THREE South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s sides have four representatives in our Round 8 Team of the Week, in what was an even week for the league. Every side has multiple representatives, with winners North Adelaide, South Adelaide and Sturt all contributing four players, whilst Norwood and West Adelaide have three. Losing sides Central District, Glenelg and Woodville-West Torrens have two representatives apiece.

LEADERS

In a weekend that had plenty of outstanding individual performances, one stood out above the rest, with North Adelaide’s Jess Edwards racking up a competition record 46 disposals, as well as 11 marks, three tackles, five clearances, five inside 50s and four rebounds. Her vice-captain in this hypothetical Team of the Week is Glenelg’s Jessica Bates, who notched 34 disposals, four marks, seven tackles, seven clearances, four inside 50s and four rebound 50s.

DEFENDERS

There are plenty of familiar faces in the defence in our Team of the Week, anchored once again by a couple of club captains. North Adelaide co-captain Kristi Harvey (17 disposals, four marks – three contested – and seven rebound 50s) is at full-back, with West Adelaide skipper Madi Russell (21 disposals, five marks – one contested – three tackles and five rebound 50s) at centre half-back. Her teammate and Team of the Week regular Beatrice Devlyn is in the back pocket after another standout performance of 24 disposals, three marks, three tackles and 10 rebound 50s.

Returning to the SANFL Women’s competition is South Adelaide’s Tahlia Meyer who had 24 disposals, six marks – one contested – and three rebound 50s. Rounding out the back six are a couple of State Academy members in top-ager, Glenelg’s Sarah Goodwin (29 disposals, four marks, three tackles, eight inside 50s and six rebound 50s) and bottom-ager, Woodville-West Torrens’ Shineah Goody (26 disposals, six marks – one contested – six tackles, two inside 50s, two rebound 50s).

MIDFIELDERS

Both Edwards and Bates line up on-ball, with a very distinct Central District feel joining them. The two Bulldogs representatives in the Team of the Week are ruck Isabelle Starmer and captain Shelby Smith. Starmer was the standout ruck with 22 disposals, three marks – two contested – eight tackles, 29 hitouts, four clearances and two inside 50s. Smith had 32 disposals, two marks, 15 tackles, six clearances, five inside 50s and three rebound 50s. On the wings are North Adelaide’s Erica Greet (16 disposals, three marks, four tackles, three clearances and five inside 50s) and South Adelaide’s Nicole Campbell (18 disposals, five marks – three contested – five tackles, four clearances, two inside 50s and two rebound 50s.

FORWARDS

Inside the forward 50, it is a dynamic group with plenty of versatile types who can also play through the midfield. The leading goalkicker for the round was Norwood’s Alana Lishmund who booted four goals from 14 disposals, four marks, three tackles, two hitouts and six inside 50s. Beside her are Woodville-West Torrens’ Jessica Sedunary (18 disposals, two marks – one contested – four tackles, five inside 50s and two rebound 50s) and South Adelaide’s Jess Waterhouse (11 disposals, two marks – one contested – three tackles and three goals).

At half-forward, experienced Sturt midfielder-forward Georgia Bevan amassed 25 disposals, four marks, eight tackles, two clearances, five inside 50s and two rebound 50s, and she is beside a couple of State Academy members. They are Under 16s talent India Rasheed (16 disposals, three marks, six tackles, five inside 50s and two goals) and AFLW Academy member Hannah Ewings (17 disposals, two marks – one contested – seven tackles, five clearances, seven inside 50s and a goal).

INTERCHANGE

Though difficult to name an interchange this week, a fresh face returned to the SANFL Women’s and straight into our Team of the Week in Norwood ruck Leah Cutting (nine disposals, eight tackles, 36 hitouts, four clearances and two rebound 50s). Her teammate Jade Halfpenny (19 disposals, three marks, four tackles, six clearances, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s) is there as well, as is West Adelaide midfielder Zoe Venning (27 disposals, six marks, three tackles, six clearances, two inside 50s and two rebound 50s).

South Adelaide midfielder Nari Wright also made it into the side after 24 disposals, 11 tackles, six clearances and two inside 50s, alongside a couple of Sturt players on the bench. Double Blues midfielder Alisha Gepp (27 disposals, seven marks – one contested – eight tackles and five clearances) and defender Kiera Mueller (14 disposals, six marks, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s) to complete the 24-player squad.

EMERGENCIES/OTHERS TO CONSIDER

Man players put their hands up this week for selection, with the final three players selected to be emergencies being South Adelaide defender Jaslynne Smith, North Adelaide midfielder Katelyn Pope and Sturt forward Amy Brooks-Birve. Among the defenders who were in consideration included Norwood’s Ashlee Gould and Woodville-West Torrens’ Jordann Hickey, whilst West Adelaide ruck Kate Walsh was also impressive on the weekend. Central District’s Caitlin Wendland, Woodville-West Torrens’ Abbey Dowrick and North Adelaide duo Julia Clark and Elaine Grigg were other names on the shortlist.

Plenty of midfielders were among those considered, with a trio of Glenelg players in skipper Ellie Kellock, as well as Ellen Tyminski and Ella Boag. Norwood trio Sachi Syme, Lana Schwerdt and Sophie Armitstead were close, as were Sturt duo Kate Harris and Jaimee Wittervan.

2022 ROOKIE ME CENTRAL SANFL WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 8

B: Tahlia Meyer (South Adelaide) – Kristi Harvey (North Adelaide) – Beatrice Devlyn (West Adelaide)
HB: Sarah Goodwin (Glenelg) – Madi Russell (West Adelaide) – Shineah Goody (WWT Eagles)
C: Erica Greet (North Adelaide) – Shelby Smith (Central District) – Nicole Campbell (South Adelaide)
HF: Georgia Bevan (Sturt) – India Rasheed (Sturt) – Hannah Ewings (North Adelaide)
F: Jess Sedunary (WWT Eagles) – Alana Lishmund (Norwood) – Jess Waterhouse (South Adelaide)
R: Isabelle Starmer (Central District) – Jess Edwards (North Adelaide) (c) – Jess Bates (Glenelg) (vc)
INT:  Leah Cutting (Norwood) – Alisha Gepp (Sturt) – Jade Halfpenny (Norwood) – Kiera Mueller (Sturt) – Zoe Venning (West Adelaide) – Nari Wright (South Adelaide)

EMG: Amy Brooks-Birve (Sturt) – Katelyn Pope (North Adelaide) – Jaslynne Smith (South Adelaide)