AFL Draft 2023: Coates Talent League Grand Final news, scouting notes, stats, SuperCoach points
Some famous names were among the stars in the Coates Talent League Grand Final on Sunday. Here are all the scouting notes, key stats and SuperCoach points from the big game.
A Sandringham Dragons side stacked with AFL draft prospects took out this year’s Coates Talent League title with a thumping Grand Final win on Sunday.
The Dragons proved too good for the Eastern Ranges, kicking away in the last quarter at Princes Park to post a 17.10 (112) to 10.9 (69) triumph.
It made for back-to-back premierships for the Dragons, who have five players who have now featured in two flags for the club.
Dragons captain Will Brown – who has been invited to the state draft combine next month – was awarded the best-on-ground medal for his efforts.
Playing forward and also having stints through the midfield, Brown gathered 18 disposals and kicked 3.2 to help spur his side on to victory.
Top-10 draft prospect Ryley Sanders was also solid for Sandringham, gathering 25 disposals and six tackles.
Sanders has become an approved member of North Melbourne’s Next Generation Academy as the Kangaroos await a verdict from AFL this week on their bid for a draft assistance package which could help them secure the gun onballer.
Hawthorn father-son prospect Calsher Dear – the son of 123 game Hawthorn star Paul Dear – capped a strong tail end of the season with 13 disposals, 14 hitouts and two goals spending time forward and in the ruck.
Cooper Lord had 32 disposals and six clearances, while bottom-age players Levi Ashcroft (19 disposals, one goal) and Murphy Reid (19 disposals, two goals) also caught the eye.
For the Ranges, onballer Tyson Sruk was in everything and finished as the leading disposal winner on the ground with 37 touches and a final-quarter goal.
Star small forward Nick Watson – who shapes as another potential top-10 draft pick – had a quiet first half in attack but impressed with his clearance work in the midfield at stages in the second half to log 20 disposals and one goal for the day.
SCOUTING NOTES
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
WILL BROWN
18 disposals, 3 marks, 4 inside-50s, 3 goals
The Sandringham Dragons captain was awarded the best-on-ground medal after a strong game playing primarily forward. The 194cm prospect kicked one goal in each of the second, third and fourth quarters to help his side charge to victory. Brown has been invited to the state draft combine next month.
RYLEY SANDERS
25 disposals, 4 marks, 4 inside 50s, 6 tackles
A top-10 draft prospect, Sanders worked hard and found plenty of the ball as he always does. He spent time through the midfield and forward, but only registered one behind for the day from a set shot in the first quarter.
CHARLIE EDWARDS
13 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 1 goal
After a big back half of the season, Edwards didn’t have his best game in the decider. However, the 190cm midfield did catch the eye with some of his run and carry, particularly in one passage of play early in the second quarter. Edwards also snapped a nice goal in the last quarter. He looms as a draft bolter.
CALSHER DEAR
13 disposals, 3 marks, 14 hitouts, 2 goals
A Hawthorn father-son prospect as the son of the late Hawthorn premiership player Paul, the 194cm forward capped a strong finish to the season. He kicked two goals in the first half and also battled well in the ruck assisting teammate Vigo Visentini. It was the fourth time from his past five matches that Dear had kicked multiple goals for the Dragons.
VIGO VISENTINI
10 disposals, 4 marks, 26 hitouts, 1 goal
The younger brother of Port Adelaide’s Dante controlled the ruck battle for the Dragons, mostly going up against Eastern’s Lachlan Monteath. The 203cm big man follows up his work well at ground level and capped his day with a nice goal after the siren in the last quarter.
COOPER LORD
31 disposals, 7 marks, 6 clearances, 7 inside-50s
The midfielder capped a strong second half of the year with a season-high 31 disposals for the Dragons. He was everywhere, particularly in the first three quarters. Lord had logged 28 of his touches to three-quarter time.
BILLY McGEE GALIMBERTI
12 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle
Had the tough task of keeping Ranges small forward and top-10 draft pick Nick Watson quiet and did that very well in the first half before Watson moved into the midfield after the main break. The performance followed another big job on Geelong’s Tom Anastasopoulos in the preliminary final.
MURPHY REID
19 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 2 goals
One of the Dragons’ bottom-age players, Reid only turned 17 in July but shapes as an exciting player to watch next year. He spent time forward as well as up the ground and got on the end of two goals in the space of a minute in the last quarter. Reid is also set to feature in the Under-17 Futures Game on AFL Grand Final Day.
EASTERN RANGES
NICK WATSON
20 disposals, 1 mark, 1 goal
The top-10 draft prospect struggled to get himself into the game as a small forward in the first half. He caught the eye with his run in one chain coming off halfback in the first quarter, but missed a couple of opportunities in front of goal. Watson was able to provide a spark when he went into the midfield for some centre bounces in the second half, though. He won a few clearances with his footy smarts and breakaway pace.
TYSON SRUK
37 disposals, 8 clearances, 9 inside-50s, 1 goal
The leading disposal winner on the ground, the midfielder did his best to drive his side forward. The Sruk’s clearance work was strong, while he also pushed forward to kick a goal on the run in the last quarter.
CALEB WINDSOR
14 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal
A first-round draft prospect, Windsor didn’t find stacks of the footy through the midfield but did bring a touch of class to the game when he did get the ball. He also made the most of his opportunity in front of goal in the second quarter, nailing a set shot from 40m.
RILEY WEATHERILL
8 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles, 2 goals
The 195cm forward booted two goals to take his season tally to 37 majors from 15 games – four more goals than any other player in the competition. Both of Weatherill’s goals came in the first quarter, including the first of the game. He didn’t see much more of the footy after that.
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