FOOTBALL was back on the menu in South Australia as the SANFL Women’s returned for Round 4 over the weekend. As always, Rookie Me Central named its SANFL Women’s Team of the Week, with Central District producing an impressive five players in the side. After the Bulldogs, fellow winners Glenelg and Norwood both had four, wile Sturt recorded the three representatives. All four losing sides had two representatives each.

The midfield was particularly difficult to determine this week with a host of inside midfielders really stepping up. Captaining the hypothetical side – not for the first time – was Central District skipper Shelby Smith after picking up 24 disposals, three marks, 14 tackles, four clearances and two rebound 50s in the win. Smith is joined in the team by four other teammates including Port Adelaide ruck Olivia Levicki after 18 disposals and 22 hitouts against the Panthers.

Playing her best game for the season, Laitiah Huynh returned to the Team of the Week for the first time in 2023, racking up 22 disposals, five marks and six inside 50s in the process. Her partner-in-crime on the other wing, Elaine Grigg made it onto the bench with 20 disposals, two marks, three tackles, two clearances and five inside 50s. Key forward Katelyn Rosenzweig rounds out the Central District contingent in the Team of the Week after 2.3 from 12 disposals and four marks.

The Round 4 vice-captain is Sturt’s Georgia Bevan who racked up 28 disposals, five marks, five tackles, seven clearances, three inside 50s and four rebound 50s in a massive game. The Double Blues midfield really dominated against the West Adelaide outfit, with Alisha Gepp and Isobel Kuiper joining Bevan in the team. Incredibly, it was Kuiper’s first League game back since injuring her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in last year’s finals series.

Glenelg had the four representatives this week, with top-age star Piper Window returning to her reserved spot at half-forward after another remarkable game of 21 disposals, three marks – two contested – three tackles, six clearances, five inside 50s and one goal. The other Bays in this week are clever forwards Chelsea Packer and Caitlyn Swanson who combined for six goals, while defender Sarah Goodwin returned to state league football and starred.

Norwood was the other side who had four representatives in the team, with the fitting inclusion being 50th gamer Alison Ferrall. Providing a steady hand in the back half of the ground, she had the 10 touches, five marks and four rebound 50s that went above statistics. She was named alongside forward Jade Halfpenny and midfielder Lana Schwerdt. Port Adelaide onballer Ebony O’Dea was the clear best in that match, racking up 27 disposals, eight tackles, nine clearances, five inside 50s and booting 1.2 in the win over Eagles.

Speaking of the Eagles, they fill out a couple of defensive spots, with captain Annie Falkenberg (17 disposals, four tackles and nine rebound 50s) in behind star youngster Shineah Goody (21 disposals, two marks, six tackles, three clearances and six inside 50s).

West Adelaide also had a couple of defenders, but both hold up the key defensive posts. At full-back is Georgie Pater who like Ferrall, had a greater impact on the game than her 13 disposals, five marks and two rebound 50s might suggest. She was named in the side with bottom-age tall Lucy Boyd (18 disposals, six marks – one contested – six tackles, three clearances, three inside 50s and five rebound 50s).

Completing the 24-player lineup are a couple of Panthers who were squeezed onto the bench due to the abundance of strength through the midfield and forwardlines. Senna Gulden and debutant Taylah Levy both worked hard despite the loss to Central District.

The three emergencies this week are two AFLW-listed players in Glenelg’s Brooke Tonon and Woodville-West Torrens’ Yasmin Duursma, as well as double bottom-ager Monique Bessen.

2023 SANFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 4

B: Alison Ferrall (Norwood) – Georgie Pater (West Adelaide) – Annie Falkenberg (WWT Eagles)
HB: Sarah Goodwin (Glenelg) – Lucy Boyd (West Adelaide) – Shineah Goody (WWT Eagles)
C: Georgia Bevan (Sturt) (vc) – Shelby Smith (Central District) (c) – Laitiah Huynh (Central District)
HF: Jade Halfpenny (Norwood) – Katelyn Rosenzweig (Central District) – Piper Window (Glenelg)
F: Caitlyn Swanson (Glenelg) – Chelsea Packer (Glenelg) – Mattea Breed (North Adelaide)
R: Olivia Levicki (Central District) – Ebony O’Dea (Norwood) – Alisha Gepp (Sturt)
INT: Julia Clark (North Adelaide) – Elaine Grigg (Central District) – Senna Gulden (South Adelaide) – Isobel Kuiper (Sturt) – Taylah Levy (South Adelaide) – Lana Schwerdt (Norwood)

EMG: Monique Bessen (Sturt) – Yasmin Duursma (WWT Eagles) – Brooke Tonon (Glenelg)