- Team<\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Gippsland Power<\/h5>
<\/li><\/ul><\/div>Lions Academy<\/h5>
<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nGIPPSLAND POWER:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
#7 <\/strong>Brooke Kelly<\/a>
Utility | 166cm | 17\/08\/2009<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 11 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 6 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kelly played one of her better games, and her impact far exceeded her disposal count with the versatile utility’s pressure and ability to be in the right place at the right time was eye-catching. She put her body on the line time and time again, often battling against multiple opponents, with one such brilliant play coming midway through the first term where she gathered the ball in traffic spun out of it and cleanly got the handball away. Really looked switched on from the get-go and while often a finisher forward of centre where she started, it was her ability to go back and drive the ball out of defence that caught the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#9<\/strong> Lily Milner<\/a>
Midfielder\/Forward | 172cm | 25\/01\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 17 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 5 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a slow start of just one touch in the first term, Milner got going and was particularly busy after half-time. Her clearance work helped stem the bleeding a little and she overcame an accidental whack to the face during the third term to continue battling on and find the ball in each third of the ground. Quite often, Milner was forced to just kick for distance, though when she has time and space, uses it well. Her quick hands in close were good, as was her defensive pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#10<\/strong> Grace Dillow<\/a>
Midfielder\/Forward | 164cm | 03\/06\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 19 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 behind<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Was Gippsland’s most productive player across the first three quarters and tried to create run consistently. While at times Dillow ran into trouble and was caught or forced to rush a touch away, in general her hands through traffic, and ability to hit targets in transition going forward worked out. The top-ager’s pressure was a big tick and while the game was never on Gippsland’s terms, Dillow continued to work hard rolling between midfield and attack with an almost ripping goal in the seventh minute of the third term with a snap out of congestion just bouncing the wrong side of the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#22 <\/strong>Acacia Sutton<\/a>
Forward\/Midfielder | 165cm | 20\/06\/2007<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 22 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The over-age prospect has built a really solid foundation to start the year, competing hard in the front half. She rotates between attack and the midfield, and in general her defensive attributes stand out. She has that touch of class when within range of goals, but Sutton spent most of her time further afield trying to help out the defence or desperately work the ball forward. Had a snap on goal midway through the final term but went across the face and out of bounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#34<\/strong> Elizabeth Sowden<\/a>
Tall Defender | 176cm | 22\/12\/2009<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats: <\/strong>24 disposals, 1 mark, 8 tackles, 1 clearance, 8 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Racked up the ball on the last line of defence and benefited with lots of kick-in practice thanks to some wayward shots on goal from the Lions Academy. While the decision making could be hit and miss at times, her defensive pressure and competitiveness never wavered. She competed well in the air, laid tackles and won free kicks. Had a tough match-up against Pritchard in the first three quarters, but kept battling away willing to get her hands dirty not just in the defensive 50 but when she followed her opponent up the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LIONS ACADEMY:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
#2<\/strong> Molly Ferguson<\/a>
Midfielder | 161cm | 20\/04\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 40 disposals, 2 marks, 10 tackles, 7 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 2 behinds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Ferguson was left out of the National Academy, more than a few eyebrows were raised, and the Lions Academy midfielder just continues to show why with a dominant 40-disposal performance. She was outstanding last week – and realistically has been all year – but went to another level against the Power, constantly extracting the ball out of the stoppage and getting it moving in transition. While such a classy operator forward of centre, Ferguson’s defensive pressure was also elite, laying double-digit tackles in what was honestly the complete game. An out and out star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#3<\/strong> Ameleia Murray<\/a>
Utility | 163cm | 13\/09\/2009<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 19 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 1 behind<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The term class with a capital ‘C’ is apt for Murray who just slots in anywhere the coaching staff need her and she does the job. Starting in defence, rotated on-ball and then inside 50, Murray causes a headache because of her running power. She is so aggressive with the way she darts up the field, but her accountability to get back and still ensure her opponent does not get easy possessions on the turnover is a rare quality in a young ball-winning defender. Able to work her way around a stoppage as well, and then find space forward of centre, Murray kicked an early goal from long-range drifting forward, and had another chance in the fourth term but missed a regulation set shot she would normally nail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#5<\/strong> Kya Wills-Rawlings<\/a>
Wing | 164cm | 04\/01\/2010<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 17 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Touted by her older teammates as one to watch this season, the Under 16s young gun has shown why between the National Development Championships and now with the Lions Academy. Able to run off a wing or roll to half-back, Wills-Rawlings is a get-and-go player who thrives on one-two opportunities and breaking down opposition defences not just with her run, but with her damaging disposal as well. She will be a player who teammates look to get the ball in the hands of, and between her and Murray in the side together next year again, defenders will be sweating if they see either with ball in hand streaming forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#6<\/strong> Zoe Petrides<\/a>
Forward\/Midfielder | 165cm | 28\/09\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 21 disposals, 3 marks, 9 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 3 goals, 1 behind<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Petrides looked on the verge of having a massive game through the first half, booting three goals and having no less than three other chances. She pounces at ground level so cleanly and smartly that she is a massive threat, but what stands out is her aerial ability. A one-take player, Petrides was often outsized but reads the ball so well in flight that to be spoiled her opponent has to have the size advantage and time it right too. Spent minutes around the ball as well, and her defensive pressure complemented her offensive impact anywhere near the big sticks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/BL-Zoe-Petrides-1024x683.jpg\")
Zoe Petrides booted three first half goals in the win. Image credit: Rookie Me Central<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n #10<\/strong> Stella Scott<\/a>
Midfielder | 165cm | 19\/12\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 29 disposals, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Has enjoyed a high-accumulating top-age season and it was promising to see her still find a stack of the ball even with Ferguson going haywire. Another Lions player who just plays defence first, but can win the ball herself, Scott is a great two-way runner who feeds it off to teammates in good positions. She can use both sides of her body and while perhaps not having the flashiness of some others, is neat with her ball use, and strong overhead as evidenced by her half-dozen marks. Given she essentially played a full game on-ball, she showed off her running capacity and complemented a dominant midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#18<\/strong> Freya Ross<\/a>
Wing | 169cm | 04\/11\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 19 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was an unassuming game from Ross who played well, but might slide under the radar due to some of the other numbers. She ran off the wing as usual and with a lot of the game played from the centre contest through to the forward 50, she often had to get proactive to be involved. She got aggressive with her forward running and had her moments in the front half, even taking a quick shot on goal that just missed. Her shrug of a tackle in midfield during the second term was nice and she hit-up Pritchard with precision going forward in a delivery that made draft watchers take not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#19<\/strong> Mia Geere<\/a>
Midfielder | 171cm | 08\/04\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nStats:<\/strong> 27 disposals, 3 marks, 10 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 rebound 50<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Geere still had five touches in the first term, she was a little quiet, but that soon changed with a massive second term where she popped up all over the field. It started around the ball as she extracted it consistently either with her booming kick or quick one-two’s in traffic to burst away, finishing the term with 10 disposals and really getting going. She continued her all-round performance in the second half, and was strong to the final siren, with her kicking a little hit and miss such is her high-risk, high-reward style, but her hands were as good as anyone’s and her strength to stand up in tackles and still feed it out was a big tick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n