CALDER Cannons continued their season as the top metropolitan team as it stands, producing a 19-point win over Murray Bushrangers in Round 16 of the Talent League Girls season. In a tough day for kicking straight, the Cannons booted six of the nine final term behinds on their way to a 5.13 (43) to 3.6 (24) win over the Bushrangers.

We took note of some of the players from both sides who caught the eye. All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

CALDER CANNONS:

#1 Charli Calleia
Defender | 169cm | 28/10/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 3 rebound 50s

Calleia was a solid presence in the defensive half, consistently putting herself in the right spots to intercept and mop up opposition attacks. She showcased her composure with a goal-saving mark on the goalline and another strong intercept mark where she quickly got her hands away. While some of her kicks under pressure resulted in turnovers, her defensive positioning and ability to recover when the ball hit the deck were commendable.

#2 Sienna Colgan
Defender | 171cm | 04/04/2008

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

Colgan was tasked with kickout duties and generally executed them effectively, often looking to go long to contests at half-back. She went in hard in the defensive 50 and showed great physical resilience, notably riding a bump exceptionally well in the third term to win a high free kick before executing a nice switch. Colgan also pushed up to the middle to take a mark in the final quarter, delivering a nice kick out in front of a leading target at half-forward.

#4 Chloe Capeci
Defender/Wing | 167cm | 14/12/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Capeci displayed good vision and quick hands when distributing the ball primarily out of defence but pushing up the ground to rotate off a wing as well.. She showed nice technique when marking at half-back and took a couple of strong intercept marks throughout the game. Capeci’s bodywork in one-on-one contests on the wing was impressive, allowing her to weight a nice pass down the ground. She was proactive in charging forward, driving the ball inside 50 and setting up offensive chains.

#5 Renee Ford
Midfielder | 167cm | 06/07/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Ford brought excellent tackling pressure through the middle, highlighted by a huge early tackle that stripped her opponent of the ball. She displayed great vision with a checkside kick to a dangerous area that resulted in a goal assist in the first quarter. Ford was consistently clean with her hands, firing out quick handballs from the contest and at half-forward. Even when tackled or slightly fumbling, she recovered well to get her arms free and keep the ball moving.

#8 Elebertina Schuliga
Wing | 165cm | 17/02/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Schuliga provided plenty of run and dash along the wing, constantly trying to weave through traffic and break lines. While her kicking was wayward under pressure, she consistently got herself into dangerous spots. Her explosive speed was on full display as she gathered the ball off the deck and burst forward. Schuliga’s defensive efforts were equally impressive, executing a great run-down tackle on the wing and applying strong pressure to lock the ball up.

#10 Coco Balmain
Midfielder | 175cm | 01/01/2009

Stats: 30 disposals, 2 marks, 16 tackles, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 1 behind

Balmain was an absolute powerhouse in the midfield, racking up a massive 30 disposals and an incredible 16 tackles. She was a constant two-way threat, reading the ball well and providing powerful drive out of the back half with long kicks to advantage. Balmain’s ability to get her hands free despite strong tackles and feed her teammates was a feature of her game. She consistently drove the ball deep inside 50 and remained a relentless presence around the contest.

#19 Tilda Sinclair
Defender | 172cm | 19/09/2009

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

Sinclair was reliable in the defensive half, tracking the ball well and taking strong one-on-one marks. She showed a nice burst of pace at half-forward to break through a tackle and deliver to the hotspot. Sinclair’s positioning was excellent, allowing her to mark in front in the defensive 50 and execute effective short passes. She attacked the ball hard out of defence and, even when immediately tackled, managed to get her handballs clear.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:

#5 Eliza Roche
Forward | 165cm | 03/03/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 1 behind

Roche was a lively presence up forward and pushed up the ground to get involved on the wing. She showed great agility inside 50, slipping but recovering well to avoid multiple tackles and chip a short pass to advantage. Roche’s defensive pressure was elite, highlighted by a fantastic run-down tackle on Balmain that won a free kick and directly set up a goal. She consistently looked to charge forward and drive the ball deep inside 50.

#9 Carmela Perri
Midfielder | 168cm | 15/10/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 3 marks, 8 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Perri was a strong and reliable performer in the midfield, consistently winning clearances and firing out handballs to teammates on the outside. She showed excellent strength to stand up in tackles and dish off, while also taking strong intercept marks when resting at half-forward or on the wing. Perri’s hands off the deck were clean, and she followed up her initial efforts well to keep the Bushrangers moving forward.

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

Stats: 22 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 5 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Gibson split her time between the midfield and forward line, providing a spark in both areas. She showed smart bodywork to draw free kicks and positioned herself well at half-back to deliver nice kicks into the middle. The highlight of Gibson’s game came in the third quarter with an incredible snap goal from the forward pocket under intense pressure. She was clean at ground level and provided strong marks on the wing to link up play.

#30 Evie Henley
Midfielder/Forward | 173cm | 13/07/2009

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

The bottom-age Giants Academy member paired up well with Gibson as those taller midfielders around the stoppages and cracked in to apply two-way impact. She was fierce with her tackling, and found space in the front half of the ground where she was able keep the ball moving in transition. Wasn’t as efficient as she’d like at times, but with the bulk of her touches coming under serious heat, she did well and contributed nicely to the Bushrangers’ attack.