EASTERN Ranges will look to knock Sandringham Dragons off their premiership perch when the two sides lock horns in Saturday’s Coates Talent League Grand Final. The Dragons are hunting their fourth straight flag, while the Ranges could win their first since 2013.

NEED TO KNOW

Who: Eastern Ranges vs. Sandringham Dragons
When: Saturday September 20, 1:00pm
Where: IKON Park, Carlton North
Watch: Live stream via AFL website & Coates Talent League app

IN A NUTSHELL

Sandringham Dragons will be out to make history as the most prolific premiership side in Coates Talent League history, but the Eastern Ranges can play spoiler having come into the decider as the form team of the competition.

FUN FACTS

– Saturday’s Grand Final is a rematch of the 2023 decider, where Eastern’s boys and girls side also both made the final day of the season.
– A win would be Eastern’s 10th in a row, the best streak of any side this season.
– Since Round 7 (May 17) Eastern has only lost one of 13 games – by three points to minor premier, Gippsland.
– Eastern was the last team to beat Sandringham, back in Round 16.
– Eastern has lost in its last three Grand Final appearances after taking out the 2013 title.
– Sandringham is looking to become just the second team to win four consecutive Coates Talent League premierships.
– A win would also see Sandringham move clear in the category of most Coates Talent League premierships with seven.

H&A RECORDS

Eastern Ranges – 2nd Overall | 1st Metro | 11-4 | 123.3%
Sandringham Dragons – 6th Overall | 3rd Metro | 8-7 | 98.2%

WILDCARD

Eastern Ranges 20.14 (134) def. Western Jets 7.3 (45)
Sandringham Dragons 17.8 (110) def. Northern Knights 9.3 (57)

QUARTER FINALS

Eastern Ranges 16.11 (107) def. Calder Cannons 8.11 (59)
Sandringham Dragons 10.9 (69) def. Oakleigh Chargers 7.9 (51)

PRELIMINARY FINALS

Eastern Ranges 17.9 (111) def. GWV Rebels 9.6 (60)
Sandringham Dragons 11.9 (75) def. Gippsland Power 9.11 (65)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Eastern Ranges 1-1 Sandringham Dragons

Round 2:
Sandringham Dragons 14.6 (90) def. Eastern Ranges 13.6 (84)

Round 16:
Eastern Ranges 18.8 (116) def. Sandringham Dragons 7.4 (46)

SQUADS

Eastern Ranges:

B: 37. R. Ali – 22. X. Taylor – 31. A. Barker
HB: 11. M. Gillan – 42. O. McKenzie – 25. O. Taylor
C: 38. H. Chapman – 7. J. Knapp – 1. B. Chambers
HF: 55. S. Robey – 8. L. Dovaston – 14. Z. Antonellos
F: 4. B. Lloyd – 16. T. Swainston – 29. R. McConnell
FOL: 59. M. Krasnadamskis – 9. J. Landy – 26. O. Greeves

INT: 15. M. Buckland, 34. A. Spencer, 36. J. Lawrence, 41. S. Devers, 51. C. Nash

EMG: 5. D. Jamieson, 24. C. Sizer

>> FEATURE: Ranges confident their brand “stacks up”

Sandringham Dragons:

B: 20. H. Thomas – 16. T. Bradley – 59. J. Noorbergen
HB: 9. R. Wright – 41. B. Martin – 30. D. Heelis
C: 29. P. Hanover – 60. S. Levine – 49. J. Hayter
HF: 75. W. Reidy – 34. K. Fincher – 33. G. Dimer
F: 32. M. Tyrer – 15. O. Griffin – 6. A. Butler
FOL: 4. J. Galbally – 27. X. Bamert – 2. J. Dalton

INT: 8. S. Buck, 10. G. Teixeira, 12. K. Nadji, 13. A. Lambert, 63. F. Brayshaw

EMG: 17. L. Burrows, 70. K. Watt, 73. J. Davies

>> FEATURE: “Settled” Sandringham ready for a shot at history

VIC METRO SQUAD MEMBERS

Eastern Ranges (6): Andrew Barker, Blake Chambers*, Lachie Dovaston, Oliver Greeves, Bailey Lloyd*, Xavier Taylor,
Sandringham Dragons (6): Xavier Bamert, Arki Butler, Jack Dalton, Kye Fincher, Miles Tyrer*, Rory Wright

* – denotes train-on member

DRAFT COMBINE INVITEES

Eastern Ranges (8): Lachy Dovaston, Oliver Greeves, Sullivan Robey, Oskar Taylor, Xavier Taylor (National), Rod Ali, Blake Chambers, Marcus Krasnadamskis (State)
Sandringham Dragons (4): Jack Dalton (National), Xavier Bamert, Kye Fincher, Rory Wright (State)

WHO’S MISSING?

Many of the omissions through injury are placed in either side’s forwardlines. Perhaps the most high profile of the lot is Dragons tall Archie Ludowyke, who went down with a knee injury during the National Championships. He missed out on last year’s flag, too. Crafty small Ricky Theodoropoulos also did a knee earlier this year, while bottom-ager Jack Surkitt has been sidelined after playing in the 2024 flag as a 16-year-old. Eastern will miss attacking duo Jamie Gilchrist (hamstring) and Mitchell Hansen (calf), but otherwise boasts a relatively clean slate.

AGE BREAKDOWN

Eastern Ranges: Over-age (1) | Top-age (13) | Bottom-age (9)
Sandringham Dragons: Over-age (2) | Top-age (16) | Bottom-age (5)

WHERE IT’S WON

For Sandringham, the engine room is where all the magic happens. The Dragons’ best and most integral players run through there, and have built a brand on not only being tough on the inside, but outworking their opponents on the outside. They also have a potent and versatile forwardline, which Eastern will back itself to shut down. The Ranges, who boast genuine firepower in their own right, maintain that their game is built on strong defence. Then, they hurt the opposition on counter.

PREDICTIONS

RESULT: Eastern Ranges by 10 points
BOG: Xavier Taylor (Eastern Ranges)
MOST GOALS: Lachy Dovaston (Eastern Ranges)