DANDENONG Stingrays’ incredible unbeaten season rolled on with a host of Vic Country representatives filtering back to the Stingrays and Geelong Falcons for Round 12 of the Talent League Girls competition. The Stingrays easily took home hte four points, booting five unanswered goals in the third term to storm to a 12.9 (81) to 3.5 (23) victory despite the best efforts of Vic Country co-captain Ava Bilyk who had a day out for the visitors.

We took note of some of the standouts from the clash.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#2 Molly Reimers
Midfielder | 169cm | 25/07/2007

Stats: 28 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

The over-ager is piecing together a really consistent season through the midfield since moving up from the forwardline. She continued that form on the weekend where she applied terrific defensive pressure all around the ground and was able to win the ball at will and keep shuffling it forward. Her ability to take the ball at speed such as the last quarter where she broke through the middle and powered a kick long was great, and while she can still tidy up some of her efficiency under pressure, was overall quite impressive.

#11 Lily Brittain
Midfielder/Forward | 161cm | 26/01/2009

Stats: 19 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 goals

The bottom-age jet started on-ball and had a massive first term where she racked up 10 disposals and was everywhere with quick hands and terrific pressure. After that she was moved inside 50 where her footy smarts, forward craft and skills were all on display. She only had the nine touches in the last three quarters but was far more effective with ball in hand, booting four goals and having a couple of chances that fell short or just drifted across the face. Had luck being on her side, she could have even finished with half a dozen goals.

#12 Zoe Zach
Midfielder/Defender | 165cm | 09/12/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 1 behind

After a quieter first game in the national carnival back in defence, Zach was on-ball once more for the Stingrays and responded well to be amongst the best year again. Her transition from defender to midfielder this season has been a promising one, and she is a natural first-possession winner with her competitiveness and clean hands. She was fierce in applying pressure on the opposition, and while a lot of her touches can often go unheralded, she was just really solid across the board.

#13 Marlee Black
Forward/Midfielder | 164cm | 14/05/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The Stingrays skipper might have missed out on Vic Country representation, but she was able to respond in her own way with a team-oriented performance against the Falcons. She links up well as that high half-forward, while also getting midfield minutes. A lighter frame, Black is clean in the air, a nice kick and applies pressure, usually making good decisions with ball in hand. Set up an early goal to Jasmine Whitten as well as a number other score assists.

#14 Annie Clish
Forward/Midfielder | 170cm | 25/05/2009

Stats: 11 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals

The bottom-age forward rotated between attack and midfield and did not look out of place with her clean hands and powerful kicking. She won a couple of nice clearances, but did her best work close to the big sticks. Clish’s first major came off the back of a team play to snap truly, before taking a good mark in teh third term and converted from 35 metres out on a slight angle. A high impact-per-possession player.

#22 Shiloh Little
Ruck | 184cm | 28/04/2009

Stats: 12 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 23 hitouts, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Without Sophie White in the team, Little got handed the number one ruck reins coming back from Vic Country. She is always capable of dominating the hitouts – which she did – but it was a promising sign to see her pick up 12 disposals as well, and provide an option in transition. That ability to find more of the ball and have a greater impact outside of stoppages is key, and she did just that in the win, even taking a couple of grabs and keeping the ball moving forward.

#26 Ella Bologa
Defender/Wing | 161cm | 10/09/2009

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 8 rebound 50s

The transition from being a defender to further up the ground seems inevitable for the silky smooth Bologa with her footskills and decision making a couple of her best traits. She has the speed to breakaway from the back half and really cut up the opposition, but wins her own ball by reading the play and dropping into the hole. She actually made a few uncharacteristic errors by foot, but she has the licence to take risks given her elite skills and she is one of those new-age disposers who can hit just about any part of her foot to direct the ball on angles that few others can.

#54 Misha Simmons
Forward | 170cm | 09/02/2010

Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 3 goals, 1 behind

The double bottom-ager was only in her second game and she made an impact playing forward where she booted three goals including a couple in the second half. All three came from close-range, but a couple of them were through hard running and footy smarts that she was able to slam it home or dribble it between the big sticks. Her third in the fourth quarter came following a sliding mark and subsequent set shot.

GEELONG FALCONS:

#5 Ava Bilyk
Midfielder | 169cm | 07/07/2008

Stats: 33 disposals, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 9 clearances, 10 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 1 behind

A best on ground performance in a 58-point loss is nothing to shy at, with Bilyk showing her class and toughness all around the ground. The Geelong Falcons’ skipper reads the ball off hands as well as anyone in the draft class, leading to her high clearance numbers and smarts to break clear and boot the ball forward. She is just as determined defensively, will work from contest to contest and also get back to assist her team, with her draft profile one of the most consistent across the board. For a full run-down into her performance, check out her Player Focus from Round 12.

>> PLAYER FOCUS: Ava Bilyk (Geelong Falcons)

#17 Greea McKeegan
Tall Utility | 176cm | 15/12/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 10 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

McKeegan continues to show signs of what she could be, with her aerial ability, kicking skills and defensive pressure mixed together to be a promising profile. She leads out from attack and if she doesn’t mark it, is capable of bringing the ball to ground, and while at times she can appear rushed, McKeegan is able to launch from long-range, with her sole goal coming from just inside 50 early in the fourth term. Worked hard from starting on-ball to going forward and even as a wing, McKeegan has transferrable traits wherever she plays.

#29 Meyah Fursland
Tall Defender | 175cm | 15/10/2008

Stats: 11 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 5 rebound 50s

A rock in defence, Fursland provided crucial interception and defensive pressure both in the air and at ground level. While she took most of her marks from being the first option from the kickout, Fursland did mop up on a number of occasions through spoils or as she did late in the game clunked a good intercept mark at half-back. The Falcons top-ager had some unlucky moments – such as when Brittain pounced on a goal just after the aforementioned mark when it came off Fursland’s hands. As a whole she competes well and has a long kick too.

#37 Emilia Evans
Forward/Midfielder | 164cm | 17/02/2010

Stats: 18 disposals, 15 tackles, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Did her best to support Bilyk around the ball when not in the front half, and thrived on the contested conditions. Her repeat pressure acts, fierce tackling and quick and clean hands out of traffic were all features of her game. Still only 16 years of age, Evans looms as a strong midfielder of the future, and while her kick-to-handball ratio was heavy (three kicks to 15 handballs), it summed up how congested the situations she was in were, and her efficiency pointed to an ability to work the ball out of that congestion.