BACK for another year, Rookie Me Central’s 24 to Watch in 2024 returns and this time around, 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.

South Adelaide forward Shae Archbold missed out on her bottom-age season after going down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. After a promising 2022 year, the Panthers talent provided enough to suggest she will be a critical inclusion to the League side this season.

SHAE ARCHBOLD PROFILE

DOB: 07/09/2006
Height: 167cm
Position: Forward
Club: South Adelaide

SUMMARY

Archbold not only made an impact in her debut 2022 SANFL Women’s season, but became one of the most consistent scoring avenues for the Panthers, kicking 16 goals in 12 games. She averaged 10.1 disposals and 2.3 marks in that time, and earned a game for South Australia as a 15-year-old in the national championships.

The South Adelaide double bottom-ager kicked goals in eight of her 12 matches, including a four-goal haul against West Adelaide, and three-goal performances in contests against Central District and Woodville-West Torrens. At her best, Archbold is a contested marking machine, taking seven contested grabs in three weeks to be some of the safest hands in the business.

Though she has missed the past 12 months due to injury, Archbold is a player who is likely to work her way back into form, and is able to get a lot of touches through her marking or work rate. She will likely play inside 50 again, but has the capacity to push up the ground, and she could easily develop into a centre half-forward even if she is a little smaller than the traditional key position height.

What stands out about her game is her defensive pressure, laying an average of 4.8 tackles per game across the season, including four or more in 10 of her matches. It shows that even if she does not mark the ball, she will provide plenty of heat at ground level.

SANFLW 24 TO WATCH IN 2024:

>> Asha Dufour (West Adelaide)
>> Coby Morgan (Norwood)
>> Esther Schirmer (South Adelaide)
>> Emma Kilpatrick (West Adelaide)
>> Lily Baxter (South Adelaide)
>> Grace Martin (Woodville-West Torrens)
>> Laela Ebert (North Adelaide)
>> Steph Tredwell (West Adelaide)
>> Matilda Wilmore (Glenelg)
>> Charli Hazelhurst (Norwood)
>> Chloe Tonkin (West Adelaide)
>> Imogen Trengove (Woodville-West Torrens)