TWO matches remain in the SANFL Women’s competition for Round 8 with reigning premiers Central District hoping to bounce back against Woodville-West Torrens with the Eagles shooting for a record fourth win, as West Adelaide and the winless North Adelaide do battle at Prospect Oval.

FORM

Central District has not quite been at its best this season, but the reigning premiers remain inside the top four and will be looking to keep in touch with the top two sides. A mid-table logjam givens plenty of sides a chance at finals action, and that includes the Eagles who are 3-4, but a win away from jumping back inside the top four and recording their best ever win-loss record.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

WWT Eagles: 1
Central District: 8

To say the Bulldogs have had the wood over the Eagles since the pair joined the league together in 2019 is an understatement. The Bulldogs have won eight of nine matches, including all three at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval. Having not lost to the Eagles since Round 4, 2021, the Bulldogs will be hoping to make it six on the trot against their opponents.

TEAMS

WWT Eagles:

B: Marlie Fiegert (30), Amie Blanden (12)
HB: Annie Falkenberg (8), Brooklyn Kraft (33), Audrey Holt (10)
C: Grace Martin (7), Sophie Zuill (24), Poppy Waterford (1)
HF: Imogen Trengove (22), Rosette Zerella (32), Chantelle Mitchell (5)
F: Klaudia O’Neill (18), Cher Waters (20)
R: Leah Cutting (26), Brianna Walling (13), Bianca Portaro (3)
INT: Christina Leuzzi (19), Olivia Evans (28), Madi Turner (11), Popi Gikas (2), Julia Watson (51), Erini Gikas (6), Ashleigh Forbes (40), Ashley Baker (44)

Central District:

B: Georgia Madigan (7), Tara Lord (31)
HB: Sophie Eaton (12), Miyu Endersby (3), Caitlin Teague (17)
C: Liz Wilson (14), Shelby Smith (1), Jasmine Evans (27)
HF: Laitiah Huynh (41), Mikayla Antony (54), Caitlin Wendland (42)
F: Lauren Breguet (28), Tessa Doumanis (8)
R: Katelyn Rosenzweig (2), Jovanka Zecevic (23), Tess Gerhardy (33)
INT: Tiarna Grovermann (45), Charlotte Riggs (9), Dakota Williams (38), Tarly Borgas (16), Karissa Searle (22), Demi Sonneman (20), Ella Sergi (37), Shelby Raven (36)

CHANGES

Unfortunately scans confirmed McKenzie Dowrick suffered another anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the loss to Glenelg last week so is the sole confirmed out for the Eagles. They have added four players as part of an extended bench including potential debutants Ash Forbes and Julia Watson, as well as Brooklyn Kraft and Ashley Baker.

Central District will be without small forward Georgia McKee, while Georgia Avery is also out of the side. The Dogs have added five players to an extended bench including defenders Mikaylah Antony and Tarly Borgas and premiership player Shelby Raven.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Without McKee, the Dogs still have two other AFLW Academy members in Charlotte Riggs and Jasmine Evans, while bottom-ager Sophie Eaton is another damaging forward. Miyu Endersby has been developing her craft rotating between the ruck and centre half-back with Riggs, while Tara Lord had some nice moments coming out of defence on debut last week.

Eagles defenders Klaudia O’Neill and Bianca Portaro will have big jobs this week, while midfielder Grace Martin and versatile bottom-ager Imogen Trengove will look to continue their great form.

STATS THAT MATTER

Central District is ranked first in forward efficiency – shots generated from inside 50s – while the Eagles are ranked seventh. The Dogs know how to capitalise on scoring chances, so it will be up to the Eagles to limit the inside 50s for the reigning premiers in order to get the game on their terms. Through Leah Cutting the Eagles are ranked first for hitouts, as well as tackles ,while ranking fourth for clearances which will be a good test to see if they can beat the Dogs in those areas.

PREDICTION

Central District will be hungry to return to the winners’ list after the disappointing loss to South Adelaide last week, and should get the win here. However the Eagles showed with their impressive wins this season and competitive efforts, that they can turn it into a fierce slog and score off the back of that.

FORM

North Adelaide is yet to get on the board in season 2024 and is now three wins below seventh placed Sturt. A two-point defeat at the hands of the Double Blues last week hurt, while the Bloods snapped a three-game losing streak to move to 4-3 in the season and get back into the top four.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

North Adelaide: 7
West Adelaide: 5

North Adelaide narrowly holds a head-to-head lead over the Bloods, but the tide has turned the last few seasons. The Roosters won six of the first seven encounters between the sides, but West has responded winning four of the past five. At Prospect Oval, the Bloods hold a 2-1 record over the Roosters.

TEAMS

North Adelaide:

B: Julia Clark (33), Kristi Harvey (5)
HB: Laela Ebert (9), Amber Ward (22), Jess Edwards (2)
C: Djimila Totham (30), Sasha Hardin (38), Tayla Gordon (23)
HF: Zara Molloy (12), Jamie Parish (20), Ella Quinn (14)
F: Bailey Murray (3), Aprille Crooks (10)
R: Lauren Hoffmann (45), Sarah Steele-Park (36), Lauren Gauci (35)
INT: Brianna Arthur (18), Sarcha Taylor (52), Laura Niejalke (16), Charlie Price-Smith (55), Rachel Valenti (4), Tiara Hatchard (41), Jasmine Dallimore (53), Teagan Robins (54)

West Adelaide:

B: Tiana Fernandez (20), Jess Chyer (18)
HB: Emily Mableson (44), Madi Russell (1), Lucy Boyd (2)
C: Bec Hansen (10), Hannah Button (24), Olivia Smith (6)
HF: Ella Maxwell (29), Nicole Hooper (11), Ruby Ballard (22)
F: Emma Kilpatrick (43), Chloe Tonkin (14)
R: Tess Huxtable (25), Zoe Venning (9), Asha Dufour (15)
INT: Paige Allan (35), Molly Petersen (28), Grace McNicol (21), Lucy Waye (50), Kendell Saffin (31), Sienna Aldridge (38), Emma Chapman (23), Nicola Biagi (40)

CHANGES

West Adelaide regain skipper Madison Russell for the match alongside a trio of others included in the team in Ella Maxwell, Sienna Aldridge and Nicola Biagi. The Bloods do lose a defender in Georgie Pater after suffering concussion. Also out with concussion is North Adelaid ruck Indi Buckskin-James, while youngster Nevaeh Ebert misses after hurting her knee last week. Coming into the team is five players including potential debutant Jasmine Dallimore, as well as Tiara Hatchard and Laura Niejalke.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

The Bloods have no shortage of State Academy members, with the likes of Asha Dufour and Ruby Ballard providing plenty of pressure, as is defender Lucy Boyd who spent some time on-ball last week and pushed forward to kick a goal. Bottom-age forward Chloe Tonkin and winger Emma Kilpatrick have had strong seasons, while defender Emily Mableson made a successful return after winning the MVP for her state at the AFLW Under 16 Championships.

Top-age defender-turned-midfielder Laela Ebert is one to watch from the Roosters, while talented forward Sarcha Taylor has high upside for the future.

STATS THAT MATTER

Both these sides are notoriously slow starters with West Adelaide winning just two of its seven first quarters this season, and North just the one. The Bloods step up around the clearances to be third in the competition behind the top two sides, while North Adelaide are top two in possessions and disposal efficiency, but the worst in ball efficiency and forward efficiency, which has been the crux of the Roosters problems, not generating scores despite having enough of the ball and using it well.

PREDICTION

West Adelaide got back on track with a win last week, and given the Roosters are yet to strike through for one, the Bloods will be keen to ensure they are not the first to give over points to their northern rivals. The Roosters keep being around the mark for a victory, and have the talent to win if they can give their forwards enough chances.