SOUTH Australia’s top AFLW Draft prospects from the State Academy continued their development across Round 3 of the SANFL Women’s. We took note of how each of those playing at League level performed, with all opinions those of the individual author.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#7 Maia Freemantle (Wing/Midfielder)

Stats: 16 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Freemantle started on a wing, but got some midfield time and seemed to float between the arcs consistently. She uses the ball well, has fantastic spatial awareness, and her defensive pressure is also terrific for a first-year player in an outside role. Freemantle set up goals to Olivia Evans and Trengove through the third term during the Eagles’ onslaught and looms as that key distributor for her club.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 16 disposals, 4 tackles, 8 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 2 behinds

Quickly establishing herself as a crash-and-bash inside midfielder but with some nice toe out of the stoppage, Moore was unlucky not to hit the scoreboard when bursting clear of a forward stoppage. Unfortunately the only thing the bottom-ager hit was the post, but it was still a terrific play. She did the same out of a centre stoppage, and her reading of the taps enabled to to rack up some serious clearance numbers and be a key inside midfielder on the day.

#22 Imogen Trengove (Forward)

Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 9 inside 50s, 3 goals, 1 behind

Producing a third term unlikely to be forgotten any time soon, Trengove kicked three ripping goals, all of which involved either bursting away from opponents or sidestepping them in order to convert. Her work rate is off the charts with the way she pushes up to half-back or the wing, wins the ball to kick to half-forward then is somehow ready to receive in the forward pocket again. Quick hands and nice smarts, Trengove will be our Player Focus for the round.

#36 Ruby Lynch (Forward/Defender)

Stats: 4 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 5 hitouts, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Kick-started her day with a brilliant snap goal and competed well in the air after that. She set up a goal to Brianna Walling early in the third term and had a couple of ‘almost moments’ as well. Lynch moved into defence for a bit in the last term when her side was defending the heavy breeze at Ottoway.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#3 Miyu Endersby (Defender/Ruck)

Stats: 13 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 11 hitouts, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal

After starting the game on Klaudia O’Neill and finding it challenging one-on-one, Endersby was thrown into the ruck where she produced an outstanding game where for a portion, nullified Leah Cutting‘s impact. While Cutting still took the chocolates overall, Endersby made life trickier with her athleticism and willingness to get her hands dirty, winning clearances herself and becoming a “fourth midfielder” of sorts for the Dogs.

#12 Sophie Eaton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 clearance

Sometimes the game does not go your way and that was the case for the incredibly talented Eaton. She got into certain spots but often could not get her hands on the ball or was immediately tackled with the Eagles doing their homework on the National Academy member. She was moved forward in the third term and one-out in the final quarter, but ultimately the Eagles just were too good through the middle.

#31 Tara Lord (Forward)

Stats: 3 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Unfortunately after copping a stray whack to the face late in the first term, Lord took no further part in the match. She started forward and was limited for opportunities but had a couple of nice kicks from her time on the ground.

STURT:

#4 Summer Ross (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 5 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Starting forward and rotating to a wing, Ross did not have a lot of the ball, but had a high impact-per-possession. She used most of her disposals to send the ball inside 50, and when it was her time to apply defensive pressure, she did. Ross took a good mark in the pocket early though her set shot drifted.

#17 Sophie Thredgold (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 10 tackles, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Really stood up in the absence of Monique Bessen and Alisha Gepp around the stoppages. While Isobel Kuiper lead the way, Thredgold was there to support against a quality Glenelg on-ball division. She laid a massive 10 tackles and did well on the inside, using clean hands to distribute from the contest to the outside. Though her kicking efficiency can be dulled by the extra pressure, she works hard to follow-up and set up numerous forward forays.

#25 Edwina Thornquest (Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 hitout, 2 inside 50s

Came into the side late and held her own in a tall forward role. Thonquest presented coming out of the front 50 and her sole set shot late in the match after being taken high just fell short. She has a penetrating kick, and her pressure for a player of her size at ground level was very good.

#26 Lily Smart (Wing)

Stats: 9 disposals, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Held her line well playing in her familiar wing role thus far in the 2025 season, with her speed shown midway through the third term. Winning the ball, Smart put the afterburners on and blasted away from an opponent to kick deep inside 50. The kick was picked off, but it showed what she is capable of when up and about.

GLENELG:

#6 Georgie Fielder (Wing)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Started on a wing and predominantly played there other than occasionally rotating on-ball, Fielder had her moments throughout the match, though largely in the second half. She was relatively quiet through the first two quarters due to the inside nature of the game, but when the match opened up, she found more of the ball and was able to add speed to the contest. Was constantly under pressure and made a few mistakes, but her speed and ability to distribute quickly caught the eye.

#9 Eloise Mackereth (Forward)

Stats: 3 disposals

It was a game to just file away as one to not dwell on for Mackereth as the Bays forward just had nothing go her way. With limited opportunities she tried pushing up the ground to make things happen, but copped a few deliveries at her feet, gave away a 25m penalty for encroaching and then missed two bounces that went askew as she tried to create some run. If she gets her opportunities and on her terms, she will really take control, but has just not had those chances yet.

#11 Jordan Horne (Forward)

Stats: 2 disposals, 2 tackles

Similar to Mackereth struggled in the forward half, though worked hard up the ground. Horne pushed to half-back at times to pressure the opposition and was clean off the deck. Ultimately only had a couple of disposals, but is willing to do the grunt work.

#33 Tessa Davis (Defender/Forward)

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s

Started in her familiar role back, then was thrown forward for a different look in the last term. Not as influential as her first two games, but Davis tried hard and could still hold her head high by the end of it. She won her fair share of touches, predominantly behind the ball where she desperately drove it out of defence time and time again.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#3 Lucy Waye (Forward)

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Waye has found some terrific consistency to follow on from her outstanding bottom-age campaign. She provided a high-forward target to link between midfield and attack, with only a set shot she should have nailed missing as her only blemish. Otherwise Waye produced some crucial moments working up and down the ground, taking a number of good marks and using the ball well by hand or foot.

#4 Emily Mableson (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks (1 contested), 2 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Rotating between defence and midfield, Mableson looked calm and composed under pressure, and used the ball effectively when moving in transition more often than not. Aside from a couple of errant passes looking to pinpoint riskier kicks or just clear the danger, Mableson almost always weighed up the impact factor with her ball use and she was West’s best four-quarter performer. Her inside-outside balance stood out and she even took kickouts or was next in line to receive in order to pick the right options for the defensive 50 exit.

#46 Gracie Sim (Defender)

Stats: 5 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles

Sim had a big job on Baxter throughout the match and did a great job for the most part sticking with her. She did not win a lot of the ball, but quelled Baxter’s influence for three quarters. She took a kickout in the second half and was competitive at ground level, laying five tackles.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#19 Taya Maxwell (Utility)

Stats: 16 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 17 hitouts, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Maxwell has been able to juggle between ruck, midfield and forward, and she proved a handful for the opposition to contain. Her work at ground level was very good and she acted as a “fourth midfielder” when in the ruck as well. Maxwell launched a ridiculous 50m goal off a step midway through the second term which really got the team up and about, and otherwise was pretty handy throughout the match.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Dashed around and showed clean hands throughout the match, not afraid to get stuck into the hardballs at the coalface. Not as busy as other weeks, but defensively she was still right up there and is quick to get ball to boot. Vizgaudis’ ability to weight her kicks while on the move is a strength and she rarely makes mistakes.

#25 Emma Charlton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 26 disposals, 2 marks, 10 tackles, 7 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s

Another massive game from the bottom-ager who had a huge game mostly through the midfield. She can get pushed off it easily at times but gives as good as she gets from a tackling perspective, laying another 10 in the match to go with seven clearances. Her speed and ability to evade would-be tacklers in close is fantastic, while her hands out of traffic standout. She worked harder defensively in Round 3, finding more of the ball in defence and driving it out. A standout alongside Soriah Moon for the Panthers in the win.

#56 Lily Baxter (Wing/Forward)

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Had the challenge of Sim alongside side her for the most part, but the National Academy member showed that it might not be your game but it could be your moment. She produced a huge last quarter where she laid a goal-saving tackle on Nicole Hooper, took a vital intercept mark in defence, then set up the match-winning goal with a nice mark inside 50 and pinpoint pass to the top of the goalsquare.

#60 Marley Tape (Defender)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 rebound 50

The Under 16s talent again popped up for some nice moments, using the ball well and making good decisions. Tape spent some time on Waye and worked up the ground at times, and while not having a heap of it, was again comfortable in her role for such a young player.

NORWOOD:

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck)

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 23 hitouts, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

The bottom-age ruck had a really busy start to the match, getting plenty of touches in and around the stoppages, but also in transition going forward. She provided a little bit of run that is not always accustomed to players of her height, and Alexander gave fans the highlight of the match with a remarkable 55m bouncing goal that got over the back and went all the way home in the second quarter.

#18 Charlee Brooksby (Defender)

Stats: 15 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Built on her debut last week to provide some important touches more consistently this week. She worked up the ground at times to hold a high line and impact the play at half-forward, while getting the bulk of her touches behind the ball. Her lightning handball in the second term set up a goal for Georgina Birchall, while she had a nice, classy play in the third coming off half-back with the one-two and able to remain composed to kick down the wing. Her quick thinking to throw the ball on the boot in the third term ended up with Kiana Lee kicking the matchwinner too.

#39 Charli Hazelhurst (Utility)

Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Covers the ground like few others her size, and while she started up forward, pushed up the gorund and was able to impact across all three lines. Hazelhurst is not afraid to get involved in transition, and she can apply some nice pressure even though she was only credited with one tackle. Had a shot on goal late in the first term but it bounce out of bounds, though had plenty of influential touches going forward.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#3 Bailey Murray (Defender)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 tackle

Not a great deal of touches coming from the back half, but was one of a number of Roosters who just played their role. Murray can add some run from half-back and her sole tackle was a great one to lock the ball up.

#4 Iris Newman (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 10 disposals, 3 marks, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Another versatile youngster who can play in a range of positions within a match, Newman covered the ground well when on a wing, and does exceptionally to get back and help out her teammates, while darting forward to be an option in attack. She took on some far more experienced opponents at times, but is building plenty of experience thus far in 2025.

#5 Polly Turner (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 goal, 1 behind

The contested marking forward did not have the opportunities she was afforded the past two weeks, with her tightly guarded by the Norwood defence. She did still hit the scoreboard with a great goal from close range after a dish off and then receive back late in the second term. She had another chance a few minutes later but her shot slammed into the post. A quieter game, but not through lack of trying.

#11 Lucy Reddaway (Forward)

Stats: 4 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 3 rebound 50s

Once again as a forward Reddaway had limited opportunities though she looked dangerous inside 50 at times. Generally used the ball well from her few touches and found space in the front half consistently.