WHILE all eyes will be on the 2023 AFL Women’s Draft hopefuls at the upcoming national carnival, there is an abundance of talent across all the states and territories who could impress at the championships. Clubs are looking more and more into the future similar to the men’s competition, and will be keeping an eye on the 2006-born prospects.

In what is set to be the strongest draft crop to-date, the amount of incredible players and top-end picks looms as a goldmine for clubs thinking 12 months ahead. We will dive into a state-by-state breakdown of some players to keep in mind.

We continue the series with South Australia, and focus our attention on the massive 14 bottom-age players who have earned places in the squad.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australia has a nice even balance of bottom-agers who stretch across all parts of the field, and usually play a variety of roles. As such, the players have been split up into midfielders and forwards – usually capable of playing both – defenders, and utilities.

Midfielders & Forwards

The top name for next year to remember from South Australia is forward/midfielder India Rasheed. Another star in the making, Rasheed possesses at elite left foot, can clunk big grabs, and has worked up her midfield time to play both as a forward and inside midfielder. Impressive at winning clearances and bursting away.

Collingwood fans will be keen to keep a close eye on Violet Patterson, a Glenelg winger who will spend time as a pressure forward at the national carnival, as the daughter of former Magpie, Stephen. She will bring the intensity to the contest whether she is inside or outside the contest and has some eye-catching athletic traits.

Central District’s Jasmine Evans has been a match-winner for the Dogs this season on more than a few occasions. Kicking the winning goals against Norwood twice – the second time in a third quarter blitz – as well as stepping up the premiership quarter of the grand final – Evans is a potent kick and will between wing and forward.

West Adelaide’s Asha Dufour will be hoping to crack into the lineup after missing game one, with the winger going inside in the second half of the SANFL Women’s season to be capable of playing a dual role. Good overhead, Dufour gets into the right spots around the ground.

Another Bloods product is Ruby Ballard, the sister of Crows’ Abbie. Similar to Abbie, Ruby packs a punch for her size but has some classy traits. She is that midfielder/forward who can also play as much outside as inside and has potential for growth.

If the need for speed is what you are after, then Norwood’s Coby Morgan is a player to note down. Boasting that explosive speed off the mark, as soon as she gets goalside of her defender, good luck trying to stop her. Still working on some fundamentals, her work rate is also enormous.

Rounding out the midfielder/forward continent is Woodville-West Torrens’ Grace Martin. While the bottom-ager is still ironing out her consistency, she has proven capable of kicking multiple goals in a game and could easily slot into the midfield as she could being a crafty forward pocket.

Defenders

There are three pure defenders in the South Australian squad this year, with Central District tall Charlotte Riggs a danger to any opposition forwardline. With a huge vertical leap and velcro hands, Riggs will clunk some massive grabs, but also add run and carry from defence. Athletic and game smart, she is another with Rasheed who is in the pointy end of prospects for 2024.

South Adelaide defender Esther Schirmer is the sister of former AFLW Academy member Gypsy, and while the two bear similar athletic styles, Esther leans more towards the defensive traits. Her closing speed and accountability makes her a very tricky player for opposing forwards, and has the strength to play on talls to match her speed on smalls.

After missing out on game one, Emma Kilpatrick is one hoping to crack into the team for games two and three. She is a rock solid defender for the Bloods, usually taking kickouts, or being the safe switch option. A reliable kick and incredibly courageous, Kilpatrick will be sure to put her body on the line for her team.

Utilities

The ultimate utility is Glenelg’s Poppy Scholz. At 180cm, the sister of recently drafted Matilda is capable of playing in any position. Though largely in defence for the Bays, Scholz has also been thrown forward, on-ball, even in the ruck, and played as a wing in her debut season. She is one of those rare players who has been able to tick off every role, with size and athleticism on her side.

West Adelaide tall Lucy Boyd has had a few different interruptions this season, but showed her class booting three goals for the Under 18s against the SANFL Women’s Under 23 All-Stars last weekend. Though she played the first half of the season as a defender, she has been stationed in attack in the later portion and could share the key forward role with friend and fellow Blood, Lauren Young.

Woodville-West Torrens talent Jemma Charity made the squad last year as a double bottom-ager but could not quite crack in due to the strength of it, so she went back and dominated the Under 16s carnival instead. Now more than ready, the Eagles’ forward/midfielder is touted to be a defender/midfielder at the national carnival with a deadly kick and great strength overhead.

Rounding out the South Australian bottom-age contingent is North Adelaide’s Laela Ebert. A multi-faceted player, Ebert returned in 2023 after missing the 2022 season due to injury, and quickly cemented her spot in the Roosters’ squad. She can play wing or off flanks and moves well around the ground. Not a massive accumulator, she has a touch of class to go with her hardness.