FOR THE second time in the club’s SANFL Women’s history, South Adelaide enters a season eyeing off a never-been-done three-peat. The Panthers are the only club to have won back-to-back flags, and they’ve done it twice, and now a fifth title – and fourth cup as senior coach for Rick Watts – is what is on the table if the benchmark team can get it done again.

While South Adelaide has often started seasons a touch slow – still winning early games bar maybe one a season – Watts said the playing group looked ready to make an impact from the first whistle this season.

“Obviously, with the later start to the season, we’ve taken things slowly and haven’t thrown the girls in the deep end,” Watts said. “We haven’t been expecting too much from them early, but we’re at the stage now where we’ve ramped everything up and we’re ready for Round 1. “It’s been very positive. “Sometimes after you win a premiership it can be a bit of a slow start motivationally, but the girls have been absolutely fantastic and rearing to go.”

South Adelaide is minus Shae Archbold (knee) from last year’s preliminary final, as well as Lily Baxter (Carlton AFLW), though the former is still a chance to return late in the season thanks to the later start of the league. The Panthers are missing their top two star juniors to open the year, with Emma Charlton (a month or just under) away and Taya Maxwell more likely targeted for a mid-season return.

The club has not only retained nearly its entire senior list, but brought back at least one club legend, and topped up with some handy players from across the SANFLW, as well as from their envious development pathway.

“We’ve got Jess Chyer, who hasn’t played league SANFL footy for a couple of years but previously played 34 games with West Adelaide, so she’s a really good acquisition,” Watt said. “We’ve also got Olivia Evans from Woodville-West Torrens, a left footer who will play forward, high forward, and probably a little bit on the wing.

“Nicole Campbell is returning as well. “She’s a two-time best and fairest winner and a premiership player with us, so it’s like having an AFLW recruit come in, which is fantastic. “Holly Ifould is a handy in—pretty much a like-for-like for Lily Baxter on the wing. She’s been fantastic at raising training standards.”

The big surprise for anyone who has been watching on at Noarlunga is the return of a familiar face in Nikki Nield who was unfortunately forced into retirement. The former SANFLW League Best and Fairest winner is training with the club, and while she is still seeking clearance from her neurosurgeon with no guarantees to make an on-field return, is a welcome additional voice on the training track.

Turning the attention to the Panthers’ draft prospects, Watts is minus Charlton and Maxwell to start the year but he wants them both in tip top shape for late in the year.

“Emma has had a femur issue, a bit of an overuse injury similar to shin splints, possibly a slight stress fracture,” he said. “She’s been off legs for about eight to 10 weeks now, so she’ll probably return around Round 3 or 4.

“That’s fine, we need Emma later in the season. “We rate her as one of the best players in the competition, not only under 18 but open age as well. “She showed that in the grand final last year. “She’ll play midfield as usual. “During this injury period she’s been in the gym and absolutely lived there, so you probably won’t recognise her when she comes back.

“Taya Maxwell is similar. She’s had a setback with her legs and is in a moon boot at the moment. “She probably won’t return until around Round 10. “She hurt herself diving to smother a ball, which we’ve told her we don’t need her doing, especially in preseason. “When she gets back, we’ll look to play her in the midfield and possibly in the ruck.”

While the pick one contenders in Charlton and Maxwell will headline South’s underage draft crop, the Panthers have at least two more top-agers in the draft frame in Layla Vizgaudis and Hope Taylor. Vizgaudis has gone to another level over the preseason in the absence of the other two, at one point “kicking five goals in about 20 minutes from the midfield” and Watts is looking forward to what she can produce.

“Hope is one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen. Pound for pound, she’s got it all,” Watts said. “We’ve put her back into the 18s to work on her defensive pressure and development. “She’s a work in progress, but by the end of the season we expect to see a lot more from her in that area.”

Some future prospects include bottom-age defender Marley Tape who is “developing really quickly and progressing well” in her second senior off-season, having had plenty of experience through the League side in 2025, and Under 16s jet Emmerson Warren who has caught the eye at the same end of the field for South Australia’s state side. Warren would have started in Round 1 due to the national championships, but is tipped to come into the side for Round 2.

Watts said the club was a in a “good spot overall” and he was looking forward to kicking off the season on Saturday.

“We feel like we might take a few rounds to get going, especially with a couple of our top players out early, but the juniors are stepping up,” he said. “It’s about getting our synchronicity right as a group and our positioning right with individuals. “From our first training session and first trial, it felt like we’d never left.

“Our backline has been solid, the midfield has been working hard, and Soriah (Soriah Moon) has been dominating in the ruck. “It feels like we’ve carried momentum from last year. “We’ll probably have a bit of a slow start and then build into it, but we’re fairly confident with where we sit.”

Each year Watts sets a bar for the club and 2026 will be no different with the Panthers capable of making it to the last game of the season once again.

“We haven’t lost too many players,” he said. “Shae (Archbold) is back running and there’s a chance she plays later in the season. “Outside of her and Lily (Baxter), plus a few minor injuries, we’re probably five or six players better than we were in the grand final last year.

“If we can keep our girls healthy, avoid too many injuries and keep them hungry, we’re confident we can be really competitive, make finals again and push for another grand final.”