IT WAS a round to remember for the two New South Wales Academies with the Giants and Swans Academies recording three representatives in our Coates Talent League Girls Team of the Week for Round 5. The pair ended up the only teams of the 16 in action to have three, with five sides having two, and 15 of the 16 having at least one representative in the squad.

Our Player of the Week for Round 5 and therefore captain was Calder Cannons’ star Chloe Baker-West who racked up 38 disposals, 14 marks and 10 clearances, and is part of a stacked midfield group. Her versatility has her out on the wing, with the three on-ballers all going huge inside. Geelong Falcons’ Stella Huxtable (35 disposals) and Northern Knights’ Marlo Graham (33) were locks with five clearances apiece, while Lillian Snow had an equal round-high 10 clearances to fill the other inside spot.

On the opposite wing to Baker-West is the equally versatile Asher Fearn-Wannan who spent time through the ruck as well as wing, and she got the nod for said versatility against the Lions Academy. Her teammate Jordyn Allen (26 disposals, 10 rebound 50s) had a day out at half-back, with some big numbers from the defensive half of the ground.

GWV Rebels over-ager Isabella Davies (32 disposals, seven rebound 50s) rotated between defence and midfield, as did Ellie Hall (24 disposals, eight marks and five rebound 50s). Hall was one of the three Giants in the squad with fellow defender/midfielder Darcie Prosser-Shaw, and forward Majella Day who slotted a round-high six goals.

Also in defence is Swans Academy bottom-ager Charlotte Tidemann with Oakleigh Chargers’ Chloe Thorn in the other back pocket. A couple of other Sydney talents in the team are tall forward Alex Neyland (22 disposals, six marks, eight tackles and two goals) at centre half-forward, right next to over-age teammate Taylor Smith (11 disposals, four marks and four goals).

At full-forward is a familiar name in Bailee Martin who slotted four against the Oakleigh Chargers, while second-gamer Maya Duane and Calder Cannons’ Jasmina Curtis kicked three apiece in their Team of the Week debuts. Rounding out the starting 18 is Bendigo Pioneers key position utility Ava Bibby who got the nod as the starting ruck for Round 5 after 21 disposals, 11 marks and 23 hitouts in a loss to the Cannons.

On the bench is another ruck in Knights’ Isobella Hishongwa-Gibb, while Dandenong Stingrays’ Alice Cunnington and Suns Academy’s Alannah Welsh cover the forward rotations on the six-player interchange. Speedy Kaiya Hides represents the Lions Academy, while Gippsland Power midfielder Grace Dillow and Tasmania Devils utility Ava Read complete the 24-strong squad.

In definitely the most difficult round to choose thus far due to the sheer volume of standout performers, the last three to narrowly miss out and therefore are emergencies are Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils), Tayla McMillan (Eastern Ranges) and Chloe Williams (Sandringham Dragons).

2025 COATES TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 5

B: Charlotte Tidemann (Swans Academy) – Darcie Prosser-Shaw (Giants Academy) – Chloe Thorn (Oakleigh Chargers)
HB: Isabella Davies (GWV Rebels) – Ellie Hall (Giants Academy) – Jordyn Allen (Eastern Ranges)
C: Chloe Baker-West (Calder Cannons) (c) – Lillian Snow (Dandenong Stingrays) – Asha Fearn-Wannan (Eastern Ranges)
HF: Taylor Smith (Swans Academy) – Alex Neyland (Swans Academy) – Jasmina Curtis (Calder Cannons)
F: Majella Day (Giants Academy) – Bailee Martin (Oakleigh Chargers) – Maya Duane (Sandringham Dragons)
R: Ava Bibby (Bendigo Pioneers) – Stella Huxtable (Geelong Falcons) – Marlo Graham (Northern Knights)
INT: Alice Cunnington (Dandenong Stingrays) – Grace Dillow (Gippsland Power) – Kaiya Hides (Lions Academy) – Isobella Hishongwa-Gibb (Northern Knights) – Ava Read (Tasmania Devils) – Alannah Welsh (Suns Academy)

EMG: Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils) – Tayla McMillan (Eastern Ranges) – Chloe Williams (Sandringham Dragons)