Meet the players to watch this SANFLW season
New players, new coaches – this coming SANFLW season is shaping up to be an intriguing one. Meet the players to watch from your local club when the competition starts next month.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Daughter of North great set for SANFLW debut
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
THE SANFLW season is just two weeks away and this year it promises to be intriguing with plenty of changes, including three new coaches and players moving from the state league to the AFLW.
Messenger News spoke to each coach to identify the players to watch in 2020.
Get to know those at your local club to keep an eye on as seven other teams attempt to knock two-times reigning premier South Adelaide off the perch.
CENTRAL DISTRICT:
■ Shelby Smith
Smith is the daughter of ex-Central skipper Greg Smith, and a tough inside midfielder.
The 26-year-old, who arrives at the kennel from Adelaide Footy League women’s team Eastern Park, will add plenty of experience to what will still be a relatively young on-ball brigade at the Bulldogs.
Football is in Smith’s blood.
Her father played 94 VFL with South Melbourne/Sydney and Collingwood and lined up in 100 SANFL matches with the Bulldogs, winning their best and fairest in 1988.
Stream over 50 sports live and on demand with KAYO SPORTS. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
■ Madison Kalleske
Kalleske comes from Angaston and played in the Barossa Light and Gawler Football Association.
She is returning to her best after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament two years ago.
The 24-year-old will be the Bulldogs’ No. 1 ruck this season and, like Smith, adds to some depth and experience to the side after it finished 2019 bottom of the table with plenty of youngsters.
GLENELG:
■ Lucy Armitage
The midfielder is a lot fitter and a lot stronger heading in to this SANFLW season.
Armitage was challenged at the beginning of pre-season to take her game to another level.
Coach Jason Fairall said oppositions should “watch out” for Armitage as she prepares for her second season with the Tigers.
“We kind of said to her that if we are going to improve as a club we needed someone like her to improve her game organically,” Fairall said.
“We needed her to be a bit more driven and motivated.
“She’s fitter, stronger and more determined which is great.”
■ Sam Franson
The 20-year-old midfielder is also preparing for her second SANFLW season after featuring in 11 games last year.
Fairall said Franson had shown plenty of improvement over winter after developing a better understanding of her role.
Last season, Franson booted six goals, averaged 11.4 disposals per game and 2.4 clearances.
She can also be used as a forward and takes a strong mark inside 50.
NORTH ADELAIDE:
■ Hannah Ewings
Ewings is just 16, but is expected to spend plenty of time mixing it with North’s senior women’s team this season.
The midfielder is from Whyalla and drives to Adelaide each week for training and games.
New Roosters coach Krissie Steen described Ewings as “elite” – and that was emphasised by the youngster’s inclusion in the Crows’ Elite Squad.
The rising star played eight out of 14 games for Adelaide Footy League women’s division one grand finalist SMOSH West Lakes in 2019.
But her skills were recognised after finishing in the second in the Dutscke Medal – the competition’s best and fairest award.
■ Ashleigh Woodland
Look out for the “Ash you’ve never seen before”, according to Steen.
Woodland returns to the Roosters after spending last year on Melbourne’s AFLW list and lining up in four games before being delisted at the end of the Demons’ 2019 campaign.
Her strength has always been her versatility, having started her career as a forward before being shifted to defence.
But she’s got a new role at North with Steen in charge – midfielder.
Steen did not want to give too much about what will make Woodland so important to North this year, saying “I want her to show it (her improvement) in round one.
“She’s got a big body and she can be an Anne Hatchard-type player.”
NORWOOD:
■ Alana Lishmund
Lishmund, a half-forward, is one of the younger players coming through the ranks at the Redlegs.
She featured with Hope Valley’s girls’ team in 2019 and represented SA in the under-16 side which beat Victoria Country by 10 points.
Lishmund is also a talented soccer player, having lined up with Campbelltown City’s senior women’s side.
New Norwood SANFLW mentor Chris Howie described Lishmund as a “mobile” defender.
“Because of her age we will look to give her an experience but she probably won’t play the entire season,” Howie said.
■ Jade Halfpenny
Halfpenny is another underage player who is in the SA under-18 state squad.
The athletic halfback played for Golden Grove in the Adelaide Footy League division three last season as well as in the Kookaburra’s under-18 team.
She won the club’s A grade ‘Player of the Finals’ award and was runner up in the under-18 best and fairest medal count.
Howie said Halfpenny’s attitude was second-to-none and he looked forward to watching her flourish when given an opportunity in the women’s league.
“Considering she’s come in from a junior squad, she’s done everything expected at training,” Howie said.
“Her attendance has been good and like Alana (Lishmund), she is happy to be given an opportunity without expectations.”
SOUTH ADELAIDE:
■ Czenya Cavouras
The premiership midfielder is now a train-on player with the Crows and the experience from a bit of pre-season with an AFLW club is looking like paying off for Cavouras.
Cavouras, who is entering her fourth year as a footballer, is aiming to take her game to new heights this year.
Her speed has always been her weapon but she’s also improved her agility and ball use over the past few months.
■ Layla Rogers
Rogers will make her debut with the two-time reigning premier this season after joining the club from Great Southern Football League’s McLaren Vale.
South coach Rick Watts has dubbed Rogers a “very skilful, quick, halfback” player who may be short but can use the ball well.
Rogers adds speed and a more mature, older head to South’s backline as the side attempts to win a third flag in a row.
STURT:
■ Jamiee Wittervan
Wittervan will make her SANFLW debut with Sturt this campaign after being recruited from Adelaide Footy League club Goodwood Saints.
She has a touch football and an athletics sporting background, and has impressed Double Blues coach Bruce Dawe over pre-season.
Dawe is expecting to have Wittervan split her time between the midfield and half-forward line.
“She’s exciting, has good speed and is strong and athletic,” Dawe said.
“She has a lot of attributes that will go well with playing SANFLW.”
■ Georgia Bevan
The former Adelaide Crow is back at Sturt for another campaign and will this year co-captain the Double Blues with Maya Rigter.
Bevan, who played in the Crows’ 2017 AFLW flag before being delisted, is said to be fitter and stronger than ever leading into this SANFLW campaign.
Last year, the 26-year-old midfielder averaged 16.2 possessions, 5.3 tackles and 5.3 clearances across nine matches.
Dawe said Bevan was ready to take her game to an even higher standard this year.
“She’s super-fit, her knowledge of football and her acceptance to take on the game plan and really work at it with the rest of the girls has been excellent,” Dawe said.
“The experience she can share with the rest of the girls is outstanding, so I am really looking forward to her being really consistent for us every week.”
WEST ADELAIDE:
■ Abbie Ballard
Ballard won the Bloods’ 2019 best and fairest and finished the league medal count sixth after averaging 16.5 disposals and 4.1 clearances across 10 games.
But there’s no signs of the 17-year-old midfielder slowing down.
New coach Mark Moody said he was “very excited” by Ballard’s performance over pre-season and in the two trial games earlier this month.
“Her work ethic on the training track is impressive and she’s listening and learning, trying to enhance her skills and match play,” Moody said.
■ Zoe Greer
Greer has crossed to West Adelaide from Norwood after lining up in six SANFLW games for the Redlegs last year.
Moody coached the 158cm midfielder at Adelaide Footy League women’s division one side Adelaide University and was pleased to have her playing for the Bloods.
“Her training has been outstanding,” Moody said.
“Her ability to work hard as well as her repeat efforts has been impressing us as a coaching group.”
WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS:
■ Steph Walker
Ex-GWS player Steph Walker has stepped back from leadership duties at the Eagles this season after skippering the side in its inaugural year.
And coach Tess Baxter reckons the decision has taken a load of Walker’s shoulders and helped her flourish over the off-season.
Walker claimed the 2019 Adelaide Footy League Women’s Dutschke Medal as the division one best and fairest player with Adelaide University and has been building for another SANFLW season.
Baxter said Walker will move into the forward line this year and spend less time on-ball.
“Steph has really improved in terms of the mental side of the game,” Baxter said.
“She was good for us last year but it was a challenging year being in a team that finished 0-10.
“She’s really stepped up and it’s (dropping the captaincy) has been really great for her and her skills are looking really sharp”.
■ Nat Ayesu
A former state netballer in Tasmania, Ayesu is the Eagles’ X-factor this year.
Although still raw, having not played a lot of football, she’s a tall key forward who can also move through the ruck and has plenty of spark.
Expect to see high-flying marks and tough one-on-one battles from Ayesu.
“I think what we’ll see from her is five minutes of real excitement, then maybe something simple as she’s still learning to execute,” Baxter said.
“But as we go on we will see more of the excitement and less of the learning from her.”