NORWOOD and Central District broke respective losing streaks, as Woodville-West Torrens and South Adelaide continued their dominance at the top of the SANFLW ladder. Several National Academy members made their return to the competition for Round 6, while others made their debuts and we took note of how each of the State Academy members performed.

GLENELG:

#6 Georgie Fielder (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 9 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s, 5 rebounds

Was the pick of the Glenelg State Academy members, running hard across the ground through the midfield. She took advantage of the fact Jess Bates spent more time forward, getting her hands on the ball and thriving in the wet. She has a nice defensive attitude to her game, and while kicking forward was tough to find a target, her skill by hand to feed the ball out was very good. Fielder’s nine tackles showed she was up for the fight as well.

#9 Eloise Mackereth (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals

It was another tough night for Mackereth who returned from the National Academy match to a night which was far from ideal for marking forwards. She is so strong aerially, but is still developing a way to impact outside the contest, with the Glenelg top-ager naturally gifted and covering plenty of ground, just unable to impact in the conditions.

#19 Matilda Wilmore (Forward)

Stats: 2 disposals, 3 tackles

The conditions were more suited to a player of Wilmore’s style, with her defensive pressure at ground level once again a highlight. She is not a huge ball-winner and as a forward in a game that was largely played between the arcs or intercepted inside defensive 50, she only had the couple of touches. A positive with a really good spoil in the third term to bring the ball to ground inside 50.

#33 Tessa Davis (Defender)

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

Started the game with a great smother in the middle and then shortly after gathered it and kicked long inside 50. Like many entries for both sides, it was intercepted, but Davis’ intent was there. She continued to clear the ball from the back 50 as she has all season, working incredibly hard to occasionally rack up multiple disposals in one possession chain.

NORWOOD:

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck)

Stats: 4 disposals, 1 tackle, 20 hitouts, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Another who the conditions did not suit, but Alexander still tried hard across the ground and got first hands to it often to finish with 20 hitouts. She had a nice clearing kick from defence early in the game, but her best work was done in close to the contest.

#18 Charlee Brooksby (Defender)

Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50, 6 rebound 50s

Her class in the conditions shone through, often getting free in the back 50 and using it well down the ground. While one-on-one she can get nudged off it, her offensive drive is superb, and she is ver effective with ball in hand. Her first term was huge and she starved off a stack of Glenelg attacks, and then showed she was switched on in the third quarter tackling Asha Dufour when the Glenelg player tried to sidestep her on the mark. Brooksby hurt her shoulder later in the match after it got twisted in a tackle.

#39 Charli Hazelhurst (Utility)

Stats: 12 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

The definition of utility, Hazelhurst started forward, was quickly thrown back, and then went into the midfield where she arguably spent the most dame. Winning six clearance from 12 touches, she consistently extracted the ball when on the inside, and while still developing her midfield craft, worked hard for the Redlegs and was one of the better players by the end of the night. One particular clearance off half-back found a leading Kiana Lee down the ground.

#54 Lottie Almond (Defender/Wing)

Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles

The debutant came on after starting on the bench to go to half-back where she applied important pressure to the opposition. Composed with ball in hand, Almond moved further afield with a switch to the wing in the second half, and even took a good mark at the top of 50 with her long-range kick just falling short and rushed across the line. Held her own on a tough initiation and showed some promising signs.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#3 Lucy Waye (Forward)

Stats: 20 disposals, 6 marks (1 contested), 6 tackles, 2 inside 50s , 1 rebound 50, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Was one of the more productive Bloods on the ground, working hard from start to finish, but particularly after quarter time. She had a few chances that she missed, but her one long-range set shot was right on target and reward for effort. Aside from one missed handball that cost a goal, Waye was able to impact the game and try and drive the ball forward with a balance of speed on the ground and strength in the air.

#4 Emily Mableson (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 15 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 rebound 50

Smooth as per usual, Mableson presented around the ground as a distributing option, running hard between defence and midfield. She won an important centre clearance early in the second term to get it forward, then was found mopping up in the back half later on. Clean hands at ground level and a great defensive attitude, the bottom-ager continued her consistent year.

#14 Chloe Tonkin (Ruck/Forward)

Stats: 17 disposals, 4 marks (1 contested), 22 hitouts, 3 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

The towering utility played an attacking game on Saturday, moving from the ruck to be a forward option as well, then holding space as a kick behind play. The amount of intercepts she took during the second half kept West in the game as Tonkin continued to drive the ball inside 50 with her booming kick. She set up a number of teammates and while they did not always convert, Tonkin did all she could.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#3 Miyu Endersby (Ruck/Defender)

Stats: 7 disposals, 3 marks (1 contested), 4 tackles, 34 hitouts, 2 inside 50s

Going head-to-head with the stronger Tonkin, Endersby used her leap to win the hitout battle with 34, and while she did find a bit of the ball around the ground, the points still went to Tonkin. Endersby spent time at half-back too in her intercepting role, and she kept a high line at times to keep the pressure high.

#9 Charlotte Maurits (Forward)

Stats: 3 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Didn’t see a lot of it in her second League game with some other young guns returning to the forward half of the ground. Late in the final term Maurits delivered a precise pass inside 50 to a leading Rosenzweig and buzzed around with her elite tank even if not rewarded with touches.

#12 Sophie Eaton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 15 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 behind

A return to form for the talented National Academy member who was busy through the first half before being quieter in the second half. She got involved across the field, winning it around the contest and most often out in space. She still has further levels she can get to, but was able to find her creativity and put the ball into dangerous spots throughout the match.

#31 Tara Lord (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 7 disposals, 1 mark, 8 tackles, 2 clearance

Also making a return in the match following concussion protocols, Lord was mostly known for her defensive work in the game, playing forward and getting up the ground at times. Possessing quick hands, Lord roamed up and down the forward half with a high-level tank. She had a chance at one stage after sneaking inside 50 to mark, but her deep kick was intercepted by Tonkin in the goalsquare.

#54 Mikaylah Antony (Defender)

Stats: 11 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

Coming in for her first SANFLW game of the year after a hip complaint, Antony showed some promising signs off a match with the All Stars the week before. Antony stood up under pressure in the back half and provided some crucial rebound, and while often under pressure, did well with ball in hand more often than not. Even took some kickouts too.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#4 Julia Faulkner (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 8 disposals, 6 tackles

After being dropped last week, Faulkner made her way back into the team for her second game and showed once again she could handle the speed of the competition. Starting on the bench, once she came on in the seventh minute she won an immediate touch in close with was a clean handball out to a teammate. Her disposal was effective and her defensive pressure was superb in a promising return game that will hold her in good stead for the future.

#7 Maia Freemantle (Wing)

Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s

It was a less involved game for the South Australian Under 16s star who kept running up and down the wing, but just was not always rewarded or did not have the ball fall to her on occasion. She did still get her hands on it, particularly in the second half with her defensive coverage of knowing when to dart back and protect the open goalsquare a noticeable highlight. She was clean and effective when she did win the ball and her renowned pressure was still there.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 16 disposals, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 1 rebound 50

The bottom-ager has become a reliable clearance player and that was the case again taking on the Roosters. She sometimes rushed her possessions when under pressure, but showed nice strength to shrug a tackle or get her hands free to dish off more often than not. Without the ball, her run-down tackle in the third term was a highlight, and with any time and space she hit targets down the ground.

#22 Imogen Trengove (Forward)

Stats: 18 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Showcased that elite tank of hers with a hard-running performance once again. Though she was often tightly guarded both around stoppages and in transition, she would often get her hands to it cleanly before being tackled immediately. Her sole set shot went out on the full, but she set up a couple of scoring opportunities going forward and was quick and clean by hand. Trengove finds pockets of space through sheer work rate, surging forward.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#3 Bailey Murray (Defender/Midfielder)

Stats: 7 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle

Though most of her time was spent in defence with a job, Murray got her opportunity on-ball during the third term where she went head-to-head with Moore at the centre stoppage. Not known for huge numbers, Murray did have a couple of great highlights including shrugging a tackle on the wing to handball cleanly away with a slick turn, and then being able to bring the ball to ground against the far taller and stronger Leah Cutting.

#5 Polly Turner (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackle, 2 inside 50s

It was a strange game for Turner who normally has velcro hands but dropped quite a few grabs she would take in her sleep. Her follow-up work and defensive pressure for a tall was still great and her ability to get her hands free when tackled is a highlight of the former basketballer’s game. Her game understanding is still a work in progress but her form this year has been really promising.

#11 Lucy Reddaway (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50

A classy type who had Bianca Portaro for company for the most part, she worked up and down the ground and used the ball well from limited opportunities. Her smarts lead her to present at half-back, pretend to cut it off then produced a second lead for her teammate. Not a big game, but buzzed around and offered herself as a forward half option.

#35 Caitlin Hardin (Midfielder)

Stats: 18 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 7 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Already in her second game and playing on some of the competition’s best midfielders, Hardin did not just try and nullify an opponent, but won her fair share of the ball as well. She cracked in and racked up the clearances, applied defensive pressure and was clean when in close. She has the traits to play across multiple lines, but her knack for taking it in congestion and extracting it to the outside is a strength of hers.

STURT:

#4 Summer Ross (Wing)

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

Ross returned to a more permanent wing role against the Panthers having rotated between that and up forward. She covers the ground so well and has a lovely left-foot kick that can hit targets going forward. At times under pressure she can be a little rushed, but has a terrific defensive attitude to go and win the ball back. A pretty solid game all-round from the top-ager.

#16 Monique Bessen (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 21 disposals, 4 marks (2 contested), 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 6 inside 50s

After representing the National Academy, Bessen started on the bench before coming on and winning a quick clearance going inside. While not winning other clearances, she did her best work on the outside or being the extraction option for her teammates where she could use her class going forward. Bessen took a juggling mark inside 50 in the first term and set up a teammate for a shot, then took a great hanger midway through the second quarter as well. Importantly played a real four-quarter game and was arguably Sturt’s most impactful player.

#17 Sophie Thredgold (Midfielder)

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50

Won the opening centre clearance by hand up against Charlton, and tried to create her own space throughout the match even if she was mobbed by South players time and time again. Her explosiveness out of the contest was on show for the first centre bounce of the second term, and while not winning a heap of it, did catch the eye with some nice moments. Thredgold did not win easy touches, but the balanced inside-outside prospect worked hard for her disposals.

#25 Edwina Thornquest (Forward)

Stats: 4 disposals, 2 marks, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Came to the party in the second term when clunking a good mark in space 25m out from goal and putting through a much-needed major for their side. She did present as a marking target throughout the game, though was starved of opportunities after half-time. Unlucky not to be paid a mark – instead it was a free kick – right before the three quarter time siren which would have been a second goal.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#8 Hope Taylor (Forward/Wing)

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

Really like what she has brought to the Panthers the last couple of games since coming into the side. She looks clean, uses the ball well and has nice finishing skills as evidenced by her interception and goal on the run in the second term to give her side a nine-point buffer. She does all the team things such as blocks or shepherds, and then with ball in hand uses the pill effectively. Played a more attacking style this week starting half-forward and then rotating onto the wing.

#19 Taya Maxwell (Utility)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 6 hitouts, 3 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Was due for a quieter game and that’s what happened in this one, particularly through the first half. It was a case of others just winning the ball instead, but after a one-touch first half, had seven in the second and started to get her hands on it a little more. Had her moments at times, and won a few important clearances, but also went behind the ball with it rarely down there to provide added context.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Like Maxwell had a quiet first half with just the three touches despite working hard around the stoppages. She picked up a little in the second by using her evasive skills to create space for herself and then deliver nicely downfield. One such play was a delightful kick inside 50 to Baxter during the third term.

#25 Emma Charlton (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 9 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 behind

The best of the South contingent in the match, Charlton was enormous with her defensive pressure all across the ground and when in tight. She was able to remain balanced to get a kick away even when having little time or space and she still managed to sneak into space at times to be an option at half-forward. Though rushed a little more as the game went on, her work to weave through traffic and put the ball into advantageous positions was noticeable.

#56 Lily Baxter (Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s, 1 behind

Played in that forawrd role once again and had a few ‘almost moments’ where she opted to pass off to a teammate or take the extra time and got caught, but still contributed in the Panthers’ win. Her pressure inside 50 and up the ground was a key to her game to go with her natural attacking flair, and she hit up Charlton inside 50 early in the fourth term with a pinpoint pass. Baxter also set up a goal to Shae Acrhbold and just missed an early chance with an outside of the boot shot.

#60 Marley Tape (Defender)

Stats: 5 disposals, 1 mark (1 contested), 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Had a job to do on the taller Thornquest at one stage to produce a great body spoil when up on the wing, then took a great juggling mark at half-back on Ruby Cunningham and cleverly switched play. While Tape did not win a heap of it, her nullifying role is not exactly a possession-friendly one and she continues to do her job and shut down opponents consistently.