{"id":220225,"date":"2026-08-18T08:17:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T22:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=220225"},"modified":"2026-08-18T08:17:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T22:17:48","slug":"halfpenny-crowned-sanflw-best-and-fairest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/08\/18\/halfpenny-crowned-sanflw-best-and-fairest\/","title":{"rendered":"Halfpenny crowned SANFLW Best and Fairest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NORWOOD captain Jade Halfpenny<\/a> has capped a career-best SANFLW campaign by claiming the 2026 SANFLW League Best and Fairest Award amongst a flurry of accolades at Adelaide Oval last night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halfpenny polled 27 votes to finish clear of Sturt\u2019s Isobel Kuiper<\/a> (23) and Woodville-West Torrens\u2019 Alice Tentye<\/a> (22), becoming the second Norwood player to win the medal after Najwa Allen<\/strong> in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Redlegs skipper collected four maximum-vote games across the count, polling three votes in Rounds 3, 5, 6 and 11. She also earned six two-vote and three one-vote performances, underlining the consistency behind her first league best and fairest triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halfpenny was one of the competition\u2019s most prolific ball-winners throughout the minor round, averaging 26.9 disposals, 8.4 tackles, 5.9 inside 50s and 4.8 clearances across 14 matches. Her ceiling was on show against West Adelaide in Round 4, when she amassed 41 disposals, eight clearances, eight inside 50s and six tackles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medal rounded out a memorable night for Halfpenny, who won the Coaches Award, Leadership Award and was also named ruck rover and captain of the 2026 SANFLW Team of the Year. Her fifth selection in the side came as Norwood\u2019s three representatives also included exciting youngsters Coby Morgan<\/a> on a wing and Lani Cocks<\/a> on the interchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Woodville-West Torrens had a major presence in the Team of the Year after securing a second consecutive minor premiership. The Eagles supplied four players to the 21-player side – headlined by centre Tentye and full forward Klaudia O\u2019Neill<\/a> – while Narelle Smith<\/em><\/strong>\u2019s selection as coach took the club\u2019s overall representation to five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tentye\u2019s rise was recognised twice, with the 20-year-old midfielder also taking out the 2026 SANFLW Breakthrough Player Award. The Mount Gambier product averaged 26 disposals, 9.4 tackles and 4.1 clearances in eight Eagles games before joining Adelaide\u2019s AFLW list as a Replacement Player. Her nomination came after a Round 2 performance of 23 disposals, five marks, eight tackles and one goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O\u2019Neill, who was selected at full forward, collected the Leading Goal Kicker Award after booting a record 33 minor-round goals. Eagles defender Annie Falkenberg<\/a> was named vice-captain of the Team of the Year, with Tahlita Buethke<\/a> completing the Eagles\u2019 quartet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All eight SANFLW clubs were represented in the Team of the Year, with Sturt boasting four players and North Adelaide, Norwood and South Adelaide each supplying three. The official 21-player selection and the confirmed award recipients are listed below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SANFLW Best and Fairest Top 5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Place<\/th>Player<\/th>Club<\/th>Votes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Jade Halfpenny<\/td>Norwood<\/td>27<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Isobel Kuiper<\/td>Sturt<\/td>23<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Alice Tentye<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>22<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Zoe Venning<\/td>West Adelaide<\/td>21<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Lani Cocks<\/td>Norwood<\/td>17<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 SANFLW Team of the Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

B: <\/strong>Alexandra Ballard (Sturt) \u2013 Annie Falkenberg (Woodville-West Torrens) (vc)
HB: <\/strong>Ella Metcalfe (North Adelaide) \u2013 Jamie Parish (North Adelaide) \u2013 Tahlita Buethke (Woodville-West Torrens)
C: <\/strong>Coby Morgan (Norwood) \u2013 Alice Tentye (Woodville-West Torrens) \u2013 Holly Ifould (South Adelaide)
HF: <\/strong>Zoe Venning (West Adelaide) \u2013 Amber Ward (North Adelaide) \u2013 Melissa Anderson (South Adelaide)
F: <\/strong>Madeline Nuss (Sturt) \u2013 Klaudia O\u2019Neill (Woodville-West Torrens)
R: <\/strong>Soriah Moon (South Adelaide) \u2013 Jade Halfpenny (Norwood) (c) \u2013 Isobel Kuiper (Sturt)
INT:<\/strong> Iilish Ross (West Adelaide) \u2013 Lani Cocks (Norwood) \u2013 Miyu Endersby (Central District) \u2013 Georgia Swan (Sturt) \u2013 Isla Wiencke (Glenelg)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach: <\/strong>Narelle Smith (Woodville-West Torrens)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coaches Award<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/th>SANFL CLUB<\/th>VOTES<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Jade Halfpenny<\/td>Norwood<\/td>93<\/td><\/tr>
Isobel Kuiper<\/td>Sturt<\/td>76<\/td><\/tr>
Lani Cocks<\/td>Norwood<\/td>67<\/td><\/tr>
Zoe Venning<\/td>West Adelaide<\/td>60<\/td><\/tr>
Alice Tentye<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>57<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading Goal Kicker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/th>SANFL CLUB<\/th>TOTAL GOALS (MINOR ROUND)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Klaudia O’Neill<\/td>Woodville-West Torrens<\/td>33<\/td><\/tr>
Amber Ward<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>17<\/td><\/tr>
Madeline Nuss<\/td>Sturt<\/td>17<\/td><\/tr>
Hope Taylor<\/td>South Adelaide<\/td>14<\/td><\/tr>
Georgia King<\/td>Sturt<\/td>14<\/td><\/tr>
Polly Turner<\/td>North Adelaide<\/td>13<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentions<\/span><\/span><\/div>