A SEASON-HIGH six Calder Cannons feature in our Coates Talent League Team of the Week for Round 4, after the Metro region’s 173-point thumping of the Northern Territory Academy. Plenty of other clubs are well represented, check out who made the cut in our 24-player squad.

>> SNAPSHOT: Talent League Round 4

DEFENCE

B: Ollie Badr (OC) – Harry O’Farrell (CC) – Billy Wilson (DS)
HB: Archie Sinnott (GF) – Angus Hastie (GF) – Billy McGee Galimberti (SD)

A pair of Geelong Falcons headline our hypothetical defence this week, with Angus Hastie and Archie Sinnot both plugging holes on the half-back line. They were superb in a win over Murray, as was Sandringham’s breakout star Billy McGee Galimberti as the Dragons downed the Giants Academy.

On the last line is Calder bottom-ager Harry O’Farrell, who is the first of six Cannons to earn a spot this week. Oakleigh rebounder Ollie Badr had plenty of the ball in the Chargers’ win over Sydney, while Billy Wilson is a returning member after faring well in Dandenong’s defeat of GWV.

MIDFIELD

C: Joel Freijah (GWV) – Jagga Smith (OC) – Kade De La Rue (DS)
FOL: Flynn Riley (NK) – Levi Ashcroft (SD) – Mahmoud Taha (CC)

As is usually the case, the midfield was the most difficult line to decide. One player who was an absolute lock was Round 4 Player of the Week Joel Freijah, who booted six of the Rebels’ nine goals from 26 touches in a loss. He could have been selected on either side of midfield or up forward.

While Freijah comes in on the wing, a pair of bottom-agers star in our centre bounce mix. Jagga Smith was everywhere for Oakleigh, while Levi Ashcroft stepped up in the absence of a few Sandy guns to put up a formidable stat line.

They’re joined by Calder’s Mahmoud Taha at the heart of the side, while Northern over-ager Flynn Riley earned a spot in the ruck after filling the boots of co-captain Will Green. One the opposite wing to Freijah is Kade De La Rue, who led all comers for the Stingrays this week.

FORWARD

HF: Charlie Naish (NK) – Jordan Croft (CC) – Isaac Kako (CC)
F: Oskar Smartt (BP) – Logan Morris (WJ) – Amin Naim (CC)

Calder’s forwards were well fed this week and reap the rewards with selection here. Bottom-age small Isaac Kako and top-ager Amin Naim both bagged seven goals, which will pique the interest of Essendon fans. Western Bulldogs father-son candidate Jordan Croft also filled his boots with five goals.

Perhaps Croft’s Vic Metro tall forward partner, Logan Morris was another to have claimed five majors as his Western Jets snared their first win of the season. Elsewhere, Northern’s Charlie Naish had another strong outing, and Bendigo’s Oskar Smartt was the Pioneers’ best with three goals.

INTERCHANGE

INT: Will Brown (SD), Ryan Eyre (CC), Tom Hanily (GP), Leo Lombard (GC), Caleb May (SS), Finn O’Sullivan (OC)

EMG: Cooper Hynes (DS), Tobie Travaglia (BP), Riley Weatherill (ER)

The quality on the cutting room floor this week was ridiculously good, after a full fixture of nine games. Of those to have snuck in the squad, there’s some fair midfield strength in the form of Sandringham skipper Will Brown, Oakleigh’s Finn O’Sullivan, and Gippsland’s Tom Hanily.

Calder’s Ryan Eyre shifted on-ball and impressed to sneak in ahead of a host of teammates, while bottom-ager Leo Lombard was a bright spark for the Suns, and Swans bigman Caleb May slots in as ruck rotation this week.

Past the list of three emergencies, there was a list of over 10 players who on any given week, would have been a lock for the squad. Unfortunately, only so many could squeeze in and there were plenty of selection headaches to be had.