STRENGTHS:

+ Reading the play
+ Intercept marking
+ Kicking
+ Footy IQ
+ Leadership
+ Composure
+ Big game player

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Endurance
- Speed

PROFILE:

It goes without saying Tallariti is a big game player. The Chargers skipper steps up when it counts and was able to deliver on grand final day not once, but twice. Her composure and footy IQ behind the ball is incredible, and she reads the play like a book. All of those elements make her hard to quell as she can still nullify an opponent while providing interceptions and drive from defence to transition it into attack.

Funnily enough for a player who creates so much rebounds, Tallariti is not overly quick, nor is she an endurance runner. Both areas are elements for her to work on, though she has developed them throughout the course of the season. Still needing to further improve them, particularly the endurance element, the Chargers skipper always plays to her strengths and rarely rushes or looks fazed by opposition pressure.

With ball in hand, Tallariti uses it well be it hand or foot, with a predominant kicking preference as you would expect from a defender. She backs her skills to hit targets over multiple distances, and is one of the most reliable users you will find coming out of the back half. She can be under pressure and just weight her kicks perfectly from defence to find targets further afield.

When unable to use the ball by foot - which she can still do so on her left comfortably as she can powerfully on her right - she has no qualms by starting an overlap handball chain to transition the play from defence into offence. Having also had roles as a forward and midfielder, Tallariti can play further afield if a certain situation demands it, though her traits lead her to be that perfect half-back player who also takes kickouts for her side.

From a ball-winning perspective, Tallariti is often strongly placed in the air, but is comfortable at ground level, taking it cleanly and summing up the situation quickly. Quite often if she needs to win it in a congested situation, she can use her smarts to spin out of trouble or fire out a lightning handball or clearing kick down the ground.

At Coates Talent League Girls level, Tallariti ran at 69.2 per cent by foot and 73.2 per cent overall disposal efficiency. Despite being such a strong aerial player, the Chargers skipper won a massive 57.1 per cent of her possessions in groundball situations, while also running at a 54.7 per cent contested rate. It shows that despite being over under immense pressure, she could win the ball cleanly and dispose of it effectively.

While many slightly undersized defenders without explosive speed or athleticism might find it more difficult to catch the eye, that could not be further from the truth for Tallariti. She plays to her strengths, highlights them in the way that she goes about her football, and minimises her deficiencies in order to play her role to a t. Going forward it will be easy for her to translate her traits to the elite level given her maturity and professionalism.