IT took a quarter for the Gold Coast Suns Academy to get going, but once the Queenslanders did, they put away Gippsland Power at La Trobe University in Bundoora by 56 points. The Suns booted eight goals to one after quarter time, capping off a really solid Talent League Girls campaign.

We took note of some of the performers who caught the eye across both sides.

GIPPSLAND POWER:

#7 Brooke Kelly
Defender | 166cm | 17/08/2009

Stats: 22 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 6 rebound 50s

Starting in defence, Kelly was a reliable distributor for the Power, often tasked with the distributing from the back 50, after marking from the kickout. She showed a clear preference for moving the ball downfield quickly, frequently following up her initial kick to win the ball back. Kelly demonstrated good composure under pressure, applying fend-offs to create space before hand-balling away. While she was occasionally caught holding the ball when trying to take the game on, her intent to create drive from the back half was evident. A highlight was a great intercept mark in defence during the final quarter, showcasing her ability to read the play.

#9 Lily Milner
Midfielder | 172cm | 25/01/2008

Stats: 23 disposals, 12 tackles, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Milner was a workhorse in the midfield, consistently looking to drive the ball forward. She was often tasked with clearing the ball from defensive 50, showing desperation to get it out, even resorting to soccer-ing off the deck when necessary. Milner demonstrated good agility, side-stepping opponents before kicking inside 50. While some of her long, thumping kicks were intercepted, her intent to gain territory was clear. She also showed good follow-up work, mopping up loose balls and continuing to apply pressure throughout the match.

#10 Grace Dillow
Midfielder/Forward | 164cm | 03/06/2008

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 rebound 50s

Dillow was a strong presence at stoppages, executing quick hands away in the middle and following up to win the ball again. She showed versatility by rotating forward and applying great defensive pressure, highlighted by a fantastic smother on the wing followed by an effective handball. Dillow was also willing to do the team things, rushing a behind for safety when under pressure in defence. While her numbers were down on her usual output, Dillow’s work rate and ability to impact contests both in the midfield and up forward were commendable.

#21 Olivia Holmes
Forward/Midfielder | 170cm | 08/08/2009

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 5 inside 50s

Holmes was a versatile and hard-working player, starting forward before moving into the midfield. She applied fantastic tackling pressure, both up forward and on-ball, constantly harassing the opposition. Holmes showed good reading of the play, gathering the ball on the wing and kicking inside 50, as well as executing clean gathers before delivering deeper into attack. She also showed good awareness at centre bounces.

SUNS ACADEMY:

#2 Amelia Ella
Forward/Midfielder | 161cm | 22/11/2007

Stats: 25 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

Ella was a dynamic and impactful player, splitting her time between the forwardline and the midfield. She applied strong tackling pressure inside 50 and consistently rolled up to contests to win the ball. Ella demonstrated clean hands out of stoppages and executed quick, effective handballs through the corridor. Her ability to crumb the ball on the wing and kick to advantage inside 50 was a highlight. She was rewarded for her hard work with a clever snap goal under pressure in the final quarter, capping off a strong performance.

#4 Sienna Burnham
Midfielder | 161cm | 12/07/2007

Stats: 23 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles, 5 clearances, 7 inside 50s

Burnham was a relentless force at stoppages, constantly going in hard and cracking in all over the ground. She applied big tackles, including a strong one in the forward pocket to lock the ball up, and another inside 50 to win a free kick. Burnham showed great strength in close, getting handballs away while being tackled and linking up well in the middle. She was a driving force in the final term, consistently pumping the ball inside 50 and taking a good intercept mark to keep the pressure on the opposition.

#7 Summer Browning
Wing | 166cm | 16/12/2008

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

Browning was a lively and attacking presence, operating on the wing. She scrapped hard at ground level and showed great persistence, continuing to track the ball even when her kicks were smothered. Browning demonstrated good marking ability, taking a strong grab on the wing and juggling an intercept mark before delivering to the hotspot, which led to a goal. She found space well in the middle and executed lateral kicks out wide, proving to be a busy and effective contributor, particularly in the second half after shaking off some rust in the first half.

#9 Lily Moana
Midfielder | 167cm | 23/03/2010

Stats: 19 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals

Moana was a standout performer in the midfield, showcasing her class, speed, and goal-kicking ability. She consistently burst away from stoppages, taking bounces and side-stepping opponents to create space. Moana’s kicking was a weapon, highlighted by a brilliant long-range goal that bounced home, and precise passes down the middle and to the outside. She also showed great composure, slotting a classy goal on the run after a quick give-and-go. Her tackling pressure in the middle was excellent, and she consistently delivered pinpoint passes to leading targets.

#10 Maddie Campbell
Forward | 167cm | 16/01/2008

Stats: 21 disposals, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 goal, 3 behinds

Campbell was a dangerous and opportunistic forward, constantly threatening the scoreboard. She showed quick, clean hands and the ability to dish off under pressure. Campbell was creative inside 50, throwing the ball on her left boot to dangerous spots and executing quick snaps on goal. She was rewarded with a goal in the third quarter after gathering off hands and snapping quickly. Her ability to find space at ground level in a crowded forwardline made her a dangerous player at in attack.

#19 Stephanie Aguinaldo
Defender | 170cm | 04/04/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

Aguinaldo was a reliable and smart player, operating primarily across half-back and pushing up to the wing. She showed great game awareness, executing a smart early nudge to allow a teammate to win the ball. Aguinaldo demonstrated good composure, getting her hands free in tackles and executing well-weighted kicks from half-back to the wing. She was also effective at intercepting, thumping the ball inside 50 to set up a goal, and showed resilience by standing up in tackles and getting handballs away.

#23 Asia Single
Forward | 171cm | 11/10/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Single was a hard-working and impactful forward, attacking the ball with intent from the outset. She applied strong tackles in the attacking 50 and showed a knack for reading of the play. Single was creative at ground level, punching the ball out to set up a goal, and demonstrated strong hands in the air, taking a great mark to set up a goal of her own from close range. Her ability to gather on the wing and kick forward also added to her overall impact.

#24 Annabelle Foat
Defender | 165cm | 23/04/2007

Stats: 26 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Foat was a composed and effective presence in defence, frequently intercepting the ball and setting up play from the back half. She executed nice switch kicks and spread well to the outside to provide an option. Foat was reliable when mopping up in defence and showed good vision, kicking from defence to half-back and delivering the ball inside 50 to dangerous hotspots. Her quick hands at half-forward also highlighted her ability to impact the game further up the ground.

#29 Grace Cooper
Tall Forward | 177cm | 04/10/2009

Stats: 16 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 hitout, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 2 behinds

Cooper was a strong marking target in the forward half, consistently reading the flight of the ball well. She took good grabs inside 50 and at half-forward, sending the ball deep into attack. Cooper applied great tackling pressure, winning a holding-the-ball free kick inside 50, and showed lightning-quick hands at ground level. She was also creative, side-stepping opponents and executing nice marks out in front to set up scoring opportunities, including a goal assist in the final quarter. Had a couple of chances herself that did not quite hit, but she still looked like a prominent focal point in attack.