Live stream: Eastern Ranges play Calder Cannons (boys), Sandringham Dragons (girls) in Coates League twin bill

While Eastern Ranges girls cruised, the boys huffed and puffed, but couldn’t quite blow Calder’s house down in a tight Coates Talent League contest. See the girls/boys REPLAYS.

Calder Cannons stayed in touch with the Coates Talent League boys frontrunners with an 11-point success over Eastern Ranges.

The Cannons led at every change, but could never completely shake off the pesky Ranges, eventually winning 88-77.

The win is good enough to push the Cannons to a 6-3 record, while the Ranges have dropped to a 5-4 record, with a big game against Sandringham Dragons in two weeks time looking season defining.

Eastern Ranges v Sandringham Dragons - AFL Coates Talent League Round 10 (Girls)

They have now won three of their last four games and seem Eastern Ranges enhanced their Coates Talent League girls finals ambitions with a 90-point demolition of Sandringham Dragons on Saturday.

The Ranges, who entered the match sitting third on the ladder with a 5-2 record, burst out of the blocks and had the game comfortably in their grasp by quarter time.

Indeed, with a 56-2 halftime advantage, it seemed they were going to hit the century mark for the second match in a row.

In the end though, they pulled up two points short, taking the match 98-8.

And while their attacking stats stand out, it was also an impressive effort at the other end of the field as well, with the Ranges conceding their least amount of points all season.

PREVIEW

While they insist revenge is not on their mind, Calder Cannons would love nothing more than a win over Eastern Ranges on Saturday to boost their Coates Talent League boys finals claims.

The Cannons’ 2023 season was conclusively ended by Eastern Ranges in the first week of the finals. The Ranges went to make the decider before losing to Sandringham Dragons.

Now, with both sides having an identical record and finals again looking a real possibility, there is plenty riding on another contest between the two.

Catch all the action LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV as part of a big boys/girls double header on Saturday. Check out the full LIVE STREAM details below.

“It is another opportunity for our players to go out and put their best foot forward against a good team in the Eastern Ranges,” Calder Cannons football director Seb Spagnuolo said.

“We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

Spagnuolo admits while the club is focused on the game ahead, there will be some players who won’t need motivation to perform after the loss in the final last year.

“There’s no doubt some players that did play in that game will have those memories and want to have a better showing of themselves this time around,” he said.

“The nature of the comp means only a certain number of players played in that game.

“It won’t be anything we talk about in terms of coaching staff or leaders.”

But the team may have to win the game without their Victoria Metro stars Isaac Kako and Jayden Nguyen.

Isaac Kako will sit out this weekend.

Both are likely to be rested after playing against the Allies last week in preparation for the under-18 teams next clash against Western Australia.

Spagnuolo said it would provide another opportunity for others to step up.

It’s a similar concern for Eastern Ranges.

The team’s operations manager, Danny Ryan, said potential number one AFL draft pick Josh Smillie would definitely miss the game.

“He received a corkie at the start of the third quarter against the Allies,” he said.

“With the game in WA the following week, we’ll probably give him a week’s rest.”

Ryan said now was the time for Eastern Ranges to step up and prepare for the next part of the season.

Last year the team made the grand final, the hope now is to build towards a similar position.

“I think we’ve got some high end talent, but the biggest thing is getting them to play as one and as a team,” Ryan said.

“If you look at how we went last year the first half of the year, all the kids are trying to get drafted and trying to make Metro.

“It was more the second half when the boys got together, played as a team and the team settles a bit more.

“We’re hoping we get into a groove when we play very well as a team and support each other.

“Any Coates League team who can do that are hard to beat.”

The Ranges will have to do without Josh Smillie.

Eastern Ranges are part of the double header with the girls to take on Sandringham Dragons in the first match.

It’s a repeat of the first round clash, which saw Eastern Ranges win by 35 points.

Ryan said the team would be a little bit different to the previous clash but he still expected a good performance.

“It’s going to be a good hitout,” he said.

“We had a strong team at that point of the year (round one).

“We’ve got a couple of 19-year-olds who played earlier in the year who are not playing this weekend.

“We’ve got more under-16 players coming through and giving them an opportunity.

“So it is a slightly different team to what we had at the start of the year.

“I hope we continue to move the ball, take the game on, come through the corridor and run in numbers.”

One player who will be involved is Georgia Knight, who kicked three goals in the last match.

Ryan expects a big game from her.

“She’s made Metro, so she’ll come in with a lot of confidence,” he said.

“She’s worked really hard on her footy this year and got her fitness up to get into contest after contest.

“She’s one of our most skilful players on our list.”