SOUTH Australia’s top young stars went head-to-head in the first of two internal trials on Saturday for selectors to decide what the final 30-player squad for the 2025 AFLW Under 18 Championships will look like. While the result is essentially irrelevant, the Blue side toppled the Yellow team by eight points at Mount Barker.

Just two players were unavailable for the contest with North Adelaide’s Sarcha Taylor (anterior cruciate ligament) and Glenelg’s Emme Day the pair to sit out. It shapes as a much healthier list than 12 months prior, where some of the 2008-born Under 16s talents were required to step up and fill roles in the Under 18s internal trials. In 2025 however, all players taking part were among the top and bottom-age contingent with all National Academy members running out.

The teams were split evenly and balanced in order to see players in a variety of roles, with the end score being 5.5 (35) to 3.9 (27). Woodville-West Torrens’ Imogen Trengove was a standout for Team Blue, kicking two of her side’s five goals in the win and working hard up and down the ground. She and West Adelaide forward Lucy Waye are regarded as South Australia’s gut-runners and both showed like they had plenty to lose despite it only being an exhibition clash.

Glenelg pair Georgie Fielder and Eloise Mackereth also had their moments throughout the match, with Mackereth kicking the sealer late in the match after a mark at the top of the goalsquare, while Fielder was a constant presence through the middle. Perhaps a surprise packet for Team Blue was the form of Elke Cameron, a talented Norwood small who has not being able to crack in at League level this season after making her debut in 2024, though she impressed in the trial between the wing and up forward, kicking the opening goal of the game.

While the National Academy members are automatic locks for the state side, the likes of Bessen – who looked classy throughout the contest – and Lily Baxter – who slotted a fantastic goal on the run from 45m in the final term – were important in big moments for Team Yellow. Unsurprisingly the form of hard-running trio Emily Mableson, Sophie Thredgold and Emma Charlton all put in big shifts throughout the four quarters.

Thredgold had the arguable play of the day in the final term, where after Trengove had marked, the Eagles talent attempted to sidestep the Sturt speedster. She tackled her opponent, forcing a turnover, then running forward got the ball back and launched a long-range goal receiving a huge applause for her efforts.

A pair of players who have been in and out of their respective sides at League level also did their chances of making the final 30 no harm, with Glenelg’s Matilda Wilmore and Woodville-West Torrens’ Julia Faulkner named among our bests. In true trial style, most players could take something away from the match, as heavy rotations across the field meant the athletes were often subjected to a range of situations.

Though the scores might seem a little on the low side, strong winds at Mount Barker made life tricky for scoring, and it showed in several attempts including a late set shot from Waye which was perfectly on target violently swinging back in the wind before being touched on the line. In the end, both sides had their chances, with Team Yellow perhaps having a handful of more dominant players, but Team Blue having the more even performance.

SA U18 YELLOW 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.9 (27)
SA U18 BLUE 2.1 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 5.5 (35)

GOALS:
Yellow: L. Moore, L. Baxter, S. Thredgold
Blue: I. Trengove 2, E. Cameron, S. Ross, E. Mackereth

RMC BEST:
Yellow: M. Bessen, E. Mableson, S. Thredgold, E. Charlton, M. Wilmore, J. Faulkner
Blue: I. Trengove, G. Fielder, L. Waye, E. Mackereth, E. Cameron, C. Hazelhurst