BREAKING the all-time disposal record by a mile, Calder Cannons double bottom-ager Chloe Baker-West had herself a day out in Round 13 of the Coates Talent League Girls competition. Suffering a severe case of leather poisoning, the talented 2007-born utility recorded a remarkable 49 disposals and 18 inside 50s, in a performance that would be fitting of being in a video game.

Perhaps the only area she could have elevated her performance was in her goalkicking, kicking 1.4 for the day, but she was outstanding across the board, playing through midfield and resting forward to get into the right spots time and time again to win the ball. Her performance was the subject of our Round 13 Player Focus.

2023 Coates Talent League Girls: Round 13
Calder Cannons 12.13 (85) def. Bendigo Pioneers 3.0 (18)

STATS: 49 disposals (37 kicks, 12 handballs), 5 marks, 7 tackles, 18 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal, 4 behinds

FIRST QUARTER

Chloe Baker-West won the first disposal in the game with a clean handball out of the middle, and within the opening minute had racked up two more. It was an omen of what was to come, sending the ball inside and then did it again shortly after.

After a fast start, Baker-West roamed around the ground with ease, winning the ball on the wing at the nine-minute mark, but her quick kick was smothered. She continued to work hard and found herself in defence when Bendigo was attacking, rushing a kick long down to the wing. Then, in the last few minutes of the quarter, delivered a pinpoint pass to a leading target inside 50 to set up a goal.

SECOND QUARTER

The second term was a massive one for Baker-West even though her first possession off the opening hitout saw her tackled and pinged for the holding the ball. In the fourth minute of the term, Baker-West had a long-range set shot from just inside 50 which missed to the right. She would intercept via a mark had a quick shot on goal but missed again.

Her forward pressure was evident as she continued to pepper the goals, kicking to a dangerous spot inside 50 at the five and a half minute mark of the erm. She marked all alone inside 50 shortly after, and went for goal but just carried over hands for a behind.

Another touch a minute later off a handball receive saw her turn the ball over going inside 50. She intercepted again at half-forward, but a kick off a step turned the ball over a second straight time. Her pressure around the ball carrier was fantastic, and then in the 13th minute of the term, won a clearance from the middle and thumped it inside 50. Her final touch was another penetrating kick inside 50 to the pocket to close out a massively productive first term.

THIRD QUARTER

Her third quarter was perhaps her quietest, though when you have 49 touches, you are never far from the action. She laid a tackle in the opening 10 seconds of the match to show her intent. That was the case again midway through the quarter after a rushed kick out of the pack, but follow-up tackle to lock the ball up.

Heading into the final few minutes of the term, Baker-West ran inside 50 and kicked to the pocket to an equal representation, then worked back up the field. She finished off the quarter with a disposal at half-back, delivering a nice kick from the defensive 50 back into the corridor.

FOURTH QUARTER

Baker-West finished off the match strong, and it all started a minute into the final term with a flying shot off a handball receive sailing home. In the third minute she won the ball from a forward stoppage, looked good by sidestepping an opponent, but stayed with her preferred right boot despite leaning left. It drifted to the right as a result for her fourth behind.

Midway through the term, Baker-West showed her strength to win the ball at half-back and still get a kick away while being tackled, then had a long clearing kick from the middle inside 50 that went wide. Her final touch was a free inside 50 which she used to hit up Shauna McElligott on a lead.

IN CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Chloe Baker-West is one of the top prospects for the 2025 AFL Women’s Draft. With a balance of offensive and defensive traits, a capacity to play anywhere and a natural footballing game, Baker-West is one to watch in the coming years.

She is a back-to-back MVP winner for Vic Metro at the AFLW Under 16 Championships, and already a star against players two years older than herself. Having had disposal hauls of 29, 36 and now 49, it is difficult to contain her impact.

An area of improvement can be her focus as the game goes on, with some patches where she will rush kicks off a step when she has more time. Baker-West is a naturally gifted kick of the football, so greater consistency in that area will help her take another step forward.

Overall though, it is hard to fault too much about her performance, with Baker-West boasting a balance of inside and outside traits, and capable of playing on all three lines.