AS TEAMS got their final preparations in before the first league-wide bye for AFL Gather Round, the South Australian State Academy members produced a mixed bag of performances across the weekend. We took note of how each of them performed, with the Under 16s players out of action at the national championships.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#4 Julia Faulkner (Forward)

Stats: 10 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 behinds

The sole debutant in today’s list, Faulkner came in and acquitted herself well for the unbeaten Eagles. She had a couple of near misses when taking shots on goal, and then one opportunity she had every right to go for, was unselfish and instead allowed Olivia Evans to go instead. Laid a couple of strong tackles and drove the ball inside 50, with just that final finishing away from being a really standout debut.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 10 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s

While not as prominent in terms of offensive work, Moore was still slick by hand at the coalface and cracked in to win her fair share of contested ball. Laying double-digit tackles – including a fantastic one on the explosive Coby Morgan, Moore continued to show she can get her hands dirty. Moore has a great centre of gravity and balance to weave around opponents and stay on her feet which enables her to straighten up quickly before delivering the ball inside 50.

#22 Imogen Trengove (Forward)

Stats: 20 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 5 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Had her moments throughout the match, and while not quite at the heights of the week before, was still pretty impressive across the board. Trengove got her hands on the footy, was ultra-clean and tried to burst away whenever given the opportunity. Defensively she was strong and did not need to kick multiple goals like the last week, with a real even team effort from which Trengove also contributed.

#36 Ruby Lynch (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark (1 contested), 1 tackle, 2 hitouts, 1 clearance

Lynch’s main moment came early in the third term where stationing in front of her opponent, juggled a mark in the goalsquare and then went back from a tight angle and slotted the goal off the preferred left with ease. She had another highlight late in the match where she burst up to the middle to take the ball at speed and kick to half-forward after gathering cleanly.

NORWOOD:

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 22 hitouts, 3 clearances

Never an easy day against Leah Cutting, but Alexander tried her best to quell the star ruck’s influence. While Cutting took the chocolates in that battle, the Norwood bottom-ager still got first hands to it at the stoppages 22 times and cleared the ball a few as well. She took a nice intercept mark in the defensive 50 late in the match as well.

#18 Charlee Brooksby (Defender)

Stats: 13 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 3 rebound 50s

The smooth-moving defender had another consistent game with her high line from defence and mopping up when required. Clean and reliable by hand or foot, she is not afraid to throw her body on the line and has that balance of skill and toughness. Brooksby had a crack from start to finish and has a nice burst when required that enables her to cruise out of the back half and begin the work in transition.

#39 Charli Hazelhurst (Forward)

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 marks (2 contested), 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

The athletic utility was strong in the first term, really setting the tone for her side and presenting well coming out of attack. She took a number of strong marks and showed great pressure for a tall. Kicked the one behind from a set shot after marking on the lead just four minutes into the match, then had a long-range launch on target, but was marked on the line. Quieter in the second half, but also had very limited opportunities with the Eagles on top.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#3 Bailey Murray (Defender)

Stats: 4 disposals, 1 tackle

Rarely wins too much of the football, but Murray has some nice traits and can run out of the back half when required. She did not see as much of it as she has in recent weeks, but worked up the ground.

#5 Polly Turner (Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals

Definitely made the most of her opportunities inside 50 by converting two goals across the middle two quarters. One was from a set shot following a mark 25m out, and the other came late in the first half where she laid a huge tackle and won a holding the ball free kick. Turner makes any set shot look like second nature, and she is not afraid to scrap at ground level as well as control the airways.

#11 Lucy Reddaway (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Created a buzz inside 50 and kicked her first SANFLW League goal nine minutes into the match after starting on the bench. She won a free kick 35m out and cooly delivered the set shot with teammates flocking from everywhere. Reddaway had a couple of other moments, including a nice pass to Turner on the lead midway through the third term.

GLENELG:

#6 Georgie Fielder (Wing/Midfielder)

Stats: 6 disposals, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 goal

Rotated between the wing and inside throughout the match and was always around the contest even if not winning the ball. She got into spots to get her hands on it, and applied nice defensive pressure, but was just not able to rack it up like in Round 1. Fielder did however get on the end of a goal scoring chain midway through the fourth term slotting a major on the run from 20m out with a classy finish.

#9 Eloise Mackereth (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Played with intent throughout the match and was not just stuck inside 50 the whole game. In a throwback to her Under 16s carnival, Mackereth found herself up on the wing at times, rotating between there and high half-forward. She took a few good marks and kept presenting despite having an opponent right with her. It was a promising performance for the Glenelg talent who continues to build and got her hands on it more often than in previous weeks.

#11 Jordan Horne (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 2 disposals, 3 tackles

Brings the defensive pressure and one percenters that will not always show up on a statsheet, with Horne again having minimal touches but playing her role inside 50. She got a chance late to roll up to the wing and do it up there too.

#19 Matilda Wilmore (Forward)

Stats: 9 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Returned to the side and was handy in defeat, with a busy patch midway through the fourth term. She worked up the ground to get involved as high as half-back, and then set up the last goal of the game to Kaitey Whittaker with a long deep kick towards the goalsquare.

#33 Tessa Davis (Defender)

Stats: 23 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 11 rebound 50s

Played her role in defence, with some easy early touches thanks to North Adelaide missing the majority of its chances on goal. Those behinds allowed Davis to rack up the kick-ins, looking to clear the ball outside defensive 50. She got to hold a higher line as the match went on, moving onto Turner at stages who brought her right up the ground. She battled hard even when North was clearly on top as the match went on.

STURT:

#4 Summer Ross (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s

Loved her intent and the way she goes about it, even if she can run herself into trouble at times. Twice she got run-down and pinged with holding the ball, but her determination to break free and burst away – which usually works – was very good. She set up multiple scoring opportunities going inside 50 and she can use the ball really well by foot going forward, particularly over short-to-medium distances.

#16 Monique Bessen (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 13 disposals, 6 marks (1 contested), 1 tackle, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Returned to the side after missing last week and was handy across the board. She covered ground well, was strong in the air and worked between the arcs to keep the ball moving. As a classy player with great skills she was able to more often than not set something in motion to keep the ball in the Double Blues’ forward half, and aside from being unsuspectingly run-down midway through the third term, did not do too much wrong. Her spin out of traffic kicking from defence to half-back midway through the second quarter was all class.

#17 Sophie Thredgold (Midfielder)

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

Had another really solid game through the midfield, practically playing full-time in the role more so than her split in defence. She even got forward to kick a goal midway through the third term, pouncing on a spilled mark from Tonkin and bursting forward to finish nicely. While only credited with two tackles, Thredgold still applied great pressure around the ground and was clean with her touches.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#3 Lucy Waye (Forward)

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Has produced consistent performances all year, and even if offensively she was unable to move the needle, Waye was still as strong as anyone else defensively. She finds space, has a terfific burst of speed and is quick to get the ball to boot. She had a chance on goal in the dying moments but was smothered. Still tried hard throughout the four quarters.

#4 Emily Mableson (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 16 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Rotated between defence and midfield, covering the ground well and showing great composure with ball in hand. She moved well around the contest, and filled in where required. Mableson was not afraid to scrap at ground level and played on a variety of opponents including Thredgold and Bessen. She even had to go into a ruck contest at one stage when no one nominated, but took it out uncontested and quickly dished off. Has the speed and skills to hurt the opposition which is why she was thrown behind the ball late to try and get some run happening from the back half and switch the play if required.

#14 Chloe Tonkin (Ruck/Defender)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 4 tackles, 10 hitouts, 1 rebound 50

Returned to the Bloods side and spent more time behind the ball than in attack, while chopping out in the ruck. Was still a little rusty as she dropped a couple of marks she would normally pull in, but her second efforts were great. Will be better for the run and likely play ahead of the footy again, but did show potential as a player who can fill the hole in defence when required.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#19 Taya Maxwell (Utility)

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks (4 contested), 1 tackle, 14 hitouts, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Popped up here, there and everywhere, from marking on the defensive goal line to moving into the ruck and then taking a shot on goal. Maxwell has developed into the ultimate utility and her aerial work – which included a remarkable four contested marks – is what stands out in her profile. The bottom-ager can finesse the ball down from ruck stoppages just as easy as sharking them and bombing it forward, while providing a crucial marking target in defence.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Started in the middle and spent a fair bit of time in there, winning her share of clearances. Possessing quick and clean hands, Vizgaudis is an expert at flicking the ball out to teammates and her release by hand is superb. She moves through traffic very well and uses the ball efficiently by hand or foot. For a lighter bodied player, Vizgaudis packs a punch, and is similar to Violet Patterson in terms of pound-for-pound toughness. As classy as they come.

#25 Emma Charlton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 26 disposals, 4 marks (1 contested), 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Charlton is enjoying an enormous season with another 25-plus disposal game for the Panthers. She started on-ball and does well to push forward and impact scoring chains. She is as strong as anyone overhead and buzzes through stoppages and around the ground to rack up the ball often in one-twos here or there. Charlton has that balance of offensive and defensive traits which holds her in good stead for the future.

#56 Lily Baxter (Wing/Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 tackle, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals

In what was her best game for the season, the talented National Academy member really made the most of her chances. She kicked a nice goal early and then held her nerve to slam home the levelling goal in the final term when it came off hands to her in a two-against-two contest. Quick to recover and make a decision, Baxter essentially helped get the Panthers back on top and her kick to Shae Archbold to set up a goal in the third term was elite.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#3 Miyu Endersby (Ruck/Defender)

Stats: 3 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 12 hitouts, 2 inside 50s

After a successful outing in the ruck last week, Endersby started in the ruck and then rotated back to defence before going back to the role late. While her own performance was solid – defensively she was strong and she did win a number of good hitouts – her opponent Soriah Moon was clearly best on ground. No ruck in the league can contain Moon when she is on-song, so Endersby gained a great lesson from the experience. Outside of the ruck battle, she did well when on Emily Brockhurst in the back half and her follow-up work once the ball hit the deck was good as well.

#12 Sophie Eaton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 9 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50

While on paper her numbers were not that much higher than last week, the big difference was Eaton’s defensive work, sticking tackles that might not have stuck a week earlier, and her intent with her running patterns. When she did win the ball, she used it well, and when she didn’t, she was working hard defensively. Only had the three touches to half-time so finished a second half with six, but her work on the defensive end was consistent.