FOUR teams have recorded an equal round-high three players in Draft Central’s first NAB League Girls’ Team of the Week for 2021. Calder Cannons, Geelong Falcons, Oakleigh Chargers and Tasmania Devils all had three players make the team this week, in what was a really difficult week to narrow down to just 24 players. The remaining two winners – Bendigo Pioneers and Eastern Ranges – had two apiece, as did Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels and Western Jets.

Tasmania Devils recorded their first win in the club’s history over the weekend with a comprehensive victory over Gippsland Power. Amy Prokopiec booted 4.2 in a standout effort up forward, slotting into full-forward in our Team of the Week given her competition-high goal haul. She was not the only one, with Claire Ransom and Amy Bissett both making the team after eye-catching performances in the front half of the ground. On the opposition team, it was impossible to overlook Grace McRae who picked up a game-high 22 touches and was constantly working across the four quarters to be the clear best Gippsland player on the day.

Calder Cannons midfield duo of Emelia Yassir and Georgie Prespakis both made the squad, with Yassir named in the centre and Prespakis coming off the bench, while ruck/forward Tahlia Gillard starts at centre half-forward and will rotate through the ruck. She will team up with Western Jets’ Krystal Russell, who had an outstanding performance of 11 disposals, 23 hitouts and six inside 50s during the Jets’ loss to Eastern Ranges. Speaking of outstanding performances, Western’s Charlotte Baskaran had an equal team-high 28 disposals and was a no brainer to slot onto a wing in the team. Her 28 touches, five marks, 11 tackles, eight inside 50s and three rebounds earned her a nomination for Player of the Week and captain for the week.

Oakleigh’s Charlie Rowbottom was the standout player across the weekend, slotting two goals from 28 touches, five tackles and nine inside 50s to earn the vice-captaincy of this week’s team. She is joined by fellow ball-winner Stella Reid who has been included off half-back after a huge effort roaming through there and the wing with 25 disposals, seven inside 50s and two goals. Ameille Smith slotted three goals up forward and earned a spot in a power-packed forward line. Northern Knights were on the receiving end of a rare loss, but leader and full-back Tarrah Delgado was steadfast in defeat, earning a spot in the back six of the team.

Bendigo Pioneers produced an impressive win, and a couple of players who slotted multiple goals in Elizabeth Snell and Jayda Richardson both made the squad. They sit at half-forward and forward pocket respectively, whilst Murray Bushrangers’ top player on the day Aurora Smith earned a place on the wing. The other winners on Saturday were Eastern Ranges, who provided the Team of the Week with two defenders in Mia Busch and Cadhla Schmidli. Both produced impressive performances from the back half, with Busch recoding an equal round-high eight rebounds in the opening round.

Also recording an equal round-high eight rebounds was GWV Rebels’ Chloe Leonard who was her side’s best in the defeat to Geelong Falcons on Sunday. She amassed 21 disposals, six tackles and eight rebounds playing in defence and then pushing up the ground to earn a spot in our Team of the Week. Also in the team was Molly Walton who impressed in defence on debut for the Rebels. The Falcons managed to have three players make the side, with rebounding defender Annie Lee slotting into centre half-back, while Tess Craven and Poppy Schaap making the interchange, only due to the strength of the midfield cohort this round.

The final member of the 24-player team is Sandringham Dragons’ Keely Coyne who stood out in the Dragons’ defeat to Calder, with Bridie Hipwell named an emergency after unfortunately injuring herself midway through the contest having had a promising start. Also emergencies in the team were Rebels’ Lilli Condon and Bushrangers’ Grace Hay who both stood out in what reiterated just how tough narrowing the team down to 24 players was this week.

DRAFT CENTRAL NAB LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 1

B: Cadhla Schmidli (ER) – Tarrah Delgado (NK) – Chloe Leonard (GWV)
HB: Mia Busch (ER) – Annie Lee (GF) – Stella Reid (OC)
C: Charlotte Baskaran (WJ) (c) – Emelia Yassir (CC) – Aurora Smith (MB)
HF: Elizabeth Snell (BP) – Tahlia Gillard (CC) – Claire Ransom (TD)
F: Jayda Richardson (BP) – Amy Prokopiec (TD) – Ameille Smith (OC)
R: Krystal Russell (WJ) – Charlie Rowbottom (OC) (vc) – Grace McRae (GP)
INT: Amy Bissett (TD) – Keely Coyne (SD) – Tess Craven (GF) – Georgie Prespakis (CC) – Poppy Schaap (GF) – Molly Walton (GWV)

EMG: Lilli Condon (GWV) – Grace Hay (MB) – Bridie Hipwell (SD)