BACK for another year, Rookie Me Central’s 24 to Watch in 2024 returns and this year, the focus is on underage players, being those who are yet to have an AFLW Draft chance. For the list of 2024, it will range between players who are predominantly 2006 (top-age) and 2007-born talents likely to take the SANFL Women’s by storm or set themselves up for the future. Note: The list is the opinion of the author and was difficult to restrict to just 24 names.

Kicking off the 24 to Watch in 2024 is a player who is yet to even play a SANFL Women’s match, the only player in this list yet to debut at League level. That is of course Imogen Trengove who made plenty of waves through the Interstate Carnival and then the preseason Academy match where she caught the eye with her work through the middle.

IMOGEN TRENGOVE PROFILE

DOB: 25/04/2007
Position: Midfielder
Club: Woodville-West Torrens

SUMMARY

Imogen Trengove is the first player to make this list without having played a senior SANFL Women’s game. The reason for her inclusion was the form she showed at both the Intrastate Carnival and particularly the SANFLW Academy internal trial, was enough to suggest she can impact early on in her senior career.

Eagles coach Narelle Smith already flagged Trengove could be a player to watch this season via the SANFL website, and that comes as no surprise. Though raw and still developing some areas of her final execution, Trengove is an outstanding athlete with great running capacity and power. Her defensive work rate and ability to take grass with ball-in-hand really stood out, and though she has had limited exposure to the elite level – be it via national championships or senior football, the traits are there.

On natural talent, Trengove could be higher up the list, but the greater unknowns around her impact against senior players is what has her kicking off the list. In saying that, it would not come as a surprise if she plays a key role for the Eagles in 2024, particularly given Shineah Goody has moved on to the AFL Women’s.

Bearing similar athletic traits and power to that of Piper Window, Trengove is a player with the tools to make the most of her next two seasons, and given she is a bottom-age talent, will be one with plenty of room for growth, and opportunities at the Eagles. Woodville-West Torrens has shown it is not afraid to provide future stars with senior games, and no doubt the Bute youngster is ready to shine.