REIGNING premiers Oakleigh Chargers kick off their 2024 Coates Talent League Girls season with a trip to the Apple Isle and we spoked to premiership coach Ty Vickery about their star-studded list and some others to keep an eye on coming through the ranks.

TOP PROSPECTS

Emma McDonald (Tall Forward)
18/04/2006 | 179cm

McDonald burst onto the Coates Talent League Girls last season as a bottom-ager and quickly established herself as one of the most eye-catching players. An athletic tall forward with a terrific leap, great contested marking ability and a reliable set shot, McDonald is a nightmare for opposition defenders. She will only get better with time and could end up Vic Metro’s top prospect in a stacked field.

Sienna Tallariti (Medium Defender)
10/07/2006 | 168cm

Tallariti started the year as a utility and quickly found her home in defence, having also played up forward and through the midfield previously. Getting better and better with each game, the tough interceptor saved her best for last, winning best on ground in the Chargers’ premiership over Eastern Ranges. Though not tall compared to other defenders, Tallariti competes well in the air, has elite hands and is a potent, powerful kick.

Ty Vickery says: “They (McDonald and Tallariti) were fortunate enough to be selected in the AFLW Academy which gives them a really good foundation for the season ahead. They had a couple of camps with that and Vic Metro. They’ve really embraced using their experience from last year around expectations, around conditioning and football and all that. They’ve had a really strong start to the preseason to watch.”

Sarah Poustie (Wing/Midfielder)
05/01/2006 | 170cm

An elite runner as shown by her record-breaking yo-yo test at the Preseason Testing Day, Poustie has a number of impressive traits that allow her to play inside and outside. Neat by hand or foot and wins her own ball, Poustie is capable of going forward and hitting the scoreboard or setting others up. Likewise, she works back into defence to clunk a strong overhead mark, something she is more than capable of across the ground.

Maggie Mahony (Midfielder)
19/10/2006 | 161cm

Though small, Mahony packs a punch, with her elite defensive pressure the point of difference compared to a lot of others. Taking a no frills approach to her football, Mahony is a see-ball, get-ball player who finds it with ease, averaging 20.2 disposals across her past 20 games at the level. She has likewise averaged around seven tackles per match, predominantly playing inside, though expect her to spend time as a pressure forward too.

Amelie Gladman (Forward)
16/06/2006 | 166cm

Gladman put her name up in lights with a record-breaking performance of her own, slotting nine goals in a game against Bendigo Pioneers, the highest individual goal tally in the history of the competition. She kicked 19 for the season, and though consistency is an area she can target in 2024, she provides some spark inside 50 and a nice balance of offensive and defensive pressure.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Ty Vickery says: “We think we’ve got a pretty deep list again both with 18s and 17 (year-olds). Girls who played in our premiership side like Charlotte Brewer and Jacinta Baxter we’re hoping will have a really strong year, as will Abbey Vicino.

“Then girls coming up as 16 year-olds who have still played a little bit of football, we think will slot into our best team like Chloe Bown, Chloe Thorn and Zara Neuwirth in particular. We think they all played really good footy last year and with an extra year of experience will be really good.”

2024 GOALS

Ty Vickery says: “It’s hard to say, the reality is we’re a development league. We’re trying really hard to get as many girls put forward into that Vic Metro initial squad and hopefully the Vic Metro team. Then from there as a club we just want to play football the right way that enables our players to play to their strengths and show off what they’re good at and hopefully that means playing really good football as a unit by the end of the season.”

ROUND 1

Round 1: vs. Tasmania Devils | Sunday, April 7 @ University of Tasmania Stadium

Ty Vickery says: “It’s really good to get that done early. It allows everyone to come together and get to know each other in a different setting. We found it really beneficial when we did it halfway through the year, so to have two in the first month where we go away as a club, as a team, it will be really cool for the girls especially for the younger girls, it’s such a good experience.”