A COUNTRY triple-header was the highlight of Round 3 in the Coates Talent League, with the absence of AFL Academy members allowing prospects to emerge across the weekend. For the final time in the first block of the season, we outline some of the top performers from each game in our Scouting Notes.

>> CTL ROUND 3: Snapshot | Player of the Week | Team of the Week

Calder Cannons 10.13 (73) def. by Northern Knights 12.6 (78)

By: Adrian Dixon

CALDER CANNONS:

#2 Hussien El Achkar
Small Forward | 171cm | 02/04/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 3 goals

El Achkar showed excellent vision early to hit up Adam Sweid in the first quarter, who was unable to convert, instead putting the Cannons on the board himself in the second quarter. His set shot kicking needed improvement to make the most of his chances, though he was battling the Craigieburn elements. El Ackhar set up a goal for Blake Justice on debut with excellent vision and went on to kick the first goal of the second half on the run. He was quick to pounce on loose ball turnovers and took a good mark to kick his third and bring Calder back into the game. While he did fail to make the most of his chances he also did his best to find teammates in better positions, while his tackle pressure around the contest was good.

#3 Hamish Bird
Midfielder | 187cm | 16/08/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal

Playing a strong captain’s game, Bird started brightly with the first inside 50 of the game. He broke free from tackles using his solid frame to advantage and provided strong delivery to his forwards throughout the game. He kicked one of the goals of the day where he baulked the opposition through traffic to kick a crucial goal before half time that brought the Cannons back into the game. He showed great vision shown throughout the day and set up El Achkar for his second goal to start off the second half. Bird did his best to drive his side forward with sensible decision making.

#9 Felix Kneipp
Midfielder | 179cm | 01/01/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 tackles, 5 inside 50s

Kneipp was prominent early with his work around the contest and his ball movement by foot was excellent. He marked strongly and provided plenty of run from the contest, while also providing an outlet on the outside and applying defensive pressure with his tough tackling. His running patterns and use of acceleration when need be were a highlight. Kneipp did his best to drive his side forward late in the game that was shown with some great running power which helped set up Justice for a second goal, showing great speed and evasiveness when in space and to break from the contest.

#23 Adam Sweid
Midfielder/Forward | 175cm | 14/09/2007

Stats: 30 disposals, 7 marks, 9 tackles

Sweid continued his excellent start to the season, moving well around the ground and his inside work was strong early. Swied took a good mark early inside 50 however missed his set shot from an angle that highlights he can make better decisions when kicking for goal against the wind. He provided strong tackle pressure around the contest. His movement and follow up work was excellent and showed strong hands overhead. His second efforts were there while his vision and composure were excellent throughout the day, while Swied also provided powerful running knowing when to accelerate and decelerate and had quick reactions to quick transitions in play.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS:

#1 Mitchell Moate
Midfielder | 181cm | 04/09/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 6 marks, 3 clearances

A Vic Metro Under 16 representative from 2023, Moate continues to make impressive strides from his comeback from an ACL rupture. He started off well with an excellent delivery inside 50 by foot to hit up Nick Canavan for a goal. He was composed and showed quick hands to provide a crucial smother early, preventing the Cannons from exiting attacking 50 properly. Moate showed great evasiveness to release to a teammate that later led to a goal – the first of the second quarter. He broke away from opponents to provide a passing option and delivered a nice ball inside 50 that led to a goal in the first minute of the last quarter which proved to be important in the end. He then backed it up moments later for another delivery that led to another goal. Moate worked hard all around the ground to provide coverage and an option for his teammates.

#14 Ryan Commandeur
Defender | 181cm | 25/02/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 10 marks, 9 rebound 50s

Commandeur started off strongly with a strong overhead mark against the odds, then backed up again moments later with another mark. He worked hard to locate the footy, not being drawn into his opponent. Commandeur provided excellent run and carry out of defence and his kicking was excellent, taking risks especially in the second quarter where he managed to find a teammate on the wing. He worked very well with his Knights defenders to take a number of intercept marks and competed very well against bigger, taller opponents. He worked very hard to provide an option coming out of defensive 50 and was clean with the ball under pressure.

#23 Gabriel Stumpf
Key Defender | 196cm | 23/11/2006

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 marks, 5 rebound 50s

Trialled as a key defender having returned to the Knights as an over-age prospect, Stumpf showed excellent movement and composure to clear the ball out of the backline and also displayed quick hands while also showing great intercept marking and second efforts. Stumpf was great with his spoiling down back and his kicking had depth, however it also was inconsistent which nearly proved to be costly on a few occasions. His play reading ability was crucial to the Knights’ defensive cohort and worked himself up the field well.

#45 Hugh White
Midfielder | 183cm | 26/08/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 8 marks, 2 goals

Picking up from where he left off from last week, White provided great run and carry through the middle of the ground to hit up a teammate inside 50 having earlier shown his intercepting capabilities. White gets in good spots and reads the play well, showcasing excellent running patterns and power. He took a great mark going back with the flight in the forward pocket in the second quarter that was followed up by a goal from a set shot snap kick. White slotted his second from a set shot from 45 metres out that was worked well against the wind. White got into the right spots around the ground and took risks, executing the switch of the play at times.

Western Jets 7.9 (51) def. by Eastern Ranges 16.14 (110)

By: Michael Alvaro

WESTERN JETS:

#1 Khaled El Souki
Small Forward | 173cm | 04/07/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 tackles, 1 goal

One of many exciting bottom-agers in Western’s ranks, El Souki thrived amongst a group of quick and agile small forwards. His dancing feet were on show with twists and turns to create space for sharp inboard kicks around goal. One such play saw him assist Harry Gardner-Solomon in the first quarter, before going on to produce many more pieces of creativity with sharp vision and skill. El Souki got reward for effort in the final term with a mercurial snap goal of his own.

#5 Thomas McGuane
Midfielder | 178cm | 27/08/2007

Stats: 38 disposals, 10 clearances, 6 inside 50s

McGuane was nothing short of prolific on Saturday, racking up possessions in all parts of the ground as he intelligently tracked the ball. The Collingwood father-son prospect got on the move and enjoyed combining with teammates, often dishing off efficiently on the move. Having simply transferred pressure at times, McGuane looked most dangerous when able to spread the play with his kicking, making just as quick decisions but hurting the opposition more with darting passes. The dual-footed midfielder also spend time up forward and is pushing his case as a first round talent.

#21 Kobe Williams
Midfielder/Defender | 186cm | 30/10/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 3 tackles, 4 clearances

Another club-tied player in the Jets’ on-ball mix, Williams is father-son eligible to Hawthorn (son of Mark), while also being part of the Western Bulldogs’ Next Generation Academy. He seems to have flicked a switch heading into 2025, showcasing a clean set of hands and strong frame to hold his own at the contest. Williams was more efficient by hand than foot and fed his teammates out of congestion, while also dropping back to support a besieged Western defence.

#25 Oskar Ainsworth
Midfielder | 186cm | 26/04/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 8 clearances, 7 inside 50s

Ainsworth got to work at the stoppages, using his power and size to extract first possession before blasting it forward. He had little trouble getting his hands on the ball and drove it into attack at every opportunity, wheeling around onto his favoured left side to penetrate the forward 50. He had a couple of nice moments around the ground, including a strong intercept mark on the wing in term two.

EASTERN RANGES:

#8 Lachy Dovaston
Small Forward | 177cm | 29/05/2007

Stats: 11 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 goal

While his radar was off this week with one goal from five scoring shots, Dovaston continued to prove dangerous at the fall of the ball. He had 1.2 on the board within 15 minutes, splitting the big sticks after winning a forward 50 stoppage free kick. He peppered the goals with opportunistic snapshots and Western struggled to contain his speed. On another day he could easily have ended up with three or four goals, but it was not to be.

#22 Xavier Taylor
Tall Defender | 191cm | 30/01/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks, 5 rebound 50s

It was another resolute performance from Taylor, who produced a massive opening quarter with eight disposals and three marks. The tall defender showcased a clean set of hands to intercept, doing so with no fuss and meeting the ball with vigour. Whether inside defensive 50 or on a high line up the ground, Taylor hardly fumbled and executed with conviction on the rebound. Just about everything he did defensively was completely sound.

#30 Mitchell Hansen
Forward | 188cm | 10/02/2007

Stats: 9 disposals, 4 tackles, 5 goals

Having snared multiple goals in each of his first two games this season, Hansen broke out with a haul of five as one of Eastern’s dynamic power forwards. The top-ager proved difficult to contain inside attacking 50 with his blend of size and raw speed, often seeing him break over the back and take his opportunities into open goals. He got tidier as the game wore on and had all five majors on the board before three-quarter time.

#37 Rod Ali
Defender | 186cm | 11/01/2006

Stats: 11 disposals, 7 marks, 2 tackles

Just as scribblings of wanting to see Ali add intercept marking to his sound defensive acumen hit the page, the over-ager came to life with several confident grabs – six of which came in the second half. He had mopped up across the backline and showed great anticipation to that point, closing in for spoils or to split aerial contests. Having found the confidence to mark, he got on a roll and showed just why Eastern had been pursuing his talents from basketball for a long time.

Sandringham Dragons 13.9 (87) def. Oakleigh Chargers 9.17 (71)

By: Michael Alvaro

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:

#5 Ricky Theodoropoulos
Small Forward | 170cm | 05/04/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

Theodoropoulos was busy as ever operating off the half-forward flank, showcasing impeccable vision and creative smarts. He got on the board with an early assist for Xavier Bamert, going on to put several other teammates through on goal with unselfish handballs. His ability to work up the ground or dart in and out of traffic meant Oakleigh struggled to contain him, especially when it came to manufacturing flashy scoring avenues. He also bagged a goal of his own in the opening quarter.

#9 Rory Wright
Midfielder | 183cm | 02/06/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 9 marks, 1 goal

Wright continued his sensational start to the season, displaying different sides to his game on Saturday. While his precise left-foot kicking is a standout trait, Wright’s one-touch marking was just as impressive, taking nine for the day including some brave efforts overhead. He was typically tough at the coalface and gave plenty of defensive attention to Oakleigh speedster Sam Grlj, but also spent time on the outer where he found space to pinpoint his passes going inside 50. As Wright has done in previous weeks, he was also sure to hit the scoreboard with a goal on the run.

#27 Xavier Bamert
Midfielder | 185cm | 29/01/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 clearances, 2 goals

After consecutive returns of 14 disposals over the first two rounds, Bamert comfortably exceeded that mark and added elements to his game in the process. The Sandringham skipper bagged a pair of goals, with the second helping to ice the game in term four as Oakleigh continued to pose questions. He also started well with a crisp checkside finish for the game’s opening goal, going on to display his usual crash-and-bash style at stoppages. Bamert’s approach broke the play open but he also dished off to teammates with finesse, acting as a reliable feeder from the inside.

#34 Kye Fincher
Defender | 184cm | 18/11/2007

Stats: 28 disposals, 7 marks, 7 rebound 50s

Fincher has been one of Sandringham’s top performers over the first three weeks and consolidated that on Saturday. Plying his trade across half-back, the St Kilda NGA prospect ran aggressive patterns on the overlap to generate run and carry up the field. He overcame a couple of errors by foot through sheer will, working hard to be an outlet in space and apply defensive pressure with rundown efforts. A speccy on the wing in term four was amongst his highlights as he turned defence into attack.

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS:

#3 Jai Saxena
Small Forward | 179cm | 27/07/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 6 marks, 5 goals

Having burst onto the scene last week, Saxena took his star turn to new heights with a bag of five goals. The Collingwood NGA candidate snapped his side’s first goal and made it back-to-back majors with a sharp shot over his shoulder. He has a light frame but handled the ball cleanly both at ground level and when presenting at kickers, which allowed him even more chances at goal. Saxena struck the ball well over the mark and finished tidily from the pocket, proving near-unstoppable in front of the big sticks in a team which wasted many chances.

#5 Sam Grlj
Midfielder | 182cm | 26/07/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles

Grlj plays in constant motion and again utilised his physical attributes to put Oakleigh on the front foot. He was dangerous when receiving the ball in space, but proved just as capable of evading the opposition with agile steps or bursts of speed to navigate tight spots. He was difficult to contain with a full head of steam and that was no more evident than when he darted past two opponents before hitting a kick inside 50 during term two. He was also smart enough to direct traffic when moving at full tilt and measured his disposals relatively well considering his direct style of play.

#8 Zac McCarthy
Ruck/Key Forward | 198cm | 27/10/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal

McCarthy showed out as a mobile new-age ruck, displaying unique athleticism and skill for a player his size. He roamed around the ground like a small, getting involved in attacking phases by carrying the ball and delivering it forward with sharp execution. Another Collingwood NGA bolter, McCarthy looked comfortable in possession and bagged a goal on the snap in term three. His traits suggest he could soon establish himself within the top 25 players, if he hasn’t done so already.

#9 Aaron Sharkie
Defender/Midfielder | 183cm | 20/01/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 5 marks, 6 inside 50s

Sharkie was once again incredibly industrious, operating off half-back before a shift into the middle. He worked into all the right spots to mop up, receive, and rebound the ball across the defensive half, before making good decisions to consistently hit targets by foot. He began to attack more as the game wore on, leaning on his running ability to drive towards attacking 50 in a direct manner.

#14 Max Kondogiannis
Defender | 190cm | 14/11/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 7 marks, 4 rebound 50s

After a steady return last week which yielded zero marks, Kondogiannis was back near his best with seven on Saturday. The 190cm defender plucked the ball cleanly when intercepting and was sharp with his ball use on the way forward, proving a polished starting point for Oakleigh’s counterattacks. He showed good game awareness late in the piece to make more urgent decisions from the kick-ins as Oakleigh trailed and ultimately fell short of victory.

Bendigo Pioneers 8.8 (56) def. by Gippsland Power 11.10 (76)

By: Michael Alvaro

BENDIGO PIONEERS:

#1 Cody Walker
Midfielder/Forward | 184cm | 26/01/2008

Stats: 25 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal

Walker showed signs of unbelievable talent on Sunday, providing glimpses of what Carlton fans can come to expect from their father-son prospect. The son of Andrew proved he could do it all; producing a ridiculously clean pick-up at speed in the first term, charging out of forward 50 to take a strong mark on the lead, and launching a sensational kick inside 50 to assist Jaidi Jackson-Leahy in the third quarter. Walker’s class in those instances was countered by a few struggles when running on-ball, though he seemed to find more freedom once released up forward.

#2 Tom Evans
Defender | 180cm | 22/02/2006

Stats: 44 disposals, 7 marks, 7 rebound 50s

No one had more of the ball in Round 3 than Evans, whose over-age star turn as a small defender is somewhat reminiscent of former Pioneer, Harvey Gallagher. Evans picked off risky kicks and got on his bike in search for secondary possessions, looking to own the designated kicker role. His distributive skills were sound with daring and punchy passes, biting off tough options to help open up the play. His productivity in that sense slowed after half time, though he produced a wonderful chain through the corridor before hitting up Hunter Wright for a goal assist in term four.

#9 Hunter Wright
Midfielder/Forward | 188cm | 20/10/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 2 goals

Wright finished the game on a positive note with two final quarter goals after spending time deep inside 50. He first dribbled home after latching onto the ball out the back, before hitting up on a lead and slotting his set shot. Otherwise, Wright showcased his well-rounded game with strong hands and clean ball use, covering territory to wax with teammates in all parts of the ground.

#10 Jaidi Jackson-Leahy
Wing | 183cm | 31/01/2007

Stats: 24 disposals, 12 marks, 1 goal

Jackson-Leahy snaffled up 12 marks in a performance which had a bit of Archer Day-Wicks about it. The left-footed wingman was one-touch overhead and used that strength to rack up possessions in kick-mark play between the arcs. His smooth left-foot kicking made for effective ball movement on the outer, though he perhaps could have benefitted from shifting into higher gears more often. The top-ager also troubled the scorers in term three with a classy set shot goal from the angle.

#47 Seamus Doherty
Ruck | 194cm | 17/05/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 7 marks, 10 hitouts

A Vic Country Under 16 representative last year, Doherty is somewhat undersized as a mainline ruck but made it work on Sunday. While the bottom-ager was by no means dominant in the hitout stakes, he proved capable of roaming around the ground as a reliable marking option. For a tall, his skills for relatively neat and he hardly put a foot wrong in that regard, rightly backing himself in.

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#4 Zac O’Keefe
Midfielder/Forward | 177cm | 22/03/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s

The absolute highlight of a productive game from O’Keefe was his creative use of handballs, often improvising to put teammates into space and using his wicked vision to pick out targets others wouldn’t see. He spent time in the middle and up forward, working hard to support ball carriers while also applying defensive pressure and showcasing his own evasiveness. The agile small slowed down after the main break, with 16 of his 23 disposals coming in the first half.

#8 Thomas Matthews
Small Forward | 171cm | 28/02/2007

Stats: 13 disposals, 6 tackles, 3 goals

Matthews impacted the scoreboard in the way he proved he can late last year, booting 3.2 as a livewire in the front half. The Gippsland captain ventured high up the ground and brought energy to each play, either burrowing in or using his agility to get dangerous. He was also relentless in a pressure sense, defying his size to be all over opponents who were caught lacking. Matthews snared two of his three goals in the third quarter to help propel Gippsland to a game-high lead.

#16 Jobe Scapin
Forward | 187cm | 01/05/2007

Stats: 15 disposals, 8 marks, 1 goal

Renowned for his ball use, some of Scapin’s delivery inside 50 was simply exceptional. The versatile top-ager would often push up the ground and look to hurt the opposition on the way back, launching penetrative kicks towards deeper forwards and hitting targets with class. He was polished with just about every possession and used his pace to drive Gippsland forward with impetus, also bagging a goal for himself in the opening minutes with a classy set shot conversion.

#35 Zac Walker
Tall Defender | 191cm | 03/03/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 10 marks, 7 rebound 50s

Walker was a marking machine in defence, getting back to his Round 1 best with 10 grabs throughout the day. Despite still being quite lean as a taller player, he managed to clunk the ball one-touch more often than not, proving his quality as a reliable interceptor. He often chimed in across the last line of defence but began to get more expansive as the game wore on, even taking off for a couple of running bounces in the third quarter. Walker used the ball quite well in those instances and is one of the competition’s most promising over-ager prospects.

#40 Xavier Ladbrook
Wing | 200cm | 16/10/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 marks, 2 inside 50s

Still a bottom-ager, Ladbrook has all the traits to be an absolute weapon at 200cm. He falls into the ‘unicorn’ category of prospects having cut his teeth as a key position player but turning out on the wing for Gippsland. The bottom-ager can seriously move and his skills are extraordinary for a player his size, taking the ball cleanly in motion and using his range to advantage in open play. Ladbrook still has some filling out to do but used his tricks to read the play well and intercept or feed teammates in transition. He landed heavily after a speccy attempt in term four but seemed okay.

Geelong Falcons 15.8 (98) def. Murray Bushrangers 3.10 (28)

By: Michael Alvaro

GEELONG FALCONS:

#4 Jesse Mellor
Midfielder/Forward | 185cm | 04/01/2007

Stats: 21 disposals, 8 tackles, 2 goals

Mellor continued his strong form to start the season, plying his trade as a connection piece between the midfield and forwardline. He proved a strong body around the contest with clean hands and good tackling intent, but would also impact on the outside as a lead-up target in transition. His aerial ability attracted a taller opponent in Ben Kennedy, though he got on his bike to shake the attention. Mellor, a Cats NGA prospect, also bagged a couple of goals in the first half to set up his game.

#8 Angus Ford
Small Forward | 175cm | 17/12/2007

Stats: 22 disposals, 8 inside 50s, 3 goals

Getting on the board with his first three goals of the season all in one fell swoop, Ford was a creative force up forward. The crafty small often fed his teammates with handballs which set them into scoring positions, opening up the play with his vision. Ford split the big sticks himself with a bit of toe and some tidy finishes on the snap, helping Geelong kick away to victory along with Jordan Monohan, who also slotted three goals.

#13 Rilley Aquilina
Forward | 181cm | 27/11/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles

Above all else, Aquilina caught the eye with his relentless defensive pressure and crunching tackles. He laid five for the day but made an impact with each, proving fierce in his attack on opposition ball carriers and nailing them into the ground. While overzealous on a couple of occasions, Aquilina set an ominous tone for his side to follow after making a handy two-goal debut last week.

#47 Noah Williams
Wing | 176cm | 22/01/2008

Stats: 11 disposals, 3 marks, 1 goal

Perhaps a bottom-ager going under the radar, Williams is a real livewire out on the wing. While still quite small, he held his own with a strong overhead mark in the early stages and went on to showcase his speed in exciting bursts. On one occasion in the second term, Williams audaciously breezed past Zac Harding like he wasn’t there, shrugging off a last ditch lunging tackle to continue streaming forward. He also backed himself to make the journey with a 50m set shot in the same quarter – a call which was justified as he slammed home the goal, just.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS:

#3 Zac Harding
Ruck | 199cm | 01/01/2006

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 clearances, 33 hitouts

Harding was as imposing as you would expect an over-age ruck to be, applying himself physically to win 33 hitouts and five clearances in a dominant stoppage display. The hulking big man leapt with vigour at the centre bounces and won the jostles through sheer strength, either getting first hand to the ball or grabbing it out of the ruck himself. Harding showed decent skills for a player his size and dropped back to take a couple of intercept marks early in the piece.

#8 Ben Kennedy
Tall Defender | 189cm | 02/07/2006

Stats: 19 disposals, 8 marks, 4 rebound 50s

Kennedy was seen as unlucky by some to be overlooked at last year’s draft but has come back strongly for Murray after a preseason with Williamstown VFL. He lined up in his customary defensive role on Sunday, matching it against slightly smaller opponents while also showcasing his quality as an interceptor. Kennedy clunked some super marks off opposition kicks, flying at the ball confidently and using his length to reel it in. He relieved plenty of pressure with composed contributions across the backline to be among the best in a losing effort.

#29 Tanner Armstrong
Midfielder | 176cm | 27/02/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 7 clearances

Armstrong is one for Richmond fans to monitor as an NGA prospect, though everyone will likely have eyes on him as a highly talented bottom-ager. A tenacious competitor with deceptive strength, Armstrong battled hard all day and was hardly beaten en route to a game-high 24 touches. While only small, he held his own at the contest with seven clearances and had a knack for snatching possession in the clinches. To compliment that inside game, he also showed flashes of agility and strong ground level craft to fool the opposition.

GWV Rebels 7.8 (50) def. by Dandenong Stingrays 7.20 (62)

By: Michael Alvaro

GWV REBELS:

#3 Archie Taylor
Midfielder | 178cm | 25/05/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s

Taylor was again one of GWV’s best, injecting speed to the game in short bursts. He was a mainstay on-ball and looked lively when released out the front of stoppages where he could drive his legs and pick off passes inside 50. He had a knack for winning the first centre break of the quarter – at least in the first and third – while using his pace to shut down the opposition with rundown tackles.

#5 Floyd Burmeister
Key Forward | 199cm | 04/05/2006

Stats: 12 disposals, 6 marks, 4 behinds

The stats won’t reflect it, but Burmeister had a terrific game up forward. He was matched up on by notoriously tough lockdown defender Adrian Cole – a fellow over-ager – and took him to town with pure athleticism. Burmeister did well to not play into Cole’s strengths and engage physically, instead getting on his bike up the ground and finding opportunities on the lead. He had several chances to split the big sticks, mostly from long-range shots, but could only manage four behinds in an exciting display. That included a couple of posters, though he proved himself as a viable connection piece.

#45 Chad Finck
Ruck | 195cm | 22/04/2007

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 13 hitouts

Finck again showed some nice signs as a mobile ruck after looking the goods last week. He not only performed his initial task of leaping for the ball in the ruck, but covered ground nicely on the spread to get involved in open play. Finck’s skills held up relatively well on a day were many found it tough, proving his dynamism as an undersized player for his primary position.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS:

#4 Marcus Prasad
Small Forward | 167cm | 23/03/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 4 marks, 5 inside 50s

Prasad was lively as ever across Dandenong’s half-forward line, often working up the ground to use his skills heading back inside 50. He drew the Stingrays’ tall targets to the ball with enticing delivery by foot, making him a creative threat who could just as easily venture close to goal and score himself. He didn’t on this occasion, missing a couple of quickfire attempts at the big sticks.

#6 Charlie Orchard
Tall Defender | 190cm | 17/06/2006

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 6 rebound 50s

Orchard provided much of what he has done over the past year for Dandenong, though more so as a rebounder rather than an intercept marker. The over-ager took on the kick-in duties and ran hard to transition the ball with pace. One of his best passages came in the second quarter when he attacked the loose ball on the wing and gathered it in full flight, weaving his way forward in his own rangy style. He is capable of being a high metres gained player out of defence.

#10 Sam Lewis
Midfielder | 186cm | 25/02/2007

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 clearances, 5 inside 50s

Lewis continued to be a primary ball winner for Dandenong, looking poised in traffic and launching the ball forward with proficiency. He tended to dump the ball out a little more in the second half but got good purchase on his clearing kicks when able to access the front of the stoppage. Lewis ended up with a goal assist for Callum Smith that way in the third quarter.

#29 Callum Smith
Midfielder | 189cm | 12/09/2007

Stats: 25 disposals, 6 marks, 7 inside 50s

A recruit from Oakleigh Chargers, Smith broke out and is looking to make a name for himself having often been referred to as the grandson of Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett. The tall midfielder proved capable of winning his own ball and launched into clearing kicks, carving through space nicely in one instance during term four. He also snuck forward to have a couple of chances on goal, marking a high ball in term three before slotting the set shot on the wrong side for a right-footer.

#64 Tairon Ah-Mu
Key Forward/Ruck | 198cm | 06/06/2007

Stats: 16 disposals, 8 marks, 2 goals

Ah-Mu’s radar may have been hit or miss with 2.5 on Sunday, but there could be no denying his impact as a strong marking forward. Matched up on by an over-ager, he was incredibly difficult to move off the line of the ball and owned front position, clunking clean marks to access shots on goal. Ah-Mu missed four shots – mostly over the mark – between his goals in the first and final terms, with the potential to end up with a big bag surely in his sights.