BOTTOM-AGE talent Emma Charlton has already been a name to remember for next year’s AFLW Draft, but the 17-year-old stood up on the biggest of stages over the weekend when she won best on ground in South Adelaide’s premiership win. The midfielder was incredible around the ball and set up numerous scoring plays, while providing vital extraction from congestion.

The sister of Crows-listed star Teah, Charlton has similar evasive techniques and does not shy away from the contested elements of the game. Her consistency in 2025 has been phenomenal, and the young star showed it with a unanimous 15-vote best on ground as judged by the panel for Sunday’s SANFLW Grand Final against Woodville-West Torrens.

PLAYER FOCUS:

2025 SANFL Women’s – Grand Final:
South Adelaide 6.5 (41) def. Woodville-West Torrens 2.6 (18)

#25 Emma Charlton (South Adelaide)
Stats: 26 disposals, 3 marks (1 contested), 7 tackles, 10 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 5 rebound 50s, 1 behind, 110 AFL Fantasy points

FIRST HALF

Emma Charlton started on-ball, a role she would spend throughout the game and as she so often does other than resting forward on occasions. Charlton’s first touch was an effective kick to Emily Brockhurst – the first of many to her South teammate – but after running past for the handball receive unluckily turned it over at speed.

Charlton hit up Brockhurst again when throwing it on the boot from defence, while covering the ground exceptionally well, laying a tackle on Adelaide Crows-listed midfielder Christina Leuzzi inside 50. She would have a few touches in the first term, but her second quarter would be where Charlton really got going.

Her first touch of the second term came off half-back and despite being felled after kicking it two minutes into the match, managed to hit Brockhurst effectively. She would slow a smart and quick ability to dispose of the ball be it under pressure or otherwise, and even had a couple of tricks.

In the fifth minute, Charlton cleanly took the ball inside 50 and sidestepped an opponent by selling some candy, only for her kick to be smothered. Able to follow-up her work just about every time, Charlton began racking up the ball throughout the quarter, winning a number of clearances and transitioning the ball from inside to outside.

Her quarter was highlighted by a strong contested mark on the wing, then lovely low kick to Demi-Lee Braun down the ground. When marking inside 50 less than two minutes later, she looked inboard and while she cleared the initial target she aimed for in the corridor, had Lauren Clifton sliding in to mark. Clifton went back and slotted the goal, and South went into half-time with a commanding lead and Charlton best on ground.

SECOND HALF

Charlton started the second half like she had the first with ball in hand. A free at the first centre clearance showed the Eagles were well aware that she was dictating the game, and the bottom-ager took advantage of the free to kick effectively to half-forward. Her next few touches came in the forward half as she continued to attack relentlessly.

Less than two minutes into the quarter, Charlton attempted a checkside from the pocket though the attempt was too narrow and registered the one behind. However a minute later, the South Adelaide star set up another goal with a terrific burst at half-forward, bounce and then delivered to a loose Hope Taylor in the pocket 20m out.

Under pressure for her last couple of disposals for the term, Charlton was still well on top around the midfield as South were 20 minutes away from another premiership. That individual brilliance from the number 25 rolled into the final quarter when Charlton absorbed body contact to lock the ball up and reset inside the defensive 50 early in the term.

After a couple of touches in the opening few minutes, a lot of Charlton’s major involvements came late as she was running many others off their feet. She won the ball in the middle off the handball receive in the 16th minute but was tackled and turned the ball over. Soon she went back in the marking contest to bring it to ground then laid a bone-crunching tackle on Olivia Evans, flipping her in the process.

Charlton started to feel the effects of a long game when – after winning a holding the ball free against fellow teenager Maia Freemantle – had begun cramping from the tackle. Called to the bench to sit out the last little bit, the South Adelaide talent opted to remain on, and instead won another couple of touches. It was fitting her kick from the wing to half-forward was one of the last disposals in the match as the siren sounded to sign South Adelaide’s fourth flag in club history.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Emma Charlton is on our shortlist for top 10 prospects in next year’s AFLW Draft. Alongside injured teammate Taya Maxwell, the Panthers look likely to potentially have two of the top 10 in 2026, while Layla Vizgaudis is also in that first round mix, making it a massive year for South Adelaide’s draft talent.

Charlton is one of a number of successful youth prospects from the Panthers, as South Adelaide eyes off becoming the first SANFLW side to complete a three-peat in the competition. While her state league season is done, watch for the bottom-ager to have an impact for the Croweaters across the next two weekends as South Australia concludes its national carnival against Queensland and Vic Country.