ONLY two matches took place in the Coates Talent League Girls competition over the weekend with the Victorian and Allies sides all in action for the AFLW Under 18 Championships. Still, we took a look at some of the players who stood up in those two games through our weekly scouting notes.

>> ROUND 11: Round wrap

Tasmania Devils:

#4 Ava Read
Tall Utility | 179cm | 21/06/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 7 marks, 1 tackle, 1 hitout, 3 clearances, 7 rebound 50s

The versatile tall once again spent time across all three lines in a bid to get her team up and about. Predominantly in defence, her aerial prowess was on show and her reach and natural leap coming to the fore. Though that was where the bulk of her best work was done, she went into the middle and had a centre clearance once she had, even competing in ruck stoppages then going forward to be a target. Ultimately the Devils struggled to get too many looks inside 50, but Read was a clear standout once again for the home side.

#11 Lucah Conkie
Wing/Midfielder | 167cm | 06/09/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 8 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50

Playing just her second Devils game for the year, Conkie is a rare top-ager outside the Allies squad to just keep an eye on. She has had her interruptions in 2025 and wore a glove on the weekend, but has natural talent kicking 10 goals for Ulverstone in a match earlier this season. On the weekend, Conkie played in a wing/on-ball role where she was fierce defensively, read the ball off hands well and used her run and carry to full advantage. She has a crack and is strong overhead too, something she honed in on as a rebounding defender in the past.

#22 Matilda Lange
Midfielder | 166cm | 30/01/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

After missing last week, Lange returned and stepped up through the middle, and was one of the better Devils despite the Dragons controlling the midfield. She kicked a nice goal on the run late in the second term to give her side a sniff, and by half-time was arguably best afield. Quieter in the second half, she still had her moments, and did well to shrug several tackles and lay some big ones of her own.

Sandringham Dragons:

#2 Grace McIntyre
Wing | 172cm | 31/12/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Continues to provide run and carry down the ground for the Dragons, and while she can polish up her kicking, breaks lines and takes grass wherever possible. McIntyre’s follow-up work and defensive pressure stands out, and is a good size to compete well in the air to match her groundlevel play as well. Overall was solid and in wet conditions underfoot, injected some much needed speed.

#24 Claudia Kogler
Midfielder | 172cm | 03/04/2009

Stats: 26 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 6 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

One of a couple of 2009-born prospects who have been impressing for the Dragons, Kogler was again busy through the midfield, winning the bulk of her touches around the coalface. She fed the ball out to her teammates and also got forward to hit the scoreboard in a well-rounded performance. Kogler is smart and able to get first hands to the ball consistently, never too far from the action and capable of racking up big numbers.

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

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The naturally gifted bottom-ager and Vic Metro-listed talent had a big game on the Apple Isle and was among the best players afield for her work. She seemingly popped up all over the place, running hard off a wing and impacting the game across all thirds. With Williams’ positioning on point, she set up attacks between the arcs and even got involved around the stoppages, adding an extra number there and extracting the ball going forward.

#59 Maya Duane
Midfielder/Forward | 179cm | 16/03/2009

Stats: 23 disposals, 10 marks, 2 tackles, 1 hitout, 4 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 2 goals, 2 behinds

It was great to see two of the best prospects in the 2027 AFLW Draft go about their business in the clash with Lange and Duane both spending significant time in close proximity. Duane won the battle and the war with the overall victory, while also being a force in the air, clunking marks everywhere. She booted 2.2 from her 23 touches and 10 marks, but was hard to contain thanks to her explosive power out of the stoppage. A massive hanger early in the third term and ridiculous goal from the behind post off a step showed her class, with one of her two behinds also shaving the post which meant she really could have kicked a bag.

Murray Bushrangers:

#7 Carmela Perri
Midfielder/Forward | 168cm | 15/10/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

Perri stepped up in midfield to have a really productiv ve game for the Bushrangers, also going forward to hit the scoreboard midway through the third term. The bottom-ager snuck into space about 25m out from goal and nailed the subsequent set shot. Perri worked hard between the inside and outside, using quick hands under pressure and positioned herself well to win the ball even if often under pressure in transition.

#14 Ellie Hall
Tall Utility | 174cm | 07/07/2006

Stats: 27 disposals, 6 marks, 16 tackles, 5 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Adding that crucial experience edge to the midfield between spending time both behind the ball and drifting forward while on-ball, Hall was a consist performer throughout the four quarters. Her defensive pressure was outstanding, she found the ball with ease and often pumped it forward, more often than not getting it into advantageous positions. While not explosive and getting caught on a few occasions, Hall was able to quickly pass off to teammates and work the ball forward.

#39 Skylah McPherson
Midfielder/Forward | 169cm | 22/01/2008

Stats: 28 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 9 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 2 goals

McPherson has put together some impressive performances this seaosn, but the bottom-ager produced her best well-rounded effort in Round 11. She was strong in close, got free to burst away and kick inside 50, and also worked hard defensively. While still needing to polish up some of her execution, she impacted the game in a big way going forward and kicking two goals in the space og six minutes. Has clean and quick hands and a booming kick which helps too.

#48 Charlie Gibson
Forward/Midfielder | 171cm | 14/05/2009

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 goal

One of a number of youngsters who got her chance through the middle when not forward, Gibson was busy and slotted a goal from 20m out to put her side back in front midway through the last term. She showed nice hands around the ball and showed some smarts to extract it and keep it moving forward, playing her role for the team throughout the match.

#49 Evie Henley
Forward/Midfielder | 171cm | 13/07/2009

Stats: 19 disposals, 6 marks, 8 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

Much like Gibson, the double bottom-ager and Under 16s All-Australian was busy all game and provided a target inside 50. She was hard to beat in teh air as she read the ball well in flight and got into space to mark, then used it to find loose players or to dangerous place inside 50. With both teams struggling to put on through the big sticks early, Henley snapped a fantastic goal from a tight angle 35m out to get on the board and showed some great evasive techniques after that. One of the Bushrangers’ best in the tough loss.

Dandenong Stingrays:

#2 Molly Reimers
Forward | 170cm | 25/07/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 rebound 50

Worked tirelessly in attack for minimal reward, with Reimers not hitting the scoreboard but aiding her teammates to do just that. She went in hard throughout the match, laid eight tackles and applied the defensive pressure required, while ensuring her kicks went to spots where the Stingrays had a chance of capitalising. She got flattened at half-forward at one stage but bounced back up, and kept presenting throughout the match.

#3 Nikita Harris
Midfielder | 162cm | 01/01/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 19 tackles, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

A tackling machine, Harris thrived in the wet conditions underfoot, laying a whopping 19 tackles to match 18 disposals throughout the contest. She excels defensively and in contested situations, often having to dispose of the ball quickly and evade would-be tacklers herself. Her tackling technique is sublime and quelled a number of potential clearances or scores, and though her execution with ball in hand could improve, she impacted the game with that extraction ability.

#15 Charlotte Gilmore
Wing/Midfielder | 172cm | 21/12/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles, 1 hitout, 7 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 1 behind

Coming in for her first game since Round 5, the top-ager who was a surprise addition to the Vic Country squad purely for her minimal games this season and not being in the summer hub, really showed what the selectors had hoped in the absence of key teammates. Rotating between teh wing and midfield, Gilmore was a standout and arguably best afield with her work both defensively, and in transition offensively. Her movement through traffic impressed, she did not panic under pressure, and then sealed the game with a match-winning goal out of nowhere in the final few minutes. Definitely gave Country selectors a few things to think about because it was an eye-catching performance.

#55 Lily Brittain
Wing | 163cm | 26/01/2009

Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

A highly anticipated debut considering Brittain starred at the Under 16s Championships for Vic Country. The talented ball-winner who played between midfield and attack for Country there, mostly played off a wing for the Stingrays where she showed her high-running capacity. Not afraid to put her body on the line, Brittain won a holding the ball free within the first 10 minutes to endear herself to her teammates. Her clean hands at ground level are simply elite and she just does great work in any role. An exciting future prospect and Country’s most eye-catching 09er from the development championships.