RETURNING from a league-wide bye due to AFL Gather Round, the SANFL Women’s got back into full swing on Good Friday, with a host of the title-winning Under 16s prospects also returning to their League sides. As always we took note of those players from the South Australian State Academy.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#3 Bailey Murray (Defender)

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 marks, 2 clearances

After a quieter Round 4, Murray was more prolific in an attacking role off half-back for the Roosters. The smooth-moving defender even pushed up to win a couple of clearances at stoppages in the defensive half, and looked lively throughout the match. She showed safe hands in the air aside from one dropped mark, but her follow-up efforts made up for that. Murray possess neat skills with short, sharp kicking skills.

#5 Polly Turner (Forward)

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks (1 contested), 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

The Adelaide and Carlton father-daughter prospect has been a force to be reckoned with this season, and the right-footed bottom-ager showed a touch of class against the Dogs when she snapped a high floating goal from a sidestep on the boundary off her opposite left foot. Turner’s work rate up the ground is a fantastic quality of hers, and she loves working over her direct opponent and then competing each and every time in the air.

#11 Lucy Reddaway (Forward)

Stats: 10 disposals, 4 marks (1 contested), 1 tackle, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Got better as the game went on and had a really huge last quarter where she kicked a goal and a couple of behinds from three shots. Her major was a classy snap following work deep inside 50, before taking a couple of long-range shots – one set shot and one on the run – that drifted in the breeze within two minutes of each other. Reddaway is clean and works hard up to the wing as well.

#35 Caitlin Hardin (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s

Coming in for her debut, the Under 16s midfielder predominantly played forward and rotated between deep and high half-forward. She presented well and brought the heat in the front half, while also getting the chance to move on-ball for a rotation late in the third term. With time and space, Hardin uses the ball well and is capable of an inside-outside balance within a game. Defensive pressure a big tick with five tackles and numerous one percenters.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#3 Miyu Endersby (Ruck/Defender)

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 18 hitouts, 1 clearance

Started in defence on Turner and rolled into the ruck to start the second half to give the Dogs a different look at the stoppages. Strong in the air and so clever at reading the play, Endersby did not see a lot of it, but competes well body-on-body. She will attack the loose ball at ground level and won a nice centre clearance midway through the fourth term taking it out of the ruck and thumping it to half-forward.

#9 Charlotte Maurits (Forward)

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 3 inside 50s

Another debutant in the game, the left-footed Maurits certainly found the difference in Development League and senior football. She got into ball-winning positions, won the pill and danced around opponents, but had less time to dance and think about her decisions. It meant at times she rushed her disposal which against her peers was something she rarely did given the extra time. She is such a classy player normally, that once she adapts will do a lot of damage forward or centre and hit targets consistently.

GLENELG:

#6 Georgie Fielder (Midfielder)

Stats: 19 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 4 rebound 50s

Back on-ball in her natural role, Fielder fired on all cylinders and really impressed for the Bays. Among the better players in yellow and black, Fielder is clever around the stoppages and a good user in transition. She attacks the ball hard and runs both ways which holds her in good stead for the future. When out on the wing in previous weeks she has a tendency to not be as involved due to holding her line, though when in and around the coalface, Fielder thrives. Defensively she held up against a strong South midfield.

#11 Jordan Horne (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 3 disposals

Just another three disposals for Horne whose role is rather thankless individually, but she does work hard and play that role for her side. She pressed up and down the ground, relieves on the wing at times and keeps presenting even when unrewarded. Just has a crack.

#19 Matilda Wilmore (Forward)

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

Similar to Horne, Wilmore is a pressure forward who works hard up the ground and got to push up to stoppages at times. Often had Taylor for company, and did not back down from a challenge with half a dozen tackles and a knack for winning the hardball. Ultimately not a huge production, but bring the heat.

#33 Tessa Davis (Defender)

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Had another productive game in defence, with Davis able to hold a high line at half-back and use the ball well on angles. She is good at keeping her head on a swivel and can change direction rather easily even when under pressure. Though not a massive disposal performance compared to some this season, Davis still held her own and was among the better Bays, being clean off the deck and then usually hit targets in transition.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#8 Hope Taylor (Defender/Wing)

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Making her SANFLW debut, Taylor played pretty well and was not overawed by the occasion. She took a little while to get going but found her place in defence and pushing up on a wing often going head-to-head with Wilmore. She won that little battle with her ability to push off her opponent and get into dangerous ball-winning positions before using it well going forward. Clean by hand or foot, she set up a goal to Mel Anderson following a clean take and wheel onto the right to hit her teammate inside 50 with precision.

#19 Taya Maxwell (Utility)

Stats: 19 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 10 hitouts, 7 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Teaming up with Soriah Moon in the middle once more, Maxwell often played as a midfielder at the centre stoppages then rotated into the ruck around the ground. She was often under pressure with her disposals forcing some turnovers, but her strength and knack for winning contested ball and feeding it out to teammates is a major strength of hers. Given her frame, she is hard to bring down, and she adds a point of difference to the inside midfield amongst the other smaller South midfielders.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder/Forward)

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

Vizgaudis started on-ball against Fielder and and went toe-for-toe with her fellow bottom-ager throughout the game. She is fantastic defensively, and then with ball in hand is great at getting out of trouble with a slick sidestep or quick release exit handball to a teammate. Has had bigger games, but was still very good, especially on the defensive end. Her chase on an opponent midway through the first term was admirable and then it put enough pressure on to force a turnover for her to win it back and kick forward.

#25 Emma Charlton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 marks, 10 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Piecing together an ultra-consistent year, the fact Charlton’s 16-disposal game was her lowest of the season speaks volumes of her performances in 2025. Her defensive attitude is always top notch, laying a game-high 10 tackles which ensures that aspect of her game is always switched on regardless if she is winning the ball or not. Set up a few scoring chances going forward and only just missed a snap on goal after a clean take, Charlton was handy in the win.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#3 Lucy Waye (Forward/Wing)

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

Waye had a quiet first half but stepped up in the second to have an influence. Though still mostly playing forward, with limited opportunities, Waye pushed up the ground to run along the wing. Her two-way running – particularly in the fourth term where she aided her teammates in defence – was a highlight of the game, though she had her own opportunity on goal two minutes into the third term from 40m which drifted to the right for a behind.

#4 Emily Mableson (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Rarely plays a bad game and that was the case once again in Round 5, with the bottom-ager able to provide an option in transition between the arcs. She is composed under pressure in traffic and can get ball to boot quickly, while able to win both contested and uncontested possessions. After starting behind the ball, moved into the middle and provided that touch of class to a contested on-ball group, though brings her own defensive intent with seven tackles.

#14 Chloe Tonkin (Ruck/Defender)

Stats: 12 disposals, 7 marks (1 contested), 2 tackles, 24 hitouts, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s

Played arguably her best game of the season against a quality opponent in Leah Cutting and held her own in the one-on-one battles. Though not having the experience edge, Tonkin uses her strength well and does get involved after the initial ruck tap to be an option around the stoppages. Her strong suit aside from literal strength comes in her aerial ability, which after having a few niggles that caused her to miss a game this season, was back fit and firing and able to drop into defence to intercept at times, or be a target from deep as that reliving half-back marker.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#7 Maia Freemantle (Wing)

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

It is incredible to think that – like all Under 16s returning to the SANFLW – Freemantle had played a match just three days earlier prior to the Good Friday clash, but that was exactly the case for the hard running Eagle. Never looking fatigued, Freemantle roamed up and down the wing providing copious amounts of pressure. Some of her tackles on players such as Zoe Venning or Olivia Smith – who are pound-for-pound as fierce as they come – were incredible, and Freemantle never takes a backwards step. Her run-down tackle on Emily Mableson was one of her great highlights, and while others won more of the ball, Freemantle was that balance of class and hardness.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 6 tackles, 8 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 behind

Moore has become a real see-ball, get-ball player and that was evident in her 17-disposal, eight-clearance game. She just gets first hands to the ball so consistently around the coalface and clears the zone to teammates further afield. Defensively Moore is always switched on, and though at times she can not always use that burst speed she possesses, the bottom-age Eagle can find willing teammates with a clean handball. Her slick handball to Trengove in the fourth quarter which lead to a goal to Klaudia O’Neill was a huge moment in the game.

#22 Imogen Trengove (Forward)

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 1 inside 50

Buzzed around the ground and had her moments including that aforementioned goal assist to O’Neill in the fourth term that drove another nail in West Adelaide’s coffin. She was clean at ground level, pressured opponents and even applied a great smother midway through the second term. What Trengove does better than just about anyone on this list is creating goal-scoring opportunities for her teammates. She set up no less than three direct goal assists, with O’Neill coming after disposals to Rosette Zerella and Marlie Fiegert who both capitalised.

#36 Ruby Lynch (Forward/Ruck)

Stats: 5 disposals, 1 mark (1 contested), 3 tackles, 3 hitouts, 1 clearance, 1 rebound 50

Still a developing prospect with some nice upside, Lynch largely had limited opportunities up forward, and rotated into the ruck to go against Tonkin. Though beaten in that one-on-one duel. Lynch showed some promise for the future with a terrific gather in the middle late in the third term where she shuffled it forward, then pushed inside 50 to take a contested mark. Going back from 35m the shot just fell short and was rushed across the line. Not a big game, but had those kind of moments.

STURT:

#4 Summer Ross (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 7 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 inside 50

The 2025 season has been a little up and down for Ross who arguably plays the two toughest positions for a small – forward and wing – so there will be hits and misses. What stands out about Ross are her non-negotiables of work rate and contest-to-contest running, with an ability to work hard defensively even if not reward for that running. Definitely more comfortable on the wing where she can maximise her speed-endurance mix, Ross had a nice play at half-forward at one stage in the third term where she darted out the back of a half-forward stoppage and drilled a pass inside 50 to Thornquest.

#17 Sophie Thredgold (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Got her opportunity through the midfield once again with a number of key Double Blues out of that mix. She held her own and while she recorded less tackles in Round 5, she was covering the ground well. Had an unfortunate moment on the edge of half-time where she marked 45m out, and then unaware she was seconds away from the break, she went to pass to a closer Georgia Swan and the siren sounded as the kick was air born. Thredgold is a nice two-way runner and had some great experience against quality Norwood midfielders. Her polish at times in contested situations can improve, but she gets her hands to the ball which is important.

#25 Edwina Thornquest (Forward)

Stats: 7 disposals, 5 marks (1 contested), 1 tackle, 2 inside 50s

Returned to the lineup and has been a little in and out this year as she goes back to the future with her development as a forward after being a key back last season. While she didn’t hit the scoreboard on Friday, Thornquest did have a couple of opportunities and assisted Claudia Edmonds as well as got the ball to Zara Walsh in a dangerous position. Really strong overhead and took a great contested mark which was the highlight of her game.

NORWOOD:

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck)

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 marks (2 contested), 4 tackles, 31 hitouts, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Had a ridgy didge battle against Jasmin Fejo across the course of the game, and while Fejo took the chocolates around the ground slightly, Alexander held her own for the most part, particularly at the stoppages. She amassed an impressive 31 hitouts and was able to provide a presence in the air by clunking two contested marks. Her kicking was a little off in the match, but her tap work was something that stood out.

#18 Charlee Brooksby (Defender)

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 rebound 50

Started the game on Ross and the smooth-moving, defensively-minded pair had a great head-to-head even if neither won a stack of the football. Her disposal by foot is always eye-catching and she was clean at ground level. Brooksby mops up in defence but roams up the ground where she can impact with her decision making and disposal.