{"id":212293,"date":"2026-04-16T11:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=212293"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:08:17","slug":"2026-tlg-round-2-metro-games-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/04\/16\/2026-tlg-round-2-metro-games-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 TLG Round 2: Metro games notes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>WHILE another battle between Eastern Ranges and Oakleigh Chargers was the highlight of the metropolitan fixtures for Round 2 in the Talent League Girls competition, the other four Vic Metro region sides faced off on the same day. We took a look at those games and some of the players who stood out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<div class=\"t7_match_result match-result-comparison rmc-block is-match-preview\">\n<div class='match-result_legend'><ul><li>Team<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>Sandringham Dragons<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Sandringham-150x150.jpg' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>Calder Cannons<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/FB_IMG_1728076435556-150x150.jpg' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Sandringham Dragons 4.14 (38) def. Calder Cannons 1.3 (9)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sandringham always looked to have the game under wraps in what was an inaccurate kicking display in conditions that made life tough. There were plenty of out-on-the-fulls and last touches throughout the game as the wind wrecked havoc. A more balanced Dragons lineup did enough to see off a determined Cannons defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ignoring pure numbers, bottom-ager <a href=\"\/afl\/player\/luella-hall\/\" data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"212296\" class=\"_dc_spo\" target=\"_blank\">Luella Hall<\/a> really impressed for the Dragons with her work off a wing. She can tidy up her precision at times, but her 17 disposals, six marks, four tackles and six inside 50s told a tale of a player who spread well and used her elite speed to impact. She broke the 20m sprint record in the preseason, so good luck catching her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though small, <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"212294\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/isla-mattsson\/\" target=\"_blank\">Isla Mattsson<\/a> went about her business unassumingly and racked up a team-high 27 disposals. Her quick hands out of congestion looked good, and she actually won a game-high six clearances to-boot which is outstanding for a 158cm bottom-ager. Alongside her, another bottom-ager in <strong>Chloe Moffat<\/strong> showed some promising signs and has been touted as one to watch for the Dragons over the next 18 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From a draft-eligible perspective two players outside the Dragons&#8217; Vic Metro hub impressed the most with <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185459\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/isla-tucker\/\" target=\"_blank\">Isla Tucker<\/a> (26 disposals, six tackles, four clearances, eight inside 50s and three rebound 50s) enjoying some midfield time to add to her rebounding work out of the back half. She  has a really piercing kick and great versatility is a big tick. The other was over-ager <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185465\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/izabela-ignjic\/\" target=\"_blank\">Izabela Ignjic<\/a> who looked dangerous up forward with a couple of great goals including one from an impossible angle. Ignjic comes with high wraps from the coaches.<\/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\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-210669\" srcset=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-128x85.jpg 128w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD-32x21.jpg 32w, https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Isla-Tucker-SD.jpg 1944w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isla Tucker looked good in more of a mid-defender role than just pure defender in Round 2. Image credit: Rookie Me Central<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Vic Metro hub members, <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185453\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/grace-mcintyre\/\" target=\"_blank\">Grace McIntyre<\/a> (16 disposals, five marks, five tackles and six inside 50s) and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"155956\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/felicity-mahoney\/\" target=\"_blank\">Felicity Mahoney<\/a> (11 disposals, four marks, five tackles, two clearances and two rebound 50s) both had fair games, the former providing plenty of run on the outside, while the latter cracked in. <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"159114\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/chloe-capeci\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chloe Capeci<\/a> was the pick of the Vic Metro hub trio trio with 18 touches, four marks, four tackles and three rebound 50s in defeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having joined the Cannons this season, <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"188901\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/renee-ford\/\" target=\"_blank\">Renee Ford<\/a>&#8216;s ball-winning and pressure around the stoppages looked great, as she finished with 28 disposals, 11 tackles and four clearances in a standout performance for Calder. She has headed south after being a Townsville-based Suns Academy member. <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"188946\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/coco-balmain\/\" target=\"_blank\">Coco Balmain<\/a> and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"169496\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/chloe-bullen\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chloe Bullen<\/a> a pair of tall defenders to not, combining for 38 disposals and 19 rebounds in a backline that was under siege.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<div class=\"t7_match_result match-result-comparison rmc-block is-match-preview\">\n<div class='match-result_legend'><ul><li>Team<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>Northern Knights<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/northern-150x150.jpg' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>Western Jets<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/western-150x150.png' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong><em>Northern Knights 2.1 (13) def. by Western Jets 6.16 (52)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a tough watch for both sides for different reasons, with Western really controlling the game but kicking 6.16 in difficult conditions, while the Knights only got 18 entries for the match and kicked their goals in bookended quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151792\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/piper-dixon\/\" target=\"_blank\">Piper Dixon<\/a> played a fairly complete game given the conditions, booting 2.4 &#8211; leaving some majors out there &#8211; from 22 touches. Her seven tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s showed she should settle into that mid-forward role well this season, while bottom-ager <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"187204\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/charli-parsons-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\">Charli Parsons-Jones<\/a> and fellow hyphen and over-ager <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"141183\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/shakaila-gardiner-dunn\/\" target=\"_blank\">Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn<\/a> also looked lively in the front half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"169354\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/addison-west\/\" target=\"_blank\">Addison West<\/a> had the most four-quarter impact for the game with her ability to mix class with toughness, emphasised by a long-range majors early in teh game. Has found that perfect balance of inside-outside work, while partner in crime <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151796\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/tayla-olivieri-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">Tayla Olivieri<\/a> (20 disposals, 10 tackles) and wing-midfielder <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151793\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/ruby-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ruby Jones<\/a> (18 disposals, seven tackles) also really stood out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Western Jets midfield will be key to how they go this season, and while not winning a heap of it in close, <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151768\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/kiara-boyd\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kiara Boyd<\/a> got her hands dirty with 11 tackles. Any time a player can out-tackle Olivieri in a game, you know you&#8217;ve done well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Northern only has the two Vic Metro hub members this season, and they both had their moments. <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"155941\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/alli-allen\/\" target=\"_blank\">Alli Allen<\/a> always brings the defensive heat, laying 11 tackles as well from her 17 disposals largely down back. The explosive <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"30899\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/olivia-meagher\/\" target=\"_blank\">Olivia Meagher<\/a> laid seven tackles from 13 touches and had her usual highlight reel runs, albeit in wet conditions, to remind everyone what she is capable of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Knights, <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185374\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/somer-mccormack\/\" target=\"_blank\">Somer McCormack<\/a> was the best. She provided the pressure and also did what she could around the stoppages, while also kicking a great goal in the first term after a fantastic gather in the wet. Both McCormack and <a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"151557\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/lola-stone\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lola Stone<\/a> look to be workhorses across four quarters for the Knights.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\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\/luella-hall\/\">Luella Hall<\/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\/isla-mattsson\/\">Isla Mattsson<\/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\/isla-tucker\/\">Isla Tucker<\/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\/izabela-ignjic\/\">Izabela Ignjic<\/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-mcintyre\/\">Grace McIntyre<\/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\/felicity-mahoney\/\">Felicity Mahoney<\/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-capeci\/\">Chloe Capeci<\/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\/renee-ford\/\">Renee Ford<\/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\/coco-balmain\/\">Coco Balmain<\/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-bullen\/\">Chloe Bullen<\/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\/piper-dixon\/\">Piper Dixon<\/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\/charli-parsons-jones\/\">Charli Parsons-Jones<\/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\/shakaila-gardiner-dunn\/\">Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn<\/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\/addison-west\/\">Addison West<\/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\/tayla-olivieri-2\/\">Tayla Olivieri<\/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-jones\/\">Ruby Jones<\/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\/kiara-boyd\/\">Kiara Boyd<\/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\/alli-allen\/\">Alli Allen<\/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\/olivia-meagher\/\">Olivia Meagher<\/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\/somer-mccormack\/\">Somer McCormack<\/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\/lola-stone\/\">Lola Stone<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_e\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/event\/sandringham-dragons-vs-calder-cannons\/\">Sandringham Dragons vs Calder Cannons<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_e\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/event\/northern-knights-vs-western-jets-2\/\">Northern Knights vs Western Jets<\/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>WHILE another battle between Eastern Ranges and Oakleigh Chargers was the highlight of the metropolitan fixtures for Round 2 in the Talent League Girls competition, the other four Vic Metro region sides faced off on the same day. We took a look at those games and some of the players who stood out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":210426,"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":[14920,18239,18214,18221,18223,11,20258,3134,18225,137],"tags":[22457,22507,22377,22864,22003,22375,22754,22534,23456,22439,22833,21723,21315,23455,19758,3729,21019,23345,22936,19815,19872,22786,22438],"class_list":["post-212293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aflw-draft","category-aflw-draft-analysis","category-calder-cannons-girls","category-northern-knights-girls","category-sandringham-dragons-girls","category-scouting-notes","category-talent-league-girls","category-victoria","category-western-jets-girls","category-womens","tag-addison-west","tag-alli-allen","tag-charli-parsons-jones","tag-chloe-bullen","tag-chloe-capeci","tag-coco-balmain","tag-felicity-mahoney","tag-grace-mcintyre","tag-isla-mattsson","tag-isla-tucker","tag-izabela-ignjic","tag-kiara-boyd","tag-lola-stone","tag-luella-hall","tag-northern-knights-vs-western-jets","tag-olivia-meagher","tag-piper-dixon","tag-renee-ford","tag-ruby-jones","tag-sandringham-dragons-vs-calder-cannons","tag-shakaila-gardiner-dunn","tag-somer-mccormack","tag-tayla-olivieri"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212293","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=212293"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212311,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212293\/revisions\/212311"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}