AFTER a breakout campaign that saw previous non-finalists Woodville-West Torrens rise up to play in the SANFL Women’s Grand Final, Eagles coach Narelle Smith said the team is just focused on continuing the upward trajectory in 2026.

While the ultimate prize eluded them on the last day of the season when an experienced South Adelaide side won its second consecutive flag, Smith said the group were “chomping at the bit” to get back out on the field for the new year.

“It’s felt like a really long preseason for us to be honest,” Smith said. “We didn’t start till to mid-to-late November and then had a really solid break over Christmas and it just feels like it’s been a real slog with the sideways movement with our start date which has gone back about six weeks. “They’re chomping at the bit, ready to go so hopefully they come out firing.”

Changes to the state league pathway system with the AAMI Talent League Under 18s competition replacing the previous Development League, the Eagles senior squad list has been close to halved. Naturally all club lists are a lot younger with the change, though that is not too dissimilar to the way the Eagles had gone about their business in the past.

“I always lean towards having lots of Under 18 kids because I believe that’s where you get your most drive and development from that space,” Smith said. “Having to have it down pretty well between 18s and seniors has been unique so I’ve landed on a squad size of about 35 but that includes eight players that are currently playing Under 18s.

“We’re a bit light on for the start, but then it will really settle once the Talent League wraps up. Depending on how our Eagles’ Talent League side goes into finals, but the list feels really stable and steady even though there’s been some changes.”

On top of an already strong list, the Eagles have brought in state representatives Tahlita Buethke – a former Norwood and South Adelaide star – and Marie Martino – one of the best defenders in the competition out of Glenelg – to compliment the side. Additionally, Jiarna Zerella has followed in the footsteps of sister Rosette and landed at the Eagles, as has former Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels tall Jedah Huf who had most recently played for Kybybolite on the Limestone Coast.

While losing top-end midfield talents Christina Leuzzi (Adelaide, mid-season) and Imogen Trengove (Collingwood, AFLW Draft), the club boasts plenty of depth and the next group of young guns is ready to make their mark.

Players such as Lucy Moore, Julia Faulkner and Ruby Lynch all represented the South Australian Under 18s program last season, with Moore and Faulkner rotating midfielder/forwards and Lynch the ultimate tall utility.

“I’d really like to get Faulkner a really good balanced mix of mid and forward,” Smith said. “If she were to be touted as a draftee for AFLW she’s probably going to play as a small forward to start with rather than cracking into a mid.

“Lucy Moore will roll through the mid and we’ll try and get her some forward minutes, but she’s really taken the next step. She’s in fabulous physical condition and in a really good place mentally.

“Then Ruby Lynch, she can obviously chop out in the ruck, but moving forward I don’t think she’s probably quite tall enough to be AFLW full-time ruck. “Maybe under the new rules where you can jump because she’s got a fabulous leap and really long arms, but we’ll probably leave her forward most of the year just to work on her forward craft before she hopefully gets drafted later in the year.”

The other top-age player in the Under 18s summer squad is fellow ruck Lucy Farnsworth, who has been impressing through the AAMI Talent League.

“I’m really happy with Lucy,” Smith said. “She’s really applied herself really well in Under 18s and she’s got a senior contract so later on in the year depending on whether she plays state, she will just be ready training really hard, ready for her opportunity. “Physically she’s getting stronger, and she’s really quite tall because she can play ruck, forward, back. “She’s an exciting prospect and we’ll see how that all unfolds for her.”

As for 2027, Woodville-West Torrens boast one of the best juniors in the country in the form of the ultra-versatile Maia Freemantle. Just a few years removed from helping develop Shineah Goody, Freemantle is of similar high calibre, and Smith is excited for what she can produce over the next two seasons.

“Maia can play everywhere,” Smith said. “We had her on the wing, behind the ball, in the mid, forward, she can play anywhere. “I think the difference probably between Goody and Freemantle is Goody was living in the country so she was having to do a lot of training on her own, and sometimes you don’t learn how to do weights properly until you’re actually in a program, so that might have a point of difference between them.

“Playing wise, Maia is one of the strongest athletes I’ve ever seen for her age. “She turns 17 this month so she’s incredible aerially, powerful around the contest, beautiful skills, can kick whatever type of balls are required, she can kick it. “She’s something very, very special and she will be drafted, it’s just a matter of how high she goes in the draft for me. “She’s a very, very unique player.”

While having so many experienced Under 18s players might sound great for the AAMI Talent League, Smith said she “never” gave it a thought about including the names above – other than Farnsworth – given they were cemented in the League side.

“They’re going to be challenged and developed more playing seniors and the other part of that lense for me is it actually takes away because I’ve got Lynch, Faulkner, Moore, Freemantle and Cleo Simpson who’s unfortunately out with a bit of shin awareness at the moment, but those five League players are pretty established League players and so for me to take away five positions within the Under 18 Talent League squad, it takes away the development piece for me below.

“For me, that competition’s not really about winning, it’s actually about introduction to a high-performance and an introduction to a higher level than amateur’s and you can’t get an experience if you can’t get a go. “For me it was never about winning, it was about development piece of the Talent League program.”

Looking ahead to the season which kicks off this weekend, Smith said the message and gameplan was still “pretty process driven” and the team was just focused on what it could do internally to get better and put out consistent performances each and every week.

“We’re just trying to stay focused, stay within our little zone and make sure that we put our best foot forward and just play within our team systems and hopefully the results will take care of themselves,” Smith said. “Sounding a little bit cliche, but it’s just more about remaining within the process that we know works, and we understand that other teams are always going to try and catch you after you have a good season, and we just really want to become consistent. “Every time you put on an Eagles guernsey you know how we want to play.”