AFTER the first day of SANFL Women’s action took place today, we cast our eye across the final two games of Round 1 tomorrow which sees a couple of finalists go head-to-head, as well as a couple of teams keen to crack back into the postseason series.

LAST SEASON

Both these sides made the finals, though were eliminated before being able to pick up any wins in the postseason. A rampaging Norwood knocked off the reigning premier Bulldogs in the elimination final, then went on to send Glenelg home in straight sets with a big preliminary final victory.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Central District: 1
Glenelg: 8

Central District cracked through for its first ever win against Glenelg last season, and did so in convincing style, winning by 46 points in Round 12. It was a remarkable 88-point turnaround from the two sides’ battle in Round 3 where the Bays got up by seven goals. After eight straight wins in favour of the yellow and black – including two in the Bulldogs’ premiership year of 2023 – Central District enters the Round 1 match with the most recent victory.

TEAMS

Central District:

B: Georgia Madigan – Elizabeth Wilson
HB: Madison Lane – Holly Tralaggan – Tess Gerhardy
C: Karissa Searle – Caitlen Teague – Laitiah Huynh
HF: Lauren Breguet – Dakota Williams – Tesharna Maher
F: Alysha Healy – Katelyn Rosenzweig
R: Miyu Endersby – Sophie Eaton – Jovanka Zecevic
INT: Amy Gaedtke – Tiarna Grovermann – Tara Lord – Shelby Raven – Demi Sonneman

Glenelg:

B: Lauren Edwards – Jayde Hickey
HB: Elizabeth Johnson – Tessa Davis – Marie Martino
C: Jordan Horne – Ella Quinn – Madisyn Freeman
HF: Eloise Mackereth – Asha Dufour – Samantha Franson
F: Kiahni Russell – Astrid Gooley
R: Shaylee Dayman – Jessica Bates – Georgie Fielder
INT: Mel Hinge – Tamsyn Morriss – Mackenzie O’Dea – Lucy Weatherald – Matilda Wilmore

CHANGES

Two readymade stars will inject speed into the Central District front half with former Norwood best and fairest winner Tesharna Maher and dangerous forward Alysha Healy. Amy Gaedtke is also a new face to the red, white and blue, while defender Holly Tralaggan returns to the club.

Glenelg will debut five players at SANFLW level from a total of eight fresh faces in the yellow and black for Round 1. The highly touted junior Tessa Davis is joined alongside Lucy Weatherald, Mackenzie O’Dea, Jayde Hickey and Elizabeth Johnson, while midfielders Asha Dufour and Ella Quinn – who can roll forward and back respectively – and Astrid Gooley are also making their new club debuts.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

All eyes will be on midfield dynamo Sophie Eaton who looms as one to take the next step for Central District with the former Under 16s MVP a standout prospect this season. She will be the sole top-age State Academy member in the side, though Miyu Endersby and Tara Lord are a couple of names to remember for 2026.

Glenelg athletic forward Eloise Mackereth looms as the most potent forward with her marking and goalkicking, with Davis highly touted internally since overcoming injuries and focusing on her football from being a dual sports star with her cricket. Matilda Wilmore and Jordan Horne will bring pressure wherever they go, while bottom-age talent Georgie Fielder is all class and one of the best in her draft crop for next season.

DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

Under 16s talent Charlotte Maurits was not far off a League debut, named as first emergency after starring in her second Development League match. The midfielder, along with the likes of Ella Sergi and Jyearah Newchurch are developing prospects, while Glenelg’s Development League side is very strong including experienced ruck Alex Pearce and midfielder Lucy Armitage.

PREDICTION

Glenelg looks to have the more experienced side, and while Central District has some great inclusions and young prospects, it might take a little while for the Bulldogs to find their best form with so many fresh faces. Still, should be an attacking game with plenty of scoring.

LAST SEASON

Two sides who missed finals last year, North Adelaide had a shocking start to the year where the Roosters struggled to find form until the last month, where they did pick up but ultimately still won the wooden spoon. West Adelaide again showed promising signs and had chances to make finals, but fell short in the end.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

West Adelaide: 6
North Adelaide: 7

It has been an even rivalry over the years, with the different sides taking turns at having momentum. North Adelaide won six of the first seven matches between the two teams, before West Adelaide has now won five of the past six, including the last three and both last season.

TEAMS

West Adelaide:

B: Madi Russell,  Grace Sim
HB: Philippa Worthley, Emma Chapman, Tiana Fernandez
C: Paige Allan, Hannah Button, Emma Kilpatrick
HF: Georgie Pater, Chloe Tonkin, Lucy Waye
F: Alana Lishmund,  Chelsea Newitt
R: Tess Huxtable, Ruby Ballard, Zoe Venning
INT: Sarah Campbell, Niamh Davis, Jemma Ellis, Emily Mableson, Olivia Smith

North Adelaide:

B: Jamie Parish, Tiara Hatchard
HB: Lauren Hoffmann, Ella Metcalfe, Laela Ebert
C: Erin Sundstrom, Djimila Totham, Lauren Gauci
HF: Sky Jensen, Zara Molloy, Polly Turner
F: Iris Newman, Amber Ward
R: Anja Bancevic, Julia Clark, Aprille Crooks
INT: Sasha Hardin, Lara Harding, Bailey Murray, Libby Taylor, Brooke Wilson

CHANGES

West Adelaide will debut top-ager Gracie Sim who has been named in defence, along with future talent Chelsea Newitt, and Port Noarlunga half-back Phillipa Worthley. Former Norwood and competition leading goalkicker Alana Lishmund will add some serious firepower to the Bloods’ attack.

North Adelaide has looked internally for growth, with juniors Iris Newman and potential Crows and Blues father-daughter Polly Turner both making their SANFLW debuts. Glenelg ruck Anja Bancevic will also slot straight into the first ruck role at the Roosters in Round 1.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Forward/ruck Chloe Tonkin provides a contested marking target inside 50 with forward/wing Lucy Waye and Sim the other couple of top-age prospects. Bottom-age star Emily Mableson will progress from the half-back to midfield at times this season and is a great talent for 2026. North Adelaide has the aforementioned future prospects in Newman and Turner, while players such as Laela Ebert and Aprille Crooks remain names to keep in mind from an older perspective, while still being young.

DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

The development of dangerous forward Steph Tredwell is a watch this season as she returns from osteitis pubis, while Sarah Deed is a future name to keep in mind for the Bloods. North Adelaide’s Macy Philpott, as well as Lucy Reddaway and Caitlin Hardin are developing players for the Roosters.

PREDICTION

North Adelaide is still building and will likely take a while to get it all together with a number of key retirements, and fresh faces stepping up. West Adelaide seems primed to have a crack at finals and should be getting the chocolates here to level the head-to-head.