IN the second half of Round 12 over the weekend, four teams took to the field in the Coates Talent League Girls competition with Northern Knights defeating Western Jets, and Oakleigh Chargers accounting for Sandringham Dragons. We took a look at some of the standout performers from those games in our weekly Scouting Notes, with all notes the opinion of the individual author.

Western Jets 5.2 (32) lost to Northern Knights 8.6 (54)

Western Jets:

#9 Sierra Grieves
Midfielder / Forward | 163cm | 18/05/2006

Stats: 31 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

The star midfielder played her usual role through the midfield and rested up forward at times, always getting into ball-winning positions. She did well to help out the defence too, and often got away with either one-two handballs to keep the ball moving in transition, or long kicks to safety down the line. Her efficiency is her main area of improvement, but when she can have that extra split second of time she executes well, and her quick hands under pressure and clean work at ground level maker her an incredible inside ball-winner.

#30 Alex McBride-Loane
Defender / Ruck | 173cm | 03/04/2007

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 19 hitouts, 3 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Starting in defence and then working into the ruck, McBride-Loane used her huge vertical leap to advantage. She upped the defensive pressure once the ball hit the deck, and was able to get involved in scoring passages like a midfielder. McBride-Loane tends to make good decisions with ball-in-hand but is perhaps a metre or two off with kicks under pressure, marking further improvement in that area. However her athletic traits such as her sidestep for a tall really standout and she constantly competes in the air.

#36 Olivia Castello
Midfielder | 157cm | 16/06/2006

Stats: 34 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Had the ball on a string and combined well with Grieves on the inside, racking up the pill with ease. She is not tall in stature, but she cracks in and applies plenty of defensive pressure. A lot of the time, Castello was forced to throw the ball on the boot or just handball quickly once tackled, but she covered the ground well and won it in all thirds. Her attacking play going inside forward 50 was valuable in trying to get the Jets back in the contest.

Northern Knights:

#1 Olivia Gorman
Midfielder | 166cm | 25/10/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Really liked her performance as she worked well around the ground and enjoyed the midfield minutes as Hargreaves was often thrown around the ground. Gorman reads it well off hands at stoppages and also has a nice sidestep on her with quick hands too. Not perfectly polished yet, Gorman has some nice upside for the future and showed she could compete with some quality inside midfielders.

#3 Marlo Graham
Midfielder | 163cm | 15/11/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 3 marks, 8 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 goal, 1 behind

The Vic Metro bottom-ager has such terrific skills and while she is small, packs a punch with her defensive efforts. She will throw herself into tackles to lock the ball up, and her lovely weighted kicks shine a light on some of her natural footballing skills. She took a strong mark early in the game after wearing contact close to goal and converted a major, then proceeded to take a couple of great marks in the middle two quarters at half-forward and deliver precisely by foot.

#5 Zoe Hargreaves
Utility | 172cm | 03/06/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 1 behind

Started on-ball, but tends to be utilised in multiple roles, including at both ends. She is a good size, strong overhead and competes at ground level, reading the ball off hands and able to extract it from congestion. The one knock on her performance was perhaps calling for the ball while stationary which led to the opposition either tackling, spoiling or intercepting her, but Hargreaves is at her best when on the move. Her first quarter was huge in getting the side going, and it was noticeable that when she went to full-forward in the second term the Knights did not have the same ascendancy in the midfield, which showed her importance. She even went back into defence for the final term as well such is her terrific versatility.

#7 Scarlett Johnson
Wing | 174cm | 26/11/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle, 4 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

The tall wing has really become a threat all over the ground thanks to her running capacity, and though her contested marking is an element the Knights would love to have inside 50, she can now be the outlet kick at half-back or in transition. Johnson moves well around the ground and got back to mop up at half-back, while still taking five marks and doing great work between the arcs. A promising prospect for 2025.

#19 Olivia Jesser
Midfielder / Forward | 168cm | 01/04/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50, 3 goals

It was a fantastic effort from the bottom-ager to start on-ball and then get forward to kick three goals. She won her first being held by her opponent Grieves in the second term, and six minutes later kicked a ripper after wrestling it free off the deck from an opponent. Her third was a nice finish in transition on the run. Though she did not win a stack of it in the middle, she was still involved defensively, and the hurt Grieves going the other way when the pair were opposed to each other.

#25 Kiara Keenan
Defender | 168cm | 21/12/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 5 rebound 50s

Continuing to just be that composed defender, Keenan both mops up and intercepts in the back 50. She makes good decisions by hand or foot, and while a lot of her disposals are more safe than risky, considering her position, it makes sense and works out. She is a player teammates can trust the ball in the hands of, and she is not just a one-trick pony either, willing to get her hands dirty and apply plenty of ground level pressure too.

Sandringham Dragons 2.1 (13) lost to Oakleigh Chargers 15.17 (107)

Sandringham Dragons:

#15 Sophie McKay
Midfielder | 168cm | 27/04/2006

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 11 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

After a really busy first half where McKay was keeping her side in it, she found the going tougher after half-time as Oakleigh’s midfield went to another level. Never stopping trying and applying great defensive pressure all over the ground, McKay was unlucky not to win a few free kicks along the way as she was tightly guarded around stoppages and in marking contests. Kept cracking in and covered the ground well though.

#21 Daisy Flockart
Midfielder | 179cm | 23/02/2006

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s

Like McKay, did not have her best game but still tried hard for four quarters. She won the first clearance out of the middle and found a bit of the ball in the first half, before repeating the first clearance of the second half. She showed her trademark burst at different points and was strogn in the air, just was up against it given the strength of the Oakleigh lineup.

#30 Tiger Doultree
Defender | 175cm | 27/02/2006

Stats: 24 disposals, 9 marks, 1 tackle, 10 rebound 50s

Comfortably Sandringham’s best player on the day, the Dragons would have lost by triple digits had it not been for the tireless work of Doultree in defence. Though having cut her teeth as a forward initially, Doultree’s move back has been beneficial for the top-ager, with her contested marking and accurate, powerful kick able to be utilised in a role behind the ball as well. Like a rock in the defensive 50, Doultree chopped off so many forward forays and earned her touches with her positioning and reading of the play.

Oakleigh Chargers:

#1 Jacinta Baxter
Forward | 163cm | 18/01/2006

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 inside 50, 2 goals, 1 behind

Showed a touch of class and her athletic traits from early in the game to win the ball, sidestep and opponent then spot Bown free inside 50 and execute the pass. She snuck under the radar at times and ran onto a couple of kicks inside 50 at the bookended quarters, while working up to the wing and getting involved. Could have had a few more chances, but one missed and another fell short.

#2 Sarah Poustie
Midfielder | 170cm | 05/01/2006

Stats: 22 disposals, 1 mark, 9 tackles, 9 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Went head-to-head with McKay early on and had a great battle there, before moving onto Flockhart at times in the middle. She was one of the most consistent four-quarter performers and was enormous defensively, intercepting at half-forward on a number of occasions when building the wall to lock the ball inside 50. She was smart at centre clearances and made good decisions with ball-in-hand, while standing up in tackles and dishing off to teammates. While she has had bigger games statistically, Poustie was a standout on the day, and one of the Chargers best in getting the ball forward.

#3 Sienna Tallariti
Defender | 168cm | 10/07/2006

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The skipper may not have had as much to do in defence, but she helped guide the side to weather the early storm. She was composed under pressure, took the kickouts at times and bombed long outside defensive 50, while also running up to receive the handball and keep the speed on the ball in transition. She did well one-on-one against the strong Mia Zielinski in the middle to take a mark, and put her body on the line when required.

#5 Abbey Vicino
Midfielder / Forward | 157cm | 13/02/2006

Stats: 18 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s

More and more looking likely to be that pressure high half-forward who can push up and add an extra number around the ball, Vicino played a mix of midfield and forward minutes in the game. She was good at ground level, and her efficiency this season has improved dramatically, with her cleanliness and release by hand always some of her strengths. She had a chance on goal that jus missed late in the match, but her pressure on teh opposition ball carrier and ability to find space stood out.

#9 Chloe Bown
Midfielder / Forward | 174cm | 20/12/2007

Stats: 35 disposals, 8 marks, 5 tackles, 11 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 2 goals, 2 behinds

The star on the day, Bown earned our Rookie Me Central Player of the Week nomination for her enormous performance. She did everything from winning it in the air, to burrowing down and fetching it off the ground. She won clearances, got to the outside and thumped it inside 50, then got forward and slotted a couple of majors. At times she can spray shots off that left foot, but given any time and space, and Bown can do enormous damage. Her high impact-to-possession ratio meant 35 touches was a massive game.

#14 Chloe Thorn
Defender / Midfielder | 166cm | 07/09/2007

Stats: 19 disposals, 8 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Though she started in defence, the bottom-ager earned more midfield minutes and gave a glimpse into what next year will likely hold. She is a great user of the ball, lowers the eyes going inside 50, and is not afraid to apply her fair share of defensive pressure. Though not a noted goalkicker, Thorn got on the end of once with a clever kick with the outside of the boot from 35m out in the 13th minute of the final term.

#18 Bailee Martin
Forward | 174cm | 03/09/2008

Stats: 20 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 4 hitouts, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals, 1 behind

Playing full-forward in a team that wins as consistently as Oakleigh does must be nice, but the Under 16s talent works hard for her touches. She has a powerful straight line burst, is strong overhead and can also work her magic in general play. Capable of kicking multiple goals, while Martin can rush and sometimes spray them, she looks dangerous every time the ball is in her area. Martin’s courage was also on display late in the third term when clunking a mark back with the flight 15m out.

#21 Amelie Gladman
Forward | 166cm | 16/06/2006

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 1 goal, 2 behinds

The crafty forward might not have had the scoreboard impact of others with just the one goal, but Gladman still got involved plenty across the front half of the ground. A few chances just missed, but she worked hard up and down the 50, and even pushing up to the wing. A clean gatherer of the ball, she generally makes good decisions and can bring teammates into the game. While sharing the forwardline with a lot of quality players can make it tough, Gladman still got her hands on the ball a fair bit to impact.

#35 Zoe Curry
Forward / Midfielder | 19/10/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

The strong double bottom-ager is reminiscent of Charlie Rowbottom in the way she plays and moves and with outstanding power and strength, can get her way around stoppages and up forward in marking contests. She is not afraid to apply a fend-off or breakthrough would-be tacklers, and while it can get her into trouble at times, she still has the forward craft to impact inside 50. She kicked a ripping goal out of nothing from a clever snap and would have had a goal earlier in teh day but a defender got to it just in time. A promising player for the future.