2025 Coates Talent League: Dandenong Stingrays season preview
DANDENONG Stingrays boast six players in the Vic Country summer training hub and come into season 2025 with new strings to their bow, including an added depth of talls. We spoke to head coach Nick Cox about the year ahead and his region’s top AFL Draft prospects. PRESEASON “I think every preseason goes well, doesn’t […]
AFLW Draft Q&A: Nikhita Spiteri
TACKLING machine Nikhita Spiteri has built her game around ferocious defensive pressure, and upped her production rate considerably in 2024. The bottom-ager played 11 games for the Murray Bushrangers and produced some strong performances along the way, to earn an invite into Vic Country’s summer hub program. We spoke to Spiteri at the recent Coates […]
Gippsland livewire primed for breakout year
GIPPSLAND Power livewire Thomas Matthews is set for a big year according to his Coates Talent League teammates. All 43 top-age members of the Vic Country, Vic Metro, and Allies summer squads were surveyed during Saturday’s preseason testing event, with Matthews’ name coming up the most. >> SCROLL to see all the players to watch […]
2025 Coates Talent League: Calder Cannons season preview
CALDER Cannons are stacked with club-tied talent across every age group in 2025, with Essendon fans likely to take a particular interest in the local region for years to come. Headlined by a pick one contender, the Cannons head coach Sam Willett says his side is set to play an exciting brand of footy. PRESEASON […]
Scouting Notes: Giants pipped in Summer Series thriller
THE GREATER Western Sydney (GWS) Giants Academy has gone down in a three-point thriller to AFL Canberra in their Summer Series clash at Alan Ray Oval. After a 61-point defeat at the hands of AFL Sydney last week, the Giants proved much more competitive against their local Under 22 adversaries. AFL Canberra kicked ahead in […]
AFLW Draft Q&A: Chloe Bown
STAR dual-sided talent Chloe Bown is one of the top Victorian prospects in this year’s AFLW Draft, having already impressed as a bottom-ager for Vic Metro and being a member of the National Academy. The Oakleigh Chargers star is a midfielder-forward with plenty of weapons and inflicts maximum damage on the opposition with her work […]
Gulden the guide for Coates Talent League prospects
SYDNEY Swans star Errol Gulden was a popular answer to the question ‘which AFL player do you mould you game on?’, at the recent Coates Talent League preseason testing day. 41 top-age players in the Vic Country, Vic Metro, and Allies training squads were surveyed, with 52 different AFL players put forward. >> SCROLL to see […]
2025 Coates Talent League: Bendigo Pioneers season preview
BENDIGO Pioneers are hitting their stride at the pointy end of preseason, boasting a pair of top-age prospects in the Vic Country summer training hub, five returning over-agers, and one standout bottom-age father-son gun. We chatted to coach Danny O’Bree about all of the above, and much more. PRESEASON “We were probably a little bit […]
Preseason Q&A: Thomas McGuane (Western Jets)
COLLINGWOOD fans are rejoicing the impending arrival of yet another father-son gun in Thomas McGuane. The son of 152-game premiership Pie and ever-present footy brain Mick, McGuane junior projects as a prolific onballer with crafty skills and high footy IQ. McGuane, who represented Vic Metro at Under 16 and 17 level, is part of the […]
Scouting Notes: Bolstered Swans stay undefeated in Summer Series
SYDNEY Swans Academy have taken out more senior opposition twice in as many weeks after dispatching the AFL Sydney U22s by 19 points at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday. The Swans were challenged but led at every break despite less accurate goalkicking to move to a 2-0 record. Bolstered by the return of National Academy […]
