SELECTING a 24-player squad for Round 3 was even more difficult than in the opening round, but Draft Central has released its NAB League Girls Team of the Week. In a weekend that featured mostly one-sided results, the biggest winners in Eastern Ranges had a record four players in the team, while Geelong Falcons, Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels and Dandenong Stingrays all recorded three players in the team this week.

Other winners, Oakleigh Chargers and Northern Knights had two players, as did narrow losers Calder Cannons and Western Jets. The three sides on the receiving end of the bigger losses – Bendigo Pioneers, Murray Bushrangers and Gippsland Power – all had the one representative this round, while Sandringham Dragons were unlucky not to have a representative due to the strength of the midfield where their top standouts played.

Captaining the team this week is Dandenong Stingrays’ bottom-ager Emily Shepherd who won the Draft Central Player of the Week for Round 3, named on-ball for our Team of the Week. She is joined in the side by two teammates, defender Jaide Anthony (back pocket) and utility Amber Clarke (interchange). The vice-captain of the team this week is Eastern Ranges’ Alyssia Pisano with the Under 16s talent having a standout game with four goals up forward in the Ranges’ 114-point victory over Gippsland Power. Pisano’s teammates, Georgia Campbell (ruck), Olivia Meagher (wing – due to the strength of the on-ball group) and Bridget Deed (interchange) are also in the side.

Up at Epsom Huntly, Geelong Falcons had an impressive win over Bendigo Pioneers. The Falcons’ defence was again impressive with Annie Lee named for the second consecutive week, while Renee Tierney kicked an equal round-high four goals. Poppy Schaap is another dual inclusion after making the bench following a strong midfield effort, while partner-in-crime Tess Craven came close but in a strong midfield week was made an emergency this time. In the second game, the GWV Rebels had a good win over Murray Bushrangers, and looked dangerous in the forward half. Paige Scott booted three important goals and slotted into half-forward alongside key forward and teammate Ella Friend, while midfielder Lilli Condon was pushed onto a wing, but deserved to start in the team. Chloe Leonard was another one close to squeezing in, but has been named as an emergency.

In the opening game of the round at Craigieburn, Oakleigh Chargers duo Charlie Rowbottom and Stella Reid make the side again, and Reid has cheekily been pushed back to half-back due to the high quality of outside midfielders and Reid’s versatility. On the opposition, Emelia Yassir and Georgie Prespakis again squeezed in following impressive performances in the midfield. The other teams with two representatives included the Western Jets, this time Montana Ham (forward) and Laura Elliott (defence), while Northern Knights had Ella Smallacombe (forward) and Maeve Chaplin (interchange).

Each of the remaining three teams had one representative in the Team of the Week. Three of the six defender places are taken up by sole team representatives, as Gippsland Power’s Matilda Van Berkel and Bendigo Pioneers’ Tegan Williams hold down the key position spots, whilst Murray Bushrangers’ Keeley Skepper also made it into the team on the bench. Sandringham Dragons had a couple of potential candidates, but missed out this week due to the strength of the midfield, though Sofia Hurley is first emergency.

DRAFT CENTRAL NAB LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 3

B: Jaide Anthony (DS) – Tegan Williams (BP) – Laura Elliott (WJ)
HB: Annie Lee (GF) – Matilda Van Berkel (GP) – Stella Reid (OC)
C: Olivia Meagher (ER) – Georgie Prespakis (CC) – Lilli Condon (GWV)
HF: Ella Smallacombe (NK) – Ella Friend (GWV) – Paige Scott (GWV)
F: Montana Ham (WJ) – Renee Tierney (GF) – Alyssia Pisano (ER) (vc)
R: Georgia Campbell (ER) – Charlie Rowbottom (OC) – Emily Shepherd (DS) (c)
INT: Maeve Chaplin (NK) – Amber Clarke (DS) – Bridget Deed (ER) – Poppy Schaap (GF) – Keeley Skepper (MB) – Emelia Yassir (CC)

EMG: Sofia Hurley (SD) – Chloe Leonard (GWV) – Tess Craven (GF)