ANZAC Day delivered a full round of SANFLW action with all four fixtures completed across the weekend, giving the state’s young talent another chance to stake their claims. We took note of how each of the State Academy members performed across the four games.

All notes are the opinion of the individual author.

>> ROUND 2: Recap | Player Focus

STURT:

#7 Lily Whiteman (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 5 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Limited opportunity with the ball but busy in the contest throughout. Four tackles from five disposals tells you where most of her energy went, and a stint battling with Asha Dufour in midfield through the third quarter – Dufour getting the better of a one-on-one at half-back – showed her willingness to take on a difficult defensive assignment. Her versatility around the ground is a clear trait even in quieter outings, and she does have that touch of class when winning it.

#21 Skout Young (Forward)

Stats: 2 disposals, 1 tackle

Young’s afternoon was cut short by a dislocated finger sustained late in the first quarter. Before exiting she had made her mark – a fantastic spoil in the forward pocket early in the first term denied what looked like an easy mark. One to monitor heading into Round 3.

#36 Madeline Nuss (Forward)

Stats: 9 disposals, 5 marks (1 contested), 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals, 2 behinds

The standout from Sturt’s State Academy contingent. Nuss delivered some genuinely exciting moments, most of them stamped with the instinct of a natural forward. Her first goal was a burst of energy – a handball receive, a sidestep past opponents and a composed finish from 15 metres. Her second was even better – a brilliant read of the play from 30 metres for a mark, then a calm set shot conversion. She also set up a goal to Summer Ross with a well-placed kick to space from the wing. Five marks, two goals and creative movement throughout – another great game to start her bottom-age campaign.

GLENELG:

#6 Georgie Fielder (Midfielder)

Stats: 21 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 2 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

Another strong performance from Fielder, who had 14 disposals by half-time and kept going. She found Kiana Lee twice by foot on the wing with well-weighted passes, and her inboard kick on the 45 in the second term showed excellent vision. The six tackles alongside 21 disposals reflects a player who competes at both ends – fierce in the contest even when penalised in the third quarter for holding – and six inside 50s is a strong return for a midfielder. Continues to build a compelling case as a genuine draft contender.

#18 Charlotte O’Sullivan (Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 clearance

A mixed afternoon inside 50. O’Sullivan provided a lead and a target throughout but couldn’t get clean boot to ball at key moments – run down trying to kick for goal in the first term, and dropping a forward pocket mark in the same quarter. Won a free on the wing in the fourth and converted cleanly to half-forward. The instincts are clearly there and she has sensational footy smarts; the execution is still developing.

#32 Tori Evans (Defender)

Stats: 9 disposals, 4 marks (1 contested), 2 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Evans delivered some excellent moments in defence. Her intercept mark on the wing in the third term was clean, and her positioning in the fourth quarter was excellent – marking twice and taking a composed grab on the last line to deny a quick snap on goal. The strong contested mark on the forward side of the wing late in the game was her best aerial moment, though the downfield free that followed led to the final goal of the game. A player continuing to build solid defensive credentials.

NORTH ADELAIDE:

#5 Polly Turner (Tall Forward)

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

Turner’s best moment came early – a mark inside 50, an immediate decision to play on and a clean goal from close range was exactly the kind of instinctive forward play she needs to produce more of. A strong contested mark in defensive 50 late in the first term showed her two-way value. She was pushed up the ground as Norwood dominated the midfield, which limited her time in her natural forward role. When given licence to present inside 50 she was a genuine threat, and her quick play-on at centre half-forward late to assist Zara Molloy was smart and selfless.

#35 Caitlin Hardin (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 goal

A strong performance from Hardin, who was consistently involved and made her presence count at both ends. Her goal in the first term was a highlight – quick hands out of the stoppage, a clean receive and a composed finish. She set up Laura Niejalke with a well-timed handball out of defence in the same term, and in the final quarter delivered a pinpoint kick to Molloy before driving the play forward to set up Teagan Robins for a goal from 35 metres. The full picture of a midfield contribution.

NORWOOD:

#8 Lani Cocks (Midfielder)

Stats: 20 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s

Cocks was one of the best players on the ground. A smooth mover with elite skills, Cocks is as hard without the ball as she is effective with it. She burst to dangerous positions from stoppages, delivered cleanly when she had the chance and locked up Turner in the defensive contest before winning a free kick shortly after. A driving force behind Norwood’s midfield dominance and one of the top prospects in next year’s AFLW Draft.

#14 Kate Alexander (Ruck/Forward)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark, 10 hitouts, 4 clearances, 1 inside 50

A reliable ruck presence who connected consistently with Cocks off her taps and followed up hard to win the second ball with four clearances to go with her 10 hitouts reflecting genuine intent. She gave away a downfield free kick in the second quarter with a late push after applying a great smother moments before, but was otherwise composed rotating forward during the match. Not a massive accumulator but expanding her game.

#18 Charlee Brooksby (Wing)

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Neat and tidy on the wing even though she’s had far bigger games. An intercept mark at half-back converted into a well-placed kick to the forward pocket was her cleanest passage, and her defensive pressure in the role was consistent. A set shot from the boundary late went narrowly wide to make it a two-point margin. Still ran hard and spread across the ground effectively.

#21 Elke Cameron (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 15 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s

Cameron was combative across all four quarters, with five tackles from 15 disposals reflecting a player who never stops working. Her best individual moment came early with a brilliant tackle that forced a holding the ball free and led directly to a kick inside 50. She was busy through the middle in all four quarters and effective with her quick dish-off style when under pressure. A couple of late-game attempts to find teammates inside 50 didn’t come off, but the consistency of effort throughout was notable.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

#9 Charlotte Maurits (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Maurits continued to show her creative best across multiple roles. Operating forward early and through the middle in the second term, she was at her sharpest with quick hands and forward instinct – lightning disposal inside 50, a lovely clearance off the left from defence, and a well-read intercept mark at half-back converted into a perfectly weighted kick to Tesharna Maher on the wing. Her standout moment was setting up a Shelby Smith goal with a deep kick from half-forward. Still the most exciting ball user in Central District’s young group.

#15 Olivia Leslie (Defender)

Stats: 15 disposals, 6 marks (3 contested), 4 tackles, 2 rebound 50s

A breakout performance in just her second SANFLW game. Leslie took a game-high six marks – three contested – and produced the defensive play of the day with a goal-saving tackle on Taylor at 12.5 minutes in the second quarter, denying a near-certain major from 25 metres. Her aerial work on the wing was a consistent feature, including a contested grab at 17 minutes and another at 20.5 minutes that led directly to a Smith goal. She was caught too far forward on Emily Brockhurst on a couple of occasions, but those are the growing pains of an attacking defender still learning the senior game. A really impressive afternoon. For the full breakdown, see our Player Focus.

#18 Demi Holloway (Forward)

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50

A quieter day by the numbers, but Holloway’s forward movement was purposeful when the ball arrived. A clever one-two running inside 50 in the second term showed her instincts around goal, and a clean gather and handball inside 50 in the final quarter gave Ella Randall a shot on goal. Limited opportunity, but made the most of it.

SOUTH ADELAIDE:

#8 Hope Taylor (Forward)

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 2 inside 50s, 3 goals, 1 behind

Three goals from nine disposals demands attention. Taylor was dangerous from the opening minutes and showed multiple dimensions as a forward – a composed set shot from 35 metres straight in front in the first term, a chest mark taken at the top of the goalsquare in the fourth and a brilliant snap that bent around the post from 20 metres showed both her aerial ability and creativity around goal. The one decision to note was a second-quarter chance where the handball to an open Brockhurst in the square was the right play and the kick wasn’t – but the forward instincts are clearly well ahead of her age.

#20 Layla Vizgaudis (Midfielder)

Stats: 25 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Vizgaudis was among the most productive midfielders on the ground, with 12 disposals by half-time and a consistent presence through all four quarters. She finds the ball cleanly at stoppages and moves it quickly – a centre clearance to the wing, clean hands off the deck and a handball on the siren under pressure were the highlights of her second term. Involved in some big tackles – both laying and receiving, but continued to battle on and was a standout for the Panthers. Four clearances and 25 disposals in a winning side is a strong return for the top-ager.

#60 Marley Tape (Defender)

Stats: 7 disposals, 2 marks (1 contested), 1 rebound 50

Tape was largely untroubled in the first half and made her most notable moment count in the third quarter – a juggled contested mark at half-back that led to a 25-metre penalty, followed by a composed kick down the wing. Tidy and effective when called upon.

WEST ADELAIDE:

#24 Chelsea Newitt (Forward)

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Newitt was busy across the entire ground, deployed a a high half-forward and even getting back into defence repeatedly in a display that reflected her developing role as a two-way runner. She marked cleanly in a variety of positions and applied four tackles to complement it. A third-quarter snap from 20 metres went narrowly wide – the main moment of frustration in an otherwise solid afternoon. Her willingness to cover ground in both directions – reminiscent of how Lucy Waye was used in 2025 – is a useful quality as she carves out her senior role. Always looks dangerous forward of centre.

#30 Sarah Deed (Forward/Midfielder)

Stats: 21 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s

Another highly productive performance from the bottom-ager. Deed started forward before moving on-ball in the second quarter and looked completely at home in the middle – a strong tackle to win a holding-the-ball free and a pinpoint pass to Newitt were early highlights, while a centre clearance driven deep inside 50 in the third and a composed composure late in the final quarter showed football maturity well beyond her years. Three clearances from a player who began as a forward reflects her natural midfield instinct. Firmly establishing herself as one to watch in the 2027 AFLW Draft.

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:

#4 Julia Faulkner (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 clearances

Faulkner’s influence was felt in the moments that mattered rather than in the volume, which is very much her way. Her standout contribution was a lofted kick to the edge of the goalsquare just before three-quarter time that set up a goal to Cher Waters – the kind of vision that typifies her forward instinct. She also won a holding the ball free on Newitt on the wing, showing her defensive pressure away from the ball. Had her usual midfield minutes when not forward, and always applies pressure even if not rewarded with official tackles.

#7 Maia Freemantle (Midfielder)

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 5 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Back from a Round 1 absence, Freemantle slotted straight into the midfield and was one of the Eagles’ most competitive players. Five clearances from 17 disposals is a strong return for a first game back, and she was hardest at the ball in several key moments – scrapping at ground level early, wrestling the ball free in the defensive half in the third and delivering a lovely kick inside 50 to set up a Marlie Fiegert free kick in the fourth. South Australia’s best-performing bottom-ager at preseason testing, Freemantle is primed for a massive year.

#15 Lucy Moore (Midfielder)

Stats: 22 disposals, 1 mark, 7 tackles, 3 clearances, 5 inside 50s

Moore was outstanding – arguably the best State Academy performer of the round. She accumulated the ball, worked hard defensively and also had plenty of impact going forward, setting up a number of goal assists or scoring chances.. A one-handed take in the second quarter led to back-to-back kicks to centre half-forward in the opening minute; leading to a goal to Jiarna Zerella. Her best moment came in the third quarter – winning the centre bounce cleanly and setting up a Fiegert goal – before adding another score assist late in the fourth through Klaudia O’Neill. An exceptional individual performance.

#36 Ruby Lynch (Midfielder/Forward)

Stats: 13 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

Lynch was busy around the stoppages with three clearances and four inside 50s, providing plenty of offensive impact. She showed a nice sidestep burst in the fourth quarter and worked hard at the contest, with a handball chain in the second term – breaking a tackle and releasing a teammate – her cleanest sequence. A useful contributor in a strong Eagles midfield performance and has some great upside given her size/athleticism combination.