PRESTON, Ballarat and Dandenong will all play host to double-headers across the weekend as the Talent League finals continue. The Talent League Girls post-season will roll on after the quarter finals last week, with a pair of preliminary finals to decide who will take their place in the 2026 Grand Final. For the boys, the finals series kicks off, having completed the wildcard round last weekend.

The highest ranked country team in the boys’ competition was Dandenong Stingrays, and fresh off a bye, they take on GWV Rebels. While the Stingrays are hot favourites against the 10th placed Rebels, GWV will feel more than comfortable thanks to a visit to Mars Stadium for the clash. They lead proceedings on the day as part of a double-header, before Oakleigh Chargers take on Eastern Ranges.

Eastern will be buoyed from a golden goal win over ladder leaders Northern Knights in a stunning last-against-first upset from the Metro Conference. The Ranges head in as the second lowest ranked side overall – only just ahead of the Rebels – and will look to upset the Chargers who they themselves rolled the second placed Western Jets comfortably. Due to the Ranges’ win over the Knights, it meant Northern grabbed the highest ranked loser spot, eliminating the Jets in the process.

That action all takes place after a double-header at Preston on Saturday. Up first is a tantalising match-up between Sandringham Dragons and Northern Knights. The Dragons are gunning for a fifth straight grand final this season and will need to roll a seething Knights side hungry to atone for its shock loss last weekend. The winner of that clash will take on either Gippsland Power or Tasmania Devils, with that battle taking place from 1:30pm.

TALENT LEAGUE BOYS QUARTER FINALS

Saturday, September 5:
First Quarter Final: Sandringham Dragons vs Northern Knights
Preston City Oval, Preston, 11:00am AEST

Fourth Quarter Final: Gippsland Power vs Tasmania Devils
Preston City Oval, Preston, 1:30pm AEST

Sunday, September 6:
Third Quarter Final: Dandenong Stingrays vs GWV Rebels
Mars Stadium, Ballarat, 11:30am AEST

Second Quarter Final: Oakleigh Chargers vs Eastern Ranges
Mars Stadium, Ballarat, 2:00pm AEST

Turning the attention to the Talent League Girls, and four teams remain in the hunt for the flag, three of which make up the past three grand finalists. Dandenong Stingrays play host yet again at Shepley Oval, taking on Eastern Ranges in a mouth-watering grand final rematch of last season. While the Ranges were favourites at the start of the year to go back-to-back, the Stingrays are currently undefeated in season 2026, only dropping points during a draw to the Giants Academy.

However narrow wins over Sandringham Dragons and Geelong Falcons in the past fortnight have been enough, but the Ranges depth of talent is on a different level. The Ranges themselves have had their ups and downs, but big wins over Oakleigh Chargers and Calder Cannons have them primed to move a win away from going back-to-back.

In the other preliminary final, Oakleigh Chargers are hot favourites to get the chocolates, having rolled the Western Jets in a dominant performance and will now take on a Murray Bushrangers outfit that really gritted its teeth and took out Tasmania Devils. It earned the Bushies a second straight preliminary finals appearance after going down to the Ranges 12 months ago. It will be a massive ask for Murray to get the job done, after Oakleigh won by 64 points in their previous meeting back in Round 9. But finals is always a different ball game.

TALENT LEAGUE GIRLS PRELIMINARY FINALS

Saturday, September 5:
First Preliminary Final: Dandenong Stingrays vs Eastern Ranges
Shepley Oval, Dandenong, 11:00am AEST

Second Preliminary Final: Oakleigh Chargers vs Murray Bushrangers
Shepley Oval, Dandenong, 1:10pm AEST

Next weekend sees the Talent League Boys Preliminary Finals take place, while the winners of the Girls’ Preliminary Finals will have two weeks to prepare for the grand final, to ensure both games take place on the same weekend.