ROUND 7 of the SANFLW arrives on a Queen’s Birthday long weekend, with a number of the competition’s premier young talents called up to AFLW Academy and All Stars duties, the selectors across the competition have been forced to dig deep into their lists. Woodville-West Torrens remain the benchmark at 5-0-1, while South Adelaide, stripped of Layla Vizgaudis and Emma Charlton, face a genuine test of their depth at Stratarama. The round opens on Saturday morning and closes on a Queen’s Birthday Monday at Thomas Farms.

ROUND 7 FIXTURE:

North Adelaide vs. West Adelaide | Revo Fitness Oval, Saturday June 6, 9:20am
Glenelg vs. South Adelaide | Stratarama Stadium, Saturday June 6, 12:00pm
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Central District | Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Saturday June 6, 5:00pm
Sturt vs. Norwood | Thomas Farms Oval, Monday June 8, 9:20am

SEASON SO FAR

North Adelaide (3-3) has re-established themselves as a genuine finals contender after three wins from its past four games. The Roosters’ efforts last week against Sturt were made harder than expected – the Roosters led 4.2 (26) to 0.6 (6) deep into the final term before Sturt mounted a late charge, with Georgia King and Ruby Cunningham kicking back-to-back goals to make things uncomfortable before North held on. The Roosters carry real confidence into this one.

West Adelaide (1-1-4) has been through a difficult run. The Bloods’ sole win of the season came way back in Round 2, and last week they managed just three behinds against Glenelg at Stratarama in wet and difficult conditions – a chastening result that head coach Shane Pill will be demanding a response to. The absence of Adrienne Davies through suspension hurts a forwardline that was already thin, and the Bloods need a strong performance here to arrest what is becoming a concerning slide.

CHANGES

North Adelaide welcomes back Zara Molloy – one of their most dangerous long-range threats – alongside Teagan Robins and Shannon Thompson, with Abbie Player the only omission. A settled, confident squad.

West Adelaide are without Davies (suspension) and Emily Mableson – called up to AFLW Academy duties – as well as Tiana Fernandez (injured). The loss of Mableson is enormous; she has been their best player all season and the fulcrum of everything they do through the midfield. Scarlett Blethyn, Georgie Pater and Phillipa Worthley come in, with Zoe Venning shifting to carry an even heavier midfield burden in Mableson’s absence.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

Caitlin Hardin has been North Adelaide’s standout Academy member, and her 18-disposal, four-tackle, three-clearance, four-inside-50 return in the win over Norwood in Round 5 was the kind of all-round line that puts a player firmly on AFLW club radars. Polly Turner up forward brings contested marking quality to a side that relies on her to provide the aerial option, and her skills make her a unique prospect in this year’s draft.

West Adelaide’s has the sole State Academy member in Chelsea Newitt, who moves into a more prominent role with Mableson absent. The top-ager has been quietly building across the season and this is the opportunity to step up and lead the side’s attack. Venning’s 29-disposal, eight-clearance effort in the wet last week was a reminder of what she is capable of, and she will need to repeat that kind of output in the absence of her midfield partner.

PREDICTION

Mableson’s absence is the defining selection storyline of this game. She has been West Adelaide’s best player across the season, and without her, the Bloods’ midfield loses its most dynamic and clean mover. North Adelaide with Molloy back and genuine confidence from two consecutive wins should be too strong at home at Revo Fitness Oval, though West Adelaide’s competitive spirit and Venning’s capacity to carry a game mean this will not be a walkover.

SEASON SO FAR

Glenelg (1-1-4) finally broke through for its first win of the season last week, defeating West Adelaide 3.10 (28) to 0.3 (3) in miserable conditions at Stratarama Stadium. The Bays were disciplined and hard-nosed in the wet, with Deni Varnhagen kicking two goals up forward, Isla Wiencke and Cassie McWilliam controlling the midfield, and the defensive structures holding West Adelaide to a single behind for three terms. The confidence of that win, combined with home-ground advantage at Stratarama, sets up an intriguing contest.

South Adelaide (4-2) were strong for most of their six-point loss to WWT last week – fighting back from a 20-point deficit to come within a straight kick at the final siren – but arrive in Round 7 in dramatically different shape. The called-up absence of Vizgaudis and Charlton removes two of their best players, with Madison Brown‘s concussion adding further to the depleted stocks. On paper, this is the most vulnerable South Adelaide has looked all season.

CHANGES

The headline is South Adelaide’s absences. Vizgaudis and Charlton depart for AFLW Academy – a combined loss of 49 disposals, 13 clearances and 11 inside 50s on last week’s numbers alone – alongside Brown (concussion). In come a raft of inclusions: Nikki Nield earns her first potential opportunity in the starting 21, stepping into the centre alongside Melissa Anderson and Olivia Evans in what is a significantly reshuffled midfield. Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap, Lily Dunstall-Bruce, Jordann Rugless, Jaidee-Lee Shortridge and Zali Trenorden also come into the squad. There are potential debutants amongst that group, but we await the final team.

Glenelg welcomes back Asha Dufour from her injury – a significant boost and the return of their clearance engine and co-captain – with Lucy Armitage the only out (hand).

DRAFT PROSPECTS

With Vizgaudis and Charlton away, the South Adelaide draft watch shifts to Hope Taylor as the top draft prospect to watch, and she will carry a heavier workload than at any point this season. Taylor’s seven-tackle, goal-scoring effort in the wet last week showed her capacity to contribute when conditions stripped back the cleaner aspects of her game, and she will be the Panthers’ most important player on Saturday. Marley Tape in defence provides further Academy interest, though she returned from a knock early last week and her full availability is worth monitoring.

For Glenelg, Dufour’s return is the story – the co-captain has been missed enormously in her two-week absence, and her Round 4 return of 22 disposals and seven tackles showed what she brings as the Bays’ clearance heartbeat. Kiana Lee in attack and Tori Evans – who has been building with confidence each week – are the other names to watch, with bottom-aged Evans having made her case over the past fortnight.

PREDICTION

South Adelaide is the better side across the board – but are without Vizgaudis and Charlton. The Panthers have the depth to absorb one absence; absorbing both simultaneously, plus Brown’s concussion, is a different proposition. Glenelg at Stratarama with Dufour back, carrying the confidence of last week’s win and the crowd noise of a first victory, will be no easy opponent. The Panthers’ experience should be enough to get over the line, but do not be surprised if the Bays push this deep into the final term.

SEASON SO FAR

Woodville-West Torrens (5-0-1) is the runaway competition leader and produced arguably the Eagles’ finest performance of the season came last week against South Adelaide, racing to a 20-point lead in the first 25 minutes before surviving a fierce Panthers fightback to win by six points. Alice Tentye (30 disposals, eight tackles and four clearances) and Lucy Moore (20 disposals, nine clearances and six inside 50s) were outstanding, and the emergence of Anika Tran as a genuine on-ball force – 13 disposals, seven tackles and four clearances in her second game – adds another weapon to an already fearsome arsenal.

Central District (1-1-4) have been unable to string wins together despite some impressive individual performances. Norwood survived a late Dogs comeback last week – Lauren Breguet and Charlotte Maurits kicking back-to-back goals to hit the front midway through the final term – before Baker and Walker steadied for the Redlegs. Izabella Nisbet won the SANFL Breakthrough Player award for her 22-disposal, nine-tackle effort and is fast becoming one of the most exciting Academy names in the competition.

CHANGES

Woodville-West Torrens welcomes back Maia Freemantle from concussion protocols alongside potential inclusions Lucy Farnsworth, Chanel Rugari and Felicity Ward. The notable absentee is Ruby Lynch – called up for AFLW All Stars duties after her increasingly impressive season – a loss that removes one of their most dynamic on-ballers. Tahlita Buethke moves to the forward flank as Klaudia O’Neill pushes to the forward pocket, with Tentye and Moore anchoring the midfield.

Central District lose Miyu Endersby to the AFLW Academy – a significant blow to both their ruck stocks and their experiment of deploying her as a forward marking target – leaving Charlotte White to continue as the primary ruck. Tashayla Corfield comes in; no other listed outs.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

With Lynch absent, WWT’s Academy focus narrows to Moore, Tran and Julia Faulkner. Moore was outstanding last week – nine clearances and six inside 50s in the wet is elite output – and she is rapidly building a body of work that justifies serious draft consideration. Tran’s emergence as a genuine midfield contributor in just her second senior game is one of the stories of the round, and her athleticism and contested intensity suggest a ceiling that is difficult to put a cap on. Faulkner remains a consistent presence whenever she takes the field.

For Central District, Nisbet takes centre stage as the Academy player to watch with Endersby away. Her Round 6 return of 22 disposals and nine tackles was the performance of a player determined to make her mark, and against a WWT midfield that will again be formidable — even without Lynch — she will need every bit of that energy. Olivia Leslie continues to build her case from the half-back flank, Maurits off the bench brings forward craft that can produce moments even in games that get away from her side, while the likes of Demi Holloway and Amalia Musolino have their moments.

PREDICTION

The Eagles are an overwhelming favourite at home, and even without Lynch their midfield remains the best in the competition. Central District will compete – the Dogs always do – and Nisbet’s determination to impose herself will make for compelling watching against the Eagles’ contested machine. But WWT’s combination of Tentye, Moore, Tran, Buethke and O’Neill is simply too much for a Dogs side missing their own best player in Endersby. The Eagles to extend their unbeaten run.

SEASON SO FAR

Sturt (2-2-2) came agonisingly close to defeating North Adelaide last week at Thomas Farms – trailing 4.2 (26) to 0.6 (6) early in the final term then Georgia King and Ruby Cunningham kicked back-to-back goals to cut the margin to eight points, before the Roosters held on. The Double Blues are a hard side to beat at home and their depth, as evidenced by a six-goal response that nearly completed a stunning comeback, is not to be underestimated. Isobel Kuiper and Madeline Nuss remain the spine of everything they do.

Norwood (4-2) bounced back strongly from their Round 5 loss with a gritty win over Central District last week, 7.1 (43) to 5.3 (33). Jade Halfpenny and Lani Cocks were the standouts, and Ashley Baker‘s multiple-goal return steadied the Redlegs when the Dogs threatened to hit the front late. However, Cocks departs this week for All Stars match in Melbourne – a significant loss that removes Norwood’s most dynamic young onballer.

CHANGES

Sturt lose Claudia Edmonds to an ankle injury but bring in six inclusions — Erin Conn, Madeline Fitzgerald, Aaliyah Fox, Zina Hunt, Saskia Kellaway and Alex Pearce – suggesting the coaching staff are keen to use the Queen’s Birthday fixture as an opportunity to extend their depth with the game still three days away.

Norwood loses Cocks, but Under 18s Best and Fairest winner Mia Wood comes into the midfield, and Lottie Almond, Isabella Calvanese, Sharmaine Crosby and Amalie Innes also come in. It is a meaningfully different Norwood without Cocks running through the guts, and the Redlegs will need their experienced senior players to absorb her absence.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

Sturt bottom-ager Lily Whiteman produced one of her best games of the season in last week’s loss, while goal-scoring forward Nuss continues to build a quietly extraordinary season – eight goals in six games is a remarkable record for a debut SANFLW campaign.

For Norwood, the absence of Cocks opens up the question of who steps up. Wood is a natural talent, while Elke Cameron will look to find more of the ball in close and Kate Alexander providing them both with first possession. Abby Klaebe has been a revelation from defence, earning the SANFL AAMI Rookie award last week for her 13-disposal, seven-rebound-50 effort.

PREDICTION

A Queen’s Birthday clash between two top four sides keen to play finals football. Without Cocks, Norwood is a different side – but the Redlegs are also a settled, experienced group with the quality across the ground to cover for one absence. Sturt at Thomas Farms is never easy, and its depth additions this week suggest the Double Blues intend to make a statement. Sturt to edge a tight one on Monday morning.