AS PART of a new countdown series leading into the 2023 South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s season, we will name 23 players to watch who are under 23. We are only looking at those players who were born January 1, 2000 or later, have played a SANFL Women’s senior match and have never been on an AFL Women’s list. Today we are up to number #22 and Central District defender, Madison Lane.

#22 Madison Lane (Central District)

DOB: 06/08/2003
Height: 162cm
Position: Small Defender
Local club: Barossa Districts

An underrated talent in the SANFL Women’s, Lane is a reliable defender who ticks plenty of boxes when it comes to draftability. The 19-year-old is a player with a nice balance of offensive and defensive traits, and after beginning her career as a small forward, she has found her home in defence where she reads the ball well and can run off half-back to provide drive for Central District.

Starting her career at Barossa Districts – funnily enough also the Bulldogs – Lane was quickly identified as a talent coming through. Within a few seasons she was already among the senior players at Elizabeth and was making waves at state representative level as well. Lane made the Under 16s side in 2018, captain in 2019 and also stepped up to play at the AFLW Under 18 Championships for the tri-colours despite not even being 16 yet.

Her bottom-age representative campaign was ruined by the global pandemic, but Lane was able to return in 2021 for her top-age season, averaging 18.3 disposals, 2.3 marks and 8.3 rebound 50s to be a prolific rebounding defender for South Australia. Despite her form, with South Australia having just the one AFL Women’s side – and plenty of talent to fill it – meant Lane returned in 2022 to focus on her SANFL Women’s career.

Though missing a few games though injury last season, Lane still played eight matches, and recorded double-figure disposals in each. Not a prolific aerialist given her height, Lane managed to stand out against Sturt in Round 12 with a career-high 5 marks to go with 16 disposals, eight rebounds and five tackles. A week earlier against Eagles, she was one of the driving forces, collecting a career-high 24 disposals.

Lane has undoubtedly improved over the years, lifting her production rate from 2021 to 2022 alone. In the former, she averaged just the 10.6 disposals and 2.0 rebound 50s, and that upped to 15.9 disposals and 4.2 rebound 50s. Always an efficient kick, she is composed with ball-in-hand and more often than not able to hit targets. When driving out of defence she can create attacking plays and is a crucial player in Central District’s back five.

In Rookie Me Central’s preseason interview with Lane, she hinted that a more midfield-orientated role could be on the cards in 2023. If that is the case, then the traits that Lane brought out of defence could be amplified on-ball, and make her the ultimate utility for AFL Women’s clubs to consider.