THE second half of the SANFL Women’s season commences tomorrow with three games taking place across a huge Saturday of action. A few of the teams have lost some big names for must-win clashes with the battle for a top four spot well and truly alive.

FORM

Glenelg is still searching for its first win of the season despite a spirited early fight against the ladder-leading Eagles coming off a heartbreaking loss to Norwood the week before. The Bays come up against a Central District lineup that keeps yo-yoing in and out of the top four, but really needs to win this one to put pressure on Sturt who faces South Adelaide on Sunday.

TEAMS

Glenelg:

B: Ella Quinn, Elizabeth Johnson
HB: Mackenzie O’Dea, Ash Dyer-Pietsch, Marie Martino
C: Madisyn Freeman, Kiahni Russell, Samantha Franson
HF: Asha Dufour, Eloise Mackereth, Matilda Wilmore
F: Kaitey Whittaker, Charlotte O’Sullivan
R: Shaylee Dayman, Jessica Bates, Georgie Fielder
INT: Millie Clarke, Lauren Edwards, Astrid Gooley, Chloe Harding, Ellen Tyminski

Central District:

B: Elizabeth Wilson, Georgia Madigan
HB: Mikaylah Antony, Holly Tralaggan, Madison Lane
C: Karissa Searle, Jovanka Zecevic, Sophie Eaton
HF: Charlotte Maurits, Katelyn Rosenzweig, Tesharna Maher
F: Lauren Breguet, Alysha Healy
R: Miyu Endersby, Laitiah Huynh, Dakota Williams
INT: Tashayla Corfield, Tara Lord, Shannon Murphy, Shelby Raven, Caitlen Teague

CHANGES

Central District has not changed anything coming off that tough loss to South Adelaide heading into the match against the Bays, and while the Dogs go in unchanged, it is a different story for Glenelg. Two injuries – to marking players Cassie McWilliam (knee) and Tessa Davis (ankle) – means replacements up either end. The two chosen to come in are Astrid Gooley and Elizabeth Johnson.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

The debut of Charlotte O’Sullivan last week was one of the best four-disposal games you will see, not wasting a touch with some elite kicks and looking very lively in the forward half. She will look to build on that this week, while Georgie Fielder keeps ticking along nicely. It was great to see Eloise Mackereth finally get on the board last round which should give her confidence, while Matilda Wilmore will keep the pressure high in the forward half.

For the Bulldogs, Sophie Eaton turned in a performance with a more outside running role last week that suggested her form from the early rounds is returning, while Under 16s prospect Charlotte Maurits is getting better by the week. Miyu Endersby should have more of an advantage in the ruck this week, while Tara Lord is as versatile as they come.

PREDICTION

Central District should be too strong in this one. The injuries compounding Glenelg’s form already do not help, and while it feels like one of these days the Bays will click and kick-start their season, it will be a tough ask against a Bulldogs lineup that is pretty close, if not at, full strength. It will be a watch if Katelyn Rosenzweig has pulled up alright last week after hurting herself late in Round 6, but has been named for the game.

FORM

Searching for a win to try and breathe some life into their season, the Redlegs have definitely run into the Eagles at the wrong time. Woodville-West Torrens seems to be just flexing over the competition at the moment, so Norwood will need to rekindle its best form to try and quell the ladder leaders here.

TEAMS

Norwood:

B: Georgina Birchall, Ashlee Gould
HB: Lottie Almond, Emily Bartsch, Sophie Arkun
C: Coby Morgan, Sarah Branford, Kiana Lee
HF: Adrienne Davies, Sophie Armitstead, Emma Clark
F: Lana Schwerdt, Mykaela Walker
R: Kate Alexander, Jade Halfpenny, Shai Hiscock
INT: Candice Belbin, Charlee Brooksby, Sharmaine Crosby, Jazmine Egan, Amelia Rusden

Woodville-West Torrens:

B: Imogen Trengove, Audrey Holt
HB: Bianca Portaro, Kayleigh Cronin, Maia Freemantle
C: Annie Falkenberg, Kalliopi Gikas, Ashley Baker
HF: Amie Blanden, Klaudia O’Neill, Marlie Fiegert
F: McKenzie Dowrick, Julia Faulkner
R: Zahlia Niemann, Lucy Moore, Sophie Zuill
INT: Leah Cutting, Olivia Evans, Christina Leuzzi, Cheryllee Waters, Rosette Zerella

CHANGES

Woodville-West Torrens is humming along so nicely it has not needed to alter its lineup with the Eagles looking for eight straight against the struggling Redlegs unchanged. Norwood has copped a trio of unavailabilities for the match to make the task all that more difficult with Charli Hazelhurst (knee), Tahlita Buethke (ankle) and Georgie Jaques (work) all missing.

The Redlegs do welcome back dangerous forward Adrienne Davies for her first game in 2025 after returning from injury, as well as Georgina Birchall and bottom-age debutant Sharmaine Crosby named in the squad.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

One shining light in last week’s loss to North Adelaide for Norwood was second-gamer Lottie Almond who impressed off half-back. She will be looking for more of that as she presses her case for state selection. Kate Alexander will have an enormous challenge up against Leah Cutting without her backup Jaques in the team, while Charlee Brooksby will look to use her class off half-back.

Imogen Trengove kicked three goals last week and can really turn a match when she gets going. Midfielders Lucy Moore and Julia Faulkner, the latter of whom has played a fair bit forward have upside heading into next year’s draft, while Under 16s All-Australian skipper Maia Freemantle has proven she can play just about anywhere on the field.

PREDICTION

It is impossible to overlook the Eagles here. Norwood has the talent on paper, but the three key losses and the respective form lines, it would take a massive effort to get over the line here. The saving grace is it is at The Parade, so the Redlegs might be able to use that to their advantage.

FORM

North Adelaide enters the game in some nice form, having won three of their past four matches and has beaten some quality outfits. West Adelaide has dropped its past five games since winning the first two, but such has been the tightness in their losses, the Bloods actually have a higher percentage than the two sides above them in Sturt and Central District.

TEAMS

North Adelaide:

B: Lara Harding, Jamie Parish
HB: Ella Metcalfe, Laela Ebert, Lauren Hoffmann
C: Erin Sundstrom, Djimila Totham, Lauren Gauci
HF: Polly Turner, Zara Molloy, Aprille Crooks
F: Amber Ward, Sky Jensen
R: Jasmine Dallimore, Julia Clark, Ashleigh George
INT: Anja Bancevic, Sasha Hardin, Caitlin Hardin, Bailey Murray, Laura Niejalke, Libby Taylor

West Adelaide:

B: Madi Russell, Niamh Davis
HB: Tiana Fernandez, Emma Chapman, Kayla Mudge
C: Olivia Smith, Ruby Ballard, Paige Allan
HF: Chelsea Newitt, Georgie Pater, Lucy Waye
F: Chloe Tonkin, Nicole Hooper
R: Tess Huxtable, Hannah Button, Zoe Venning
INT: Sarah Campbell, Alana Lishmund, Emily Mableson, Molly Petersen, Philippa Worthley

CHANGES

North Adelaide has named an additional player for its squad prior to cutting down to the final 21, with Laura Niejalke and Libby Taylor coming in for Tiara Hatchard who is overseas. West Adelaide has also only made one change with youngster Chelsea Newitt replacing Ella Maxwell.

AFLW DRAFT WATCH

North Adelaide has really bounced back off a wooden spoon last year to be fit and firing this year with quite a few young guns leading the charge. Forward Polly Turner has the potential to break open games with her contested marking and powerful kick, while Caitlin Hardin has been a valuable addition to the midfield off an Under 16s campaign. Defender Bailey Murray plays her role off half-back each week.

For the Bloods, Lucy Waye is having a sensational season in that high half-forward role and will be a threat for the visitors in the match. Since returning from injury, ruck Chloe Tonkin has not missed a beat and is improving each week, while Emily Mableson remains a smooth-moving defender-midfielder who makes good decisions in transition.

PREDICTION

North Adelaide looks like the team to beat in this one, but there is something about West Adelaide. The Bloods continue to sniff around coming agonisingly close to victory, and if they can make more of their chances on goal, watch out. Expect a really tight contest with both defences coming to the fore.