IN the penultimate round of the TAC Cup Girls competition, the AFL Draft Central Team of the Week has welcomed five debutants into the best 22 after some standout performances in round eight. While the team is comprised of plenty of familiar names, five players – four from metro sides and one from country – are in the Team of the Week for the first time in Round 8.

In defence, Western Jets tall Sharnie Whiting was a clear standout and earned her place in the back pocket, joined in the team by regular Team of the Week nominee Elisabeth Georgostathis. On the opposition, dynamic forward Alice O’Loughlin was a danger for the Chargers in their win over the Jets, and she has earned a spot in the starting six, as has ruck Bridie Winbanks who was impressive once again.

Eastern Ranges welcomes two new faces into the team, with Mikala Cann‘s superb performance through the midfield seeing her take the centre position, along with Ashleigh Allsopp who in our eyes was the most damaging of a number of damaging Ranges forwards on the day. She just kicked the one goal, but helped create more and was constantly involved in the play. The team Eastern easily accounted for had two players make the best 22 this week, with Eloise Ashley-Cooper‘s work in defence, and Millie Brown‘s – the fifth debutant in our Team of the Week – strength through the midfield earning them spots in the team.

Of all the sides this week, it is no surprise to see Geelong Falcons again having their fair share of nominees, with three players – the only team to record that number this week. Lucy McEvoy was terrific in defence, Olivia Purcell again dominated through the midfield, and Sachi DeGiacomi makes it back-to-back nominations in the team after another strong performance in the forward line. Northern Knights still had two nominees with Ellie McKenzie filling her regular spot in the team, while Gabby Newton played a different role in defence – starring and now having filled places in the Team of the Week in the ruck, forward, bench and now defence.

In what has become almost a lock each week, Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels’ centre-half back Georgia Clarke earns her place in the side once again, with the team unlucky to only have the one nominee – but in a game which was described as a real team performance, it was hard to single out top individuals. One such top individual was on the other side, with Tyla Hanks making the team yet again, having made it all seven times from her seven games – equal with Calder Cannons gun Madison Prespakis. Speaking of Prespakis, she is joined in the side by Georgia Patrikios for the second time, with the exciting forward having a damaging performance inside 50.

The Cannons went down to the Dandenong Stingrays on Friday night, and a couple of key reasons for that were the Stingrays’ AFLW Academy members. Jordyn Allen‘s performance in defence was top-notch, filling out the space on the half-back flank, while Courtney Jones was damaging through the midfield and half-forward. If you are talking about damage up forward, look no further than Holly Bate, our Round 8 TAC Cup Girls’ Player of the Week following her seven-goal haul for the Sandringham Dragons. Both Bate, and teammate Eleanor Brown made our Team of the Week. The Dragons’ win over Bendigo Pioneers was comprehensive, but one of the few shining lights for the Pioneers was captain Megan Williamson who again stood up for four quarters against the tide, earning a spot in the Team of the Week.

This week there were a number of unlucky players as there is always, with Geelong Falcons’ Denby Taylor, GWV Rebels’ Sophie Molan and Eastern Ranges’ Emerson Woods considered the three next in line for a place in the team after strong performances.