WITH the AFL Women’s Under 16s Championships done and dusted and the Under 18s equivalent standalone match also complete, the top young talent returns to the SANFL Women’s this weekend. Just three rounds remain in the competition, but the weekend also marks the departure of AFL Women’s listed players with the eight teams focusing on just their non-listed players for the final stanza.

FORM

Woodville-West Torrens looked good for a third win in season 2023 last week, but were caught at the post and had to settle for a draw against West Adelaide which ultimately put a line through their finals hopes. A win here can give Norwood a few concerns with a mid-table logjam and likely knock the Redlegs out of a top two spot, but if as expected the Redlegs win, it effectively secures their spot in the finals.

TEAMS

Woodville-West Torrens:

B: Audrey Holt (10), Leah Cutting (26)
HB: Grace Martin (7), Channy Mitchell (5), Amie Blanden (12)
C: Brianna Walling (13), Isabella Benedictson (37), Sophie Whitwell (42)
HF: Beatrice Devlyn (6), Annie Falkenberg (8), Hannah Scholar (19)
F: Marlie Fiegert (30), Bianca Portaro (3)
R: Shineah Goody (34), Jemma Charity (2), Brooklyn Kraft (33)

INT: Ashley Baker (44), Tess Andrews (29), Sophie Zuill (24), Zahlia Niemann (38), Poppy Waterford (1), Chloe Charity (9), Olivia Evans (28)

Norwood:

B: Ashlee Gould (16), Emily Bartsch (27)
HB: Sarah Branford (9), Nicola Burns (23), Lauren Smith (24)
C: Rosie Boon (46), Charlotte Nenke (44), Lana Schwerdt (41)
HF: Molly Brooksby (18), Alison Ferrall (19), Shai Hiscock (13)
F: Rosette Zerella (32), Amelia Rusden (10)
R: Tahlita Buethke (2), Tesharna Maher (14), Morgan Johnston (1)

INT: Charli Hazelhurst (39), Sophie Arkun (43), Georgina Birchall (37), Coby Morgan (51), Kaitey Whittaker (6), Grace Whittaker (60), Millie Yardley (42), Elle Lineage (50)

CHANGES

Woodville-West Torrens will debut double bottom-age tall Zahlia Niemann fresh off her campaign at the AFLW Under 16s Championships with the Henley prospect named on an extended bench. Under 18s State Academy members Shineah Goody, Jemma Charity and Grace Martin are also into the side, as is Tess Andrews. Coming out of the side is Power utility Yasmin Duursma alongside Christina Leuzzi, Cher Waters, Natasha Holmes and Kayleigh May.

Norwood now will be minus the equivalent of a starting midfield with a quartet of Port players departing in Ebony O’Dea, Sachi Syme, Jade Halfpenny and Supplementary Draft signing Georgie Jaques. The Redlegs do regain top AFLW draft prospect Molly Brooksby, as well as other State Academy members Coby Morgan and Charlie Hazelhurst, while Georgina Birchall and Kaitey Whittaker were bot added to an extended bench.

KEY PLAYERS

In her third game back from injury, Brooksby looms as a key player in that Norwood midfield alongside Morgan Johnston, Tesharna Maher and Tahlita Buethke with the speed still there even if the Redlegs have lost a fair bit of inside hardness. Hazelhurst had a strong Under 16s carnival playing at centre half-back and it will be fascinating to see how she goes back at senior level. For the Eagles, Goody was simply sensational on the weekend, and with Charity and Martin re-adding that class to the lineup, the Eagles outfit still has that mix of youth and experience with Leah Cutting and Annie Falkenberg in great form.

PREDICTION

Norwood deserves to be favourites in the clash, but looking at the ins and outs, it is evident this is a massive danger game given the quality coming in from the Eagles, and the midfield depth lost from the Redlegs. It will be fascinating to see how Norwood coach Brad Snell reshuffles his team.

FORM

Unfortunately for West Adelaide, a promising season was curtailed by injury and the draw against Eagles last week was the final nail. Needing to win all three games and hope draws occur in other results where the likes of Sturt, Glenelg and North Adelaide play, it is realistically beyond the realms of making finals. Still, the Bloods can put a real thorn in Sturt’s side with an upset victory here, while a win to the Double Blues would put pressure back on Glenelg and Norwood.

TEAMS

Sturt:

B: Lily Whitcombe (24), Hannah Prenzler (20)
HB: Jemma Valente (36), Sarah Wallace (37), Jaimee Wittervan (35)
C: Elsie Dawes (5), Monique Bessen (16), Molly Fletcher (31)
HF: Georgia Swan (3), Georgia Bevan (7), India Rasheed (6)
F: Tessa Doumanis (4), Millie McCarthy (1)
R: Alex Pearce (38), Kate Harris (23), Isobel Kuiper (18)

INT: Alysha Healy (10), Ally Ladas (17), Isabella Drew (28), Zara Walsh (57), Lucy Earl (26), Georgia King (55), Claudia Edmonds (60), Amy Brooks-Birve (44)

West Adelaide:

B: Tiana Fernandez (20), Jess Chyer (38)
HB: Grace McNicol (21), Georgie Pater (26), Emma Kilpatrick (43)
C: Saraid Kustermann (6), Ruby Ballard (51), Millie Gentle (3)
HF: Charlie Scutchings (12), Paris Francis (24), Lauren Young (30)
F: Molly Petersen (57), Kelly Barltrop (15)
R: Tess Huxtable (49), Zoe Venning (9), Asha Dufour (46)

INT: Chloe Tonkin (64), Kendall Saffin (31), Ella Maxwell (45), Olivia Smith (22), Nicole Hooper (11)

CHANGES

Unlike some other sides, Sturt only loses Alex Ballard from last week’s team for Port AFLW duties, with Jasmin Fejo also out of the Round 10 lineup. Georgia King, Claudia Edmonds and Amy Brooks-Birve will serve as the three emergencies. Returning to the team is a quartet of young guns in India Rasheed, Monique Bessen, Zara Walsh and Lily Whitcombe all returning to the lineup, as well as tall defender Lucy Earl.

West Adelaide lose not only Port AFLW duo Gemma Houghton and Lily Johnson, but also Iilish Ross who is out due to family reasons., With top young star Lauren Young returning, the loss off Houghton allows a debut to tall Chloe Tonkin who impressed between ruck and forward at the Under 16s carnival. Also coming in are Ruby Ballard and Nicole Hooper.

KEY PLAYERS

Young and Ballard are important inclusions for the Bloods, with Tonkin going to be one to watch for the future. There is still an array of talent missing from that West Adelaide outfit, but along with those young guns, the likes of Asha Dufour and Emma Kilpatrick also have the chance to step up, while Zoe Venning is in remarkably consistent form. For the Double Blues, Rasheed and Bessen will be extra marking options around the ground, while Isobel Kuiper and Kate Harris are working well together.

PREDICTION

On paper it would take a pretty special performance for West Adelaide to get the job done, with the match a look to the future for the Bloods. There are some incredible talents out there, but Sturt has so much consistency across all three line, the Double Blues will make it difficult for the visitors to score and expect Sturt to be a bit too strong across the board in West coach Bruce Dawes‘ second clash against his former side.

FORM

Central District will play finals for the first time in its club history, with a three-game gap on fifth placed Glenelg. Even if the Bays win all three games, it means they will beat Sturt in the process, ensuring the Bulldogs play finals. Central District win this game and second spot will be done and dusted given the Dogs play the bottom two sides in the final fortnight, while if Glenelg win, it will heap pressure back on Sturt and Norwood.

TEAMS

Glenelg:

B: Poppy Scholz (20), Marie Martino (15)
HB: Ellen Tyminski (18), Shay’Lee Dayman (4), Sarah Goodwin (11)
C: Lucy Armitage (14), Madisyn Freeman (2), Violet Patterson (6)
HF: Jordan Horne (51), Caitlyn Swanson (9), Chelsea Packer (26)
F: Piper Window (8), Alex Walker (35)
R: Anja Bancevic (55), Ellie Kellock (5), Tessa Kohn (13)

INT: Alice Bradley (21), Laura Chigwidden (24), Matilda Wilmore (19), Eloise Mackereth (48), Tamsyn Morriss (12)

Central District:

B: Laitiah Huynh (41), Shannon Murphy (10)
HB: Caitlen Teague (17), Charlotte Riggs (9), Tiarna Groverman (45)
C: Dakota Williams (38), Madison Lane (40), Sophie Eaton (12)
HF: Jovanka Zecevic (23), Georgia Avery (18), Elaine Grigg (8)
F: Karissa Searle (22), Lauren Breguet (28)

R: Katelyn Rosenzweig (2), Jasmine Evans (27), Georgia Madigan (7)

INT: Caitlin Wendland (42), Demi Sonneman (20), Aisha Thomas (16), Emma Keys (5), Tess Gerhardy (33), Shelby Raven (36)

CHANGES

Glenelg only loses Ella Boag back to AFLW training given Matilda Scholz missed last week due to injury, but the Bays do regain Crow, Sarah Goodwin who has missed a number of games compared to her peers. They also can welcome in Under 18s representatives Piper Window, Violet Patterson and Poppy Scholz, as well as Under 16s talents Matilda Wilmore, Jordan Horne and debutant Eloise Mackereth.

Central District will lose AFLW trio Maria Moloney, Julia Teakle and Olivia Levicki back to Port Adelaide, but the biggest loss could be skipper Shelby Smith to suspension who will miss the final three regular season games. The good news for the Dogs is they regain their quartet of talented teenagers from the state representative duties in Elaine Grigg, Charlotte Riggs, Sophie Eaton and Jasmine Evans.

KEY PLAYERS

The return of the young guns, particularly top-ager Window will be a welcome addition to the Bays who are one of the few sides who have strengthened their team this week. Looking to arrest a four-game losing streak, the likes of Ellie Kellock and Madisyn Freeman will be looking for more support, with Caitlyn Swanson and Chelsea Packer so dangerous inside 50. Central District will need Caitlin Wendland to continue her outstanding form in the absence of Moloney and Smith, while Madison Lane and Laitiah Huynh are other more experienced young talents who can provide run and carry for the Dogs in order to kick a winning score.

PREDICTION

Central District is in the opposite form to Glenelg, but the match does loom as a danger game because Glenelg has loaded back up on its youth, while the Dogs will be without mainstay skipper Smith and their AFLW players. For Central to win, it will need to dig deep and find plenty from its depth against a Bays outfit that will equally need to find its best football to snap its month-long drought.

FORM

South Adelaide is cruising at a fine pace in the season, having secured a finals spot yet again to maintain its outstanding record in the competition. The only way the Panthers can drop out of the top two is if Central District and Norwood win all their games while the Panthers drop their three, which seems beyond the realms of possibility. However there is more on the line for North Adelaide with a loss, and wins to Glenelg and Sturt making it more than difficult to secure a top four spot.

TEAMS

North Adelaide:

B: Jamie Parish (22), Kristi Harvey (5)
HB: Kristen Rothwell (15), Ella Quinn (14), Aprille Crooks (10)
C: Jayde Visser (31), Julia Clark (33), Erin Sundstrom (34)
HF: Lauren Hoffmann (45), Sky Jensen (50), Brittany Perry (19)
F: Doreena Hansen (41), Cristie Castle (1)
R: Isabelle Starmer (11), Chelsea Farr (28), Jessica Edwards (2)

INT: Kalani Bates (16), Tegan Cordes (42), Laela Ebert (9), Lauren Gauci (35), Ella Metcalfe (40), Sarah Steele-Park (36), Sarcha Taylor (52)

South Adelaide:

B: Jaslynne Smith (35), Caitlin Radbone (34)
HB: Sam Pratt (22), Esther Schirmer (23), Tiffany Copley (14)
C: Elise Barwick (24), Brooke Boileau (37), Gypsy Schirmer (36)
HF: Taylah Levy (33), Jorja Hooper (38), Lily Baxter (56)
F: Jordann Hickey (4), Lucy Northcott (12)
R: Soriah Moon (32), Caitlin Couch (8), Senna Gulden (25)

INT: Bri Cleggett (27), Charlotte Dolan (28), Mel Anderson (52), Jess Kirk (7), Bella Rigby (1), Nari Wright (3), Alissa Brook (53), Holly Ifould (2)

CHANGES

North Adelaide will be without key players, Hannah Ewings, Katelyn Pope and Amelie Borg who have been among the best this season. The Port Adelaide AFLW players depart the Roosters, while the youngsters in Sarcha Taylor, Laela Ebert and Jayde Visser return, as does tall defender Jamie Parish.

The ladder leaders will be minus twins Litonya and Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, as well as Cheyenne Hammond who head back to Port Adelaide, with Caitlin Ross and Lauren Clifton also dropping out of the side. Returning to the team is a host of young guns in Brooke Boileau, Esther Schirmer, Holly Ifould, Lily Baxter and Melissa Anderson, while Taylah Levy is back to continue her strong form.

KEY PLAYERS

North Adelaide has lost a lot of players from its 2022 premiership lineup and is relying on a mix of youth and improved players in order to cause an upset against the new benchmark tam in 2023. Brittany Perry has proven a scoring threat up forward, while co-captains Kristi Harvey and Jess Edwards will also bring consistency and standards. South Adelaide have incredible depth across the field and Jordann Hickey is coming off a four-goal game, while Boileau and Levy will add depth to a midfield that was already getting the job done.

PREDICTION

South Adelaide is the premiership favourites for a reason and should get the job down here. The youth replace the outgoing AFLW talent, while North will have to rely on some much improved efforts to cause an upset. If there is a team capable of causing an upset against the odds it is the Roosters, but this will be a huge challenge.