ANOTHER SANFL Women’s season is here with the eight teams all going back to scratch to see if one of the other seven can end the reign of South Adelaide. The Panthers have won the past two flags and loom as the side to beat yet again, but there are some challengers on the rise which should make for an intriguing season. We take a look at the eight clubs competing for the flag.

Central District

Last season: 5th (6-8)

Central District looked strong over the preseason including a dominant victory over West Adelaide and four representatives in the SANFLW State Team. However losing the league’s best ever goalkicker Katelyn Rosenzweig on the eve of the season to a knee injury has thrown a massive spanner in the works. The Bulldogs obviously have quality outside of their best forward target, but inside 50 they will need to find another avenue to goal.

The defence is solid and the midfield strong, it will be a wait-and-see on the forwardline. Left-footed bottom-ager Charlotte Maurits the star junior alongside top-age talent Miyu Endersby, while Mikaylah Antony is coming off a best on ground in the SANFLW State Team match. NSW/ACT recruit Aoife Berry is a fantastic inclusion as well. The return of former skipper Shelby Smith is a big one, whilst a change of coach always brings about a new gameplan.

Glenelg

Last season: 8th (3-11)

It was a baptism of fire in Talia Radan’s first season as coach as the new Bays mentor took over a young side that had to undergo plenty of change on and off the field. Now in her second off-season at the helm, Radan has been able to bring in some quality players such as Kiana Lee, Ella Little, Deni Varnhagen and Isla Wiencke just to name a few. No doubt losing club legends like Jessica Bates and Samantha Franson to retirement and star defender Marie Martino to the Eagles will hurt, but they’ve recruited well,

Obviously the major question is how much the Bays can rise up the ladder. On paper there’s no way the list is a wooden spoon list. It even looks good enough to play finals. However it’s a lot of change, so there might be teething problems early before really posing problems to a lot of sides. If Eloise Mackereth finds her 2024 season form, watch out because there’s a lot more firepower up front for the side. Top-age midfielder Georgie Fielder is the key draft prospect to watch.

North Adelaide

Last season: 3rd (7-7, 4th after finals)

While the Roosters finished third – and did go down to Sturt in the elimination final – there was a clear gap needing to bridge to the top two. They tired out towards the end of the season, and the loss of Laela Ebert clearly impacted their transition game. In 2026, they have brought in some nice ball movers, headlined by the experienced former Redlegs skipper in Sophie Armitstead, as well as Julia Watson and Audrey Holt from Woodville-West Torrens.

All eyes will be on top-age tall Polly Turner from a draft perspective this year, but the Roosters just have such a well-balanced list that is incredibly similar to the side that reached the post-season in 2025. Kelly Barltrop had the team really worrying some of the best sides and if they can find the same form coming into 2026, watch out. Aprille Crooks and Djimila Totham had big years to join the Roosters’ handful of ex-AFLW players such as Lauren Gauci and Amber Ward as consistent players, week-in, week-out.

Norwood

Last season: 7th (4-10)

The Redlegs welcome Central District premiership coach Ben Hunt to the club in what will be a turnover season with a host of players departing the club, and a number of fresh faces coming in. The losses of Armitstead, Tahlita Buethke, Jiarna Zerella and Adrienne Davies are the biggest losses, while the club had always planned to be without draftee Charli Hazelhurst who was picked up by Fremantle. They have brought back Coby Morgan and gained Ashley Baker from the Eagles, but there will be a different look about the club.

The smooth-moving Charlee Brooksby and bottom-age gun Lani Cocks will be the eye-catchers from a draft perspective, and help build Norwood back. It feels like this season the amount of change will likely see the Redlegs needing the year to consolidate what they have, so might be more eyeing off 2027 and beyond as attempting to challenge for a flag. They have quality players still in the likes of Emily Bartsch and Sarah Branford, so should still be competitive throughout the year.

South Adelaide

Last season: 2nd (12-2, Premiers)

Quite clearly the team to beat again with only really one or two key losses as Lily Baxter headed to Carlton and Shae Archbold recovers from a knee injury. Ex-AFLW and former South players Nicole Campbell and Holly Ifould have further strengthened the squad, while Olivia Evans and Jessica Chyer bring League experience to the Panthers as well. Having made the past three grand finals, the program as a whole is an epitome of success and will always been a serious contender.

That’s even before you factor in that South have arguably the two best top-agers in the country in Emma Charlton and Taya Maxwell, potentially the best ruck outside the AFLW in Soriah Moon, and a defence that rarely concedes big scores. Throw in some other young stars in Layla Vizgaudis and Hope Taylor, and the Panthers just put out teams that are born to compete for premierships. Can’t see them slipping outside the top two again.

Sturt

Last season: 4th (7-7, 3rd after finals)

Another club with a coach change as Ange Foley comes in and the Double Blues have brought back Alex Pearce from Glenelg to replace the retiring Jasmin Fejo. Fremantle-bound Monique Bessen has departed, as has the retired Molly Fletcher, with the list otherwise pretty much the same. They have some over-age players who were unlucky not to be drafted last season such as Sophie Thredgold and Lily Smart, while also having depth across all three lines.

Competitive is a great word to describe Sturt as a whole, because the bulk of the team’s list comes from within its own pathway – possibly more so than any other club – and the continuity and consistency throughout the entire club is evident. In the past the Double Blues have had less top-end talent – in terms of AFLW players – but still punched up well, and they’ll be hard to beat again. Isobel Kuiper, Alex Ballard and Georgia Swan cover each third of the ground and are quality contributors.

West Adelaide

Last season: 6th (5-9)

Yet another coach change in the league with the Bloods coming off a frustrating sixth placed finish. Injuries have really hurt West Adelaide in recent times and stopped the side hitting the heights that they did when they fell one win short of a premiership. Bringing in experience such as Stevie-Lee Thompson, Adrienne Davies and Jemima Woods will add serious punch to the front half of the ground, with Lucy Waye and Hannah Button a pair of crucial departures.

West Adelaide have the reigning League Best and Fairest winner in midfielder Zoe Venning, as well as one of the most promising top-agers in the league with Emily Mableson. The big key will be connection for the Bloods who have the midfield to worry opposition teams, and have now added further experience to the front half, but just have to make it all click. It could be similar to a Glenelg season of last year where the Bloods have to adjust early before finding the right mix and form towards the back end of the year.

Woodville-West Torrens

Last season: 1st (12-2, Runners-Up)

The biggest challenger to South Adelaide’s flag, and rightly so with the Eagles only getting stronger. They might have lost the likes of Baker to Norwood, Evans to South and Holt and Watson to NBorth Adelaide, but with the exception of Imogen Trengove (Collingwood AFLW) and Christina Leuzzi (Adelaide AFLW) who were in the top few players, have strengthened the ovrall squad. They bring in star defender Martino and Norwood Best and Fairest winner Buethke, as well as another forward target in Jiarna Zerella.

Narelle Smith’s squad always has an emphasis on youth, and they have three genuine draft prospects in Lucy Moore, Julia Faulkner and Ruby Lynch, as well as one of the best bottom-agers going around in Maia Freemantle. They can regain co-captain Poppy Waterford from her knee injury which is like another huge inclusion to the team, and still have the framework of the team that won the minor premiership and reached the grand final with Klaudia O’Neill up front and co-captain Annie Falkenberg down back.

PREDICTION

The general feel on paper is that South Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens are the two sides you lock into finals and have that gap on the rest of the field. It will be interesting to see which clubs can make up that gap. Looking at the rest, coaching changes always make for intriguing prediction, though Norwood and West Adelaide look as the two with the most question marks, while Central has lost Rosenzweig which is also a big question mark. That leaves North Adelaide, Sturt and Glenelg, and North look like being around the mark again, while the Bays recruits could see them rise quickly. Top four being the Panthers, Eagles, Roosters and Bays, but looks a close race.