SYDNEY Swans Academy has kick-started its Coates Talent League Girls campaign off on the right note with a commanding 41-point win over Tasmania Devils at Blacktown International Sportspark on Anzac Day. We recap that game and the other six fixture in our Round 3 wrap.

Eight consecutive goals from the 15th minute of the first term through until three quarter time secured Sydney Swans Academy a comprehensive victory over Tasmania Devils in the two teams’ first Coates Talent League Girls outing for season 2025. In what was a tight contest early days with the scores level at two goals apiece, Sydney got on top and stormed to victory, 11.8 (74) to 5.3 (33).

It was key forward Grace Parsons who sparked the side with all three first quarter goals and another two in the third term as she made her set shots of all types of ranges look easy without the goal umpire needing to even move. She along with the naturally gifted Alex Neyland posed all sorts of problems up forward for the undersized Devils, while National Academy member Madeleine Quinn dominated the hitouts.

Quinn would win 25 hitouts by herself compared to the Devils’ total of 18, though it did not have the desired impact on clearances with the Devils racking up a whopping differential of 37 to 17. That included over-ager Ava Read having six, playing behind the ball and positioning herself well, then going forward in the last term and slotting two goals. Last year’s competition leading goalkicker tried out her new defensive role, with inside midfielder Priya Bowering instead starting at full-forward.

Bowering won a couple of centre clearances among four from 11 touches as she was largely played deep forward, then had to come off early after landing awkwardly from a marking contest. While her partner in crime Mischa Barwin (22 disposals, four marks, six tackles, five clearances adn a goal) took care of the on-ball duties, the Devils struggled to score with Sydney intercepting off half-back consistently.

Bottom-age star Charlotte Tidemann – who looms as one of the most exciting prospects for next year – had 23 touches and four rebound 50s, while Quinn did well to get back in defence and finish with 16 touches, four marks, four tackles, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s.

The midfield of Kiera Yerbury (22 disposals, four marks, six tackles and five inside 50s), Lucy Yates (18 disposals, four marks, five tackles and four inside 50s) and Molly Thomas (18 disposals, eight tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s) really got on top in transition despite losing around the coalface, and set up the victory.

Tasmania returns home to face Brisbane Lions Academy on Sunday morning from 9:30am in Launceston, while the Swans Academy have a bye in Round 4 before heading out to Highgate Recreation Reserve on Saturday, May 10 to tackle the GWV Rebels.

SWANS ACADEMY 3.1 | 5.6 | 10.7 | 11.8 (74)
TASMANIA DEVILS 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 5.3 (33)

GOALS:
Swans Academy: G.Parsons 5, E. Haley, L. Micheletti, M. Pollington, M. Quinn, M. Thomas, F. Walsh
Tasmania Devils: A. Read 2, M. Barwin, E. Bingham, L. Thompson

RMC BEST:
Swans Academy: K. Yerbury, G. Parsons, A. Neyland, C. Tidemann, M. Quinn
Tasmania Devils: M. Barwin, A. Read, M. Anderson, L. Conkie, E. Ward

SUNS ACADEMY 1.1 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 (29)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 1.1 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 (36)

IN A NUTSHELL

Dandenong Stingrays fought back from as much as 18 points down 12 minutes into the third term to kick the last four goals of the match and win by seven points and remain undefeated in the 2025 Coates Talent League Girls season.

KEY PLAYERS

Tahlia Sanger (Dandenong) 26 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, 8 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s
Nalu Brothwell (Dandenong) 19 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 2 goals
Evelyn Connolly (Dandenong) 14 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals

Rhianna Ingram (Suns Academy) 27 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 12 rebound 50s
Sunny Lappin (Suns Academy) 23 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 1 goal
Bronte Parker (Suns Academy) 19 disposals, 7 tackles, 7 clearances, 4 inside 50s

NEXT ROUND

Gold Coast Suns Academy vs. Eastern Ranges @ Box Hill City Oval, Box Hill
Dandenong Stingrays vs. Sandringham Dragons @ Shepley Oval, Dandenong (Round 5)

GWV REBELS 1.2 | 2.4 | 7.7 | 9.11 (65)
CALDER CANNONS 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 (7)

IN A NUTSHELL

After kicking just two goals in the first half, GWV Rebels slammed home seven in the second half, five of which came off the boot of Jovie Skewes-Clinton as the Rebels made it back-to-back wins with a 58-point smashing of Calder Cannons.

KEY PLAYERS

Jovie Skewes-Clinton (GWV) 24 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 5 goals
Maggie Johnstone (GWV) 29 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 2 goals
Isabella Davies (GWV) 24 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

Chloe Baker-West (Calder) 36 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 8 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 14 rebound 50s
Shauna McElligott (Calder) 16 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal
Ivy Wills (Calder) 16 disposals, 2 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 rebound 50s

NEXT ROUND

GWV Rebels vs. Northern Knights @ Mars Stadium, Ballarat
Calder Cannons vs. Oakleigh Chargers @ Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 (15)
GIANTS ACADEMY 3.2 | 6.4 | 10.6 | 13.11 (89)

IN A NUTSHELL

GWS Giants Academy won the ‘Battle of the Border’ at Lavington with an outstanding 74-point win over Murray Bushrangers to hand the Bushrangers their first loss of the season in comprehensive style.

KEY PLAYERS

Majella Day (Giants Academy) 20 disposals, 7 marks, 2 tackles, 2 hitouts, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 goals
Ellie Hall (Giants Academy) 23 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s
Amelie Prosser-Shaw (Giants Academy) 22 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Rain Dodd (Murray) 19 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal
Madison Ibrahim (Murray) 15 disposals, 8 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s
Skylah McPherson (Murray) 13 disposals, 2 marks, 9 tackles, 6 inside 50s

NEXT ROUND

Murray Bushrangers vs. Northern Knights @ Genis Steel Oval, Preston (Round 5)
GWS Giants Academy vs. Sandringham Dragons @ RSEA Park, Sandringham

BENDIGO PIONEERS 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 (24)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 3.2 | 6.12 | 10.13 | 14.13 (97)

IN A NUTSHELL

Northern Knights flexed their muscles and re-stated their intention to be a contender this year with a dominant 73-point victory over the winless Bendigo Pioneers.

KEY PLAYERS

Olivia Gorman (Northern) 26 disposals, 3 marks, 8 clearances, 2 goals
Marlo Graham (Northern) 22 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 2 goals
Olivia Jesser (Northern) 16 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 3 goals

Lacey Nihill (Bendigo) 19 disposals, 5 marks, 9 tackles, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
Georgia Garlick (Bendigo) 12 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles, 5 inside 50s
Sage Dennis (Bendigo) 12 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 3 clearances

NEXT ROUND

Bendigo Pioneers vs. Geelong Falcons @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo
Northern Knights vs. GWV Rebels @ Mars Stadium, Ballarat

WESTERN JETS 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 (3)
EASTERN RANGES 6.7 | 10.10 | 15.16 | 18.20 (128)

IN A NUTSHELL

Eastern Ranges bounced back from that heartbreaking Round 2 loss to Oakleigh Chargers with the biggest win of the 2025 season so far, obliterating Western Jets by 125 points with 38 scoring shots to three in a one-sided result.

KEY PLAYERS

Josephine Bamford (Eastern) 21 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 24 hitouts, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 3 goals
Emily Rankin (Eastern) 24 disposals, 4 tackles, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal
Scout Semple (Eastern) 23 disposals, 3 tackles, 7 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal

Alex McBride-Loane (Western) 21 disposals, 2 marks, 4 rebound 50s
Hannah Brodie (Western) 18 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 rebound 50s
Jenna Hurring (Western) 12 disposals, 3 marks, 9 hitouts, 3 clearances, 6 rebound 50s

NEXT ROUND

Western Jets vs. Gippsland Power @ DSV Stadium, Williamstown
Eastern Ranges vs. Gold Coast Suns Academy @ Box Hill City Oval, Box Hill

LIONS ACADEMY 4.2 | 10.4 | 10.5 | 12.7 (79)
GEELONG FALCONS 0.0 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 3.4 (22)

IN A NUTSHELL

Booting the first nine goals of the match, Brisbane Lions Academy essentially won by that difference against Geelong Falcons, getting up by 57 points at Brighton Homes Arena in a standalone Sunday game.

KEY PLAYERS

Harlee McIlwain (Lions Academy) 17 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles, 2 hitouts, 5 goals
Ameleia Murray (Lions Academy) 20 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s
Stella Scott (Lions Academy) 22 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 clearances

Georgia Tyrrell (Geelong) 28 disposals, 2 marks, 13 tackles, 7 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s
Kate O’Brien (Geelong) 14 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 28 hitouts, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s
Alana Mulvahil (Geelong) 13 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 rebound 50s

NEXT ROUND

Brisbane Lions Academy vs. Tasmania Devils @ UTAS Stadium, Launceston
Geelong Falcons vs. Bendigo Pioneers @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo