THE penultimate Coates Talent League home-and-away weekend saw many regions return to relative full strength, as recent draft combine invitees sought to impress. We took note of some of the top prospects in Round 16, with a heavy focus on said combine invitees and bottom-aged talent.

>> Talent League Round 16: POTW | TOTW | Snapshot

By: Declan Reeve

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:

#3 Levi Ashcroft

With the game being played at such high pressure, Ashcroft was in his element with his aggressive approach to winning the ball around stoppages and contests. Despite being undersized compared to some of his opposition, Ashcroft’s speed and technique when winning the ball held him in good stead. Ashcroft worked hard on the outside to create overlap run and keep his side moving forward with speed, as he was involved in most of their most promising attacking plays early on, often forced to handball but managing some damaging kicks when given enough time to scan ahead.

#9 Archie Roberts

Despite having cut his teeth mostly as a defender to date, Roberts was arguably most impressive against the Knights when playing a role on the wing, with his speed and running patterns around stoppages allowing him to be a damaging outside receiver for Sandringham. Roberts made a few more mistakes by foot in open play than he typically does, but demonstrated his high level kicking when given space or time from a mark. Whilst Roberts wasn’t at his best defensively, his ball use coming out of the back line was an asset to his side.

#15 Ryley Sanders

The National Academy member stuffed the stats sheet on return from APS footy, racking up 35 disposals and demonstrating his work rate throughout the game. Sanders wasn’t afforded the time and space with ball in hand than he typically is, meaning the majority of his work was done under pressure where his precision by hand and decision making held up. Sanders was rotated up forward for portions of the match where he was typically the target of Sandringham’s entries inside 50, and showed off some impressive marks but struggled for conversion in front of goal. 

#28 Charlie Edwards

Having received some recruiter attention recently, Edwards’ performance against the Knights would’ve only increased interest as he was arguably his side’s most damaging player for the day. With wingers an increasingly important part of the modern game, it’s no surprise Edwards is drawing eyes with how well suited he is to the role, getting to both ends of the ground repeatedly and using the ball well when he won it, as well as presenting as a link up option from the defensive half heading forward. 

#29 Harvey Johnston

Johnston didn’t allow a slow start to the game to get him down for long, as the half-forward worked into it well, particularly in the second half. Johnston did all the normal things well through the contest, with his ball use and ability to weave through traffic on display in the middle third of the ground, as he worked tirelessly between the arcs to get involved in the play.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:

#2 Nate Caddy

It has been quite a stretch of form for Caddy of late, as he registered his third four-goal haul for the Talent League season, despite starting on-ball for a fair amount of restarts. There wasn’t much Caddy didn’t do through the game, with his gut running to impact the next contest particularly impressive from midfield, and his leading and marking at its typical best as he registered a season-high 11 grabs, demonstrating good bodywork. Caddy converted his opportunities well, while also looking to move the ball to a better option when heading towards goal from a difficult angle.

#10 William Green

Whilst 15 disposals and 19 hitouts doesn’t immediately jump off the stats sheet, Green’s opening quarter was arguably as good as it gets for a ruckman at any level, and set the tone for the Knights’ victory. Green’s read of the ball and the play was vital in his positioning around the ground, putting himself into areas Sandringham wanted to kick to and convincingly holding marks regardless of how many tried to stop him. He followed up with smart ball use, not always penetrating with his disposal but generally making the best decision. Green’s work rate around the ground was second to none on the day, constantly on the move to cut off inside kicks for the Dragons, then gut running to get to the down the line contest, as well as spreading hard from stoppages and even laying tackles on opposition midfielders.

#11 Lucas McInerney

The bottom-aged winger didn’t win a whole heap of possessions on the day but stood out with his ball use and efforts in creating drive with his run and carry. McInerney was difficult for his opponents to keep up with, allowing him to get separation with relative ease to be a marking option or get the handball on the outside, drive his legs to space, and hit targets with pin-point kicks.

#26 Zak Johnson

Another impressive bottom-age performer for the Knights, Johnson didn’t quite put together the four-quarter performance he would’ve been hoping for, but certainly demonstrated why he’s one to watch for 2024 with his flashes of brilliance. Johnson was well balanced around contests and stoppages, understanding whether he was required to try and win it himself or whether he should make a run for a receive by hand; following up with clean ball use by foot and hand regardless. Johnson had an impact heading forward, converting an early set shot from on the 50 mark as well as receiving a handball near the goal to slot his second.

#57 Tyson Gresham

The 16-year-old debutant and brother of St Kilda’s Jade, Gresham played with composure beyond his years as he caused the Sandringham defenders plenty of headaches with his speed and liveliness inside 50. Gresham used his diminutive stature to advantage as he evaded opponents to feed the ball out to runners, or hit front-and-centre balls with one-touch gathers, but also impacted as he roamed higher up the ground, even converting a set shot from just inside 50.

By: Michael Alvaro

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#3 Xavier Lindsay

Continuing his strong run of form, Lindsay seamlessly racked up a team-high 27 disposals, eight tackles and six inside 50s at the heart of Gippsland’s engine room. The bottom-ager was his usually productive self when peeling away from the contest, albeit if his kicking radar was a touch off in the early stages. He also rose for a couple of gutsy overhead marks and balanced those efforts with his classy movement away from stoppage.

#9 Zane Duursma

Duursma has now kicked 10 goals in his last two games after a haul of four on Saturday, thriving in his most natural position as a forward. His athleticism troubled Oakleigh’s defenders, with Duursma able to beat them in the air and across the ground en route to goal. The star prospect weaved in and out of traffic and finished tough chances with aplomb, with many of his 15 disposals leading to scores. He could hardly have started the game much better either, booting his side’s opening goal and setting up brother Willem for Gippsland’s second.

#15 Tew Jiath

Another Gippsland prospect with a sibling at the top level, Jiath again showcased some of the promise which earned him a state combine invite. The 187cm defender got involved in play beyond defensive 50 and looked to set the Power up from the back half. His execution could have done with a touch of polish at times but Jiath tended to make good decisions and spread the ball nicely.

#22 Archer Reid

Reid has slowly recaptured his best form over the last month and put in another strong shift with 17 disposals, five marks and 12 hitouts as a rotating ruck-forward. The 203cm prospect showcased his athleticism and got after it at centre stoppages, impacting aerially and following up with hard tackles. While h failed to nab a major score, Reid displayed his dexterity as a lead-up target and sent a couple of snaps towards goal which either fell short or wide. 

#38 Willem Duursma

Having claimed All-Australian honours as a defender, and played the same role in his first two games with Gippsland, Duursma was swung forward to good effect on Saturday. The 16-year-old opened his Talent League account with a first quarter goal assisted by brother Zane, and went on to showcase his range as a high forward. He racked up eight marks and took most of them beyond the 50m arc, faring well aerially with his clean hands and long reach.

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS:

#1 Nathan Philactides

Having enjoyed recent stints in midfield, Philactides reverted back to his original posting down back and produced much of the same rebounding power he has become known for. The Chargers’ captain sparked some impressive transitional play with his sharp turn of speed and ability to chain possessions, but could have been a touch more pin-point with his kicking. Still, 30 disposals and a combined seven breaches of either arc make for good reading.

#3 Kynan Brown

Brown returned to Oakleigh colours after linking with the Casey Demons VFL side and got straight back to work, collecting 27 disposals and six marks as a midfielder-forward. The Melbourne father-son candidate sharked the ball nicely off ruck taps and set off with his eye-catching acceleration, before going on to spend more time in attack. He hit the scoreboard with a set shot goal to start the fourth quarter – the first of Oakleigh’s five unanswered majors to get over the line.

#4 Patrick Retschko

In combination with Philactides, Retschko set Oakleigh’s half-back line alight en route to accumulating 41 disposals and 12 rebound 50s. He attacked from defence, advancing high up the ground and providing frequent overlap run. The bottom-ager waxed well with teammates to chain possessions up the ground and give the Chargers’ transitional play some fluent flair.

#5 Finn O’Sullivan

Playing his first Talent League game since Round 4, O’Sullivan made a steady return with 20 disposals. He was involved in Oakleigh’s slow play during the early stages and hardly made a mistake throughout the game, proving neat and tidy while moving the ball on with few frills. As arguably next year’s leading prospect, he presents as an incredibly well rounded player who can impact games when it matters most.

#7 Jagga Smith

There was some seriously sharp stuff coming from Smith on Saturday, as the bottom-aged talent helped himself to 31 disposals through midfield. As is usually the case, opponents struggled to lay a hand on him as he wheeled away from stoppages, proving elusive as ever with his agility and high-level awareness. Smith was also wonderfully clean off the deck and even hit the scoreboard while resting forward, ending up with two goals.

#9 Tom Gross

Another impressive bottom-ager in Oakleigh’s ranks, Gross had some of the most impactful possessions of anyone afield. He notched 22 touches, five marks and six inside 50s in a productive outing, catching the eye most with his explosive speed out the front of stoppages. Countless times, Gross accelerated forward and drove the Chargers inside 50 at full tilt. He also snared two goals of his own having contributed to many other scores.

#11 Will Lorenz

Lorenz will hope for a big finish to his top-age campaign and took another positive step with 20 disposals, six marks and five tackles on Saturday. The classy midfielder started on the wing but also got a run at the centre bounces, impressing most when stepping past opponents with deft shifts of his hips. Lorenz’s spatial awareness brought him extra time on the ball, and he backed himself to manufacture it before executing each disposal.

#26 Harvey Thomas

While tied to Oakleigh all year, Saturday marked Thomas’ first appearance in Chargers colours for the season after he represented the Giants Academy. He has since turned out as a small defender for the Allies and made his VFL debut, but was utilised as a high half-forward against Gippsland. The classy left-footer bagged a goal in term one and was then forced to find the ball further afield, claiming 20 disposals and six marks overall.

By: Michael Alvaro

EASTERN RANGES:

#1 Caleb Windsor

Windsor is capable of impressive things at his best, and the glimpses he showed on Saturday were right up there. The wingman’s turn of speed made him tough to contain on the outside, combining well with teammates as he ran the ball into attack. While his kicking remained hit-or-miss at times, the top-ager was clean in his handling off the deck and struck a lovely set shot for his third quarter goal. He got after it with some hard tackles too – a good trait for an outside player to have.

#5 Nick Watson

There are few bigger draws or better players to watch in the Talent League than Watson, who was utilised in a forward-wing rotation on the weekend. His energy and movement caused headaches for the opposition, as the 170cm ‘Wizard’ came to life when latching onto the ball and getting creative in Eastern’s attacking phases. He pulled out some party tricks but lacked in a fundamental part of his game – finishing – with 1.3 and an uncharacteristic shank over the mark in term four. Still, he collected 20 touches and was productive as ever.

#8 Cam Nyko

One of Eastern’s three National Combine invitees, Nyko returned to Talent League action on Saturday and registered a steady 11 disposals down back. Among them were 10 kicks and five marks, with the 180cm rebounder chiming in with a couple of gutsy intercepts. The left-footer was a touch dependant on his favoured side but distributed the ball nicely and his three tackles were all quite strong. He’ll hope to round out the season in top form.

#9 Christian Moraes

Having hit significant heights over the last month or so, Moraes was again among Eastern’s most prolific midfielders, albeit for a less eye-watering tally of 22 touches. The bottom-ager impressed in the early stages with his ability to break away out the front of stoppages, utilising his turn of speed to good effect. He also took the ball cleanly overhead and sent some terrific passes inside 50 despite somewhat of an awkward kicking action.

#18 Brayden LaPlanche

Things slowly seemed to click for LaPlanche on the weekend as he switched into the back line. The 189cm talent warmed into proceedings and produced impactful plays when hitting the ball at full tilt. His ‘wow’ moment came in the third quarter as he intercepted and carried the ball through the corridor, before delivering a booming kick inside 50 to assist a goal over the back. He showed serious power in instances like that and has potential to be a dynamic overlap runner or interceptor.

#21 Ry Cantwell

Cantwell came into the season with a bit of hype and having entered the fray in Round 7, he finally produced somewhat of a breakout game. The powerful forward collected a personal-best 16 disposals, eight marks and three goals, also shifting up to the wing and getting involved between the arcs. He’s another player with power, but he arguably looks most dangerous as a high-marking medium forward who strikes the ball nicely. He should impress at the state combine.

GEELONG FALCONS:

#5 Tom Anastasopoulos

Anastasopoulos’ 10 touches, five tackles and lone goal don’t entirely tell the story of his game, though it was somewhat of a frustrating one at that. With his side struggling for any real attacking momentum, the small forward looked to provide energy up the ground and use his pace on the way back to goal. He also got his hands dirty defensively but was caught numerous times himself, unable to complete all of his possessions as he bit off a bit much at times. On a day where he could have been forgiven for hunting a goal, Anastasopoulos unselfishly gave a couple of chances off and was rewarded with a major in the final quarter.

#19 Angus Hastie

On a busy day for Geelong’s defenders, Hastie continued to showcase his attacking flair off half-back with 19 disposals and three inside 50s. The Falcons’ lone National Combine invitee was aggressive with ball in hand, looking most dangerous when allowed time to take a step or snatch grass in front of him. Hastie’s kicking distribution was typically productive, albeit challenged under pressure, and he displayed potential to further his intercept marking prowess at 189cm.

#29 Joe Pike

One of three Falcons included on the state combine list, Pike got to work in the primary ruck role and led all comers with 21 hitouts. He also made an impact between the arcs with four marks among his 12 touches, flying confidently at the ball and positioning well for a couple of intercepts as a tough man to move one-on-one. The 203cm tall also used his size to advantage to prize clearances out of the ruck contest.

By: Peter Williams

BENDIGO PIONEERS:

#1 Oliver Poole

One of Bendigo’s best for his impact inside 50, Poole booted three first half goals to step up and put the Pioneers in a strong position. Two of those came later in the second term, including a nice effort from long-range. He made some errors by foot, and missed a flying shot late in the game after a nice sidestep, but overall looked dangerous near the forward arc.

#3 Tobie Travaglia

The most prominent Bendigo ball-winner on the day, Travaglia had some nice moments, collecting 22 disposals, five marks, five rebound 50s and laying six tackles with some nice transitional run between the arcs. There were a few occasions where he made mistakes under pressure, but with ball-in-hand was able to move it on quickly with his athleticism.

#5 Harley Reid

Played at full forward for 30 minutes aside from a brief stint through the middle in the final two minutes before coming off with a knee knock in term two. The top AFL Draft prospect booted 2.2 from six disposals and five marks in that time and clearly looked like being best on ground before his day ended early with the Pioneers not taking any chances.

#17 Jobe Shanahan

A player with all the exciting traits of a top prospect for next year, Shanahan was able to provide Reid with plenty of delivery early, including a slick low-bullet pass to set up a goal. With great skills and awareness, as well as nice athleticism, Shanahan showed in his match for NSW/ACT Under 17s that he is a player to watch. Still developing his consistency and he did just have the 12 touches, Shanahan is that ‘moments’ player.

GWV REBELS:

#2 Lachlan Charleson

Producing his best performance of the season, the athletic small slammed home 8.4 in a remarkable effort inside 50. In a clear best on ground performance – and earning our Rookie Me Central Player of the Week – Charleson did a stack of damage on the scoreboard and even missed a handful of chances as well. His four goals in the third term effectively was the key in helping the Rebels build their lead. His leap and goal sense caught his opponent off guard, while he also helped set up teammates going inside 50 with some deft taps or effective passes.

#4 Sam Lalor

The talented bottom-age midfielder provided plenty of highlights during the game, putting his body on the line in a number of contested situations. He set up a couple of goals when going inside 50, generally using the ball well when composing himself in transition. He had a couple of rushed kicks that went askew including a set shot that went wide off the side of the boot and out of the full, but was a strong midfielder across four quarters.

#6 Luamon Lual

Starting strongly, Lual had a massive first term where he won multiple possessions and tried to thump the ball forward to give his side first advantage inside 50. He floated in and out of the game at times, but when he was in full flight it was exciting, often running hard from half-back to half-forward to win a chain of possessions. In the fourth term he produced a clever tap while under pressure to get it to a teammate then ran hard to half-forward and delivered nicely with a pinpoint pass to Lalor inside 50. Lual also showed his ambidexterity by kicking off both feet.

#7 Joel Freijah

The hard-running winger got involved at different points in the game, but ultimately had a more erratic performance with his kicking than usual. Freijah kicked a couple out on the full and was pinged for holding the ball early in the game, but did have some neat plays. That included a number of piecing kicks inside 50 to leading targets or dangerous possessions and his decision to play on from a free kick taking advantage from half-back lead to a goal up the other end.

#8 Jonty Faull

Started the game on fire, booting four goals in the first half before providing great foil for Charleson in the second half. He looked dangerous in leading out from full forward, and impressively kicked the goals from various methods. One included a half volley running back to goal, then another was from a contested pack mark, and had a couple of chances in the fourth term gone through, Faull would have had half a dozen majors.

#23 George Stevens

Continuing his incredible ball-winning form, Stevens had another 29 disposals, which made it nine consecutive Talent League matches with 24 or more touches. He had a couple of shots on goal that sprayed and went out on the full, but did his best work around the stoppages. His strength to stand up in tackles and still deliver clean handballs was a feature, while also winning a stack of clearances along the way. The most prominent midfielder on the ground.

By: Michael Alvaro

TASMANIA DEVILS:

#3 Jack Callinan

One of the many players trying their hand in different roles of late, Callinan plied his trade across Tasmania’s half-back line in Round 16. The crafty small leant on his agility and evasiveness to move the ball with a touch of flair, before using it neatly. He took on some of the kick-in duties en route to collecting 21 disposals, proving particularly productive in the first half before even getting a run in midfield during term four. As usual, he also enjoyed a bit of niggle.

#4 Geordie Payne

Having recently earned a state combine invite, Payne was able to showcase some of the traits which earned him such an honour on Saturday. The 184cm defender reads the play nicely and picked his moments to peel off and intercept, taking 12 marks across the four quarters. He picked the ball up quickly in flight and was gutsy when flying for it, before setting off with intent once his feet hit the ground.

#7 Heath Ollington

The second of Tasmania’s state combine invitees, Ollington worked his way into the contest and ended up having an impact with his marking prowess. He was a viable target up the line, particularly after half time, taking the ball cleanly for six grabs overall and also hitting the scoreboard with two goals from five scoring shots. With others thriving closer to goal, the over-ager may have to play higher up the ground as a link player heading into finals.

#8 James Leake

It is no secret now that Leake has stamped himself as a genuine draft prospect, and his ascent into top 20 calculations continued with a four-goal haul over the weekend. Having cut his teeth as a defender for the Devils and Allies, Leake has recently translated his aerial game and competitiveness to a new attacking role. He got on his bike to work up the ground, bringing the ball to ground when he was unable to mark and recovering first to keep Tasmania moving towards goal. His movement and dynamism troubled Calder, needless to say.

#27 Colby McKercher

Though his day was unfortunately cut short in the third quarter, McKercher was on track for a big day after snaring two goals in the opening term. The speedy midfielder started like a house on fire, fending off opponents at will and streaming away from stoppages like it was nobody’s business. He finished his work with sharp left-foot kicking on the move and made both of his goals look ridiculously easy. After looking sore in term two, he seemed to have his ankle trapped in a tackle during the third quarter and was helped off the ground. He has recently had scans and awaits a verdict on the severity of the injury, likely to cost him an appearance in Round 17 at least.

#37 Arie Schoenmaker

Schoenmaker continues to shape as one of 2023’s most intriguing prospects having rotated through the ruck from his usual defensive post on Saturday. The 194cm superboot managed to beat taller opponents to hitouts and looked to exploit them around the ground, using many of his 21 disposals (17 kicks) with typical aplomb. He was most effective when kicking over the mark or setting up play from the kick-ins, but has some work to do on the contested side of things.

CALDER CANNONS:

#10 Damon Hollow

Though others were more prolific, Hollow showed some of the most potential of any Calder player with his 13 disposals and four inside 50s. There were some tough moments, like a costly turnover inside defensive 50, but they were countered by exciting passages of speed and flair. The bottom-ager backed his pace and was dangerous in attacking phases, proving a handy point of difference to the likes of Mahmoud Taha and Hugo Garcia around the ball.

#41 Jordan Croft

Croft booted a third of his side’s six goals and could well have finished with a couple more, clunking six marks as the Cannons’ most likely forward target. The Western Bulldogs father-son prospect was opportunistic close to goal, getting on the end of a few of his teammates’ set shots which fell short and taking advantage of the size mismatch that he was afforded. Conversion and opportunity were the only things working against Croft on what was otherwise another promising outing.

By: Michael Alvaro

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:

#4 Darcy Wilson

Wilson has been an absolute standout for Murray since returning from representative duties and again led his side’s disposal tally with 28. He added six marks, four inside 50s, and five rebound 50s to his stuffed stats sheet, doing everything in his power to keep the Bushies competitive. Wilson’s running capacity was the standout trait, as he dropped back to help drive his side forward and pulled off a series of crisp kicks into the corridor. He’s the sort of player who can take a mile when given an inch, such is his class as a midfielder with inside-outside balance.

#5 Oscar Ryan

Returning in Round 16, Ryan continued his consistent season off half-back with 19 disposals and six marks in the besieged Bushies back line. He added dash and dare to Murray’s transitional play, taking on aggressive options by foot and backing his speed when carrying the ball. He also balanced out his game by getting into good positions to intercept and competing well when the ball was in dispute. When it all comes off, Ryan’s bold style is great to watch.

#8 Connor O’Sullivan

Utilised in each third of the ground, O’Sullivan struggled to make his usually profound impact on the game and returned season low tallies of 13 disposals and four marks. The versatile 198cm talent started in defence and wandered up the ground, before being swung forward and finding himself well quelled by astute Dandenong opponents. He also got a run at the centre bounces but never quite found his spot on a challenging day, arguably looking most comfortable when intercepting across his usual home at half-back.

#13 Phoenix Gothard

Things were tough for Murray’s forwards in the second half, but Gothard tried his best to stay busy en route to finishing with 16 disposals, five marks and five tackles. The lively goalsneak got involved straight away and troubled the Stingrays with his constant movement, hitting up at the ball outside 50 and finding pockets of space within the arc. As the game escaped Murray’s grasp, he had his quiet patches and can continue to work on building four-quarter consistency.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#3 Cooper Simpson

Simpson looks to slowly be recapturing his best form in the back-end of what has been an injury interrupted season, and showed positive signs for 22 disposals and two goals on Sunday. He started out on the wing but made the most impact when rotated through the centre bounces, able to utilise his sharp step and clean skills. While getting the ball became easier, disposing of it with efficiency and flair – particularly by foot – will be a couple of areas Simpson can sharpen up.

#10 Kade De La Rue

Booting a game-high three goals in Dandenong’s big win, De La Rue got busy as an effective high half-forward. The lightly built 184cm prospect presented up the ground and competed well in all levels of play, but shone brightest when able to showcase his skill in front of goal. He steadied nicely to snap around the corner and convert over the mark in a few moments of class, balancing it out with deceptively tough work in contested situations.

#11 Billy Wilson

Wilson has found a second wind upon being moved into midfield and he led all comers with 31 touches on Sunday. The defender took some time to adjust his game under more pressure than usual, but was clean at the centre bounces and used his turn of speed to break to the outside. He produced some typically outstanding kicks despite coughing a few handballs up, and was overall productive in launching attacks from the source. He even capped off his day with a goal during the fourth quarter procession.

#16 Harry De Mattia

Proving to be one of this year’s more adaptable prospects, De Mattia was sighted in every third of the ground on Sunday. He started in midfield before slotting in behind the ball and later getting a run up forward. His speed was on show with a rundown tackle on Gothard and some sharp stoppage exits, though De Mattia’s kicking could do with some work – both in the way of execution and decision making under pressure. Nonetheless, the drive he created was valuable and his versatility could come in handy as finals approach.

#17 Harvey Langford

Flagged early in the year as a bottom-ager to watch given his place in Dandenong’s leadership group, Langford continues to repay the faith and had a solid outing with 27 disposals, seven marks and a goal in Round 16. He had a couple of early blunders but generally used the ball neatly and was one-touch when handling it, often linking Dandenong between the arcs with few frills. He has obvious qualities on the inside but also got involved away from stoppage, even finding the goals when rotated forward.

#23 Noah Mraz

Having been utilised in each key position post, Mraz slotted into arguably his most comfortable role down back before getting a brief run up forward in the fourth quarter. He had an athletic attacker to contend with and often did just enough to bring the ball to ground, while also keeping his balance to impact on the follow-up. Mraz’s mobility saw him work into good spots from contest to contest and he has the kind of quality of Murray’s O’Sullivan with his dynamism in a variety of roles.