NORTHERN Knights secured the Talent League minor premiership with a hard-fought 26-point win over Gippsland Power in Morwell on Sunday. The visitors were surpassed heading into three-quarter time but rallied with five unanswered goals in the final term to lock in top spot on the ladder with win number 13.

We took note of the top prospects from either side.

GIPPSLAND POWER 1.5 | 4.7 | 7.9 | 7.11 (53)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 2.7 | 4.9 | 6.11 | 11.13 (79)

GOALS:
Gippsland Power: A. Mounsey 3, A. Finsterer, W. Malady, M. Neocleous, C. Templeton
Northern Knights: H. Leeder 4, S. Caruso 2, T. Krasna 2, O. Flanagan, T. Jeffs, R. Ratkovic

BEST:
Gippsland Power: X. Ladbrook, C. Snell, M. Neocleous, W. Malady, C. Fischer, A. Mounsey
Northern Knights: H. Leeder, T. Krasna, H. Cooke, I. Mullins, H. Van Hattum, M. Moate

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#11 Marlon Neocleous
Midfielder | 168cm | 26/02/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 5 marks, 11 tackles, 1 goal

While uncharacteristically quiet in patches, Neocleous showed his class with each possession. The diminutive midfielder was quick and clean with his hands in-tight, and genuinely outstanding with time and space to hit kicks on the outside. His ball use heading forward was particularly dangerous, with the lively talent even sneaking deep forward to snap an opportunistic goal in term three. He’s clever under pressure and clearly willing to get stuck in defensively with 11 tackles.

#21 Cody Templeton
Midfielder/Forward | 180cm | 01/01/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal

Templeton was another of Gippsland’s impactful attacking-phase players, able to bring the ball forward and get dangerous deep inside 50. After a relatively subdued start, he began to get going with some useful carries and kicks in transition, showing a bit of burst and dare in the process. Templeton knows how to get free on the lead and is also prepared to chase hard, balancing attack and defence. He drew a high free kick to slot his lone goal in the second term.

#33 Wil Malady
Tall Forward | 190cm | 12/10/2008

Stats: 7 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal

Malady’s stats don’t tell the full story of his game. He dealt with a game matchup in Isaac Mullins, who did well on several occasions to neutralise his aerial impact, but the athletic forward continued to compete hard. Malady’s speed and attack on the ball hardly wavered, whether that be crashing a contest or following up to apply urgent pressure at ground level. He ended up getting free on the lead a few times and converted a set shot in term two, but was otherwise made to jostle and work for his opportunities. Luckily, he was willing to do so.

#40 Xavier Ladbrook
Key Defender/Ruck | 201cm | 16/10/2008

Stats: 23 disposals, 9 marks, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s

In one of his best performances for the season, Ladbrook thrived in his primary key defensive post before being made to cover the loss of Cohen Dent in the ruck. Taking the Lewis Houndsome matchup, he showed his intercept marking wares with some terrific positioning and leaps, working well off the back shoulder. While he can become more physically strong in the air, Ladbrook utilised his raw athleticism in general play by covering plenty of ground and joining the attack with pure speed. His ball use was also quite sound and he has rare talent for a player his size.

#41 Clancy Snell
Key Defender | 196cm | 21/08/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 9 marks, 4 rebound 50s

Snell spent plenty of time matched up on Harrison Leeder and had his moments as a prolific interceptor. Operating from back position, the athletic key defender was adept at closing in to spoil, using his speed, leap and reach to unsettle opposition markers. That method meant the pacey Leeder sometimes got loose while leading, but Snell was otherwise able to settle behind the ball and cut off any entry he was given a sniff at. His ability to bravely extend overhead was impressive.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:

#3 Toby Krasna
Midfielder | 182cm | 28/02/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 7 marks, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals

Returning from a brief stint on the sidelines, Krasna could hardly have been more impressive. His ability to absorb pressure or cut through traffic was terrific, while proving all the more incisive with his ball use. Krasna simply refused to stay still, proving a handful in possession and covering plenty of ground without the ball. His laser-like kicking inside 50 and knack for finding the goals were signals of his immense class, with the lightly-built midfielder punishing Gippsland when given the chance.

#5 Harvie Cooke
Midfielder/Forward | 176cm | 12/04/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 4 marks, 4 clearances, 6 inside 50s

While time and space were hard to come by at times, Cooke constantly looked to burst and break his way forward. The hard-nosed midfielder drove his legs through and out of stoppage, where he often went head-to-head with Neocleous. His work rate allowed him to find easier possessions and get involved as Northern attacked, proving to be more polished in those phases of play where he could take ground and hit targets under less pressure.

#15 Lewis Houndsome
Key Forward/Ruck | 198cm | 29/05/2008

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 17 hitouts

Houndsome had a relatively quiet game but still popped up for a few of his typically robust aerial moments. The hulking ruck-forward was threatening when given a runway to launch into marking contests, crashing packs and splitting one-on-one duels. That trait translated well to his centre ball-up work, where he showed an enormous and confident leap. With Ladbrook proving a thorn in his side, Houndsome was relatively subdued in other facets of the game but everything starts from his aerial work.

#16 Harrison Leeder
Key Forward | 193cm | 03/12/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 5 marks, 4 goals

Leeder did well to impact the game with four goals given the matchup he was dealt with. His speed and mobility served him nicely, taking advantage of the freedom he was allowed in front position to gain separation on the lead and mark within scoring range. Leeder also showcased great competitiveness to follow-up his aerial work with desperate tackle efforts, again leaning on his athleticism to have a sustained impact. He converted his opportunities, both over the mark and via snaps, to seal a strong performance against quality opposition.

#20 Harry Van Hattum
Ruck/Key Forward | 205cm | 01/07/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 2 marks, 24 hitouts

Van Hattum continued his strong vein of form in the ruck by looking to impose himself physically. On top of a strong leap, he used his body to fend off opponents and grab the ball out of the ruck, while also getting involved as a fourth midfielder of sorts. Van Hattum’s clean handling and rare mobility were useful in those instances as Northern exited stoppage in waves. He showed great foot skills for a player his size, although his usual marking output was slightly down – barring a solid intercept effort in term three.