A HUGE day of SANFL Women’s action takes place tomorrow with all four matches for Round 9 going ahead on a Super Saturday. While the top of the table clash between unbeaten Woodville-West Torrens and the red-hot South Adelaide is the highlight, third and fourth face off in a great battle, as do the sides sitting precariously outside the top four.

FORM

Simply put this is a must-win for both sides. The Bulldogs’ loss to Glenelg last round meant they failed to capitalise on Sturt going down to South Adelaide and languish outside the top four. Fortunately a win will get them right back there providing Sturt lose this week. Norwood announced coach Brad Ferrall had stepped down during the week, with wife Ali Ferrall – who coached the Development League side – stepping up to take the interim reins.

TEAMS

Norwood:

B: Ashlee Gould, Georgie Jaques
HB: Georgina Birchall, Sophie Arkun, Charlee Brooksby
C: Coby Morgan, Jade Halfpenny, Kiana Lee
HF: Amelia Rusden, Elke Cameron, Sharmaine Crosby
F: Mykaela Walker, Adrienne Davies
R: Kate Alexander, Sarah Branford, Shai Hiscock
INT: Lottie Almond, Candice Belbin, Emma Clark, Charli Hazelhurst, Lana Schwerdt

Central District:

B: Elizabeth Wilson, Georgia Madigan
HB: Mikaylah Antony, Holly Tralaggan, Madison Lane
C: Karissa Searle, Jovanka Zecevic, Sophie Eaton
HF: Charlotte Maurits, Katelyn Rosenzweig, Tesharna Maher
F: Lauren Breguet, Alysha Healy
R: Miyu Endersby, Laitiah Huynh, Dakota Williams
INT: Tashayla Corfield, Demi Holloway, Tara Lord, Shannon Murphy, Caitlen Teague, Kasey Wendland

CHANGES

Norwood made a statement by omitting the experienced Sophie Armitstead, while defender Emily Bartsch is out with a shoulder injury alongside the omitted Jazmine Egan. Young guns Charli Hazelhurst and Elke Cameron return as does key player Georgie Jaques.

Central District welcome back Dakota Williams who was a crucial loss in last week’s defeat to Glenelg, and have not locked in which player will come out as of yet. Kasey Wendland was Williams’ late replacement for last week’s game.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Norwood boasts a trio of Under 18s squad members who were confirmed for the upcoming national championships with Hazelhurst joining hard-running defender Lottie Almond and developing ruck Kate Alexander in the team. The Bulldogs also have plenty of draftable talent with Sophie Eaton and Mikaylah Antony at the top-age level, while younger trio Tara Lord, Miyu Endersby and Charlotte Maurits are all playing key roles.

PREDICTION

Central District will be frustrated by letting the game slip against Glenelg last week and will be looking for a quick bounce back here. Given the loss of Bartsch from the Norwood defence it will make life a little tricky against a potent forwardline so the Dogs are the tip, though Norwood remains on paper a side that can cause issues.

FORM

Outside of playing South Adelaide, Sturt has had a pretty strong run of form, accounting for most other teams along the way. The Double Blues are back at Unley to host the Roosters which could be crucial, though North Adelaide is in a similar hot vein of form to now be outright third and keeping in touch with the top two. A huge top four clash.

TEAMS

Sturt:

B: Gypsy Schirmer, Lily Whitcombe
HB: Imogen Szegedi, Isabella Drew, Tahlia Walker
C: Lily Smart, Saskia Reynolds, Summer Ross
HF: Monique Bessen, Edwina Thornquest, Molly Fletcher
F: Georgia King, Lily Whiteman
R: Jasmin Fejo, Isobel Kuiper, Sophie Thredgold
INT: Amy Brooks-Birve, Sienna Fox, Zina Hunt, Millie McCarthy, Grace Powell, Hannah Prenzler, Georgia Swan, Zara Walsh

North Adelaide:

B: Lara Harding, Jamie Parish
HB: Laela Ebert, Ella Metcalfe, Lauren Hoffmann
C: Sasha Hardin, Djimila Totham, Lauren Gauci
HF: Polly Turner, Zara Molloy, Aprille Crooks
F: Amber Ward, Sky Jensen
R: Jasmine Dallimore, Julia Clark, Ashleigh George
INT: Anja Bancevic, Caitlin Hardin, Bailey Murray, Laura Niejalke, Libby Taylor

CHANGES

The two sides have made just the one confirmed change with Ruby Cunningham (Sturt) and Erin Sundstrom (North Adelaide) both out. Laura Niejalke replaces the latter, while the former’s replacement will most likely be Georgia Swan who returns, though Sienna Fox, Zina Hunt and Grace Powell.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Sturt’s midfield is largely driven on both the inside and outside by top-age talent with Monique Bessen and Sophie Thredgold providing clean hands around the coalface, and wingers Summer Ross and Lily Smart exploding down the outside. North Adelaide forward Polly Turner always proves a tough opponent for any defender with her contested marking, while Caitlin Hardin has been a terrific inclusion coming out of the Under 16s program.

PREDICTION

A genuine 50/50 contest with North Adelaide being the more consistent side this season, though Sturt has shown at its best it can challenge a lot of sides. Playing at home is an added bonus for the Double Blues, but the clash will come down to both the midfield battle, and which side can pinpoint passes more efficiently going inside 50.

FORM

Without a doubt the match of the season so far with the 8-0 Eagles hosting the reigning premier Panthers on a winning streak of their own. South Adelaide has made it six consecutive victories since losing to North Adelaide in Round 2, and is just one win away from the Eagles, though significant percentage. An absolute treat as the two heavyweights go head-to-head.

TEAMS

Woodville-West Torrens:

B: Maia Freemantle, Imogen Trengove
HB: Popi Gikas, Audrey Holt, McKenzie Dowrick
C: Christina Leuzzi, Amie Blanden, Annie Falkenberg
HF: Marlie Fiegert, Rosette Zerella, Ashley Baker
F: Klaudia O’Neill, Zahlia Niemann
R: Leah Cutting, Lucy Moore, Julia Faulkner
INT: Olivia Evans, Bianca Portaro, Brianna Walling, Cheryllee Waters, Sophie Zuill

South Adelaide:

B: Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap, Esther Schirmer
HB: Marley Tape, Jaslynne Smith, Molly Jenkins
C: Lauren Clifton, Melissa Anderson, Emma Charlton
HF: Lucy Northcott, Lily Baxter, Shae Archbold
F: Doreena Hansen, Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap
R: Soriah Moon, Caitlin Couch, Layla Vizgaudis
INT: Emily Brockhurst, Casie Coombe, Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn, Taya Maxwell, Chloe Meyers, Samantha Pratt, Tabitha Prosser, Hope Taylor

CHANGES

Woodville-West Torrens lose Irishwoman Kayleigh Cronin to the Crows’ AFLW preseason but regain key player Brianna Walling, while South Adelaide has brought in an extended bench with only Caitlin Ross going out. Cassie Coombe and Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn are among the possible inclusions with Chloe Meyers and Tabitha Prosser.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Imogen Trengove kicked another couple of goals last week and has brought her season tally to 10, with the versatile utility capable of playing anywhere on the field for the Eagles. Maia Freemantle, Lucy Moore and Julia Faulkner are all not yet draft eligible but provide some pace and hardness around the contest and in the front half. For the Panthers, Lily Baxter is the club’s top draft prospect for 2025, but a trio of bottom-agers in Taya Maxwell, Layla Vizgaudis and Emma Charlton loom as top-age talents for next year. Hope Taylor is another one who has made every post a winner since coming into the team.

PREDICTION

Woodville-West Torrens do look that class above this season, but you can never write off South Adelaide in any match. If form is anything to go by, the game is set to be an absolute cracking contest, and if the Eagles play to their best, they should win, but South has lots of potential if the young midfield can get on top.

FORM

Glenelg is coming off its first win of the season, upsetting Central District in the Bays’ 100th SANFL Women’s match. They have to get straight back to the task now searching for back-to-back victories against a West Adelaide side that has now dropped six on the trot and needing a win to be a shot of finals.

TEAMS

Glenelg:

B: Lauren Edwards, Lucy Weatherald
HB: Tessa Davis, Ash Dyer-Pietsch, Marie Martino
C: Elizabeth Johnson, Mackenzie O’Dea, Samantha Franson
HF: Asha Dufour, Cassie McWilliam, Matilda Wilmore
F: Kaitey Whittaker, Charlotte O’Sullivan
R: Chloe Harding, Jessica Bates, Georgie Fielder
INT: Millie Clarke, Astrid Gooley, Eloise Mackereth, Ella Quinn, Ellen Tyminski

West Adelaide:

B: Niamh Davis, Madi Russell
HB: Emily Mableson, Emma Chapman, Tiana Fernandez
C: Paige Allan, Ruby Ballard, Olivia Smith
HF: Lucy Waye, Georgie Pater, Sarah Deed
F: Nicole Hooper, Nicola Biagi
R: Chloe Tonkin, Hannah Button, Zoe Venning
INT: Sarah Campbell, Tess Huxtable, Ella Maxwell, Kayla Mudge, Chelsea Newitt, Molly Petersen, Grace Sim, Stephanie Tredwell, Philippa Worthley

CHANGES

Glenelg has been forced to make a couple of changes with both Madisyn Freeman (hip) and Shay’Lee Dayman (hand) out with injury, while Kiahni Russell has been omitted. They regain the services of rebounding defender Tessa Davis and fellow back Lucy Weatherald, while also bringing in tall forward Cassie McWilliam for her sixth SANFLW game.

West Adelaide will be minus. Alana Lishmund for the game, but have kept the options open with potential debutant Sarah Deed among the possible inclusions. A feel-good story could be the return of Steph Tredwell for her first game since 2023 having suffered osteitis pubis (OP) throughout last season, while Gracie Sim, Ella Maxwell and Nicola Biagi are part of a massive extended bench.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

Glenelg coach Talia Radan will undoubtedly be pleased that Davis can return to the fold inside defensive 50, while up the other end, Eloise Mackereth will be looking for a big game to really build some scoreboard pressure now the side’s confidence is up. Georgie Fielder was a match-winner last week for the Bays and could go head-to-head with fellow bottom-ager Emily Mableson at times, while ruck/forward Chloe Tonkin and hard-running forward Lucy Waye are also key players.

PREDICTION

West Adelaide has been thereabouts with a win on the horizon for many weeks now, but ultimately have just fallen short of getting there. Last week the Bloods really struggled after a few early looks and will look to rectify that against Glenelg. The Bays got the metaphorical monkey off the back with a win in Round 8, but will now need to re-focus to try and make it two on the trot at home here.