PLAYING with freedom will be key to South Adelaide’s premiership defence, now the “redemption piece” is no longer there for the Panthers according to coach Rick Watts. The Noarlunga side won the 2024 premiership after falling one kick short the year before, and Watts said his side is ready for a new challenge in 2025.

“Obviously winning the flag was fantastic and a lot of excitement but also relief,” Watts said. “We feel we steeled ourselves to just get the job done last year and the build up to the grand final was all about that and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do so.

“This preseason’s been the total opposite and it feels like we’re coaching and playing with freedom. We’ve obviously put some internal expectations on ourselves to push ourselves again this year but there isn’t that redemption piece hanging over our shoulder so we’re doing it with a lot more freedom.”

South Adelaide has turned from the hunters into the hunted in 2025, though Watts said the feeling around the group was no less determined than any other year. Like all eight sides, there is still uncertainty as to where they stand, which is something the Panthers will find out across the first few rounds with a relatively settled list.

“We haven’t had a huge amount of change in our playing list,” Watts said. “We’re fairly confident we’re a similar team to last year and ever evolving. “We’re just trying not to put that pressure on ourselves and just play with that freedom and worry about some expectations as we build into the season.”

One big loss for the reigning premiers is the reigning league best and fairest Nikki Nield who had to retire over the summer due to medical advice, with Watts pleased the star midfielder could “go out on a high” with the best and fairest and premiership.

In terms of replacing the star onballer, Watts said it would not simply be a “like-for-like” but instead trying a range of players into the middle including a couple of bottom-agers in Taya Maxwell and Layla Vizgaudis. Maxwell who has been more akin to rucking, will spend minutes through the middle, as will Team of the Year ruck Soriah Moon.

The Panthers will find out quickly where they stand as will their opponents Norwood in a blockbuster Round 1 grand final rematch. Watts said while the team would have “probably loved a couple of weeks to prepare for it”, he wanted to have a better start than the year before when the Panthers slipped to 0-2 to start the season.

“We learnt a lot from it (Round 1 and 2 losses) and we were able to build our premiership win off the learnings from those two rounds,” Watts said.

“That’s how we’ll go into Round 1 this year again with just a mindset that we’re building, we’re growing, we’re learning, and if we can get the result early days against Norwood that would be great, but we really respect their coaching group and feel that they probably challenge us the most out of any coaching group from last year.

“We know it will be a struggle and a fight and we’re looking forward to make some moves and create some chaos on that gameday just as we had to last year.”

While the premiership is the ultimate goal for Watts and his charges, he has an extra focus in mind for 2025, related to the AFLW Draft at year’s end.

“Obviously being one of our first years without a girl drafted last season, we’d love to see Esther Schirmer and others get an opportunity so we’re big on that, giving girls that opportunity to play at the next level so that’s a bit of a KPI for us,” he said.

On-field, South Adelaide is looking to maximise its scoring potential, with a higher focus on offence than in previous seasons. The attacking mindset was something that began to build in the second half of last year and made the Panthers an even bigger threat in the competition.

“As far as the footy goes, we want to continue to build our scoring capability knowing that we’d been a very defensive team previously and really strong in that aspect, but late in the season last year we were able to take it up to the opposition and pile on some scores so we want to keep that momentum going,” Watts said.

“It probably won’t happen early, but we’re hoping to put some big scores out there and improve that aspect of our gamestyle.”

RICK WATTS ON…

TOP-AGE STATE ACADEMY MEMBERS

Lily Baxter

“We worked with Lily to work on her defensive game and turn her into more of a complete footballer last year. Previously she was more of a finisher up forward, but last year she just worked on building her engine and getting back and supporting our defence and playing a lot of defence as that wing role. That’s been really good for her development.

“We’re aware that AFL teams are looking for players who are multifaceted and can play multiple positions so that was a big one for her personal development last year and it really, really helped out our team. She had a big role in our grand final playing on Norwood’s wingers.

“She’s come along in leaps and bounds and this year we’re finding she’s just starting to grow her confidence and get forward and really attack the goal mouth so we’re expecting some big things from Lily this year.”

OTHER YOUNG GUNS

“The big three you can’t go past Taya Maxwell, Layla Vizgaudis and Teah Charlton. All completely different players, styles of play. Taya’s big, strong, powerful ruck, mid now. Layla just runs all day and she’s got an elite kick. Emma Charlton’s the one who slowly found her feet last year and she’s just bringing that pressure up forward and starting to hit the scoreboard now.

“It takes the limelight from others who are coming through like a Hope Taylor who’s developing really nicely and we’ve got a few more coming through this year as 15 year-olds who probably won’t play senior footy or they might get an opportunity late in the season, but we think in a year or so with a bit of development, they’ll be pushing to get an opportunity at AFL level.”

MATURE-AGE PRESEASON PERFORMER

“I think someone that flies under the radar not internally but externally would be Caitlin Couch. She’s taken her game to another level being a Pinktail player working with Rob Clarke up in Alice. They train four or five times a week and she’s just gone to another level with her fitness. In our trial against Sturt, she was phenomenal at lowering her eyes and finding the spare and just that composure under pressure. Last year we had her for about 11 or 12 games but it looks like she’ll be available this year for every game so we’re expecting her to take her game to another level.”