DANDENONG Stingrays’ unbeaten start to the 2026 Talent League Girls season rolled on with a 23-point victory over the Western Jets at Shepley Oval in Round 17. In a tight tussle for most of the first half, the Stingrays ended up kicking the last five goals of the match to secure the four points, 6.9 (45) to 3.4 (22).

We took note of some of the players who caught the eye.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#3 Scarlett Marsh
Midfielder | 162cm | 03/04/2008

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

The smooth-moving Vic Country representative was not at her most efficient, but still showed glimpses of what she is capable by foot. Running in waves, Marsh did her best work linking up by hand down the outside, while also getting into ball-winning positions and making repeat contest efforts. She tended to bomb the ball a little more than she usually does which lead to the lower efficiency, but still produced a number of sizzling passes to open up play once she worked into space.

#5 Gabrielle Mehrmann
Key Defender | 180cm | 11/09/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 7 marks, 1 clearance, 6 rebound 50s

An absolute rock in defence, Mehrmann took a host of strong intercept marks and almost always gained front position, or the size advantage over an opponent to draw a free kick. She copped a couple of knocks during the match and kept bouncing up, and while at times her execution was a little hit or miss, usually she gained important distance on her kicks. A reliable interceptor and voice in the defensive half.

#10 Evi Irving
Wing/Midfielder | 167cm | 18/12/2008

Stats: 27 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Irving started the game on the wing and then started on-ball for quarter two, showcasing her ability to play both inside and outside with fluidity. She is a strong body who competes exceptionally well and brings the tackling pressure, while also working hard for repeat contest touches. Finishing with the most disposals in the game at 27, Irving was prolific across the four quarters, and while she missed a couple of chances on goal in quick succession during the second term, was still a standout for the Stingrays.

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

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 behind

The talented bottom-ager plied her trade up forward and buzzed around with some nice moments. While not getting the midfield or wing minutes that she has at different points, she still had plenty of opportunities to make her presence felt. Boasting slick hands in traffic and great vision, Brittain is a neat ball user who loves to run and create as well. While only small, she tackles hard, and compliments a forwardline that is not short on marking targets so can be that crumbing option and ground level player.

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

Stats: 21 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Like Irving, Zach is a medium-sized strongly built player who after playing predominantly in defence in past seasons but is becoming a rusted on inside midfielder. Zach stands up in tackles or shrugs them to get an extra metre, enabling her to free up her hands and link up well, while also happy to back up with a defensive act to help her team. She can compete strongly overhead, and while her kick-to-handball ratio is heavily lopsided towards the latter, it made sense for her role.

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

Stats: 19 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

The Dandenong Stingrays skipper is a handy player who continues to just do her job each week without fanfare. An effective ball user with a neat kick and sound decision making, Black did well off a wing and helping out in the back half where she was able to cover the ground exceptionally well. Her numbers have not jumped off the page in season 2026, but Black is a team-first player who leads by example and has some really valuable traits.

#19 Olive Henry
Defender | 170cm | 11/05/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 1 hitout, 2 clearances, 3 rebound 50s

Catching the eye behind the ball, Henry was a real force in the air, and strong in standing up under pressure. She took a series of intercept marks behind the ball and continued to apply pressure both aerially and at ground level. Henry’s versatility as a defender was also a big tick, spending time on a variety of talls and smalls and sticking to the task, such as following Olivieri up to the stoppages at times even if her preferred role was sticking at half-back to intercept.

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

Stats: 10 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 14 hitouts, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals

After starting forward, Little was thrust into the main ruck role after Sophie White went down with concussion and had to battle against Kuol. It’s not too often that the usually ironically named Little was undersized, but the 184cm bottom-ager gave up seven centimetres to her opponent. Her leap matched it with the Western Jets top-ager, and what was most important was her ability to hit the scoreboard. She kicked her first goal late int eh first term, then after intercepting at half-forward, gained some meterage that arguably was a little less than the 50 metres expected, but she slotted the set shot anyway.

#25 Jasmine Whitten
Forward | 160cm | 16/02/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 behind

Last year Shauna McElligott was a player who flew under the radar for representative teams, and playing a similar role, Whitten is one who perhaps is a little unlucky in that regard. She is small, but one of those players who you’d love to run out alongside with her competitive attitude and outstanding strength for her size. She is so strong and clean overhead, and is not afraid to get her hands dirty, while always focusing on team-first moments. She set up a number of goals including one to Annie Clish via Brittain by ripping the ball from an opponent in teh middle and nailing the pass to her bottom-aged teammate. One that clubs should keep tabs on outside the Vic Country representatives.

WESTERN JETS:

#1 Charli Parsons-Jones
Midfielder/Forward | 167cm | 02/10/2009

Stats: 13 disposals, 6 marks, 7 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s, 1 behind

Settling into that midfield role which is one the bottom-ager will take on fully next season, Parsons-Jones has a lot of nice moments, while still having plenty of room to grow. Strong overhead which enables her to play forward as well as on-ball, Parsons-Jones applied stacks of pressure around the contest and while she did get caught a couple of times and gave away frees, her intent was right. Had a couple of chances streaming inside 50 that only yielded the one behind, but she looks dangerous with ball in hand.

#2 Addison West
Midfielder/Forward | 167cm | 16/05/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 8 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

West comes from a great footballing pedigree and that is evident at times when she wins possession and can do some eye-catching things. While occasionally she can make errors when trying to force a play that isn’t there, West’s vision and ability to try and create is obvious. Her clean hands out of stoppages and off the deck stand out, and while her kicking consistency can improve, she has proven she can play inside, outside or up forward. Won a game-high eight clearances in teh match which was able to set others up.

#4 Ruby Jones
Wing/Defender | 172cm | 02/03/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s

A running machine, Jones has taken up the role that Charlie O’Connor Moreira had last season, covering the ground well and has a nice size as a wing. She covers off defensively and even spent time running off half-back, but her best work is done via hands and then taking metres which is the value she adds to the team. Her kicking over medium-to-long distances can still iron out, but Jones has a neat short, sharp pass that is effective, and usually the starting point for a one-two or just buying time for her teammate to assess options. Good overhead and finds space well in games.

#5 Tayla Olivieri
Forward/Midfielder | 160cm | 14/02/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 2inside 50s, 1 behind

Olivieri is splitting her time between the midfield and attack, though the bulk of her minutes come in the forward 50. She can push up and add an extra number to the contest at times, and realistically her highest performing position is at the coalface. Though as a clean groundball player and tackling machine with her size, Olivieri is always going to be suited to a small forward’s role at the next level, which is why she he really moulded into that position between Vic Metro and the Jets. Missed a sole set shot she had with the breeze, but always battled on for four quarters, and as soon as she rolled on-ball started accumulating with ease.

#7 Jacinta Eteuati
Defender | 169cm | 27/05/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 6 marks, 6 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

Seemed to blossom for Vic Metro in the back half, and Eteuati was impressive again for Western in the same role. From a half-back perspective, Eteuati does all the basics well, intercepting in the air or at ground level, bringing fierce tackling pressure, and also plenty of metres gained, which is exactly what you want. Eteuati plays within her means which is important as well. A handy prospect who ticks a lot of boxes for her role.

#9 Kiara Boyd
Defender/Midfielder | 173cm | 02/06/2006

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 8 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Leads by example in the back half and the Vic Metro defender is not afraid to put her body on the line when required, taking some crucial grabs including a courageous mark back with the flight in the second term. Her footy IQ and vision is outstanding and at times it looks like the connection between her decision making and execution has not quite caught up. However there was one player where when at half-forward she could have blazed away with the snap, changed her mind mid disposal and hit the outside of her boot to nail a pass to a teammate alone in the corridor. Keeps a firm line coming out of defence and compete to the final siren.

#14 Leilani Petaia
Midfielder | 166cm | 18/02/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 8 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Complimented the midfield well, and while her numbers don’t jump off the page outside her defensive pressure, kept bobbing up and being and important contributor. Petaia won the first clearance of the season term and followed up to win it by hand and nail a pass inside 50, showcasing what she is capable of. The top-ager runs hard and pressures constantly, and was really solid throughout the match.

#26 Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn
Forward | 157cm | 22/11/2007

Stats: 10 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 goal

An over-age well-travelled forward who is a valuable addition in the absence of the injured Piper Dixon. While only small, Gardiner-Dunn is an outstanding pressure player, throwing herself at everything and making defenders nervous. She got on the end of one in the fourth term after marking on the lead and gaining a 50-metre penalty for encroachment after earlier in teh game setting up Paige McHutchison with a goal via hand. Each time she goes near it the intensity lifts and is always a threat around the big sticks.

#42 Aluk Kuol
Ruck | 191cm | 10/07/2008

Stats: 9 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 32 hitouts, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s

The raw tall who gained her Vic Metro debut in the side’s loss to Vic Country got a Round 2 battle against Sophie White who unfortunately was concussed in a tackle early in the game. Going up against a combination of Little and Amelia Hamod – who Kuol had extra centimetres on – ensured she won the bulk of the hitouts. Still building her fundamentals, it is evident that Kuol is viewed as a long-term prospect with some great athleticism, and ability to get involved in transition as a bonus.