FORTY six of the SANFL Women’s best players will go head-to-head in an All-Stars match tomorrow to help with the final selection for the state’s clash with the WAFL Women’s on May 4. The two sides of 23 will be coached by current SANFLW coaches Ben Hunt (Central District) and Michael O’Connor (Sturt) who take the reigns to Team Yellow and Team Blue respectively.

The two coaches serve as assistant coaches for the historic SANFLW vs WAFLW clash, with Courtney Cramey named as head coach, and Woodville-West Torrens mentor Narelle Smith named Chair of selectors.

The SANFLW All-Stars match kicks off at 12:20pm local time at Prospect Oval, following the South Australia-Vic Metro Under 16s clash at 10am. The day will also feature a pre-match function that includes a presentation from AFL National Women and Girls Football Lead Debbie Lee, and a panel discussion involving key figures from SA Football and Government on ”Enhancing the pathways for women and girls to thrive in football.”

Players in the side must be named 18 or over, with many mature-age AFLW Draft prospects among the two teams. Defenders Georgia Madigan and Emily Bartsch will team up for Team Yellow, with AFL-experienced forwards McKenzie Dowrick, Jade Halfpenny and Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap are all i attack. Laquoiya’s sister Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap has been named at half-back.

Leah Cutting leads the ruck division, with Ellen Maple Medallist and Norwood Best and Fairest winner Tahlita Buethke also in the side, as are over-agers Elle Lineage and Mel Anderson. Sturt midfielder Alisha Gepp will potentially go head-to-head against Double Blues teammate Isobel Kuiper in midfield, with the latter of course coached by her state league mentor, O’Connor.

Team Blue has domiannt ball-winner Zoe Venning there with Kuiper and experienced Caitlin Couch, while Jasmin Fejo and Soriah Moon will share the ruck duties. Competition leading goalkicker Emily Brockhurst headlines a smaller attack, with Caitlin Wendland, Alysha Healy, Georgia Swan and Samantha Franson all dangerous in attack.

Wendland and Doggies teammate Lauren Breguet will get a test of playing against coach Hunt in the match, with Breguet named in defence alongside the competition games record holder Jaslynne Smith, as well as exciting young Eagle, Christina Leuzzi.

Team Yellow

Coach: Ben Hunt

B: #18 Georgia Madigan (Central) – #7 Emily Bartsch (Norwood)
HB: #17 Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap (South) – #16 Julia Clark (North) #8 Annie Falkenberg (Eagles)
C: #2 Latitah Huynh (Central) – #19 Poppy Waterford (Eagles) #5 Tahlita Buethke (Norwood)
HF: #14 Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap (South) – #1 Tesharna Maher (Norwood) – #30 McKenzie Dowrick (Eagles)
F: #13 Olivia Evans (Eagles) – #12 Jade Halfpenny (Norwood)
R: #3 Leah Cutting (Eagles) – #6 Alisha Gepp (Sturt) – #9 Elle Lineage (Norwood)
INT: #4 Mel Anderson (South) – #20 Shay’Lee Dayman (Glenelg) – #10 Sophie Zuill (Eagles) #15 Lana Schwerdt (Norwood) – #11 Marie Martino (Glenelg)

Team Blue

Coach: Michael O’Connor

B: #15 Christina Leuzzi (Eagles) – #9 Jaslynne Smith (South)
HB: #14 Georgie Pater (West) – #19 Lauren Breguet (Central) – #16 Sarah Steele-Park (North)
C: #12 Paige Allan (West) – #8 Zoe Venning (West) – #6 Ash Dyer (Glenelg)
HF: #21 Georgia Swan (Sturt), #5 Sam Franson (Glenelg) – #4 Alysha Healy (Sturt)
F: #3 Caitlin Wendland (Central) – #2 Emily Brockhurst (South)
R: #10 Jasmin Fejo (Sturt) – #18 Caitlin Couch (South) #7 Isobel Kuiper (Sturt)
INT: #22 Soriah Moon (South) – #11 Candice Belbin (Norwood) – #13 Marlie Fiegert (Eagles) – #20 Kiana Lee (Norwood) – #17 Tiffany King (South)