the ruck duties, Crestani could hold her head high in the one-on-one duels around the ground, while showing some nice athletic traits in the process. Her one mark was a strong one, and while her kicking is an area to improve as well as ground level work, she competes and her ruck craft looks quite strong.

#36 Chelsea Sutton
Midfielder/Forward | 169cm | 16/11/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 4 tackles, 6 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Arguably Gippsland’s best on the day, Sutton battled on through the middle and racked up a team-high six clearances in the process. Like Stoddart, was up against it most of the day, but used a quick first few steps to burst away and try and drive the ball forward. Was lively throughout the match and showed great strength when required.

Dandenong Stingrays:

#1 Evelyn Connolly
Forward/Midfielder | 169cm | 26/05/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 3 goals, 3 behinds

Was touted as one to watch this season with a huge preseason behind her, and Connolly did not disappoint largely playing forward with a third quarter stint in the midfield. She booted three goals across the second and third quarters, with great class around the goals and finds space to lead into so well. Her power and hunger to win the ball and hit the scoreboard is evident and has a point of difference to a lot of other forwards with her mix of smarts and strength.

#4 Tahlia Sanger
Midfielder | 167cm | 18/08/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 7 inside 50s

The over-ager transitioned from wing to midfield having only returned from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mid-season last year. Sanger has some terrific speed and she can attack the contest hard with consistent ground coverage and a high work rate. She laid plenty of tackles, put her body on the line and was influential with her extraction work from inside to outside. Her second term in particularly really caught the eye racking up the ball and taking a strong mark.

#5 Mizuki Brothwell
Defender | 175cm | 22/10/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

While at times Brothwell did not have a heap to do behind the ball, the National Academy worked hard to impact the game further afield with her running. She loved to sidestep an opponent or weave between a couple to get space, and got into the right spots to either intercept mark, or gather and take off. Her fundamentals have continued to improve over the off-season, and she looked very composed when in defence using it well by hand or foot.

#6 Makhaela Bluhm
Forward/Midfielder | 174cm | 10/02/2006

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals, 1 behind

The over-ager who got the chance to represent Vic Country last year looked strong through both the midfield and up forward, kicking a couple of goals during the domination. She kicked the first off a step, then slotted another after a turnover close to goal, applying important pressure at ground level. With her smarts around goal and versatility to roll into the midfield, Bluhm showed she could be a valuable 19-year-old prospect in 2025.

#9 Nalu Brothwell
Forward | 174cm | 22/10/2007

Stats: 25 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 3 hitouts, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Brothwell has had bigger performances in terms of goals scored, but she was phenomenal in the win. Clunking some great grabs, and impacting the scoreboard in a multitude of ways, Brothwell truly had an all-round performance. She left a couple of chances out there with her shots on goal, with the sole major coming off a lucky bounce, but she set up no less than four goals in the match to go with her one, and won a fair bit in contested situations.

#10 Matilda Argus
Midfielder | 166cm | 08/01/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

The left-footer was a strong performer through the midfield, showing great aggressiveness from the get-go. Argus’ natural strength and power stands out, but she also has some nice toe, with a slick sidestep to evade would-be tacklers. Almost kicked a long-range goal that was touched on the line, and while at times her kicking was a little hit and miss due to the pressure and conditions, her vision and decision making was very good.

#12 Alice Cunnington
Forward | 174cm | 30/06/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 4 goals, 2 behinds

The spark that got her side going when no one could seemingly put one through the big sticks early, Cunnington kicked both her side’s first quarter goals, and would finish with four for the match all up the one end. Her majors came from different sources, though her best was saved for last where in the third term she burst from a forward stoppage in a set play, threw it on the right boot while off balance and watched it sail home. Strong overhead and classy around goals, is a very exciting prospect for next season.

#13 Indi Sherritt
Forward | 158cm | 02/06/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside. 50s, 1 rebound 50, 2 goals, 1 behind

Perhaps the surprise packet of the top-age contingent at the Stingrays on the day, Sherritt showed just how much depth the team has across the board. She was very lively in the forward half, kicking a couple of nice goals on the move, with most of her touches coming in transition. She was lively, provided a spark and applied nice defensive pressure to impress during the win.

#27 Marlee Black
Forward | 164cm | 14/05/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 3 goals

Benefited from a wealth of inside 50s, Black first hit the scoreboard against the breeze in the second term on the move, before booting two more in the third quarter. She found her space inside 50 and read the ball well in flight, while converting her chances in front of the big sticks. Is only a bottom-ager but fitted in well and showed she could be a danger for opposition defenders this season.

Northern Knights 5.5 (35) defeated by Oakleigh Chargers 10.5 (65)

Northern Knights:

#3 Marlo Graham
Midfielder/Forward | 163cm | 15/11/2007

Stats: 29 disposals, 2 marks, 10 tackles, 7 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 1 goal

An incredible performance from the vice-captain who was clearly best afield for her side in the tough loss. Graham was everywhere rotating between midfield and forward, copping knocks all over the place but bouncing back. She put her body on the line consistently, racked up the clearances and dished off to outside runners to be one of the better all-round performances of the weekend. She kicked a nice goal following a great lead inside 50 to cap off a hard-running performance.

#7 Scarlett Johnson
Defender | 175cm | 26/11/2007

Stats: 25 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 6 rebound 50s

The former forward-wing found herself a new niche in defence, running off half-back and looking a natural at doing just that. She had a ball-winning friendly role in that ‘quarterback’ position, but got into the right spots, read the ball in flight consistently, and created rebound from the back 50 going forward in transition. She has great athletic traits she used to adapt to the new role, and was one of the Knights’ best across the four quarters.

#8 Isobella Hishongwa-Gibb
Ruck/Forward | 181cm | 27/07/2007

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 37 hitouts, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 goal

While Hishongwa-Gibb is not a high-volume possession-winning ruck, she is one of the best tap rucks in the competition thanks to her terrific vertical leap and ability to palm down the ball to teammates. She dominated the role with ease racking up 37 hitouts, more than the opposition total number (27). Her biggest highlight was a ripping goal from long-range just inside the 50-metre arc where she launched and got the lucky bounce at the end.

#25 Kiara Keenan
Defender | 169cm | 12/12/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 4 rebound 50s

Keenan showed strength in the back half both in the air and at ground level, competing time and time again. Her tackling pressure was outstanding and at times she ripped the ball from opponent’s hands to win it back for her team. One-on-one she is strong and if she does nto mark it, she brings it to ground. While usually a reliable kick she can sometimes rush off a step, but overall competed fiercely across the four quarters.

Oakleigh Chargers:

#2 Chloe Thorn
Defender | 167cm | 07/09/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 1 inside 50, 5 rebound 50s

Went back to her familiar defensive role though is touted for more midfield minutes in the future. She was a calm and composed user behind the ball, took the kickouts and clunked a few good marks. Her running capacity was high and she covered the ground really well, pushing up to a wing at times. Thorn had a nice little flick handball midway through the second quarter that caught the eye, and she followed up with great hands shortly after with a a handball off the deck. Consistent as ever.

#9 Chloe Bown
Midfielder | 173cm | 20/12/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 5 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Was just solid across the board with her ability to extract it from the stoppages and get it forward, showing power and strength along the way. She can sometimes thump it on the boot for distance, but with time and space hits targets on either side of her body, and Bown seemed to only get stronger as the game went on. Her aerial ability and ground level work was consistently impressively, and she was ultra-clean with the ball on the deck.

#18 Bailee Martin
Forward | 176cm | 06/06/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 9 marks, 2 tackles, 3 hitouts, 9 goals, 2 behinds

A simply spectacular performance in front of goal, Martin cycled through as many as four opponents en route to an equal-high individual goals in a game competition record. She had booted four goals by quarter time, reached nine early in the fourth, and was nailing everything that fell into her lap. She missed a chance at a 10th that seemed easier than others she had kicked, as well as unselfishly passing off to Gladman in a better spot late in the match. Those chances along with hitting the post just before the final siren denied her the outright record, but Martin’s game was one for the ages and to think she will be in the competition for the next two years is exciting.

#21 Amelie Gladman
Forward | 167cm | 16/06/2006

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 8 inside 50s, 1 goal

Coming back for an over-age season, Gladman was busy in the forward half playing both high and deep in tandem with Martin. She worked well pushing up the ground and distributing effectively by foot with her kicking and smarts among her weapons. She was the only one to hit the scoreboard outside of Martin, but set up her teammate with several clever passes and was very lively in the front half.

#26 Teagan Murtic
Midfielder | 169cm | 22/10/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 6 clearances, 1 inside 50

It was a handball-heavy orientated game for Murtic who thrives on the contested side of football. She racked up 24 touches of which 21 were handballs, but her extraction capabilities allowed her to feed the ball to teammates in space. She was fierce when required, but quite often got first hands to the ball, and was almost always in-and-under or flicking it out with quick and clean hands.

#46 Molly Phillips
Forward/Midfielder | 166cm | 01/10/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s

The bottom-ager was the pick of the newcomers to the program, with Phillips having an impressive debut performance. She showed some nice toe, got to rotate on-ball as well and won a few nice clearances. Her sidestep and kick inside 50 midway through the second term was a highlight, while having the strength to stand up in a tackle, or dish out as good as she got defensively.

Sandringham Dragons 2.2 (14) defeated by Eastern Ranges 8.18 (66)

Sandringham Dragons:

#10 Macy Watkins
Midfielder | 172cm | 24/05/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

The tough inside midfielder cracked in around the contest, and though traditionally her best work is done on the inside, she arguably had more impact on the outside in the game. Her hands overhead stood out on the wings or flanks, and she got back to help defend behind the ball. Watkins’ tackling pressure was very good, and though she did get rundown by Bamford early in the match, is someone teammates can rely on to step up and look to win the ball from the the opposition. Competed across the four quarters.

#29 Isla Tucker
Defender | 168cm | 11/07/2007

Stats: 33 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 8 rebound 50s

Given the amount of behinds Eastern kicked early in the match, as the designated kick-in player, Tucker racked up some big numbers. In saying that, she was efficient with ball-in-hand and did compete at ground level when required showing layers to her game outside picking up those cheaper touches. She won half of her possessions in a contest, and mopped up in defence when required to record a match-high eight rebound 50s.

#39 Chloe Williams
Defender/Wing | 175cm | 23/04/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s, 1 goal

Possibly the most impressive player in Dragons colours, the bottom-age prospect was strong in the air and provided a target from half-back up the ground. She intercepted on a number of occasions and competed to bring the ball to ground, all while applying great pressure. Playing aggressively in transition, Williams’ hard work paid off late in the match when she kicked a great goal that bounced home. Williams has the running capacity to further develop in that wing role too.

#54 Ash Patton
Midfielder/Defender | 170cm | 26/09/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 7 marks, 2 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50, 6 rebound 50s

The former National Academy member slotted in a treat for the Dragons, starting on-ball and then floating back to assist the defence. She was often the first or second option coming from the kick out to use her skill and smarts to pinpoint passes down the ground. She won a fair bit of the ball in transition on the outside, though also was able to extract it from the coalface with great evasion to have a really strong performance in her debut Dragons game.

Eastern Ranges:

#6 Tayla McMillan
Midfielder | 161cm | 25/05/2007

Stats: 27 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s

The Eastern Ranges dynamo lead from the front with a fierce defensive effort mixed with outstanding skill and poise. She ran at 77.8 per cent disposal efficiency while winning around half of her possessions in a contest. Though she was largely utilised as a second possession winner in the match with her speed and evasion, McMillan just made everything happen with well-weighted passes and precision handballs to teammates in space.

#10 Jordyn Allen
Midfielder | 165cm | 12/11/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 9 inside 50s, 1 goal

Similar to McMillan, Allen was heavily involved through the middle, though was huge at ground level, winning a match-high five hardball gets. That work rate to transition from inside to outside also allowed Allen to get the ball forward more often than anyone else, and she started with a bang, kicking the opening goal of the match from long-range with a classy finish. Kept battling on and had her fair share of impressive plays.

#12 Emily Rankin
Midfielder/Forward | 166cm | 11/05/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals

A classy finisher, Rankin kicked two goals in the second half to cap off an impressive game that saw her roll between midfield and attack. She took a little while to get going, but once she did, she had it on a string. Her first goal came via a toe-poke off the deck reading the fall of the ball off Bamford’s hands in the goalsquare perfectly to soccer it home, while her second was the last goal of the game from a set shot just over hands deep in the 50.

#17 Lara Williams
Forward/Defender | 169cm | 29/08/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 5, 1 goal, 4 behinds

Had an ‘almost’ game in front of the big sticks with a few misses she arguably should have put away, but was still very lively and looming as a huge threat to the Sandringham defence. Williams was quick on the scene, hit the post twice in the opening term before converting a classy snap in the second. She spent time in the defence late in the match, then worked forward once more to have a fourth attempt on goal following a fend-off but that also missed. Still, was a strong performance.

#31 Brylee Anderson
Midfielder | 172cm | 25/03/2008

Stats: 31 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles, 7 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 2 behinds

Brought her own ball to the match to finish with the equal second most disposals of the weekend, and most in her contest. Anderson is set for plenty of midfield minutes this year, and the bottom-ager who won the Under 16s Vic Metro MVP was strong throughout the four quarters racking up a match-high seven clearances. She had a few wayward attempts on goal or thumping the ball forward, but was so strong in most situations and covered the ground well.

#37 Josephine Bamford
Ruck/Forward | 182cm | 03/06/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 13 hitouts, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal

An eye-catching performance from the ruck who also gained valuable experience up forward too. She moved like a ‘fourth midfielder’ and racked up possessions at will, while getting involved in secondary contests even when not pulling in the mark. She just competed which was key, and did earn a free kick late in the first quarter where she went back and made no mistake with the set shot. Overall was a standout tall on the day and is one of the new-age rucks who can do a little of everything.

#54 Zoe Wilkinson
Midfielder | 170cm | 17/05/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 tackle, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s

The tough inside midfielder had her moments and while others had bigger numbers, Wilkinson was pretty important in being a distributor from the inside to the outside. She was clean by hand, great in close and was able to impact outside statistical measures with either blocks or bumps which aided her side. Won 10 of her 14 possessions in a contest, as well as having nine groundball gets which indicated the role she played.