Sandringham Dragons finalise list for new NAB League Girls season
Four 19-year-old players head the squad as the Dragons prepare for the season-opening match against Calder Cannons.
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For the Sandringham Dragons, it’s been a short pre-season and a long wait for football.
Last year’s NAB League Girls competition was shut off after three matches as the coronavirus pandemic kicked in.
The returning and new players gathered for the 2021 season only three weeks before Christmas.
Another three-week block followed through January.
The league testing day was held last Sunday. And now Round 1 is four days away.
It’s all go, go, go for new coach Jackson Kornberg and his assistants as they prepare the girls for the season-opener against Calder Cannons at Craigieburn.
“We’ve had to prioritise skill development, individual craft and we’ve rolled into a little bit of intra-club and match simulation in the last two weeks,’’ Kornberg said.
“We’ll continue to educate they players as we go through the season.’’
Sunday will bring Kornberg’s first official coaching engagement in what will be a busy year for him.
As part of changes to the staffing structure of the NAB League, all head coaches will coach the girls and boys teams.
Kornberg replaces Josh Burke (boys) and Tamara Hyett (girls). Although he is new to the role, he’s no stranger at the Dragons, having been involved in the program for a decade.
Nick Moodie, Danny Byrne, Lisa “Kiwi’’ Roper, Mick Lovejoy and Scott Nish will support him.
Hyett left on the high of having seven players drafted, and four of them – Alice Burke, Bella Eddey, Eliza McNamara and Sarah Hartwig - made their debuts in the AFLW last weekend.
Kornberg said it was a lifter for the returning players to see their former teammates go to the highest level.
“From the Dragons’ point of view, it’s fantastic to see them kicking on and performing in the AFLW,’’ he said.
With so many of the 2020 top-age players drafted, the Dragons will have only four 19-year-olds on their list of 30 this year: Tia Pastore (the daughter of former VFA champion Tony Pastore), Chloe Saultry and newcomers Siena Scott and Phoebe Canning, who had been with the Dandenong Stingrays.
“We’ve got a really balanced list from an age-profile point of view,’’ Kornberg said.
“There are the four 19-year-olds and then an even split of 18-year-olds and 17-year-olds. With that it allows us the opportunity to develop the draftable and draft-age players this year while also keeping an eye on 2022 and the 17-year-old girls coming through.
“We’ve got a list of 30 girls and through the season we’ll invest in a group of 16-year-olds in our development academy that we’ve brought up from the St Kilda Next Generation Academy. So we’re in a good position from an age-profile point of view, to be able to have a look at girls across all ages.’’
The Dragons believe the hard-running Kiana Lynch, speedy Charlotte Ryan and intercept-marking and long-kicking half back Pia Staltari will attract attention this year.
Charli Murphy, who kicked five goals in an intraclub match, and 17-year-olds Bridie Hipwell and Sofia Hurly are also expected to come under notice.
The seven-player development list has two sets of twins: Gemma and Claudia Hollingsworth from East Brighton Vampires and Jenna and Carly Witts from East Malvern.
East Sandringham juniors has 10 players on the list.
Kornberg said the Zebbies had put a lot of time and energy into girls football and deserved credit for it.
“With so many coming in from one club, it helps with that connection and cohesiveness,’’ he said.
“They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.’’
He said the Dragons were fortunate to to be able to call on talent from the strong South Metro Junior Football League.
The NAB League Girls season will have nine rounds and a three-week finals series.
DRAGONS 2021 NAB LEAGUE GIRLS SQUAD
1 Holly Tysoe (St Bedes Mentone)
2 Kelly Coyne (East Sandringham)
3 Charli Murphy (East Sandringham)
4 Phoebe Canning (Mt Eliza)
5 Sascha Pribil (Mordialloc Braeside)
6 Tia Pastore (St Bedes Mentone)
7 Piper Sweeney-Johnston (East Malvern)
8 Summer Trim (East Sandringham)
9 Matilda Mottram (St Kilda City)
10 Bridie Hipwell (East Sandringham)
11 Tayla Jones (Hampton Rovers)
15 Sofia Hurley (Port Melbourne)
16 Jasmine Betts (East Malvern)
18 Georgia Foran (St Paul’s Mckinnon)
19 Ella Sciberras (East Malvern)
20 Abby Thompson (Caulfield Gramarians)
21 Kiana Lynch (East Sandringham)
22 Emma Stuber (Oakleigh)
23 Charlotte Ryan (East Sandringham)
26 Chloe Saultry (St Bedes Mentone)
29 Lucy Mitchell (East Sandringham)
30 Pia Staltari (St Bedes Mentone)
31 Amelia Luca (Cheltenham Panthers)
32 Charlie Anderson (Mordialloc Braeside)
34 Siena Scott (East Sandringham)
35 Kitty Smyth (St Kilda City)
36 Charley Hodgson (East Brighton)
37 Ebony Angelopoulos (East Sandringham)
40 Grace Oliver (St Bedes Mentone)
41 Natasha Morris (Hampton Rovers/East Sandringham)
Development Academy List
Cladia Hollingsworth (East Brighton Vampires)
Mia Zielinski (East Sandringham)
Jenna Witts (East Malvern)
Carly Witts (East Malvern)
Cameron Millias (Port Melbourne Colts)
Lucia Marin (Mordialloc Braeside)
Gemma Hollingsworth (East Brighton Vampires)
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