{"id":128403,"date":"2023-04-12T17:32:57","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T07:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=128403"},"modified":"2023-04-12T17:37:45","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T07:37:45","slug":"team-of-the-week-2023-talent-league-round-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2023\/04\/12\/team-of-the-week-2023-talent-league-round-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Team of the Week: 2023 Talent League – Round 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A QUARTET of Murray Bushrangers headline our Coates Talent League Team of the Week for Round 3, after the country region’s 61-point win over the Giants Academy. Fellow victors GWV, Sandringham, Dandenong, and Eastern all contributed three players apiece after a seven-game Easter weekend extravaganza. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out who made the cut in our 24-player squad!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> SNAPSHOT: Coates Talent League Round 3<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DEFENCE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

FB:<\/strong> Oscar Ryan (MB) – Connor O\u2019Sullivan (MB) – Angus Hastie (GF)
HB:<\/strong> Archie Roberts (SD) – George Stevens (GWV) – Billy Wilson (DS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Murray Bushrangers are well represented overall this week, and make up a third of our hypothetical back line. Tall utility Connor O’Sullivan<\/a> was swung to defence this week and fared well on the last line, while Oscar Ryan<\/a> joins him after racking up 35 disposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a strong country feel with Geelong Falcons top-ager Angus Hastie<\/a> returning for another week, slotting in behind fellow rebounding ace Billy Wilson<\/a> (Dandenong) and big-bodied Greater Western Victoria backman George Stevens<\/a>. Sandringham gun Archie Roberts<\/a> rounds out the six, having notched another 30-plus disposal game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIDFIELD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

C:<\/strong> Joel Freijah (GWV) – Harley Reid (BP) – Jagga Smith (OC)
FOL:<\/strong> Joe Pike (GF) – Colby McKercher (TD) – Ryley Sanders (SD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The midfield squeeze sees Oakleigh bottom-ager Jagga Smith<\/a> feature on a wing this week having again starred in a loss, though a genuine outside midfielder in Joel Freijah<\/a> balances things out on the opposite side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the guts, both Harley Reid<\/a> and Colby McKercher<\/a> earned starting berths after an entertaining battle at Arden Street Oval on Saturday, which Reid’s Pioneers took out convincingly. Ryley Sanders<\/a>, another Tasmanian, finally gets into the starting 22 having put in another huge shift for Sandringham. Rucking to the trio is Geelong bigman Joe Pike<\/a>, who took full advantage of his size advantage this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FORWARD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HF:<\/strong> Darcy Wilson (MB) – Clay Tucker (ER) – Will Brown (SD)
FF:<\/strong> Nick Watson (ER, c) – Ziggy Toledo (DS) – Joshua Murphy (MB)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a good amount of goals in this week’s forward line, and a couple of top draft prospects to boot. Player of the Week Nick Watson<\/a> could have slotted in at either end, but takes his spot in the forward pocket, while fellow National Academy member Darcy Wilson<\/a> was impressive and joins him up on a flank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both have teammates among the attacking six. Murray’s Joshua Murphy<\/strong> booted three goals in a terrific first up performance, while Eastern ruck Clay Tucker<\/a>‘s two goals qualify him for the centre half-forward slot. The latter has emerged as a strong mid-season draft candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere, the side is spearheaded by this week’s leading goalkicker, Ziggy Toledo<\/a>. The Dandenong Stingrays over-ager was hard to beat inside 50, slotting six goals in his side’s win. Sandringham skipper Will Brown<\/a> also features having booted three goals rotating from midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTERCHANGE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cody Anderson (ER), Archer Day-Wicks (BP), Lachlan Charleson (GWV), Tom Hanily (GP), Nash King (CC), Cooper Simpson (DS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMG:<\/strong> Seb Amoroso (GP), Hugh Byrne (BP), Mahmoud Taha (CC)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, there’s some quality left on the bench and much of the interchange is made up by midfielders. The likes of Cody Anderson<\/a> and Nash King<\/a> represented next year’s crop strongly, as did Archer Day-Wicks<\/a> for Bendigo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lachlan Charleson<\/a> and Tom Hanily<\/a> are a couple of nippy on-ballers to have caught the eye, while the quality of Dandenong co-captain Cooper Simpson<\/a> is well known by now. Narrowly missing out this week were top ball winners like Sebastian Amoroso<\/strong> and Mahmoud Taha<\/strong>, in addition to Pioneers goalkicker Hugh Byrne<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentions<\/span><\/span><\/div>