IN summarising the 2021 South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s season, Draft Central will run through a team-by-team review of how each of the sides fared, and who some of the standout performers throughout the clubs were. The next team in the firing line is Central District.

Position: 6th
Wins: 4
Losses: 7
Draws: 0
Points For: 385 (1st)
Points Against: 337 (5th)

Season in a Sentence: “Regardless of ladder position, Central District’s flair and exciting play to be the top offensive team in the competition had them in the mix for finals right up until Round 11”

TOP PERFORMERS:

Shelby Smith

The captain led from the front all season and was able to provide her consistent intent and clearance work from the start, picking up double-figure disposals in all bar one of her games. She amassed four or more clearances in her first four matches of the season, and was able to also get it forward to create scoring opportunities. Games are won and lost in the midfield, and Smith averaged 15.5 disposals, 6.8 tackles, 3.2 clearances and 2.4 inside 50s in the 2021 season, earning SANFL Women’s Team of the Year honours.

Chantel Reynolds

Having a huge season at full-forward, Reynolds was the SANFL Women’s leading goalkicker for the 2021 season. She booted 14 goals in her 11 games, making the most of her 8.2 disposals and 3.0 marks. Only once was she held goalless, and four times she kicked multiple majors. Kicking three goals against both Woodville-West Torrens and West Adelaide, as well as two against North Adelaide and Glenelg, Reynolds was consistently a threat inside 50, particularly as a leading aerial target and one who could be relied upon to finish off. She kicked just five behinds for her 14 goals, three of which came in the loss to South Adelaide, but otherwise kicked 13.2 for the season.

Katelyn Rosenzweig

Reynolds’ form allowed Rosenzweig to play further up the ground and be a leading target right up to the wing or even further on occasion. Leading the league in contested marks, the talented strong forward was able to play 11 games and still convert 11 goals herself. Averaging 11.6 disposals, 3.8 marks, 2.0 tackles, 1.7 inside 50s and 1.5 clearances, Rosenzweig worked hard in 2021 to have an impact further afield, and was a key reason why the Bulldogs improved this year. A third player to earn SANFL Women’s Team of the Year honours

Caitlen Teague

After the three Team of the Year players, any number of even contributors could have filled the fourth spot on this list, but Teague’s start to the season had her among the most in-form midfielders in the competition. From Rounds 1-5 she did not drop below 13 touches, and whilst her numbers were a little lower in the second half of the season, she still remained a key player in moving the ball in transition. Teague finished with an average of 11.8 disposals, 3.9 tackles, 2.4 inside 50s and 2.2 clearances, disposing of it at a healthy 73 per cent.

OTHERS:

Central District had no shortage of talent across the field, with State Academy members Lauren Breguet, Laitiah Huynh and Madison Lane all enjoying strong seasons. Lauren Smith and Paige Allen were consistent, Demi Sonneman and Nicole Mark rock solid in defence, and Chloe Scheer adding that touch of class in the final month, in what was a terrific season of improvement for the Bulldogs.

Picture credit: SANFL / Cory Sutton