SOUTH Australia won the first match of the 2023 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships, defeating Western Australia by 35 points at Joondalup. There were plenty of impressive individual contributors for their respective states, and we took note of the ones that stood out the most.

All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

#2 Eva O’Donnell (Claremont)
28/12/2005 | 167cm | Forward/Midfielder

The Claremont talent had some nice moments, especially when she could find some space to run with ball-in-hand. She predominantly played forward but pushed up the ground and covered the ground well. She took a couple of good marks at half-forward in the game, and then there was one stage in the middle where she marked, kicked on then pressured Goody with the next play.

#4 Zippy Fish (East Fremantle)
04/06/2006 | 160cm | Small Defender

One of the standout West Australian players, Fish was slick and composed with ball-in-hand. Early on the pace of the game was a step up for the talented bottom-ager who usually looks a class above, but she went to another gear as the game went on and was damaging by hand or foot. Her clean hands at ground level were a feature of her performance, while she continually mopped up in the back half of the ground and delivered well down the ground. Despite being a defender under pressure, Fish went at 82 per cent by foot.

#9 Ella Slocombe (Claremont)
06/12/2005 | 165cm | Midfielder/Forward

The Claremont midfielder forward will be the subject of a Player Focus this week, and after a slow start of just two disposals in the match, Slocombe finished with the 15, with a 53 per cent disposal efficiency off a 50 per cent contested rate. She also kicked a hard running goal in the final term where she won the ball in the middle, kicked inside 50, followed up to receive it again and slotted the major on the move.

#11 Madison Dodd (Subiaco)
11/03/2005 | 165cm | Medium Utility

Dodd was never going to be phased by the step up in intensity and she was busy from the opening siren. The Subiaco utility spent her fair share of time in the midfield and benefited from lighter bodies. She ran at a 67 per cent efficiency and aside from being on the end of a Goody fend-off, was often the one inflicting the pain on others with four tackles. Did most of her work between the arcs in close.

#22 Jaime Henry (Swan Districts)
05/10/2005 | 175cm | Inside Midfielder

Bullocked her way around the stoppages but worked hard to receive the handballs in close en route to a 17-disposal game. She was Western Australia’s premier inside midfielder as expected, and crashed and bashed the best she could all game. The vice-captain was restricted from using her neat left foot, with 14 of her 17 disposals being handballs. Henry was able to get a number of handballs away as she was tackled though, showing good strength.

#23 Kaitlyn Srhoj (Peel Thunder)
10/07/2005 | 175cm | Balanced Midfielder

Found the going tough early, only having the two touches in the first term despite playing midfield, but gradually worked her way into the contest to rack up the ball through the middle two quarters and finish with 17 touches. Her kicking was below average under the pressure, but she her delivery by hand was slick and she was clean at ground level. Winning a lot of the ball in a contest or under pressure, she was able to dish off by hand to open up opportunities for her teammates.

#25 Georgie Cleaver (East Fremantle)
14/08/2005 | 179cm | Key Forward

Played a game that was arguably the complete opposite to what you would expect a Georgie Cleaver game to be. Though the East Fremantle tall did not take a mark, only had one hitout and did not impact the scoreboard, Cleaver racked up 19 touches unassumingly to be the most on her side. Of those touches, 13 of them came in a contest, the same number she won grabbing it off the deck and quickly getting rid of it. She did have a lovely kick into Noa McNaughton in the second term, but was often under pressure and the South Australian defence was up to the task.

#26 Mackenzie Webb (Claremont)
17/06/2004 | 174cm | Tall Defender

The Claremont defender played a superb game when moved onto Young midway through the first term. At that stage Young was on fire booting 2.2, and while her opponent still found plenty of the ball and did miss a few chances, Webb restricted her to just the one goal – an unlucky high free kick on the half-time siren – and held her own one-on-one. Her closing speed and ability to be right there hassling Young each and every time was impressive. She did lose Young at one stage with her opponent marking 20m out, but luckily she did not pay for it with an uncharacteristic poor set shot. Easily one of Western Australia’s best over the four quarters.

#31 Olivia Crane (Subiaco)
08/10/2007 | 179cm | Key Defender

Like fellow double bottom-ager Evie Cowcher, Crane felt the lift in intensity early when she could not stop Young from taking a good mark. Though she was suddenly competing against equally smart and athletic players, Crane adapted as the game went on and was often the first point of call from Cowcher out of full-back, delivering out of the defensive 50. Her kicking was not its usual potency, but she tried hard all game and will be better for the run.

#35 Anjelique Raison (East Fremantle)
07/09/2005 | 181cm | Key Utility

Starting forward, Raison had a chance to kick an early goal late in the first term but uncharacteristically missed a set shot from 20m she would normally gobble up. The Sandgropers skipper would get on the board though in the second after competing in the marking contest, recovering well and running into an open goal. Though she did not have much to do over the next two quarters, Raison would move into the midfield in the final term, winning a couple of clearing kicks out of the middle.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

#1 Elaine Grigg (Central District)
23/12/2005 | 161cm | Midfielder/Forward

The tenacious talent was fierce across the four quarters and made her presence felt playing a bit of everywhere including inside and outside midfield, and up forward. She would win 19 disposals, and though at times her kicking would let her down at times, her combination of run and carry along with defensive pressure was outstanding. She brings a different element to the game compared to other players and was clean at ground level and very evasive.

#3 Violet Patterson (Glenelg)
09/01/2006 | 168cm | Winger/Forward

The bottom-age Collingwood father-daughter prospect provided some nice run on the outside playing more forward than her usual wing role but still getting minutes further afield. She had a nice bounce and lovely kick into Rasheed midway through the second term, having early had a quick shot on goal but missed to the left as she was tackled. Her delivery inside 50 was quite impressive and she adapted to the extra level without too many issues.

#6 India Rasheed (Sturt)
29/11/2006 | 172cm | Medium Forward

A game of ‘almosts’ for Rasheed who looked ever-dangerous inside 50 as the second forward to Young. Her speed on the lead and vertical leap was on full display, but her set shot goalkicking – which is usually her bread and butter with that elite left foot – let her down. Rasheed did get on the scoreboard with a nice snap in the opening minute of the third term, but missed a number of chances to have a big day off. Still, when kicking inside 50 she put it to dangerous areas even if they were not as pinpoint as they can be. Finished with the 1.3 from 13 disposals and four marks.

#9 Shineah Goody (WWT Eagles)
08/11/2005 | 162cm | Midfielder

A genuinely jaw-dropping display from the midfielder who made it look easy out there, pulling out tricks that just about no one else can do. From fend-offs and bumps, to flying intercept marks and elite pinpoint passes, the Eagles talent did it all. She will be the subject of our Player Focus for the South Australian team with her performance in greater detail there, but she had 30 touches at 83 per cent disposal efficiency, with seven marks, six clearances, four inside 50s and three rebound 50s.

#10 Jasmine Evans (Central District)
05/02/2006 | 165cm | Winger

In her first state representative game after a strong debut season at Central District, Evans was ultra-impressive and shook off a knock in the game to return and still have an impact. Her kicking forward under pressure was ridiculous and Evans was hitting lace-out passes with ease, even with the outside of the boot on one occasion. She set up a goal to Anderson late in the second term with a slick handball and reeked of class.

#12 Poppy Scholz (Glenelg)
31/12/2006 | 179cm | Key Defender/Ruck

Similar to Cleaver, Scholz played a bit of a different game though with shades of her aerial ability, clunking four marks – including two contested – on her way to 20 touches. She won the majority in a contest and pinch-hit in the ruck to provide support for Schunselaar. Most of her touches were handballs so she could not utilise her long kick to advantage, but she did take a number of eye-catching marks and even produced a fend-off at half-back charging to the wing.

#13 Piper Window (Glenelg)
30/07/2005 | 167cm | Forward/Midfielder

Captaining the side, Window had a massive first half collecting 12 disposals and being a prime mover rotating between midfield and attack. She started forward and was a target inside 50, clunking three grabs in the opening term alone. She worked hard up the ground to put her body on the line and then would stand up in tackles when required to shovel the ball out. Her kicking was hit and miss, but she did produce a couple of nice hit-ups going inside 50. In the fourth term she set up a goal to Ruby Ballard with a neat short kick.

#14 Molly Brooksby (Norwood)
18/07/2005 | 172cm | Medium Utility

In just her second game back from injury, Brooksby was able to play a multitude of roles for South Australia. Starting in defence, Brooksby rotated through the midfield and finished spending time up forward. Across the course of the day she showed off both offensive and defensive traits, with neat kicking and then fierce tackling, including a run-down tackle on O’Donnell in the third term. She’s got better games in store, but Brooksby stepped up again from her return game for Norwood last week. She finished with 17 disposals at 50 per cent contested, four clearances, three inside 50s and three rebound 50s.

#15 Jacinda Schunselaar (South Adelaide)
06/04/2005 | 180cm | Ruck

Having cut her teeth largely at Development League, it was a big step up for Schunselaar who was tackling a ruck with an eight centimetre differential. She battled hard and finished with 15 hitouts from 10 disposals. With a 90 per cent disposal efficiency though, Schunselaar used the ball well, and had smarts to get into the right positions to intercept mark or provide a target and bring the ball to ground.

#27 Brooke Boileau (South Adelaide)
28/01/2005 | 170cm | Balanced Midfielder

A really strong game from the inside midfielder who also played on the outside as part of her rotations. She cracked in with her typical defensive attributes from tackles to smothers and bumps, while being clean by hand and extracting the ball from the coalface. She had a rushed snap on goal in the final term that went high and wide, but had a brilliant clearance late in the game, then marked in the middle and had a lovely long kick towards Young at the top of 50. Her kicking was better than usual in the SANFL Women’s, while still maintaining a high contested rate. Right up there with the best Croweaters.

#31 Lauren Young (West Adelaide)
16/09/2005 | 178cm | Key Forward/Defender

Looked on track to kick a record bag after the opening 10 minutes where she arguably should have had four goals to her name. Finished with the three after another couple of chances went short or wide, but certainly made her presence felt in her first state representative game since coming back from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. She was as good as anyone on the day, clunking seven marks – two contested – and booting 3.2 from 20 disposals. Her opponent did well after that first 10 minutes, but Young just found a way to get involved, and spent the last few minutes of each quarter down in defence.

#32 Jemma Charity (WWT Eagles)
06/06/2006 | 170cm | Medium Defender

Played a different role to her usual forward one at the Eagles by being stationed in defence. She was utilised for her kicking out of the back 50 and held her own with 16 touches, three marks and four rebound 50s. Midway through the second term, she had a chance on goal but missed, though showed her aggressive intent to push up the ground. Clean by hand and generally good with her decision making, Charity was busy throughout the game.