TOP four sides Dandenong Stingrays and Eastern Ranges combined for 10 of the 24 players in our Rookie Me Central Coates Talent League Girls Team of the Week for Round 15. The other winners – Western Jets and Tasmania Devils – as well as Calder Cannons all had three, with the remaining three losers – GWV Rebels, Northern Knights and Murray Bushrangers – making up the last five players.

Tasmanian forward Georgia Clark captains the Round 15 team after three goals in a low-scoring win over Calder Cannons to earn our Player of the Week nomination. She is named at centre half-forward, with teammates Priya Bowering and Mackenzie Ford on the bench in what was a competitive week for midfielders.

The Devils’ opponents Calder Cannons also had the three representatives, highlighted by Chloe Baker-West on-ball again following another 38-disposal effort. Maddison Albrecht and Kayley Kavanagh were also named in the squad, making the half-forward flank and interchange.

Dandenong Stingrays recorded the most players in the Team of the Week yet again, with six representatives in the side. Due to the strength of the midfield, Mikayla Williamson was named at half-back, with Jemma Reynolds (wing) and Sophie Butterworth (full-forward) further afield. Bottom-age ruck Elli Symonds was named in that role once again, while Jemaya Bressan and Meg Robertson found their way onto the bench.

Eastern Ranges also had their fair share of representatives. After a standout performance, Hayley McLaughlin was named on the wing, with Grace Belloni (half-forward) and Grace Baba (back pocket). Double bottom-ager Tayla McMillan made the side again, coming in on the bench.

The other winner for the weekend was Western Jets, with AFLW Academy member Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner kicking two goals in her first game back from a broken wrist and found her place in the forward pocket. Tamara Henry (half-forward) and Kiera Leare (midfield) were the other Jets in the team.

Another Jet – Sierra Grieves – was named as one of three emergencies alongside Northern Knights’ Tahlia Plunkett and GWV Rebels’ Claire Mahony. Both those sides had two representatives who made the side, with Zoe Hargreaves and Hannah Scott (Northern) and Millie Lang and Jess Rentsch (GWV) rounding out the squad.

2023 TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 15

B: Hannah Scott (Northern Knights) – Kaylea Kobzan (Murray Bushrangers) – Grace Baba (Eastern Ranges)
HB: Jess Rentsch (GWV Rebels) – Millie Lang (GWV Rebels) – Mikayla Williamson (Dandenong Stingrays)
C: Hayley McLaughlin (Eastern Ranges) – Zoe Hargreaves (Northern Knights) – Jemma Reynolds (Dandenong Stingrays)
HF: Maddison Albrecht (Calder Cannons) – Georgia Clark (Tasmania Devils) (c) – Tamara Henry (Western Jets)
F: Grace Belloni (Eastern Ranges) – Sophie Butterworth (Dandenong Stingrays) – Kristie-Lee Weston Turner (Western Jets)
R: Elli Symonds (Dandenong Stingrays) – Kiera Leare (Western Jets) – Chloe Baker-West (Calder Cannons)
INT: Priya Bowering (Tasmania Devils) – Jemaya Bressan (Dandenong Stingrays) – Mackenzie Ford (Tasmania Devils) – Kayley Kavanagh (Calder Cannons) – Tayla McMillan (Eastern Ranges) – Meg Robertson (Dandenong Stingrays)

EMG: Sierra Grieves (Western Jets) – Claire Mahony (GWV Rebels) – Tahlia Plunkett (Northern Knights)