ROUND 6 of the SANFLW was played in wet and testing conditions that challenged every player on the ground, with the competition’s State Academy contingent again finding ways to make their presence felt. We took note of how each of the Academy members performed across the four games.

All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#8 Hope Taylor (Forward)

Stats: 11 disposals, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 goal

Taylor did the grunt work in the wet, covering ground relentlessly from the forward line to half-back and never letting opponents settle. Her best individual moment came in the final term when she absorbed a big knock at centre half-forward, won a free, earned a 25-metre penalty from Klaudia O’Neill and converted the set shot from 30 metres out to keep the Panthers’ scorecard ticking. Seven tackles from 11 disposals tells the story of a player whose defensive commitment has been a constant feature of her season, and her follow-up tackling after a dropped mark in the forward pocket was a genuine pressure act in slippery conditions. A really gritty performance when the conditions made clean football difficult for everyone.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 6 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Down on her disposal count from recent rounds but Vizgaudis was fighting conditions as much as opponents in the wet, and the six clearances reflected her continued ability to win the ball at the source. She was particularly effective in the third term reading Soriah Moon‘s taps cleanly and charging from the stoppages, and her clever quick handball under pressure at half-back early in the final term was the kind of calm decision-making that marks elite players in bad conditions. A quieter day than her recent form has set the bar at, but still one of the Panthers’ most important players through the middle.

#25 Emma Charlton (Midfielder)

Stats: 18 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 5 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Another fierce competitive display from Charlton, who converted a set shot from 25 metres after winning a free kick in the second term and continued to drive the ball inside 50 all day – six inside 50s from the midfield is an outstanding return regardless of conditions. Her sidestep and quick handball release were consistent weapons throughout, and she showed real composure under pressure from the Eagles in the final term, marking twice at half-forward and looking up to find options rather than taking the easy disposal. The standard she has set for herself this season continues to be one of the best in the competition.

#60 Marley Tape (Defender)

Stats: 4 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 rebound 50s

A shortened afternoon after copping a sling tackle in the second term that had her leaving the ground, but Tape returned for the third and final term and immediately contributed – a great tackle on Alice Tentye in the fourth term winning a holding-the-ball free and producing a thumping kick down the wing was the kind of impact she delivers even in limited minutes. Showed her toughness in coming back out.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#4 Julia Faulkner (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s

A tough assignment in the wet for Faulkner, who started on the bench each quarter before rotating into the forward 50, but still found ways to contribute whenever she got near the ball – a lovely sidestep between two opponents to kick to the pocket and clean non-preferred-foot short chip at half-forward were her most composed individual moments. Her clean hands under pressure in the pocket – two handballs away in attack under pressure – and an elite extraction off the deck late in the third term were the touches that reflected her class even when the opportunities were limited. A crucial handball away at the centre stoppage late in the game summed up what she brings as a competitor when it matters most.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 9 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Moore was the Eagles’ best player in conditions that should have limited her as much as anyone, yet nine clearances and six inside 50s in the wet is simply remarkable output. She was combative at every stoppage, wrestled the ball free at half-forward multiple times and consistently drove it inside 50 with purpose, including a well-weighted kick to the hotspot and a brilliant hit-up to O’Neill one-on-one. Her ground-level work late in the game – tapping the ball away from Charlton before winning it back at the next stoppage – was the perfect encapsulation of a player whose contested intensity never drops. Consistently among the Eagles’ most valuable players, and Round 6 was arguably her best.

#22 Anika Tran (Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50

An eye-catching performance from the double bottom-ager, who showed even more than her debut suggested was the ceiling. Tran was moved on-ball during the first term and immediately won two centre clearances – a remarkable contribution for a player deployed primarily as a forward – and her seven tackles told the story of a player who competes ferociously whether she has the ball or not. She was taken high twice and had possession disrupted on multiple occasions, but her persistence and clean hands when things got difficult reflected real character. A four-clearance, seven-tackle return across any game is outstanding; for a bottom-age forward finding her feet in the midfield, it’s extraordinary.

#36 Ruby Lynch (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 1 tackle, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50

Lynch was composed and purposeful through the middle in the wet – winning the first clearance with a clean short pass and finding pockets of space throughout the game to keep the Eagles moving. Her raking left foot off the ground was an asset in the conditions, producing a couple of well-weighted kicks inside 50 from half-forward. She was strong in the air when she got a chance to contest, and finished the day with a clean contested mark at half-back that was a satisfying way to round out a solid performance. Building consistency alongside the talent week on week.

GLENELG:

#32 Tori Evans (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 5 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 5 tackles, 1 clearance

Evans was handed the task of tagging Emily Mableson for the bulk of the game – a significant ask for any bottom-ager – and acquitted herself with real credit. She won the ball at ground level, marked in front of Mableson on the wing to kick downfield, beat her opponent in the air in the final term and dished off cleanly, and laid five tackles across the game as she competed hard in the head-to-head throughout. There were moments where Mableson got clear, as you’d expect against a player of her quality, but Evans never stopped competing and showed the physical courage that has been a feature of her season. A learning experience against one of the best players in the competition.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#4 Emily Mableson (Midfielder)

Stats: 20 disposals, 13 tackles, 7 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Playing under a tag for virtually the entire game, Mableson responded the way elite players do – laying 13 tackles of her own and winning holding-the-ball frees when she couldn’t shake her opponent with the ball. She was a wrecking ball through the stoppages regardless of the shadow, and a third-term moment that summed up her quality: a last-touch free, ankle-breaking sidestep on the wing and a burst away to kick down the ground while Evans scrambled to recover. Seven clearances while being tagged is the kind of return that gets AFLW clubs excited. Still building what could be a special top-age season.

#24 Chelsea Newitt (Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Newitt delivered her best all-round performance of the season – starting on-ball and contributing in every quarter with the kind of two-way output that reflects a player growing into her role. Four inside 50s from the midfield reflected genuine forward intent, and a brilliant sidestep at half-forward late in the second term followed by a deep kick into the contest was her best individual moment. Eight tackles cemented a fierce defensive performance to match the attacking contribution. A player who is building real momentum.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#3 Miyu Endersby (Ruck/Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark (1 contested), 4 tackles, 29 hitouts, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Endersby was used in a creative dual role – starting at full-forward before rotating into the ruck – and produced a performance that showed her growing versatility beyond pure ruck craft. Her best moments came in the final term: a huge contested mark at half-forward followed by a well-weighted kick inside 50, and a great spoil at the other end to deny Norwood a scoring opportunity. Four tackles across the game reflected follow-up work that goes beyond what most rucks produce, and 29 hitouts in pouring rain was another commanding ruck return. With the national championships approaching, Endersby continues to firm as one of South Australia’s most important players.

#9 Charlotte Maurits (Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks (2 contested), 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

Maurits’ best performance of the season – 13 disposals, two contested marks and a goal from the forward pocket at 11 minutes of the final term, emerging from nothing to slam home a crucial major. Her first-term work was equally sharp: a brilliant contested grab at half-forward thumped into 50, and a great tackle that won a free and led to a clean short pass inside 50 contributed to a Ella Randall goal. She showed her knack for being at the right spot at the right time throughout, and the four tackles reflected a willingness to compete hard when not directly involved. A real statement performance.

#15 Olivia Leslie (Defender)

Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 1 clearance, 4 rebound 50s

A steady game from Leslie in difficult conditions – four rebound 50s reflects consistent defensive involvement, and she was composed when called upon to make decisions under pressure, producing a lateral kick to the wing off a high free and a good handball away while being tackled in defensive 50. She pushed up to half-forward at times in the second half and applied pressure when she got there, and a strong drive forward at 11 minutes of the final term was her most impactful attacking moment. Reliable and composed when the ball came her way.

#18 Demi Holloway (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 clearances

Holloway’s busiest game by disposal count so far this season, and she filled the role with the quick hands and contest smarts that define her game. Three clearances from nine disposals reflects genuine stoppage impact, and her burst out of the wing stoppage well and effective kick in the first term was her cleanest moment. Her multiple quick handball extractions in the final term – including one clean release while being tackled – showed the instinct to keep the ball moving even when the opposition is all over her. Has the versatility that appeals to any side.

#19 Amalia Musolino (Defender)

Stats: 1 disposal

A very limited involvement for Musolino, who managed just the one handball in defensive 50 but was playing a lockdown defensive role. One of those days where the role and play is not conducive to high production.

#21 Izabella Nisbet (Midfielder)

Stats: 22 disposals, 3 marks, 9 tackles, 4 clearances, 5 inside 50s

The standout individual performance of the game. Nisbet led Central District’s disposal count and added nine tackles and five inside 50s to produce a complete two-way midfield game in testing conditions. She opened the game with a brilliant tackle on Lani Cocks and never relented — spinning out of trouble multiple times, extracting cleanly under pressure and driving the ball forward on multiple occasions in the final term with a series of strong kicks inside 50. She was incredibly unlucky to be pinged for holding the ball in defensive 50 when she had clearly won it off hands, which was the one black mark on a performance that deserved better. A player building a compelling case ahead of this year’s draft.

#42 Annelise Lovell (Forward)

Stats: 4 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50

A tidy contribution in limited game time from debutant Lovell, whose best moment came at the 16-minute mark of the third term – marking on the wing, swinging around for a nice kick, then following up immediately to win the ball again and deliver another good kick to a one-on-one contest. Three tackles added a defensive dimension, and her forward-50 pressure was consistent throughout. A player to keep an eye on as she gets more opportunities.

NORWOOD:

#8 Lani Cocks (Midfielder)

Stats: 24 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

A characteristically powerful performance from Cocks, who opened her account at 90 seconds – a classy pickup from 15 metres and a snap that barely had time to get wet before it was through – and drove the game from the middle across all four quarters. Three rebound 50s alongside three inside 50s reflects the true two-way nature of her game, and a great spoil in defence followed immediately by winning the ball and booting it down the wing was a highlight reel moment of athleticism. The one area that continues to be a talking point is the occasional tunnel vision driving forward rather than scanning for options – such as at one stage she tried to break away going for distance when a look around might have yielded a better option. A small imperfection in an otherwise excellent performance.

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck)

Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 5 tackles, 15 hitouts, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s

A strong all-round return from Alexander, whose five clearances alongside 15 hitouts reflects genuine follow-up work beyond the taps – she was consistently first to the ball after her own ruck contests and pushed forward regularly to threaten as an attacking option. A strong intercept mark at half-forward in the third term converted inside 50 was her best individual moment, and a clearance from the centre in the fourth term and a slick handball at half-back in the second were her cleanest skill contributions. Five tackles in difficult wet conditions added a pressure dimension that continues to broaden her game.

#21 Elke Cameron (Midfielder)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Cameron’s trademark ferocity was the defining feature of another strong all-round contribution – seven tackles in tough wet conditions, brilliant hands through traffic in the second term, and fierce tackling at half-back in the final term. She slipped in the middle and had some ball-handling difficulties in the conditions, but her follow-up work to recover and win the ball back was consistently sharp. A player who makes herself felt regardless of the conditions.

#24 Ella Anderson (Defender)

Stats: 9 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 rebound 50s

Anderson was composed throughout in the wet – clean kick to the wing from a handball receive out of defence, a composed spoil, and a piercing kick to half-forward were her best contributions. She pushed up to the wing at times and competed hard when the ball came to her zone, and cracking in at ground level in the third term showed her willingness to compete in contact. Continuing to build her game across her first senior season.

STURT:

#7 Lily Whiteman (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 13 tackles, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Whiteman is proving to be such a classy two-way operator in the competition this season, and she is starting to find the ball alongside her defensive work. The Sturt bottom-ager had eight disposals by half-time, three clearances, and her most decisive moment in the fourth term when she won the centre clearance inside 50 at four minutes that led directly to a goal. Her run-down tackle inside 50 late in the final term was the kind of play that wins close games, winning the free and kicking to the hotspot. The clean left-foot delivery when under pressure and the vision to switch play across the ground continued to be evident whenever she had time.

#36 Madeline Nuss (Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 1 tackle, 3 inside 50s, 3 behinds

A desperately frustrating afternoon in front of goal that Nuss will learn from and no doubt prove to be an aberration considering her 2026 season form. She created multiple genuine opportunities – a set shot from 25 metres that struck the post, a close-range shot in the third term that just wouldn’t go through, and a second-term snap where a brilliant sidestep produced a chance she was unlucky to miss. The goal-sense and opportunism are clearly present; the conversion just didn’t follow on the day. With eight goals already this season, one scoreless afternoon doesn’t change the picture. The talent is there.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#5 Polly Turner (Forward)

Stats: 7 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 hitout, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals, 1 behind

Turner delivered her best individual performance of the season. Her first goal at 10 minutes of the first term was outstanding – spinning off hands to slam home onto her opposite left with balance and composure – and her second at eight minutes of the final term was even better, marking from the top of 50, thumping a long shot and watching it wheel around and bounce through for a brilliant long-range major. In between, she provided two goal assists with an elite turn-and-kick lace-out pass to Lakeisha Sheffield and clean hands to set up Aprille Crooks in the third term. Turner is developing into a genuine multi-faceted forward threat, and this was the performance that made the case most compellingly.

#14 Maya Fuller (Wing)

Stats: 16 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Fuller’s best performance of the season by a significant margin, and a vindication after a couple of quieter rounds. Finishing with 16 disposals, four clearances and four tackles reflected a genuine two-way wing dominance, and her clean spin and handball off in the third term and a well-judged low kick to half-forward in the final term were her most composed individual moments. The pressure acts late in the game – great tackles to force a turnovers and relentless contest pressure without earning a potential free kick – showed the work ethic has always been there.

#35 Caitlin Hardin (Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

A typically combative performance from Hardin, who spent much of the day in a direct battle with Isobel Kuiper through the middle and competed fiercely at every contest. The seven tackles reflected her defensive commitment even when Kuiper was getting clear at times, and her clearance out of the defensive side of the wing and clean kick in the second term were the moments where her best came through with the ball. Four clearances is a strong return given the attention she was operating under all day. The competitive intensity never wavers.