SOUTH Australia’s top AFL Women’s draft prospects returned for Round 8 of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s on the weekend. As always, we took a look at each of the state academy athletes running around in the League competition and made notes on their individual performances.

South Adelaide:

#2 Holly Ifould

A quieter game from the winger who still had a few touches here or there, including some unrewarded running on the outside. The South Adelaide top-ager finished with eight disposals, marks, two tackles and two inside 50s.

#23 Esther Schirmer

Named best-on for her performance in defence by the coaches, Schirmer had a big first half where she collected 10 disposals and won numerous one-on-ones. Often opposed to Lauren Young when inside 50, Schirmer showed off her dedication and defensive prowess. She did not have as much of it in the second half as her team took control of the match, but played her role and recorded 12 disposals, two marks and six tackles.

#37 Brooke Boileau

One of the most consistent State Academy members this season, Boileau’s inside work is the same each and every week as she finds the majority of her touches at the coalface, but spreads well to the outside. She is a first possession winner and good at ground level, but also has a nice first few steps thanks to her longer stride to break from the pack. Another 18 disposals, six tackles, three clearances and two inside 50s to be among the Panthers’ best yet again.

#52 Melissa Anderson

Predominantly playing forward against the Bloods, Anderson had a quieter game but tends to bob up at different points when required. She took a strong contested mark, laid three tackles and two inside 50s from six disposals. A couple of times she could have been cleaner at ground level, but her defensive pressure and reading of the play was impressive.

West Adelaide:

#2 Lucy Boyd

Returning to the forward role she had last week, Boyd struggled to get into the game with the match largely played up the other end. She just had the three disposals, one mark and one tackle, and while she presented at times, it was just not her day, and certainly not one for tall forwards.

#30 Lauren Young

Playing between midfield and forward, Young’s incredible hands were back at it, clunking seven marks and a whopping four of those were contested. She looked the most likely to do damage on the scoreboard for the Bloods. Unfortunately she could only manage the four behinds for the game, with a couple getting an unlucky bad bounce, but she tried her guts out and was still among the better players, collecting 21 disposals, two clearances and three inside 50s as well.

#43 Emma Kilpatrick

Had another typical performance with 13 disposals, three marks – one contested – and four rebound 50s. Composed and reliable in the back half, she just uses it neat both over short and long distances, and while she can tend to rack up some easy touches from back pocket kick-out receives, she does the hard work too and puts her body on the line.

#46 Asha Dufour

Took a few good marks across the course o the game and spread well all over the field. With 11 disposals, four marks – one contested – three tackles and three inside 50s, the bottom-ager gets her hands on the ball consistently and has the size to outmark other opponents. She has made the wing her own this season and impacts forward of centre going inside 50.

#51 Ruby Ballard

The midfielder/forward was a standout for the Bloods, playing her best game of the season and was the subject of our Round 8 SANFLW Player Focus. Cracking in across fouR quarters, Ballard finished with 18 disposals, four marks, 12 tackles and five clearances. For a full rundown on her performance, check out our Player Focus.

>> RUBY BALLARD PLAYER FOCUS

Norwood:

#18 Molly Brooksby

Returning for her first game of 2023 after a long injury layoff with knee and hamstring issues, Brooksby stepped into the midfield like she had never left and had a number of impressive early touches. She used her skill to well-weight a couple of passes and keep pushing forward, and while it was evident she needed more time to catch up to the speed of the game – getting run-down at one stage and copping the odd knock – her class was still there. Rested consistently either via the bench or placed in a forward pocket – such as the entire last quarter – Brooksby will be better for the run ahead of the AFLW Under 18 Championships, having the five touches and five tackles.

#51 Coby Morgan

The electric speedster worked incredibly hard en route to nine disposals and two goals in the loss. She did the defensive things well even if not rewarded statistically such as a laid a great pressure act in the second term which caused a spill and Tesharna Maher capitalised with a snap. Her two goals came from some elite running, with her first eight minutes into the second term picking it up cleanly at pace and getting the ball to boot right on the goalline. Her second saw her run all the way from half-back to get forward of the ball and goalside to burn off her opponent and run into the open goal.

North Adelaide:

#9 Laela Ebert

Played her role across the ground and had a solid nine disposals and four clearances for her troubles. Often unrewarded for her running, Ebert has a nice little short kick and applies pressure to her opponents, then gets back to help out her defence. On the transition, Ebert runs forward and finds the pill both around the stoppages and on the outside.

Glenelg:

#6 Violet Patterson

Playing one of her best games for the season, Patterson started the game hot with a run-down tackle to save a goal in the opening three minutes. She worked up and down the ground and had six disposals by quarter time and then 13 by the final break. She did all the right things defensively, and though at times was unrewarded for her running, upped her production to record the 16 disposals, two marks five tackles.

#8 Piper Window

Starting the game strongly with a couple of strong clearances in the middle, Window had a quieter middle two terms as she spent more time inside 50. Though the game was seemingly done by the final break, Window did her best to get the side back into the contest, winning a stack of possessions in the final 20 minutes to finish on 18 disposals, four marks, eight clearances, four inside 50s and laying eight tackles. Though the going was tough, Window kept on plugging away over four quarters.

#20 Poppy Scholz

Starting in defence before being thrown into attack for the last quarter, Scholz had some impressive moments even though it might have been a lower production game from the bottom-ager. She competed strongly in the air, and stood up well in tackles, finishing with nine disposals, two marks – one contest – three hitouts and two inside 50s. A last quarter set shot from 20m missed to the right in her main blemish that could have been capitalised upon.

Woodville-West Torrens:

#2 Jemma Charity

Providing a marking target, Charity was able to continually present both on the lead and one-on-one, standing her ground against a direct opponent. Though often outsized, Charity uses her body well and reads the play incredibly to be able to clunk marks. She kicked a great goal and should have kicked a couple more with one hitting the post and another uncharacteristically spraying to the right. Charity recorded nine disposals, five marks – two contested, two tackles and booted 1.2.

#7 Grace Martin

Bobbed up with a handy three-goal performance from 10 disposals, while also laying five tackles. Her first goal came at the 10-minute mark of the second term with a quick thinking kick from the goalsquare, then added two more later on through hard running. Martin also showed great awareness inside 50 to see an unmanned Window at the forward stoppage and went to go body-on-body with her.

#30 Marlie Fiegert

A little quieter than her standout performance the week before, Fiegert still battled on across four quarters, picking up 11 disposals and laying five tackles. She had a running shot on goal early in the game that fell short, but covered the ground well winning the ball both at half-back and half-forward.

#34 Shineah Goody

There are times when you run out of superlatives for what Goody can do on a football field, and her 16 disposals feel like 30, with just about every touch turning to go. Impressively she barely went near it in the second term and still finished wth the 16 disposals, with her clean hands at ground level incredible once again. She was a lucky bounce away from kicking one of the goals of the year as she scooped up the ball at a contest at half-forward, ran to 50m and launched it home, with the ball bouncing a metre out and hitting the post. She covered the ground and was one of the Eagles’ best, collecting 16 disposals, four marks – one contested – three tackles, four clearances and seven inside 50s.

Sturt:

#6 India Rasheed

Just another standout performance from the remarkable left-footer who booted three goals playing from the midfield and resting forward. Though her production numbers were down on previous weeks, her touches were still influential, and none of her shots ever looked like missing. She won a little bit of the ball up the ground, but did her best work inside 50 where she kept her side in it with her three goals, including a great tackle midway through the third term to win a free kick and nail the set shot.

#24 Lily Whitcombe

Industrious as ever with her one-on-one work in the back 50 and competing hard against her opponent. She rarely loses a one-on-one and follows up well with good pressure. Never a massive ball-winner, but Whitcombe played her role on her way to six disposals, one mark, two tackles and one rebound 50.

#57 Zara Walsh

The State Academy inclusion returned and had a quiet day but still brought some important forward pressure. She gave away a kicking in danger free kick and got caught behind in a marking contest at one stage early, but had the smarts to punch it to ground. Though Walsh only managed the four touches, she laid five tackles and ran hard to be an option in the forward half of the ground.

Central District:

#8 Elaine Grigg

The top-age AFLW Academy member brought her usual pressure to the contest and was able to build into the game and produce an impressive second half where she kicked a great running goal in the 13th minute of the third quarter. She set up a goal to Jess Allan and continually put pressure on the opposition defence, totalling up 17 disposals, eight tackles, two clearances and 1.1 for the day to be among the Dogs’ best players.

#9 Charlotte Riggs

Building an incredible consistency at centre half-back, Riggs had another unstoppable game holding a high line and clunking nine marks – two contested – for the match. Her aerial ability is hard to match and and she continually got into the right positions to intercept and drive down the ground. She rushed a behind in the second term to save a goal and then took a crucial intercept mark in the final minute to set up the winning goal, coming off her opponent and ultimately changing the course of the game.

#27 Jasmine Evans

Though Evans might have only been rewarded with eight disposals, she set up Rosenzweig’s first two goals, one with a good handball and another with a long kick inside 50 to the forward. She then got on the end of one in the goalsquare with a great contested mark, one of three grabs for the game. Her pressure was still impressive and should have had another goal earlier in the game where her set shot in the second term just fell short. All in all though, Evans played her role to perfection.