A MIXED bag of Coates Talent League action saw three games decided by seven points or less, while the remaining two were relative blowouts. Six players from Tasmania and Murray were called up for Allies duties, while many others made their final preparations ahead of the Under 18 National Championships.

>> CTL ROUND 9: Snapshot | Player of the Week | Team of the Week

Dandenong Stingrays 9.9 (63) def. Tasmania Devils 9.2 (56)

By: Declan Reeve

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#3 Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves
Midfielder/Forward | 186cm | 16/11/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, 1 goal

As the AFL Academy prospect continues to build into match fitness, he spent the first half exclusively playing through the midfield before finding himself more in the forward 50 during the second half. While his first couple of disposals weren’t at his usual standard, he was mostly clinical afterwards, also moving the ball forward with clean use. Hibbins-Hargreaves was a little fumbly at ground level, particularly as opposition closed in on him, but was classically clean overhead, putting away the sealing goal after holding a strong mark against closing opponents. 

#4 Marcus Prasad
Small Forward | 167cm | 23/03/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 8 tackles, 7 clearances, 3 goals

The bottom-aged small just continues to get it done week in, week out, checking all the boxes required of a modern day forward. Prasad was hot on the footy, comfortable going against bigger bodies at ground level and in the air to gain possession. He also pressured fiercely around the contest, laying an equal team-high eight tackles. Prasad finished the day with three straight majors, one from a smart run at a forward 50 stoppage, another from a contested mark deep insider 50, and the last by catching an opponent holding the ball near the square. 

#8 Max Lee
Defender | 183cm | 24/07/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles

Preparing to suit up for Vic Country this coming week, Lee put in a good display despite not lighting up the stats sheet. Utilising his speed where he could, Lee looked to run and carry with the ball when winning it in space, or worked to break free of congestion before finding an option further afield. He also applied his explosive speed defensively to lay tackles in the defensive 50. Lee was mostly good with his ball use, showing a few fine moments where he was able to quickly pivot on the spot and change lanes with his kicks.

#29 Callum Smith
Midfielder | 189cm | 12/09/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 6 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 1 goal

Another Stingrays player preparing for Vic Country representation, Smith worked hard around the ground to be an important link from the defensive half to the forward half, leading his side for both inside 50s and rebound 50s. Smith was most impressive with his ball use by hand, proving incisive to keep his side moving at speed, often handballing before he had even fully gotten up from the ground ball. Smith’s use by foot was inconsistent, lacking precision at times when on the run but spotting up targets well when kicking from over the mark. 

TASMANIA DEVILS:

#12 Rylee McHenry
Midfielder/Forward | 179cm | 17/07/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals

McHenry had some nice displays of power through the contest, able to consistently stand up in tackles and break away from congestion, or on occasion utilise his evasiveness to get around opposition. He demonstrated that evasiveness on the way to both his goals, the first after he crumbed a ball from a marking contest at the top of the centre square, working around to kick it from 50 on the run, and the second coming from an intercepted handball in the forward 50, initially kicking a behind but getting another opportunity at it after copping a hit after disposaing of the ball. 

#20 Max Roney
Midfielder | 186cm | 16/03/2006

Stats: 25 disposals, 6 tackles, 8 clearances, 5 inside 50s

The overaged midfielder put his size and experience to work, leading the disposal count for the game. Roney found himself in the right spot to be at the fall of the ball from rucks hands quite often, able to extract and get rid of the footy well, pressuring intently when an opponent beat him to it. Roney was able to stand up in tackles through the game, keeping his arms free to fire out a handball, or kick long towards the Devils goals rather than give away a free or concede a stoppage. 

#28 Avery Thomas
Defender | 186cm | 20/09/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 9 marks, 7 rebound 50s

The prime interceptor on ground, Thomas was all heart and intent with his constant efforts in the defensive half for his side. Thomas flew for everything he was around and more often than not held the ball as it came in, looking to move the ball forward at speed with long kicks further afield his preferred disposal. Thomas was also a threat when the ball was on the deck, throwing himself at it fearlessly to knock it on for teammates to win uncontested. Thomas got more involved in his sides possession play as the game wore on, getting used as a defensive option to then spread wide. 

Northern Knights 8.2 (50) def. by Eastern Ranges 17.11 (113)

By: Adrian Dixon

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:

#23 Gabriel Stumpf
Key Defender | 186cm | 23/11/2006

Stats: 20 disposals, 5 marks, 5 5 rebound 50s

Continuing his good form this season as a defender, Stumpf stood tall down back early especially when it came to holding up a Knights defence that was under siege. He took several strong contested marks and repelled forward thrusts from the Ranges with a few key intercept. In those instances, his ability to position well and read the play stood out. Stumpf was also often trusted with taking the kick-outs, indicating his importance to the Knights team.

#45 Hugh White
Midfielder | 183cm | 26/08/2006

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 8 clearances, 5 inside 50s

With his strong presence around the contest, White once again did his best to continually drive his side forward from the stoppages, where he read his ruckman’s hitouts well throughout the game. His delivery inside 50 was strong, either putting them into dangerous spots or hitting targets, including a nice one in the first quarter where he hit up Sam Gayfer. White showed great vision and composure throughout the day to ensure his disposal was effective.

EASTERN RANGES:

#1 Blake Chambers
Wing | 182cm | 31/05/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Chambers was prominent early, covering the ground exceptionally well down back and pushing up the ground as a link man, providing excellent delivery inside 50. Chambers switched the play down back where and when necessary, and took a great intercept mark in the first quarter. After going through a few quiet patches in the middle of the game, he came up with a great delivery inside 50 for Jamie Armitage which was converted. Chambers provided plenty of run throughout the game with and without the ball, especially to support his teammates with providing a passing option.

#8 Lachy Dovaston
Small Forward | 177cm | 29/05/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 9 tackles, 2 goals

Dovaston had a quiet first quarter but slowly got into the game as it wore on. He used his speed and evasiveness to break away from the contest constantly, while providing great forward pressure to force turnovers and create scoring opportunities. Dovaston’s first goal came from a long-range set shot kick in the third quarter and while he managed two majors for the day, he could have taken better advantage of his chances inside 50, especially in the last quarter.

#9 Josiah Landy
Midfielder | 179cm | 27/01/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals

Landy’s vision was excellent in setting up the first goal of the game with a handball just over a minute into the contest. He provided excellent bodywork in one-on-one situations and was first to the ball on many occasions. He took a nice mark in the third quarter deep in the pocket where he had positioned nicely, and then converted from a slight angle to continue the job for the Ranges. Landy provided great work around the contest and in the last quarter read a stoppage perfectly well to kick a goal from above the square, then showed excellent vision to find Charlie Nash for another.

#25 Oskar Taylor
Defender | 182cm | 01/08/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles

Often seen as a go-to man in defence for his teammates, Taylor provided plenty of run out of the backline with his speed, utilising his running patterns and long-left foot kick to deliver the ball well. He also utilised strong urunning when it came to his follow-up work, providing an option for his teammates once he disposed of the ball. His creativity and vision were important and also showed his ability to read the play, especially early in the game where he took a nice intercept mark and looked to bring others into the game.

Bendigo Pioneers 9.12 (66) def. by Sandringham Dragons 10.8 (68)

By: Michael Alvaro

BENDIGO PIONEERS:

#1 Cody Walker
Midfielder/Forward | 184cm | 26/01/2008

Stats: 31 disposals, 5 marks, 6 clearances, 10 inside 50s

Walker was once again immense for Bendigo when the game was on the line, adding 11 disposals to his tally in the final quarter. He even had a shot from inside the centre square after the siren which landed just short of the target. His ability to cover the ground was on show, dropping back so he could drive the ball forward with power kicking. The highlight of his game was a super leap to mark at half-forward before hitting a flat re-entry kick inside 50 to set up a score. At his best, Walker is elite, though he can continue to work on being pinpoint with his exit kicks from stoppage.

#2 Tom Evans
Defender | 180cm | 22/02/2006

Stats: 33 disposals, 7 marks, 10 rebound 50s

Evans continued on his way with another high-production performance down back. He matched up on Ricky Theodoropoulos and was not afraid to take up aggressive positions up the ground, though in turn allowed the crafty forward to get free out the back. Evans got his kicking game going as the game wore on, picking out options in the corridor and taking ground on the overlap. Some of his high-risk delivery was excellent and sparked several scoring chains, even after a few early errors.

#9 Hunter Wright
Midfielder/Forward | 188cm | 20/10/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 5 marks, 4 clearances, 1 goal

Wright played second string to Walker for much of the day, though his nine third quarter disposals coincided with the bottom-ager’s quietest patch. The Pioneers co-captain showed good balance and strength in the contest to remain upright, using his clean hands to act as a distributor. His vision out of the packs was useful in those situations, and he continued to be a threat when rotating forward. Wright bagged a set shot goal in the third quarter having put a couple of chances wide in the opening term, maintaining his goal-a-game ratio this season.

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:

#5 Ricky Theodoropoulos
Small Forward | 170cm | 05/04/2007

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

Theodoropoulos was back to his crafty best on Saturday, taking advantage of his direct opponent’s aggressive positioning to sneak into scoring spaces. He was left all alone to mark uncontested on a forward 50 re-entry for his first goal, going on to add another over the mark in term two. His best was saved for last, marking in the pocket before playing on, burning an opponent and finishing the job with a snap. Theodoropoulos was also a threat at stoppages outside 50, positioning at the back and running through them to ensure he could use the ball facing forward as he roved off hands.

#27 Xavier Bamert
Midfielder | 186cm | 29/01/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 5 marks, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Bamert racked up his highest disposal haul of the season through sheer work rate, complimenting his robust contest work with hard outside running. He constantly got into dangerous launch zones or within scoring range, though could not always make the position count with erratic long kicks. Still, the Sandringham skipper slotted a nice goal on the run in term two and was notably courageous when throwing himself into aerial contests. Never faulted for effort.

#37 Charlie Rozenes
Midfielder/Forward | 178cm | 09/08/2006

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 tackles, 5 clearances, 2 goals

It was another busy outing from Rozenes, who continues to hit the scoreboard and inject pace to games. His ability to carry the ball and produce repeat running spurts made for several dangerous forward forays, though his end product lacked when pressure arrived or he was caught. That didn’t stop the over-ager from snapping a classy goal in the second quarter, and adding another in the third – moments which stood out on top of his carving runs through traffic.

#60 Sacha Levine
Midfielder | 188cm | 26/04/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 7 clearances, 1 goal

Levine has often been recognised by his coaches among Sandringham’s best players this year, and was again important through the midfield. He showcased an innate ability to step to the outside, moving smoothly out of stoppages having sharked the ball one-grab. He looked neat and tidy with ball in hand and was Sandringham’s top clearance winner, dominating at the ball-ups. He capped off his day with a goal in the final quarter on the end of a 50m penalty.

Gippsland Power 9.9 (63) def. GWV Rebels 9.3 (57)

By: Adrian Dixon

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#4 Zac O’Keefe
Midfielder | 177cm | 22/03/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 2 goals

O’Keefe provided excellent tackle pressure throughout the day and was clean with his ball handling, which proved crucial in Gippsland taking the points. O’Keefe showed that his long kicking has depth while also showing great reflexes. His follow-up work was there as well, especially in the third quarter where he used great vision to deliver a ball to a teammate on the forward 50 arc, then was on the receiving end of their delivery with a great diving mark. O’Keefe finished off with his second goal in the last quarter to get the Power out to a match-winning lead which they held.

#7 Willem Duursma
Midfielder | 191cm | 21/06/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 7 tackles, 7 clearances

The potential number one pick provided excellent follow-up work from the contest while also being quick to break away from it on numerous occasions. An area of improvement is his goalkicking – while Duursma was dangerous around goal he missed numerous chances, including an attempt on the snap, and later a set shot which hit the post. Duursma delivered potently inside 50 like he usually does, however his disposal can continue to improve as he vies to be the top prospect.

#10 Cody Templeton
Midfielder | 179cm | 01/01/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 10 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

The bottom-ager had an excellent start to the game, providing an excellent physical presence in the contest working well with the likes of Willem Duursma and Brodie Atkins to ensure that the Power were on top in the midfield while managing a goal from long range in the first quarter to continue the good start. His clearance work and tackle pressure were exceptional and took the game on numerous occasions with his run through the middle of the ground. Templeton’s kicking has depth however also needs to improve in front of goal.

#24 Brodie Atkins
Midfielder | 181cm | 25/01/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 11 tackles, 8 clearances, 8 inside 50s

Atkins’ strong tackling in the first quarter set the tone for the Power, backed up by a good intercept high in defence that led to a run through the middle of the ground which led to the first goal of the game. Back to his best with a game-high 11 tackles, Atkins also constantly drove his side forward by putting himself in good spots to receive the ball, while his craft around the stoppages was also shown with his work at ground level.

#42 Jonah Walker
Tall Defender/Ruck | 191cm | 16/06/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 7 hitouts, 5 rebound 50s

Walker showed a great ability to take intercept marks with his reading of the play at crucial moments, especially early in the game. For a player of his size, Walker showed an excellent ability to break away from his opponent despite being slightly disadvantaged. His strong hands and second efforts were highlights as he pushed up the ground and did well with his spoiling, especially from behind. One moment that stood out during the game was when he knocked the ball away from the goalline into a dangerous spot, however the risk was worth it with a teammate running onto it. Walker also had stints in the ruck, especially after Hamish Gill went off with an arm injury.

GWV REBELS:

#16 Fraser Molan
Midfielder | 186cm | 04/07/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 6 marks, 7 tackles, 1 goal

Molan continued his good form in the midfield where he constantly provided a presence with his work in the contest when it came to getting the ball out and providing tackle pressure. That exact trait was highlighted in the third quarter when he managed to win a free kick for holding the ball and converted the long-range set shot to put the Rebels in front. Molan positioned smartly to ensure he was on the ready when it came to receiving or defending.

#18 Cooper Glenwright-McGuane
Tall Forward | 190cm | 27/02/2007

Stats: 10 disposals, 6 marks, 4 goals

In his third game for the season, Glenwright-McGuane had his best scoring output with four majors, making the most of the opportunities that he was presented with. His first goal came from a close-range snap where he got on the end of some excellent vision from Sam Marris deep in the pocket. Glenwright-McGuane converted again in the second quarter and then again in the third from a set shot kick at goal. In the last quarter he took a great mark close to the line and converted to get the Rebels back into the game. Glenwright-McGuane showed selflessness as he went for better options inside 50 when he knew he wasn’t in range for a shot on goal. He also worked hard up the ground where he took crucial marks.

#23 Flynn Penry
Ruck | 201cm | 20/04/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 7 tackles, 28 hitouts, 10 clearances

Penry continued his strong form in the ruck, managing a game-high 28 hitouts to assert his dominance in play around the ground. Penry’s work in the ruck was highlighted by his ability to position smartly in the contest where he used his bodywork to beat his opponent on numerous occasions. Penry was also able to deliver the ball efficiently around the ground, especially with his long kicking inside 50, and provided a strong defensive presence with his tackling, using his mobility and closing speed to advantage.

Murray Bushrangers 12.13 (85) def. Western Jets 5.8 (38)

By: Michael Alvaro

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:

#6 Coen Ainsworth
Midfielder | 180cm | 19/12/2006

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s

Ainsworth enjoyed plenty of midfield exposure and was a handy figure at the stoppages, utilising his evasive technique to find crafty exits. The over-ager backed his speed and nearly always found a way to escape tackles, showing good core strength and a sharp turn of speed. He was also quite composed by hand to find good options on the outside, proving clean around the contest.

#15 Harry Dean
Tall Defender | 193cm | 13/11/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 10 marks

Harry Dean the marking machine. It was an absolute clinic from the Carlton father-son prospect on Sunday, as he dominated the airways with 10 marks – just about all of them being intercepts. He positioned expertly across the back half and made quick reads to allow for fluent jumps at the ball. Dean clunked the ball cleanly and was overall incredibly hard to beat, finishing his work with neat ball use to be a calming influence for Murray, and headache for Western.

#18 Toby Hunt
Forward | 186cm | 16/03/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 4 goals

Hunt was Sunday’s surprise packet, popping up for a bag of four second half goals and plenty of nice moments up forward. His movement caught the eye in the first half as he worked up the ground and cut paths through traffic. Hunt then made his impact on the scoreboard, first with a blistering pair of one-two handballs before snapping home from the pocket. He slotted consecutive set shots to make it three in the third term and added another in the fourth, proving brave when backing in for marks.

#26 Blake Newton
Forward | 180cm | 16/12/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 7 marks, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Newton made his mark as a high forward, connecting Murray into attack all game and threatening to impact the scoreboard. He did so early on with the game’s opening goal, baulking his opponent on the mark before finishing nicely on the run. The bottom-ager went on to kick 1.3, but generated several scoring chains with his work rate, power, and running bounces through the corridor.

WESTERN JETS:

#7 Thomas McGuane
Midfielder | 178cm | 27/08/2007

Stats: 28 disposals, 6 clearances, 1 goal

McGuane was typically prolific in midfield, showcasing his smart running and ability to combine with teammates by hand. The Collingwood father-son prospect was clean around the contest and stayed involved with clear direction after dishing the ball off, providing great support in possession. He stayed on the move and worked hard in attacking phases, with no better example than his goal on the run in the third quarter as Western surged forward.

#10 Thomas Burton
Midfielder | 178cm | 09/01/2007

Stats: 35 disposals, 10 marks, 7 clearances, 7 rebound 50s

Burton took out our Player of the Week nomination having accumulated 35 disposals on limited minutes. His latest feats made it five 30-plus disposal games in as many tries this season, with his sheer work rate accounting for such numbers. Burton was a mix of tough and evasive in tight spots, but excelled in the transitional phase as he dropped back to help Western slingshot forward. His relentless running was difficult to contain throughout the day, though he ran at 56 per cent efficiency by foot and couldn’t always reward his work with polished end product at full tilt.

#13 Hok Marial
Tall Defender | 191cm | 29/08/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 8 marks

One of a few promising bottom-agers at Western’s disposal, Marial was among the Jets’ aerially dominant defenders. He played with terrific composure and showed great versatility in his craft – able to use his height and speed to intercept before using the ball with great efficiency on the rebound. Marial’s rangy built and reading of the play made for assured aerial work and he simply made very few mistakes on a day where his side faced 47 defensive 50 entries.

#17 Billy Wigmore
Defender | 187cm | 29/03/2008

Stats: 30 disposals, 16 marks, 5 rebound 50s

Wigmore has been in exceptional marking form over the last few weeks, averaging 12.3 grabs in three games after back-to-back hauls of 16. He dropped his first attempt on Sunday and took a few on his chest to start, but quickly gained the confidence to showcase his usual aerial strength. The bottom-ager was a reliable interceptor who played taller than his 187cm standing, proving desperate to win the ball back. That’s his one-wood, though he can continue to enhance his ball use.

#26 Finn Davis
Defender | 187cm | 21/01/2007

Stats: 29 disposals, 6 marks, 4 rebound 50s

Davis was once again prolific in the back half as Western’s main distributor. He kicked the ball 21 out of 29 times, utilising safe options and sharing with the likes of Wigmore to help work a way out of trouble. Davis also provided some dash and overlap further afield when possible, complimenting his assured contributions across the last line of defence.