A QUARTET of Coates Talent League regions boast four players apiece in our Round 11 Team of the Week, with all eight sides in action represented. After their thriller in Healesville, Eastern Ranges and Geelong Falcons have a combined eight players in the 24-man squad. See who made the cut.

>> CTL Round 11: Snapshot | Player of the Week

DEFENCE

B: Andrew Barker (ER) – Jett Elek (GF) – Riley Holloway (GWV)
HB: Xavier Taylor (ER) – Charlie Orchard (DS) – Finn Davis (WJ)

Twin Eastern Ranges talls Andrew Barker and Xavier Taylor headline a back six with a penchant for taking intercept marks. The pair combined for 23 grabs and 13 rebound 50s in their side’s one-point win over Geelong Falcons, with the latter boosting his stocks as a top 20 talent.

The Falcons swung Jett Elek to defence with promising returns. His 10 disposals and six marks were littered with terrific intercepts and bounding forays up the field – albeit with mixed results. The Vic Country representative has largely cut his teeth as a ruck-forward.

Joining Barker and Elek on our hypothetical last line is Greater Western Victoria’s Riley Holloway, who broke out with 22 disposals and eight marks in his side’s 49-point win over Murray. Finn Davis was similarly everywhere in Western’s loss to Gippsland, notching 32 touches and 10 rebound 50s.

Occupying the centre half-back slot this week is Charlie Orchard, one of many over-agers who continues to make an impression. The Dandenong Stingrays tall did all the right things defensively alongside bottom-ager Darcy Szerszyn, and pipped him for a spot in the side.

MIDFIELD

FOL: Lucas Tovey (OC) – Hugo Mikunda (GF) – Luke Cheffers (GP)
C: Toby Sinnema (DS) – Callum Smith (DS) – Thomas McGuane (WJ)

There were big numbers among this week’s midfield, none more prominent than Luke Cheffers‘ breakout 35 disposals, eight marks, and nine tackles. The Gippsland dynamo is joined on-ball by Geelong’s Hugo Mikunda, who also racked up 30 touches to go with a remarkable 13 inside 50s.

Consistent Dandenong Stingrays ball winner Callum Smith features on the back of his 29 disposals and 11 clearances, adding size to the on-ball group. Rucking to them is over-ager Lucas Tovey, who posted a monster 29 touches, 19 hitouts and seven clearances in Oakleigh’s win over Smith’s Stingrays.

Diehard fans will be pleased to see a genuine wingman in Toby Sinnema take up the role after a sharp 21 disposals and five inside 50s. Conversely, Thomas McGuane (23 disposals) was a makeshift option having mostly played forward. Both players a tied to Melbourne and Collingwood respectively.

FORWARD

HF: Jesse Mellor (GF) – Floyd Burmeister (GWV) – Lachy Dovaston (ER)
F: Charlie McKinnon (GWV) – Josh Shepherd (OC) – Flynn Woolhouse (OC)

This week’s forwardline is spearheaded by Player of the Week Lachy Dovaston (20 disposals, five goals) and GWV Rebels sharpshooter Charlie McKinnon (13 and seven). Both were impactful in respective victories and sit one and two on the goalkicking charts, with McKinnon boasting 22 in five games.

Third on that list is Geelong’s Jesse Mellor, who peppered the big sticks for a return of 2.2 from 18 disposals and eight marks. It was a similar story for Floyd Burmeister, who ended up with the same scoreline from 19 touches and eight marks as a key link man for GWV.

A pair of Oakleigh Chargers made the cut across the full forward line having both booted four majors. Over-ager Josh Shepherd was particularly impressive with seven marks, while Flynn Woolhouse proved efficient with all six of his touches being kicks, and four sailing through the goals

INTERCHANGE

INT: Brodie Atkins (GP) – Noah Caracella (GF) – Blake Chambers (ER) – Ryder Corrigan (MB) – Flynn Penry (GWV) – Charlie Whitehead (OC)

Six different regions are represented on the bench, which has a decent spread of player types. The reserve ruck is GWV over-ager Flynn Penry, who asserted himself in the Rebels’ big win. On the opposing side, Murray, Ryder Corrigan gave his all in a powerful midfield performance.

The likes of Brodie Atkins (Gippsland) and Charlie Whitehead (Oakleigh) were hard to deny after playing their parts in big wins. Geelong defender Noah Caracella (son of Blake) and Eastern wingman Blake Chambers also made their many touches count in Sunday’s thriller at Healesville.