AFTER one round of Coates Talent League Girls action, the votes for the 2025 Rookie Me Central Medal have been cast with 30 players across the six games polling as part of our 5-4-3-2-1 system. From huge goal hauls to stat-stuffing ball-winning performances, there is a variety of players taking an early equal lead.

>> SCROLL to see all the Round 1 votes

The Rookie Me Central Medal has been awarded to the player adjudged the best throughout the Coates Talent League Girls season. Different to the league best and fairest, this voting system includes five players to ensure more opportunities for those who are consistent across the board throughout the season.

Our three past winners are Murray Bushrangers’ Zarlie Goldsworthy (2022), Geelong Falcons’ Sara Howley (2023) and Dandenong Stingrays’ Jemma Reynolds (2024). Will 2025 be another year of a country winner, or will a metro star stand out?

As Tasmania Devils plays one less game than the rest of the league, those Devils players who receive votes will also gain their vote-per-game average added to their tally at the end of the season. Ie. if a Devils prospect has polled 26 votes across 13 games, that is an average of two, so they move up to 28 in the final count, with rounding to the nearest whole figure applied.

Looking to the Round 1 votes and a couple of huge goalkickers in bottom-agers Bailee Martin and Rose Bell easy choices for best-on-grounds, while Chloe Baker-West and Brylee Anderson emerged with the five-vote efforts after 38 and 31-disposal performances respectively.

One of the trickier two games was between the GWV Rebels and Geelong Falcons, with Maggie Johnstone‘s performance in a loss earning her five votes ahead of a flurry of Falcons. The other was Dandenong Stingrays’ enormous 109-point win over Gippsland Power where 10-plus Stingrays could have been awarded votes in just about any order. In the end, Nalu Brothwell‘s work at centre half-forward to set up goals as well as kick one herself got the nod ahead of equally deserving Alice Cunnington and Evelyn Connolly.

Stay tuned, we’ll post the full leaderboard after Round 3.

>> ROUND 1: Round Review | Player of the Week | Team of the Week | Player Focus | Scouting Notes

ROUND 1 VOTES

Murray Bushrangers 11.13 (79) def. Bendigo Pioneers 2.2 (14)

5 – Rose Bell (Murray Bushrangers)
4 – Nikhita Spiteri (Murray Bushrangers)
3 – Olivia Lacy (Bendigo Pioneers)
2 – Ava Bibby (Bendigo Pioneers)
1 – Eliza Roche (Murray Bushrangers)

GWV Rebels 3.2 (20) def. by Geelong Falcons 7.7 (49)

5 – Maggie Johnstone (GWV Rebels)
4 – Stella Huxtable (Geelong Falcons)
3 – Ava Bilyk (Geelong Falcons)
2 – Georgia Tyrrell (Geelong Falcons)
1 – Alana Mulvahil (Geelong Falcons)

Calder Cannons 4.9 (33) def. Western Jets 4.6 (30)

5 – Chloe Baker-West (Calder Cannons)
4 – Jade McLay (Calder Cannons)
3 – Alex McBride-Loane (Western Jets)
2 – Shauna McElligott (Calder Cannons)
1 – Olivia Castello (Western Jets)

Gippsland Power 2.1 (13) def. by Dandenong Stingrays 18.14 (122)

5 – Nalu Brothwell (Dandenong Stingrays)
4 – Alice Cunnington (Dandenong Stingrays)
3 – Evelyn Connolly (Dandenong Stingrays)
2 – Indi Sherritt (Dandenong Stingrays)
1 – Mizuki Brothwell (Dandenong Stingrays)

Northern Knights 5.5 (35) def. by Oakleigh Chargers 10.5 (65)

5 – Bailee Martin (Oakleigh Chargers)
4 – Marlo Graham (Northern Knights)
3 – Scarlett Johnson (Northern Knights)
2 – Chloe Bown (Oakleigh Chargers)
1 – Chloe Thorn (Oakleigh Chargers)

Sandringham Dragons 2.2 (14) def. by Eastern Ranges 8.18 (66)

5 – Brylee Anderson (Eastern Ranges)
4 – Tayla McMillan (Eastern Ranges)
3 – Chloe Williams (Sandringham Dragons)
2 – Isla Tucker (Sandringham Dragons)
1 – Jordyn Allen (Eastern Ranges)