BOTH winning up first in the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships, South Australia returns home to host the Allies who hit the road for the first time in the 2026 national carnival. The Croweaters have been able to include a talented top-ager returning from injury, while the Allies have also added a star prospect around the ball to try and go to 2-0.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Sunday, June 21
Time: 11:00am (local) | 11:30am (AEST) | 9:30am (AWST)
Venue: Alberton Oval

TEAMS:

South Australia:

B: Marley Tape – Olivia Leslie – Tori Evans
HB: Caitlin Hardin – Ruby Lynch – Emily Mableson
C: Charlee Brooksby – Emma Charlton – Lily Whiteman
HF: Lucy Moore – Polly Turner – Demi Holloway
F: Madeline Nuss – Isabella Beaumont – Elke Cameron
R: Miyu Endersby – Lani Cocks – Maia Freemantle
INT: Chelsea Newitt – Julia Faulkner – Hope Taylor – Layla Vizgaudis – Maya Fuller

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Allies:

B: Ashleigh Barlow – Rose Bell – Alana Fraser
HB: Charlotte Tidemann – Emma McCallum – Aurelia Russell
C: Frances Walsh – Matilda Lange – Isla Judd
HF: Evie Ward – Ava Horneman – Evie Bingham
F: Kayla Ilett – Majella Day – Emma Haley
R: Morgan Stevens – Evie Bowie – Zoe Curry
INT: Marika Carlton – Evie Henley – Layla May – Peggy Rock – Lolita Savala

Note: Rough starting lineup based on team named

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CHANGES

South Australia:

IN: Charlee Brooksby
OUT: Sharmaine Crosby

Allies:

IN: Zoe Curry, Emma McCallum
OUT: Lauren O’Sullivan, Jordan Davis

KEY MATCHUP

Emma Charlton (South Australia) vs. Matilda Lange (Allies)

The contest that everyone is looking forward to after the prospect top pick contenders were dominant in their respective side’s wins. Charlton looms as a pick one contender in 2026, with Lange the favourite for 12 months time. While the latter has the extra size, Charlton tackles with ferocity as both provide similar skills and smarts around the contest and can influence big games like very few others. The winner of this battle will likely get their side on the front foot.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Australia:

South Australia’s midfield depth is enviable, with bottom-age pair Lani Cocks and Maia Freemantle and the likes of Lucy Moore and Caitlin Hardin able to roll through there at difference stages. The Croweaters got on top early last week, put the foot down and never looked back in a 57-0 first half. The way each player compliments the rest of the team is terrific, with the likes of Julia Faulkner and Elke Cameron terrific at half-forward, and Emily Mableson showcasing her skills and smarts coming off half-back.

The underrated aspect of the Croweaters is the speed they have out of defence which wasn’t really needing to be on show in Round 1. Olivia Leslie takes the game on, Tori Evans has explosive speed and Ruby Lynch loves to run as well. Miyu Endersby should have a field day in the ruck, but when she drifts behind the ball she can intercept cleanly and take off as well. The class of Charlee Brooksby on the wing will further strengthen the home team as well. When getting the ball inside 50, the likes of Madeline Nuss (four goals last week), Chelsea Newitt (two) and Polly Turner will stretch the Allies defence.

Allies:

Fortunately for the Allies, they also have a midfield that will test the title favourites. Lange is the headline act despite being a bottom-ager, but with Zoe Curry making her return, it means the Allies have two genuine elite clearance players. Then there’s Evie Bowie, Aurelia Russell and Evie Ward, all of whom know their way around a stoppage and can provide the clean ball use extracting from the inside to the outside. Curry’s inclusion means all three will likely spend time off different flanks or even the wing at times, though Frances Walsh is secured on one wing with another strong first-up performance in Round 1.

From defence – which will be tested even more than up in Blacktown – Emma McCallum comes into the side, likely replacing Lauren O’Sullivan. It also means that the Allies are going to roll the ultra-athletic Morgan Stevens in the ruck. While Stevens has an enormous leap, she will be undersized in the role, but the thought process is likely what she offers post-hitout where she can use her bigger body around the stoppages in a secondary ball-winning role more effectively than O’Sullivan and Jordan Davis who are more aerial players than groundlevel ones. Having Majella Day up front certainly helps with a dominant target who will give the defence some headaches, while Ava Horneman always looks lively as well.

WHERE THE GAME IS WON

It is a fascinating battle between two sides who have some similar running and athletic players, as well as natural contested beasts. Day is the best forward on the ground, so if the Allies can get on top around the ball and get it inside 50, it is hard to deny they are a real danger side. However, like last week they will almost certainly concede the hitout when Endersby is in the ruck, which means the role Stevens or equivalent plays will be fascinating.

The Allies have the talent to match it with the Croweaters, and though not quite the depth, do have the best squad they have pieced together in the carnival’s history. They’d love to have their couple of stars in Grace Tracey and Darcie Prosser-Shaw available which would make it even more intriguing, but winning it at the coalface and making good decisions forward of centre is key. The South Australians almost always do, so the defence will have its work cut out, while for the Croweaters, it is just sticking to the task and having another fast start to keep the game on their terms.

PREDICTION:

South Australia on home turf as the title favourites should be too strong. It will be a really great contest around the ball and both teams have serious threats up forward, and there will be no room for dropping off the intensity during the match. The Croweaters look primed to return the trophy back to Adelaide this year, though you can never discount the Allies who are the dark horses this season.