A FOUR-GAME schedule across Victoria takes place tomorrow, with the northern, western, and south eastern suburbs all featuring some Coates Talent League Girls action. A match between Dandenong Stingrays and Bendigo Pioneers also marks a double-header with the boys’ aligned sides.

Saturday, June 22
Point Gellibrand Oval | @ 10:30am

FORM:

Western Jets enter the match off the back of their best form of the season, picking up back-to-back wins, albeit over two of the bottom three sides in Northern Territory and Calder Cannons. After starting the season with an 0-5 record, the Jets have got into the swing of things and will look to continue that form here. The Eastern Ranges are also in the best form of the season, having three massive wins including victories of 88 and 90 in their past two matches, which spells danger signs for any opponent.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Western Jets:

Coming off an MVP with the AFLW Academy, midfielder Sierra Grieves looms as a key player for the Jets, and will look to control the midfield battle. Olivia Castello on the inside and Charlotte Miller on the outside have both had some impressive seasons, while Alex McBride-Loane has shown to be able to play all three lines. Defender Lou-Lou Field returns to the side for the huge clash as well.

Eastern Ranges:

The Ranges looked like a title contender the last couple of weeks in particular and have a potent forwardline that is humming nicely. Skipper Georgie Brisbane, potential leading goalkicker Georgia Knight and promising Under 16s player Scout Semple have all been prolific of late, while the stacked midfield of Tayla McMillan, Grace Belloni and Stasia Stevenson just to name a few will be hard to overcome. Wing Evie Parker is set to miss the match though.

PREDICTION

Western has improved of late, but Eastern is on a different level to most teams. Expect the Ranges’ firepower up forward and the depth in the midfield to be too much, but it will be a great test to see where the Jets sit in the scheme of things coming off back-to-back wins.

Saturday, June 22
Preston City Oval | @ 11:00am

FORM:

Northern Knights will be buoyed from a competitive effort against the benchmark team in Oakleigh Chargers, a game they had every chacne to get over the line but were just outclassed in the finish. It marked their third consecutive loss, but it was a far better effort than the previous two defeats, and they come up against an out-of-form Sandringham side. The Dragons have not won since May 12 with three consecutive losses where the opposition scored a combined 32.31 (223) to the Dragons’ 5.8 (38). They will be keen to turn it around against a strong fellow metropolitan side.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Northern Knights:

Led by a host of powerful midfielders who can roll forward, the Knights have Zoe Hargreaves and Holly Ridewood stepping up on the inside and outside, while the smalls of Marlo Graham and Phoebe Hargreaves can go to work. Up front, Kira Lemire and Scarlett Johnson are a powerful one-two contested marking punch for the Knights.

Sandringham Dragons:

Sandringham Dragons regain star midfielder/forward Sophie McKay for the match to provide support for the hard-running Scout Howden, however another top-ager in Daisy Flockart and leading goalkicker Mia Zielinski will miss. Tiger Doultree and Under 16s prospect Chloe Shipton and two names who can shape the forward 50 in their absence.

PREDICTION

The form of the Knights should be too strong here, though expect the Dragons to begin to turn around their own form soon. McKay returning will help, and if she can her hands on the ball, usually good things will follow. The depth of the Knights is ultra-impressive though.

Saturday, June 22
Windy Hill | @ 11:30am

FORM:

Calder Cannons take a trip to the Essendon and District Football League (EDFL)’s home at Windy Hill and will look to cause a massive boilover against a strong Oakleigh outfit. The Cannons will be underdogs, but they should have had two wins on the bounce since losing 81-0 to the Suns Academy. Calder came from behind against Murray then did the opposite and looked to have the game won against Western only to fade after being 29-0 up and go down by five points. The Chargers just keep winning, and while Oakleigh was challenged by Northern, moved to 7-1 for the season.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Calder Cannons:

School football and injury has impacted the Cannons this season and will again this week with the side minus impressive bottom-agers Chloe Baker-West and Jade McLay. They still have Shauna McElligott and Lara Churchill to provide some highlights in the forward 50, while the tenacious Maddison Albrecht and promising left-footer Kyla Forbes are top-agers to remember.

Oakleigh Chargers:

Skipper Sienna Tallariti leads a strong defensive lineup that perhaps is often understated considering the depth of the midfield and attack, but is there on teh half-back line with vice-captain Charlotte Brewer and bottom-ager Chloe Thorn. The Chargers are minus Maggie Mahony for this match, but it could provide Chloe Bown further midfield minutes alongside Sarah Poustie and Abbey Vicino.

PREDICTION

Oakleigh Chargers are just too strong across the board and should come away with the points. The Cannons could apply the same scrappy pressure that the Knights did last week to make it a contest, but will need to neutralise a lot of talented players in order to bring home the four points.

Saturday, June 22
Shepley Oval | @ 12:00pm

FORM:

Dandenong Stingrays are just two wins off top spot and percentage outside the top four when they come up against an out-of-form Bendigo Pioneers outfit. The Pioneers have lost five in a row since winning their first three and have slipped to 10th on teh ladder, though still remain fifth in the country pool. Taking out losses to the two Queensland Academies, Dandenong has won the past five against full-time Talent League Girls sides, with only a 50-point defeat in Round 1 to Oakleigh the sole blemish in that regard.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Dandenong Stingrays:

A good opportunity to see third-gamer Lillian Snow step up to the plate, after the bottom-ager had a couple of 20-plus disposal performances playing on the inside. She will join Jemma Reynolds and Kate Terri in there, with Tahlia Sanger providing run on the outside. Watch for the versatile Zoe Besanko to cover plenty of ground, while Alice Cunnington is a future star to remember.

Bendigo Pioneers:

Led by Lou Painter in midfield, the Pioneers have some classy operators in Jemmika Douglas and Olivia Lacy, the latter of whom has been named to start on-ball. Both Douglas and Lacy can rotate across half-back and provide some drive, while up forward, strong marking targets in Alexis Gregor and Gabrielle Drage are ones to watch. Lavinia Cox is also coming off her best game of the season.

PREDICTION

At home and the form they are in, the Dandenong Stingrays should be too good here. The midfield battle will be intriguing, and the Pioneers do have forward marking targets down there if they can supply them with enough inside 50s, but that will be the question mark. The Stingrays are minus goalsneak Kayla Dalgleish however.