ONE OF South Adelaide and Sturt will take on Woodville-West Torrens in the 2025 SANFL Women’s Grand Final, with no turning back for the preliminary final loser on Sunday. South Adelaide has won both its clashes against Sturt comfortably this year, but run into the Double Blues at the peak of their powers, though the Panthers are still very clearly the team to beat in the do-or-die final.

NEED TO KNOW

Date: Sunday, July 20
Venue: Magain Stadium
Local Time: 12:00pm

FORM

Incredibly Sturt comes into the matchup in better form, having won three on the bounce including twice against North Adelaide and once against Woodville-West Torrens. South has of course run into the Eagles twice, going down in Round 14 to concede the minor premiership, and then by a point last week to utilise its double chance via the preliminary final.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

South Adelaide: 13
Sturt: 1

Aside from the Round 10 victory in 2022 when Sturt defeated South Adelaide by 15 points en route to a grand final, the Panthers have had the Double Blues’ measure. Of the 14 times they have played, South Adelaide has won, including the last six matches. Both this season have been by over 40 points, albeit they only came three weeks apart.

TEAMS

South Adelaide:

B: Tiffany King, Esther Schirmer
HB: Charlotte Dolan, Jaslynne Smith, Samantha Pratt
C: Emma Charlton, Melissa Anderson, Hope Taylor
HF: Tabitha Prosser, Lucy Northcott, Doreena Hansen
F: Emily Brockhurst, Lily Baxter
R: Soriah Moon, Caitlin Couch, Lauren Clifton
INT: Shae Archbold, Demi-Lee Braun, Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap, Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, Tamika May, Chloe Meyers, Marley Tape, Layla Vizgaudis

Sturt:

B: Tahlia Walker, Lily Whitcombe
HB: Sophie Thredgold, Hannah Prenzler, Isabella Drew
C: Skout Young, Georgia Swan, Lily Smart
HF: Sienna Fox, Georgia King, Monique Bessen
F: Millie McCarthy, Molly Fletcher
R: Jasmin Fejo, Isobel Kuiper, Alisha Gepp
INT: Ruby Cunningham, Claudia Edmonds, Gemma Grivell, Saskia Reynolds, Summer Ross, Gypsy Schirmer, Imogen Szegedi, Zara Walsh

CHANGES

North Adelaide:

In: Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap, Soriah Moon
Out: Nil.

Sturt:

In: Summer Ross, Gypsy Schirmer, Imogen Szegedi, Zara Walsh
Out: Lily Whiteman (Unavailable)

DRAFT PROSPECTS

Sturt has named hard-running wing Summer Ross who could return from the injury she sustained against Western Australia, and if fit would provide that two-prong State Academy wing combination with Lily Smart. The talented Monique Bessen was back to her best last week after a quiet Round 14, and will rotate through the middle and up forward. Sophie Thredgold will mostly play in defence but can roll on-ball to challenge the South midfield depth.

Last week Emma Charlton was arguably best on ground in the semi-final loss, while fellow bottom-ager Layla Vizgaudis can also create headaches for the opposition. Hope Taylor has her moments, while Marley Tape will play a key role in defence. National Academy member Lily Baxter will stretch the ground and provide smarts and decision making in transition to aide in South putting up a big score.

PREDICTION

It is hard to look past South Adelaide in the clash given the Panthers record over Sturt not just in history, but in particular this season. Given South has been clearly the second best side all year – and even challenging Eagles as the best at times, it would be surprising for the Panthers not to make the decider. However Sturt will be well aware it is the underdog and with that comes freedom and opportunity, so everyone will be hoping the Double Blues can make a better game of it than the two clashes in 2025 thus far.