WESTERN Jets extended their winning streak to five games after defeating Oakleigh by 40 points in Werribee on Sunday. The Round 13 clash was closely contested throughout the first half, with Western made to overcome a quarter time deficit to take the lead. The Jets never looked back and slammed home four unanswered goals in the final quarter to seal the deal, 11.7 (73) to 4.9 (33).

We took note of the top prospects from either side.

WESTERN JETS 1.1 | 4.3 | 7.6 | 11.7 (73)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 4.9 (33)

GOALS:
Western Jets: K. Williams 3, J. Djatschenko 2, C. Davis, M. Dullard, J. Fenton, L. Hicks, S. Juricskay, C. Millar
Oakleigh Chargers: J. Bartzis, N. Bibile, D. Bullock, M. Paholski

BEST:
Western Jets: L. Hicks, B. Wigmore, A. Tippett, K. Williams, N. McMenamin, J. Djatschenko
Oakleigh Chargers: E. Kravic, N. Bibile, R. Brown, C. Harper, E. Smith, S. Papas

WESTERN JETS:

#7 Angus Tippett
Midfielder | 194cm | 12/02/2008

Stats: 33 disposals, 7 clearances, 6 inside 50s

Tippett had his hands on everything, dominating the stoppages to win a game-high 20 contested possessions and seven clearances. The imposing 194cm prospect played with plenty of intent, looking to force his way through contact and working hard to win the ball in all parts of the ground. He covers ground well for a player his size, but a lack of leg speed invited pressure on his disposal and inhibited his ability to be effective. Still, his impact was felt through physicality and he set the tone with his consistent four-quarter effort at the source.

#9 Lachlan Hicks
Midfielder | 183cm | 19/01/2008

Stats: 36 disposals, 11 marks, 5 clearances, 1 goal

Hicks chalked up yet another 30-plus disposals, showcasing his running power to do largely as he pleased. The midfielder spread hard to become a marking option around the ground, racking up uncontested possessions between the arcs and drifting inside 50 to offer aerial support. He flew at the ball with typical bravery and was just about untouchable, although definitely could have been more effective with his ball use by foot. After a couple of rushed attempts went wide, Hicks ended up getting reward for effort with a strong grab and set shot goal in the final term.

#17 Billy Wigmore
Defender | 188cm | 29/03/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 9 marks, 5 inside 50s

Up to his usual tricks, Wigmore continues to be an intercept marking machine. He roamed the back half, playing relatively loose to position expertly behind the ball and cut off errant kicks. Whether impacting third-up or one-on-one, Wigmore stuck his grabs and backed himself to mark from any position. When the ball fell, he recovered it quickly and showed relative composure when distributing by hand and foot. He has removed the errors from his game and showed intent to produce a bit more run-and-carry. Adding that dynamism will take him to another level.

#21 Kobe Williams
Forward | 186cm | 30/10/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 8 marks, 4 inside 50s, 3 goals

Bagging a game-high three goals, Williams was Western’s most dangerous front half player. He worked hard to provide connectivity up the ground, sparking combination play from past the wing and into attacking 50. Having had plenty of opportunities to inflict damage with the final kick, he ended up doing all of his scoring in the second half via a trio of straight set shots. He was another player whose work rate and running Oakleigh couldn’t match.

#24 Noah McMenamin
Key Defender | 192cm | 22/03/2007

Stats: 18 disposals, 6 marks, 4 rebound 50s

A composed figure in defence, McMenamin provided assured ball use all day. He took on the kick-in duties and was highly efficient by foot, distributing in a near-casual fashion out of the last line. He also ventured up the field to impact as an interceptor, and while he could become more physically robust in one-on-one battles, flew for his marks well. The over-ager looked most at home when mopping up errant kicks and getting his side moving on the rebound.

#35 Jacob Marron
Key Defender | 195cm | 27/11/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 13 kicks, 5 marks

A lot of the time defenders play their best football when unnoticed, and Marron went about his business with minimal fuss. The over-ager often took on the deepest matchup and split just about every aerial contest he was involved in. He looked comfortable in possession and was never rushed, reliably finding teammates by foot. Marron hardly put a foot wrong and filled his boots with more expansive play late in the piece, advancing play up the ground.

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS:

#3 Ryder Brown
Midfielder | 187cm | 03/01/2009

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 3 clearances

While his stats don’t jump off the page, Brown caught the eye on several occasions. He was especially effective at dropping back into the defensive 50 hole and standing strong under high balls to intercept. The bottom-ager also helped his side shift the ball forward and put in a shift at stoppages. There, he tackled hard and showcased some flashy moves with his ability to cut through traffic or accelerate away. He’s tough, smart and has plenty of time to improve as a bottom-ager.

#8 Charlie Harper
Tall Defender | 191cm | 23/01/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 6 marks, 8 rebound 50s

Playing an important role deep in defence alongside Elijah Smith, Harper got the job done going both ways. He was strong in one-on-one contests, halving or winning them before looking to attack immediately. His composure was complimented by a handy turn of foot to surge forward, before utilising his safe foot skills to hit targets ahead of the ball. Harper also helped Oakleigh maintain possession in slow play, proving he could shift gears when necessary.

#12 Eli Kravic
Defender | 188cm | 14/03/2009

Stats: 24 disposals, 9 marks, 6 rebound 50s

Kravic was comfortably Oakleigh’s best player on Sunday, which is especially impressive given his change of role. Lining up down back, he slotted in seamlessly with shrewd positioning to intercept and dynamic playmaking ability. The left-footer looked to utilise his weapons, generating run and attack from the defensive half. Kravic’s strong frame served him well when dropping into the hole to cut off Western kicks. He’ll be one to look out for next year as a Collingwood NGA member.

#19 Noah Bibile
Midfielder | 181cm | 30/03/2008

Stats: 22 disposals, 5 clearances, 1 goal

Oakleigh’s main man in midfield, Bibile was a key distributor on the inside. His clean hands released teammates into space, often bringing the ball to the outside and shifting forward. He made quick decisions in tight spaces to make good on his team-high five clearances, although can continue to work on becoming more damaging by foot. Still, he snuck forward in the third term to slot a handy set shot goal as reward for his efforts.