INTRODUCING a new weekly feature at Rookie Me Central — the Top-age Team of the Week. Each week we will cast our eyes across the competitions from around the country and name a combined team of the best top-age performers, drawing from the Talent League Girls, WAFLW, SANFLW and beyond. With the AFLW Draft approaching at the end of the year, this is the team that caught our eye across the weekend of April 18-19.

DEFENDERS:

B: Mia Carlshausen (Perth/WAFLW) – Ashleigh Barlow (Swans Academy/TLG) – Rose Bell (Murray Bushrangers/TLG)
HB: Lacey Nihill (Bendigo Pioneers/TLG) – Polly Turner (North Adelaide/SANFLW U18s) – Charlotte Tidemann (Swans Academy/TLG)

Mia Carlshausen (Perth/WAFLW) — Composed and reliable across the defensive 50 against Peel Thunder, Carlshausen consistently won the ball cleanly under pressure and moved it efficiently throughout. Finished with 18 disposals and six marks in Perth’s first win of the season.

Ashleigh Barlow (Swans Academy/TLG) — The tall defender was composed and reliable across the last line alongside Tidemann, finishing with 18 disposals, three marks and four rebound 50s. A player who has impressed in the preseason testing results and continues to hold her own at Talent League level.

Rose Bell (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) — The anchor of the Bushrangers’ defensive structure with 16 disposals, five marks and six rebound 50s, Bell did her best work with well-placed kicking from the back half and snuck up to centre half-forward late to deliver a low bullet inside 50 that led directly to a goal.

Lacey Nihill (Bendigo Pioneers/TLG) — Brilliant in a losing side with 32 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances and eight inside 50s, Nihill’s run and carry through the corridor, goal assist in the first term and composed finish for her own goal in the second were the highlights of a major statement against a dominant Murray midfield.

Polly Turner (North Adelaide/SANFLW U18s) — Turner was North Adelaide’s most lively performer in the SANFLW Under 18s, moving between attack and midfield with 14 disposals, five marks, four tackles and a goal. A spectacular contested grab on the wing in the final term was her best individual moment. Has the capability to play as a tall defender so was named here for team balance.

Charlotte Tidemann (Swans Academy/TLG) — The National Academy member was the Swans’ most reliable defensive weapon against the Lions Academy, finishing with 26 disposals and six rebound 50s. Her penetrating kick and run-and-carry off the half-back flank kept Sydney moving, while a thumping kick-in in the third term directly set up a Swans goal.

MIDFIELDERS:

C: Skylah McPherson (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) – Ava Bilyk (Geelong Falcons/TLG) – Zoe Petrides (Lions Academy/TLG)
R: Miyu Endersby (Central District/SANFLW) – Emily Mableson (West Adelaide/SANFLW) – Layla Vizgaudis (South Adelaide/SANFLW)

Skylah McPherson (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) — Seven of everything — disposals, marks, tackles, clearances and inside 50s — plus three goals and 33 touches in total. A really well-rounded midfield performance, and her run and carry means she could do it on a wing where she is named here with the depth of on-ball options.

Ava Bilyk (Geelong Falcons/TLG) — Back from an interrupted 2025 and showing exactly why she was Vic Country’s Under 16s MVP. Thirty-two disposals, seven rebound 50s and a goal in a performance that touched every part of the ground, highlighted by repeated charges out of defensive 50 in the final term and a clever goal in congestion.

Zoe Petrides (Lions Academy/TLG) — The Lions’ midfield engine produced another strong showing in a week where the Academy went undefeated, consistently driving the ball forward and combining beautifully with Ameleia Murray to set up multiple scoring opportunities for Brisbane. Similar to McPherson, named on a wing given the depth of on-ball and forward options.

Miyu Endersby (Central District/SANFLW) — Dominant in the ruck with 26 hitouts and nine tackles in Central District’s SANFLW Under 18s win over North Adelaide, pushing into defence reliably between stints and capping her day with a lovely wide kick across the half-back flank in the final term.

Emily Mableson (West Adelaide/SANFLW) — 21 disposals, four tackles, five inside 50s and a remarkable goal from a second-effort play – throwing it on the left foot to the hotspot then slamming it home off the same boot – as well as a goal assist to Alaitz Kelly in one of the SANFLW round’s best individual performances.

Layla Vizgaudis (South Adelaide/SANFLW) — Twenty-two disposals, seven clearances and a direct goal assist to Emily Brockhurst in the Panthers’ win over Norwood. Lightning disposal and trademark quick hands were again the defining features of her game.

FORWARDS:

HF: Julia Faulkner (Woodville-West Torrens/SANFLW) – Bailee Martin (Oakleigh Chargers/TLG) – Emily Rankin (Eastern Ranges/TLG)
F: Chelsea Newitt (West Adelaide/SANFLW) – Majella Day (Giants Academy/TLG) – Eliza Roche (Murray Bushrangers/TLG)

Julia Faulkner (Woodville-West Torrens/SANFLW) — Sixteen disposals, six tackles and four clearances from a forward/midfielder role that saw her create for others more than herself — twice directly setting up goals with slick handball releases and sharp reads in the forward half in what was the Eagles’ Round 1 draw with Sturt.

Bailee Martin (Oakleigh Chargers/TLG) — Four goals including an overhead snap from the crumb that was the moment of the week in the Chargers’ win over Sandringham. Only needed a split second to inflict maximum damage and showed every facet of her forward craft across 12 disposals and four marks.

Emily Rankin (Eastern Ranges/TLG) — The Ranges’ captain was the best player on the ground against the Northern Knights, finishing with 35 disposals, 12 tackles and seven clearances — plus two goals — in a performance that built quarter by quarter with a disposal efficiency of 69 per cent.

Chelsea Newitt (West Adelaide/SANFLW) — Three goals on SANFLW debut from 17 disposals and five marks. Her finishes showed real variety — a composed set shot, a courageous mark and a snap around the body — and she was busy well beyond the scoreboard with five tackles.

Majella Day (Giants Academy/TLG) — Seven goals from 19 disposals, four marks, five tackles and seven inside 50s. The tall forward was unstoppable inside 50 and the driving force in the Giants Academy’s win.

Eliza Roche (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) — Four goals in a performance that showed the full range of her forward capabilities — a contested clunk just before the siren, a tight-angle finish from a scramble, a simple tap-in after getting goalside, and a running goal off a chain. One of the best individual forward performances of the week.

INTERCHANGE:

INT: Charli Bassett (East Perth/WAFLW) – Alana Fraser (Giants Academy/TLG) – Ruby Lynch (Woodville-West Torrens/SANFLW) – Carmela Perri (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) – Scout Semple (Eastern Ranges/TLG) – Lexi Strachan (West Perth/WAFLW) –

Charli Bassett (East Perth/WAFLW) — 21 disposals and a goal assist in the third quarter off the overlap at half-forward were the highlights of a busy rotational performance for the Royals. East Perth’s lead draft prospect continues to show her value across multiple roles.

Alana Fraser (Giants Academy/TLG) — A lovely ball user who did her best work from the last line, Fraser finished with 21 disposals, four marks, two tackles and six rebound 50s in a consistent performance that kept the Giants moving out of defence.

Ruby Lynch (Woodville-West Torrens/SANFLW) — 19 disposals, six marks – including two contested – and a near-goal in the final term after a strong burst from 15 metres that was just pushed wide. A competitive and dangerous showing in the Eagles’ draw with Sturt.

Carmela Perri (Murray Bushrangers/TLG) — 41 disposals and the highest accumulator of the week anywhere in the country. Constantly on the ball, constantly creating – her brilliant flick handballs in the final term directly set up two goals and her endurance across four quarters was extraordinary.

Scout Semple (Eastern Ranges/TLG) — The National Academy member was influential across the ground against the Northern Knights, contributing through the clearances and combining effectively with Rankin and Brylee Anderson to help the Ranges to a 100-point win.

Lexi Strachan (West Perth/WAFLW) — West Perth’s standout in the tight loss to Swan Districts, Strachan was tireless through the midfield – crunching tackles, wheeling and finding Zoe Huggett with a creative kick in the second term, and setting up a goal assist in the third by running hard forward off the clearance. The pick of the academy members across the WAFLW round.