{"id":202569,"date":"2025-09-11T11:01:29","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T01:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=202569"},"modified":"2025-09-11T11:01:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T01:01:31","slug":"2025-ctlg-team-review-oakleigh-chargers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2025\/09\/11\/2025-ctlg-team-review-oakleigh-chargers\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 CTLG Team Review: Oakleigh Chargers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>REIGNING back-to-back premier Oakleigh Chargers&#8217; dream of a history-making three-peat was dashed over the weekend when they went down to Dandenong Stingrays in the preliminary final, but it did not overwrite another sensational season from the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-season-2025\">SEASON 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SNAPSHOT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Played: <\/strong>14<br><strong>Won: <\/strong>11<br><strong>Lost: <\/strong>3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BEST PERFORMANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Round 2: <\/strong>def. Eastern Ranges by 1 point<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oakleigh Chargers had far bigger victories, but rarely does Oakleigh have to work back from the brink of defeat in challenging conditions against an equally talented side. Trailing by as much as 15 points early in the fourth quarter, the Chargers booted two late goals with a late behind to <strong>Bailee Martin<\/strong> handing them the win in sensational circumstances. Martin booted 4.3 in the match, while <strong>Chloe Bown<\/strong> (35 disposals) had a day out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">DRAFT PROSPECTS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"134168\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/chloe-bown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chloe Bown<\/a> <strong>(Kew Comets)<\/strong><br><strong>Midfielder | 173cm | 20\/12\/2007<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats [13 games]:<\/strong> 29.2 disposals, 4.6 marks, 5.7 tackles, 5.7 clearances, 7.1 inside 50s, 4 goals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The star midfielder had one of the best seasons of any top-age talent, racking up the ball at will not just for Oakleigh, but Vic Metro as well. The Metro co-captain won her state&#8217;s MVP award as well as the overall national carnival best and fairest, and has proven herself as one of the best prospects in this year&#8217;s AFLW Draft. A sensational all-round talent who should be the first name off the board from Victoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"139554\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/zara-neuwirth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zara Neuwirth<\/a> <strong>(Kew Coments)<\/strong><br><strong>Key Defender | 183cm | 06\/02\/2007<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats [13 games]:<\/strong> 9.8 disposals, 1.8 marks, 2.8 tackles, 3.7 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A reliable key defender who had two of her biggest ever games in the last two rounds, going out with a bang and showing she can provide offensive drive with her natural defensive instincts. Athletic with a great jump and a long reach, she makes life difficult for opposition forwards. One of the best shutdown keys in the draft, she has developed nicely in her top-age campaign to add that touch of flair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"139552\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/chloe-thorn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chloe Thorn<\/a> <strong>(Blackburn)<\/strong><br><strong>Utility | 167cm | 07\/09\/2007<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats [12 games]:<\/strong> 17.1 disposals, 1.8 marks, 6.7 tackles, 1.6 clearances, 2.9 inside 50s, 3.2 rebound 50s, 2 goals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Put the Oakleigh skipper on any line and she will do a job. Thorn started the year in defence, then rotated through the middle, and even had a few games up forward late, with her pressure and strength around the ball terrific. She has good skills and never takes a backwards step, with a fierce approach to every contest. Leads by example, can take the game on and is tough as nails. Another really consistent player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>STATE DRAFT COMBINE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FUTURE PROSPECTS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Oakleigh is headlined by goalkicking superstar <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151924\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/bailee-martin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bailee Martin<\/a> who looms as the top Victorian in next year&#8217;s draft, if not the overall number one pick. She kicked bags for fun and it took until the preliminary final for an opponent to keep her to under three majors (one goal) as had it not been for her games off, she would have soared past 50 goals in the Coates Talent League Girls season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Outside of Martin, Allies-tied Giants Academy member <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"152086\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/zoe-curry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zoe Curry<\/a> projects as a top-end talent, with her strength and vision among her best assets. She was a key member of the Allies squad at the national championships, while providing a target up forward, and when at the stoppages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Chargers have a handful of other eye-catching bottom-agers with wing duo <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"168925\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/isabelle-godfrey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Isabelle Godfrey<\/a> and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151953\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/leni-lockyer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leni Lockyer<\/a> both providing some hard-running on the outside. The latter is eligible to Collingwood as a father-daughter, with her family ties coming through 227-game Magpie, <strong><em>Tarkyn<\/em><\/strong> who is currently the National Academy head coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-202571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-128x85.jpg 128w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2-32x21.jpg 32w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OC-Isabella-Mazzei-2.jpg 1944w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isabella Mazzei is one of a stack of bottom-age prospects from the Chargers. Image credit: Rookie Me Central<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Another talented bottom-age prospect is inside midfielder <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"169248\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/isabella-mazzei\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Isabella Mazzei<\/a> who is tough as nails and very clean at the coalface. <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185411\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/molly-phillips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Molly Phillips<\/a> and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185401\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/ava-philpin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ava Philpin<\/a> are two other 2008-born prospects just to note down, both having provided great run and carry at different points in the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Casting an eye to the 2027 AFLW Draft crop, and Bown&#8217;s younger sister <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185404\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/scarlett-bown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scarlett<\/a> was remarkable in her first season, booting 24 goals to play second tall forward to Martin. She and rotating ruck\/forward <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185413\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/cleo-barbakas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cleo Barbakas<\/a> loom as highly talented prospects in two year&#8217;s time, while <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185403\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/grace-sharkie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grace Sharkie<\/a> (12 games), <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185402\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/annabelle-roberts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Annabelle Roberts<\/a> (seven), <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185415\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/ruby-douglas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ruby Douglas<\/a> (six) and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185420\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/lily-parker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lily Parker<\/a> (five) all got quality minutes throughout the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-dc-block-dc-mention _dc_mention\"><div class=\"section-heading_wrap\"><span class=\"section-heading is-small\">Mentions<\/span><span class=\"hor-border\"><\/span><\/div><ul class=\"js-overflow-list overflow-list\"><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/chloe-bown\/\">Chloe Bown<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/zara-neuwirth\/\">Zara Neuwirth<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/chloe-thorn\/\">Chloe Thorn<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/bailee-martin\/\">Bailee Martin<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/zoe-curry\/\">Zoe Curry<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/isabelle-godfrey\/\">Isabelle Godfrey<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/leni-lockyer\/\">Leni Lockyer<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/isabella-mazzei\/\">Isabella Mazzei<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/molly-phillips\/\">Molly Phillips<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/ava-philpin\/\">Ava Philpin<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/scarlett-bown\/\">Scarlett Bown<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/cleo-barbakas\/\">Cleo Barbakas<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/grace-sharkie\/\">Grace Sharkie<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/annabelle-roberts\/\">Annabelle Roberts<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/ruby-douglas\/\">Ruby Douglas<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/lily-parker\/\">Lily Parker<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"js-dropdown dropdown overflowed\"><button class=\"btn btn-icon-only\"><span class=\"icon btn-icon\">\n                    <!-- icon - plus circle - 20px-->\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\">\n                        <path d=\"M15,9.28h-4.3V5h0A.72.72,0,1,0,9.28,5h0V9.28H5a.72.72,0,0,0,0,1.43H9.28V15a.72.72,0,0,0,1.43,0h0V10.71H15a.72.72,0,0,0,0-1.43Z\"\/>\n                        <path d=\"M10,0A10,10,0,1,0,20,10,10,10,0,0,0,10,0Zm0,18.57A8.57,8.57,0,0,1,10,1.43h0a8.57,8.57,0,0,1,0,17.14Z\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/span><\/button><div class=\"popover\"><div class=\"popover-content\"><ul class=\"popover-menu\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>REIGNING back-to-back premier Oakleigh Chargers&#8217; dream of a history-making three-peat was dashed over the weekend when they went down to Dandenong Stingrays in the preliminary final, but it did not overwrite another sensational season from the region. SEASON 2025 SNAPSHOT Played: 14Won: 11Lost: 3 BEST PERFORMANCE Round 2: def. Eastern Ranges by 1 point Oakleigh [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":202570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14920,8,18222,20258,18236,3134,137],"tags":[23059,22883,21041,20785,21187,22691,22559,22506,21942,21467,21904,22458,23076,22628,21201,21497],"class_list":["post-202569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aflw-draft","category-news","category-oakleigh-chargers-girls","category-talent-league-girls","category-team-review","category-victoria","category-womens","tag-annabelle-roberts","tag-ava-philpin","tag-bailee-martin","tag-chloe-bown","tag-chloe-thorn","tag-cleo-barbakas","tag-grace-sharkie","tag-isabella-mazzei","tag-isabelle-godfrey","tag-leni-lockyer","tag-lily-parker","tag-molly-phillips","tag-ruby-douglas","tag-scarlett-bown","tag-zara-neuwirth","tag-zoe-curry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202569"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":202573,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202569\/revisions\/202573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}