THE FIRST block of Coates Talent League action has been completed in season 2023, as players now vie for representative honours or ply their trade at school and community level. With the competition returning as soon as next week, there’s no better time for a refresher on what has gone down to date.

WHEN DOES IT RETURN?

Friday, May 19. Dandenong Stingrays host the Oakleigh Chargers under lights at Kinetic Stadium to kick off Round 7. There are a further six games scheduled for the round (four on Saturday, two on Sunday), with the Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sydney academies all taking part in their final outings for the season.

HOW MANY ROUNDS ARE LEFT?

Including Round 7, there are 11 weekends of Talent League action to go in season 2023, before Wildcard Round and finals get underway. Most rounds will consist of the usual six-game format, with a few exceptions like the standalone match between Sandringham and Oakleigh in Round 10 (Monday, June 12).

KEY DATES

Wildcard Round: September 2-3
Elimination Finals: September 9-10
Preliminary Finals: September 16-17
Grand Final: September 23

WILL THE BEST TALENT BE OUT THERE?

To put it simply, not always – at least from now, onwards. Outstanding players like Nick Watson and Ryley Sanders will turn out in the APS Football competition, on top of their mid-year representative commitments. The same goes for outstanding bottom-agers like Jagga Smith and Levi Ashcroft.

There will be Year 12 graduates, public schoolers, and a bunch of underagers who are tied to their Talent League regions full-time, as the focus shifts from draft eligible talent to the future of the competition. Come finals time, most sides will be back to full strength and primed for a crack at premiership glory.

Of course, some talent will be taken out of the pool via the AFL Mid-Season Draft. A host of Talent Leaguers are in contention there, including Gippsland forward Ryan Maric, Eastern ruck Clay Tucker, Dandenong’s Ziggy Toledo, Calder prospect Rye Penny, and Oakleigh defender Luke Teal.

WHO ARE THE CONTENDERS?

Only one team remains undefeated this season in the Sandringham Dragons, though Tasmania sits top of the tree having played an extra game. Both sides have nabbed four wins to date and shape as two of the stronger regions in it.

Currently sitting ninth, the 2-2 Eastern Ranges were unfortunate enough to draw both the Dragons and Devils in the first block of games, accounting for their two losses. Along with Oakleigh, they boast some high-end talent for the next two years.

As the ladder suggests, the likes of Calder and Geelong are solid regions that always seem to compete and be thereabouts for finals, while Bendigo has been a surprise packet thus far. Watch for Dandenong and Gippsland to storm up the standings after steady starts.

LADDER

1. Tasmania Devils (4-1, 185.5%)
2. Sandringham Dragons (4-0, 150.4%)
3. Calder Cannons (3-1, 200.5%)
4. Bendigo Pioneers (3-1, 152.8%)
5. Geelong Falcons (3-1, 152.2%)
6. Northern Knights (3-1, 119.6%)
7. Dandenong Stingrays (3-1, 117.8%)
8. GWV Rebels (3-1, 97.4%)
9. Eastern Ranges (2-2, 122.1%)
10. Oakleigh Chargers (2-2, 109.7%)
11. Swans Academy* (2-2, 102.9%)
12. Gippsland Power (1-2, 96.9%)
13. Murray Bushrangers (1-3, 90.7%)
14. Western Jets (1-3, 84.8%)
15. Suns Academy* (1-3, 84.4%)
16. Lions Academy* (0-4, 60.3%)
17. Giants Academy* (0-5, 37.6%)
18. Northern Territory Academy* (0-3, 21.2%)

* – not part of full-time competition

RMC MEDAL COUNT

1. Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) – 20 votes
=2. Will Brown (Sandringham Dragons) – 15
=2. Jagga Smith (Oakleigh Chargers) – 15
4. Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers) – 14
5. Indhi Kirk (Swans Academy) – 13

>> Updated: 2023 RMC Medal votes

STAT LEADERS (AVERAGES)

Disposals:
Ryley Sanders (Sandringham Dragons) – 31.7
Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) – 31.3
Sam Marshall (Lions Academy) – 30.3
Jagga Smith (Oakleigh Chargers) – 29.0
Caiden Cleary (Swans Academy) – 27.0

Marks:
Rory Parnell (Murray Bushrangers) – 8.0
Andrew Green (Northern Territory) – 7.7
Connor O’Sullivan (Murray Bushrangers) – 7.7
Charlie Naish (Northern Knights) – 7.3
Aleksandr D’Arro (Northern Knights) – 7.0

Tackles:
Sam Lalor (GWV Rebels) – 10.3
Indhi Kirk (Swans Academy) – 8.8
Daniel Gauci (Giants Academy) – 7.2
Lucca Grego (Western Jets) – 7.0
Jake Smith (Western Jets) – 7.0

Inside 50s:
Indhi Kirk (Swans Academy) – 7.3
Tom Beaumont (Tasmania Devils) – 6.8
Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) – 6.8
Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers) – 6.7
Malachi White (Geelong Falcons) – 6.7

Rebound 50s:
Ethan Borys (Geelong Falcons) – 6.8
Diesel Moloney (Western Jets) – 6.5
Oscar Ryan (Murray Bushrangers) – 6.3
Jackson Savage (Giants Academy) – 5.8
Angus Hastie (Geelong Falcons) – 5.8

Total Goals:
Jack Callinan (Tasmania Devils) – 14
Logan Morris (Western Jets) – 13
Amin Naim (Calder Cannons) – 13
Tom Anastasopoulos (Geelong Falcons) – 12
Jed Walter (Suns Academy) – 12

Note: Three-game minimum requirement

UPDATED PREDICTIONS

Premier: Sandringham Dragons
Runner-up: Eastern Ranges
Top 4: Tasmania Devils, Dandenong Stingrays
Morrish Medal: Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) & Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers)
Leading Goalkicker: Logan Morris (Western Jets)