THERE is no tomorrow for the loser of Central District and Norwood as the side’s from last year’s preliminary final make it two clashes in knockout finals in as many years. Last year it was the Dogs who won to go on to enjoy the flag, while Norwood has taken some big scalps this season on its way to fourth spot on the table.

FORM

Central District enters the game from being one point away from a double chance opportunity, but ultimately fell short after the loss to South Adelaide in the final round. The Bulldogs’ best has been incredible and as good as anyone’s in the league, but they have had patches on inconsistency this season which saw them sit third by the end of the season. Norwood looked the team to beat when it knocked off both the Dogs and Panthers while drawing with Glenelg, but struggled to put the final win on the board in the last three weeks, eventually getting it done by a point against West Adelaide in Round 14.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Central District: 4
Norwood: 6

Central District knocked Norwood out of finals last year when they face off in the preliminary stage, having also beaten them in Round 3 last year. Prior to that Norwood had won three on the trot against the Dogs, while in 2024, the teams have split their results, winning at their respective visiting venues, both by under 10 points.

TEAMS

Central District:

B: Jovanka Zecevic (23), Georgia Madigan (7)
HB: Liz Wilson (14), Lauren Breguet (28), Jasmine Evans (27)
C: Sophie Eaton (12), Shelby Smith (1), Tess Gerhardy (33)
HF: Laitiah Huynh (41), Mikaylah Antony (54), Maddy Lane (40)
F: Tarly Borgas (16), Katelyn Rosenzweig (2)
R: Charlotte Riggs (9), Caitlen Teague (17), Tara Lord (31)
INT: Tessa Doumanis (8), Miyu Endersby (3), Georgia McKee (21), Dakota Williams (38), Karissa Searle (22), Erica Rowe (19), Tiarna Grovermann (45), Georgia Avery (18)

Norwood:

B: Sophie Arkun (43), Nicola Burns (23)
HB: Sarah Branford (9), Charli Hazelhurst (39), Charlotte Nenke (44)
C: Kiana Lee (28), Candice Belbin (26), Tahlita Buethke (1)
HF: Amelia Rusden (10), Shai Hiscock (13), Adrienne Davies (8)
F: Jade Halfpenny (22), Mykaela Walker (35)
R: Rosie Boon (46), Stephanie Simmonds (17), Sophie Armitstead (36)
INT: Kate Alexander (61), Georgina Birchall (37), Coby Morgan (2), Lana Schwerdt (41), Emma Clark (7)

CHANGES

Central District has not made any confirmed changes for the clash against Norwood for Tess Gerhardy‘s 50th game. The three players who missed out last week from the extended squad in top AFLW Draft talent Georgia McKee, as well as Tiarna Grovermann and Liz Wilson are named once again.

Norwood regains Lana Schwerdt for the clash, but impressive midfielders who can go forward Tesharna Maher and Elle Lineage drop back to emergencies, showing the strength of depth at the club.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Central District has a trio of AFLW Academy members, and while McKee has been in and out of the side this season, Jasmine Evans and Charlotte Riggs have produced big years for the Dogs. Sophie Eaton adds that touch of class as a bottom-ager, with Mikaylah Antony and Tara Lord providing run and carry. Under 16s tall Miyu Endersby has settled into life as a key defender.

Norwood winger Coby Morgan will add the need for speed on the outside, while tall defender Charli Hazelhurst will have a huge job against a potent Bulldogs forward. Kate Alexander is the other State Academy member at the Redlegs and has held her own through the ruck of late.

STATS THAT MATTER

Central Disstrict is the best offensive team in the competition, averaging 41.3 points per game, while Norwood is strong in the category too, with 35.8 per match. The Redlegs are far better defensively, restricting opponents to 26.9 points, while the Dogs are ranked way down in seventh (39.6). Norwood is ranked the number one handballing side, in direct contrast to Central District (eighth), with the Bulldogs second for kicks, and Norwood last in that regard.

PREDICTION

Central District’s best could be seen as better, but Norwood has done well against the top three sides, and down at Noarlunga takes away any homeground advantage. The game should be a free-flowing open scoring clash that will be very entertaining for the neutral whichever way it goes.