THE SANFLW League returns from its bye with a full slate on Saturday, and with the competition’s picture sharpening by the week, Round 5 – which is off First Nations Round – promises to deliver. Woodville-West Torrens sit atop the ladder as the only undefeated side after a dominant opening month, while Norwood’s resurgent start has raised genuine eyebrows – three wins from four – and South Adelaide are looking to reassert their top-two credentials. Below them, barely a handful of points separates the chasing pack. There are stories everywhere.

ROUND 5 FIXTURE:

Sturt vs. Central District | Thomas Farms Oval, Saturday May 23, 9:20am
Norwood vs. North Adelaide | Coopers Stadium, Saturday May 23, 12:40pm
South Adelaide vs. West Adelaide | Magain Stadium, Saturday May 23, 3:50pm
Glenelg vs. Woodville-West Torrens | Stratarama Stadium, Saturday May 23, 5:00pm

SEASON SO FAR

Sturt have been the competition’s great nearly-team through the first month. Three of their four results have been draws or losses by the barest of margins – an opening draw with Woodville-West Torrens, a Round 2 victory over Glenelg, another draw with West Adelaide in Round 3, and then a gutting last-kick defeat to South Adelaide in Round 4, Hope Taylor‘s match-winner denying them a third draw of the season. The Double Blues are a better side than their 1-1-2 record suggests, but they desperately need to turn those near-misses into wins before the season slips away.

Central District have endured a similarly frustrating start. The Bulldogs drew with Glenelg in Round 4 – a match they dominated for long stretches yet couldn’t convert – giving them just one win from four outings. The wider context is promising: Olivia Leslie has been sensational in her debut SANFLW season, and the forward line carries genuine intent through Tesharna Maher and Lauren Breguet. The scoreboard, though, has not matched the effort.

CHANGES

Sturt have named a settled side with no significant changes from their Round 4 loss. Central District bring in Kirra Tonkin and Jovanka Zecevic as the named inclusions, freshening a side that showed plenty in their draw with Glenelg.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

Sturt’s academy representation is quite strong this year, headlined by Madeline Nuss, who has been a revelation in her debut SANFLW season, kicking two goals in three of her first four appearances – a forward with an eye for goal who will be worth monitoring as the season matures. Skout Young is a top-age prospect to watch, while Lily Whiteman has class for next season.

For Central District, Miyu Endersby continues to build an impressive portfolio as arguably the best young ruck in the state. The National Academy member collected 31 hitouts in Round 4 and has been a reliable dominant force every week. Olivia Leslie‘s start to her senior career has been exceptional — 21 disposals and seven marks from the back half in Round 4 — and she is establishing herself as a genuine prospect from the 2027 crop. Charlotte Maurits is amongst the best of the 2027 talents as well, while Demi Holloway plays her role in the front half each week.

PREDICTION

Both sides need a win badly, and that desperation should make this an engrossing contest. Kuiper’s dominance will again be Sturt’s most important factor, and if the Double Blues can convert their typical inside-50 opportunities more cleanly, they have the game to win comfortably. Central District’s forward line is dangerous and the ruck contest between Endersby and Millie McCarthy will be fascinating. Sturt’s run of hard luck must end eventually – and it may well be here at Thomas Farms.

SEASON SO FAR

Norwood’s 2026 season has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the competition. After a difficult 2025, the Redlegs have rediscovered their form under Ben Hunt, winning three of their first four matches – including a two-point thriller over North Adelaide on ANZAC Day – to sit second on the ladder. Lani Cocks has been the standout player of the season through the first month, and a 37-point demolition of West Adelaide in Round 4 confirmed that Norwood’s form is no fluke.

North Adelaide, meanwhile, have been the season’s great disruptors. Their shock six-point upset of South Adelaide in Round 3 announced the Roosters as genuine contenders, and while they fell to Woodville-West Torrens in Round 4 – a match they actually led by 27 points at quarter time – their ability to push the best sides in the competition to the wire shows a squad with real fight. Amber Ward‘s 18 hitouts and 18 disposals in that loss showed just how much she contributes when given the opportunity.

CHANGES

Norwood have been hit by a trio of significant outs for Round 5. Charlee Brooksby misses with an ankle injury — a notable blow, given her form through the first four rounds with her flat penetrating kick and aerial reliability from the wing. Emma Clark (foot) and Lottie Almond (omitted) are also out, with Emily Bartsch, Amalie Innes and Lana Schwerdt coming into the side. North Adelaide lose Zara Molloy (unavailable) but bring in young gun Isabella Beaumont among three possible inclusions.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

The absence of Brooksby makes this an even more important week for Cocks, who has shown why she is one of the classiest youngster going around. With Brooksby missing, Cocks’ run and class becomes even more pronounced, while she will will rove to Kate Alexander and alongside Elke Cameron who are both top-age prospects.

For North Adelaide, Polly Turner in attack is a genuine prospect who showed her contested marking quality in Round 4. Alongside Turner, Caitlin Hardin in the midfield has been a consistent performer all season and is another SA Academy member who will push for a senior AFLW opportunity in coming years. Maya Fuller continues to improve off a wing for the Roosters.

PREDICTION

The absence of Brooksby and Clark is meaningful, but Norwood have the depth to absorb it – and Cocks alone provides the X-factor to win games from the contest. North Adelaide will arrive at Coopers Stadium without fear after pushing the Eagles to the wire last round and stunning South Adelaide the week before. Molloy’s absence removes one of their most potent long-range options, which hurts. Expect it to be a nail-biter.

SEASON SO FAR

South Adelaide enter Round 5 having bounced back from their Round 3 shock loss to North Adelaide with an important last-kick win over Sturt, Hope Taylor drilling the match-winner in the dying seconds. The Panthers sit at 3-1 on the ladder and have the talent to challenge the Eagles for top spot. Layla Vizgaudis‘s 29-disposal, nine-clearance, two-goal outing in Round 4 was one of the performances of the season, and Emma Charlton‘s 10 clearances alongside her provided a midfield engine that few in the competition can match.

West Adelaide have had a competitive but inconsistent start under new coach Shane Pill, their results a mixed bag. Their shock loss to WWT on ANZAC Day – with Klaudia O’Neill kicking six goals – was followed by more competitive outings, though the Bloods have yet to fully hit their straps. Emily Mableson remains their headline act, and on her day she is the most technically polished prospect in the 2026 class.

CHANGES

South Adelaide welcome back a number of potential inclusions including Madison Brown, Doreena Hansen, Tamika May and potential debutant Jaidee-Lee Shortridge, while Taryn Vizgaudis (unavailable) and Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap (omitted) are out. West Adelaide lose veteran Adrienne Davies to injury with Sarah Campbell, and debutants Zara Downes and Poppy Lea added to the squad.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

This is the marquee draft showcase match of the round. South Adelaide’s trio of Vizgaudis, Charlton and Hope Taylor represent arguably the strongest Academy contingent in the competition. Vizgaudis’ ability to carry the ball from congestion and make clearances look effortless is a standout trait, Charlton’s engine and cleanness at stoppages makes her a contested beast, and Taylor’s forward craft has produced clutch moments all season. Marley Tape provides further depth as a composed 2027 prospect down back.

West Adelaide’s answer is Emily Mableson, a National Academy midfielder who’s a technically polished prospect with a high football IQ. Chelsea Newitt is another top-ager in the forward half worth keeping tabs on for this year.

PREDICTION

South Adelaide is the stronger side on paper, and at home at Magain Stadium they will be hard to beat. But West Adelaide with Mableson running free through midfield are capable of spoiling the party – the Bloods have genuine talent and Pill’s new structures have been showing incremental improvement. The Panthers’ midfield trio of Vizgaudis, Charlton and Taylor is simply a class above what most sides can offer, and the depth additions this week add further flexibility. South Adelaide to win, but West Adelaide should be competitive for three quarters.

SEASON SO FAR

Glenelg’s season has been defined by heartbreak. Still winless in four rounds, the Bays have nonetheless collected a draws thanks to a remarkable three-goal-in-three-minutes burst in Round 4 that drew them level with Central District, only for the potential match-winner to be intercepted late. Glenelg have talent in its ranks. Georgie Fielder has been a standout all season, and Asha Dufour‘s clearance work and Kiana Lee‘s forward craft give them genuine weapons.

Woodville-West Torrens, though, represent exactly the kind of challenge a winless side dreads. The Eagles are the competition’s only undefeated team – 3-0-1 through four rounds – and their defeat of North Adelaide in Round 4 confirmed that their opening-round draw was the anomaly, not the rule. Tahlita Buethke (28 disposals, five inside 50s in Round 4), Alice Tentye and O’Neill give WWT a matchday trio that has proven almost impossible to contain.

CHANGES

The significant news for Glenelg is the absence ofFielder with an ankle injury – a serious blow. Fielder had 23 disposals in Round 4 and has been the Bays’ most consistent performer all season. Brooklyn Kraft and Astrid Gooley are also omitted, while Lucy Armitage, Eloise Mackereth, Charlotte O’Sullivan and Kiahni Russell are included. Woodville-West Torrens lose Maia Freemantle (concussion protocols) and Brianna Walling (ankle), bringing in five inclusions including Amie Blanden, and potential debutants, Lucy Farnsworth and Anika Tran

DRAFT PROSPECTS

Eagles’ Julia Faulkner and Lucy Moore provide fantastic two-way abilities with their offensive impact and defensive pressure, while athletic Ruby Lynch continues to shine in what is a very talented group of potential future AFLW prospects.

For Glenelg, the loss of Fielder will hurt, but the run of Tori Evans complemented by the spark of O’Sullivan up the other end still means plenty of exciting youngsters for the Bays. Maya Vonarx also showed promising signs on debut.

PREDICTION

Fielder’s absence is enormous. The Bays were already the underdogs in this matchup, and the job is made all the more harder. WWT have not lost a game this season for a reason, and while Glenelg’s resilience means they will compete for three quarters, the Eagles’ class should tell in the end.