PRODUCING a finals appearance in 2023, Northern Knights were able to blood a couple of sisters who impressed in their debut Coates Talent League Girls season, and loom as a couple of the top prospects over the next two years. We spoke to coach Allana Dickie about the players to watch from the Knights this year.

TOP PROSPECT

Zoe Hargreaves (Midfielder/Defender)
03/06/2006 | 172cm

Hargreaves is Northern’s sole Vic Metro hub member and a high-upside talent. She has a powerful burst out of stoppages and could drift forward to impact scoring chains and provide crucial run and carry. Representing Vic Metro and impressing there against the Allies with 16 disposals and five inside 50s, Hargreaves showed she belonged among the best talent. The top-ager also played in the Under 17 Futures match to show her wares as well.

Allana Dickie says: “[Zoe] plays inside mid for us and we’re actually looking at potentially playing her down back at times. We think the opportunity to showcase her aerial strength, which she did get a couple of opportunities through last year to do that, but we think there’s probably another opportunity to show that not only can she burst out of stoppage, but let’s throw her down back and show her aerial ability and being able to read the contest.”

OTHERS TO WATCH

Allana Dickie says: “We’ve got a couple of bottom-agers that are in that Vic Metro program that are in the Summer program as well, in Marlo Graham and Phoebe Hargreaves. Phoebe’s recovering from an ankle injury at the moment but she’ll be back in full action soon. Excited to see how they go as well.”

2024 GOALS

Allana Dickie says: “To be honest, I’m so big on the process and the players know that. If we focus on whatever element of the game we’re working on throughout each of the different matches and we see progress through that, that’s going to give us a good outcome.

“We don’t really talk about finals or the number of games we win or anything like that, it’s so much about individually them improving whatever focus that they have in their IDPs (individual development plans), but also as a team we just want to pick one or two things that we want to chip away at each game and if we do that really well, that’s a win for us.”

ROUND 1

Round 1: vs. Calder Cannons | Saturday, April 6 @ Highgate Recreation Reserve