NORWOOD’S sensational South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s season has resulted in the Redlegs recording the most nominations in the 2021 Draft Central SANFL Women’s Team of the Year. The 44-player squad features at least five players from each side in an even spread across the league, with Norwood (seven), and Central District and South Adelaide (both six) the teams to record more than five.

The 2021 Draft Central SANFL Women’s Team of the Year is based off Team of the Week nominations, with the only caveat being a minimum of five games to ensure each member played the equivalent of half a season rather than the AFL Women’s talent making it off a few matches. Due to this, the only player ineligible who made the cut with four Team of the Week nominations from those four games was Central District’s Chloe Scheer, but her efforts still deserve a mention.

Of all the AFL Women’s-listed players, Katelyn Pope is the only one who made the squad having strung together games in the back half of the season with five consecutive matches for three Team of the Week nominations. Of the other AFL Women’s-listed talents, Montana McKinnon, Ailish Considine, Chelsea Biddell and Renee Forth all played a majority of the season at state league level.

From the elite level players to the State Academy talents, six Under 19s state representatives made the team. West Adelaide’s Lauren Young and Glenelg’s Brooke Tonon combined for 14 Team of the Week nominations, whilst Norwood’s Jade Halfpenny, Sturt’s Zoe Prowse, West Adelaide’s Zoe Venning and Central District’s Lauren Breguet also made the squad with between two and four nominations each.

Young was one of three players – with Glenelg’s Jessica Bates and North Adelaide’s Kristi Harvey – to collect a record eight Team of the Week nominations – made all the more remarkable by the fact she missed games due to the AFL Women’s Under 19s Championships. Norwood’s Leah Cutting and Central District’s Shelby Smith were the other players to record at least six Team of the Week nominations.

Following the announcement of the Team of the Year squad, Draft Central will have the tough decision of cutting down to just 24 players in what will be the official 2021 Draft Central SANFL Women’s Team of the Year. The Team of the Year will be announced Monday night.

2021 DRAFT CENTRAL SANFL WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE YEAR SQUAD:

Central District [6]: Lauren Breguet, Chantel Reynolds, Katelyn Rosenzweig, Shelby Smith, Isabelle Starmer, Caitlen Teague.
Glenelg [5]: Jessica Bates, Sam Franson, Ellie Kellock, Tessa Kohn, Brooke Tonon.
North Adelaide [5]: Lauren Daniel, Kristi Harvey, Katelyn Pope, Talia Radan, Jaimi Tabb.
Norwood [7]: Sophie Armitstead, Leah Cutting, Alison Ferrall, Elisha Gallagher, Jade Halfpenny, Morgan Johnston, Jess Macolino.
South Adelaide [6]: Nicole Campbell, Czenya Cavouras, Montana McKinnon, Jaslynne Smith, Brianna Wedding, Lisa Whiteley.
Sturt [5]: Alisha Gepp, Jess Good, Isobel Kuiper, Zoe Prowse, Jaimee Wittervan.
West Adelaide [5]: Chelsea Biddell, Ailish Considine, Zoe Venning, Sharnie Whiting, Lauren Young.
WWT Eagles [5]: Anastasia Falkenberg, Renee Forth, Shineah Goody, Kiana Lee, Jovanka Zecevic.