FOUR teams remain in the hunt for the 2024 Coates Talent League Girls premiership with last year’s grand finalists Oakleigh Chargers and Eastern Ranges taking on Dandenong Stingrays and Geelong Falcons respectively.

Saturday, September 14
Highgate Recreation Reserve | @ 11:30am

FORM:

Oakleigh Chargers have won 11 matches on the trot and only went down in one game all year – to Gold Coast Suns Academy – to remain the team to beat in 2024. Dandenong has had similar success only losing to Eastern Ranges and the Chargers of the full-time teams, with the latter coming way back in Round 2 in the Stingrays’ first match of the season.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Oakleigh Chargers:

Oakleigh will welcome back talented top-age midfielder Maggie Mahony from injury who joins the midfield of Sarah Poustie and Chloe Bown who have been in great form. Up forward, Emma McDonald has been the figurehead, while Abbey Vicino and Bailee Martin have been hitting the scoreboard multiple times in recent weeks. Up the other end, the likes of Sienna Tallariti, Charlotte Brewer and Chloe Thorn provide consistent run from defence.

Dandenong Stingrays:

Dandenong has plenty of rotational possibilities with such a fluid lineup, as Rookie Me Central Medallist Jemma Reynolds, Kayla Dalgleish and Lillian Snow who can impact around the contest and going forward. Talls Elli Symonds and Zoe Besanko will also be key to getting the Stingrays over the line, having more experience than their Oakleigh counterparts. Twins Mizuki and Nalu Brothwell also loom as important players up respective ends.

PREDICTION

Both these teams are quality lineups. Oakleigh is deserving favourites given history and form across the season, though the Stingrays have got better as the season has gone on. With a well-balanced lineup, Dandenong is a good chance at giving the upset a shake, but the Chargers are primed to go through to try and win their second consecutive flag.

Saturday, September 14
Highgate Recreation Reserve | @ 1:40pm

FORM:

Geelong bounced back from three losses out of four to win the past two games in the last round of the season and first week of finals, collecting victories over GWV Rebels and Tasmania Devils. The Falcons rose from fourth on the Country Division to topple the Devils at Shepley Oval last week and now will look to upstage the second placed Eastern Ranges. The Ranges lost to the Falcons last time they played but were heavily understrength, and aside from a defeat at the hands to the Chargers in the final round where they led by 22 points at the last break, were able to knock off anyone else in their path.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Geelong Falcons:

The Falcons midfield bats quite deep with Vic Country MVP Sara Howley leading the way on the inside and her skipper Mekah Morrissy running hard on the outside. Top-age representative Chloe Bryant along with bottom-age talents Georgia Tyrrell and Stella Huxtable are quality players, while Seisia White and Rebecca Clottey bring the heat up forward, and Ava Bilyk is a skilful double bottom-age talent coming out of defence.

Eastern Ranges:

Eastern’s midfield is just as impressive, headlined by a host of Vic Metro representatives. Grace Belloni and Stasia Stevenson are a couple of top-age talents to watch both through the middle and up forward, with the likes of Georgia Knight and Georgie Brisbane targets inside 50. Wingers Zoe Vozzo and Evie Parker provide important dash, while speedy trio Grace Baba, Jordyn Allen and Tayla McMillan provide run in transition.

PREDICTION

Eastern Ranges at full strength look the team to beat in the game. Geelong was too strong the sides last played, but with at least half of the Ranges side missing that day, there is not a lot to be read into the result. Eastern’s midfield power and presence up forward is outstanding, though against the Falcons cannot afford to miss as many chances as the Ranges did against the Knights or they might pay the pike.