SFL Women’s 2025: Key players to watch from Premier and Community teams
The Southern Football League 2025 women’s season is only several rounds in but the contenders have already started to emerge from the pack. We break down the key players for every side.
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The 2025 Southern Football League women’s season is only a few rounds in, but early contenders are already beginning to separate themselves from the pack.
With momentum building and ladder positions starting to take shape, we take a closer look at the standout performers from each club so far and the key players who could shape their team’s campaign.
SFLW Premier League
Clarence
Rachael Archer
Position: Centre Half Back
Rachael has completed a full pre- season for the first time in 4 years and has started the season well.
Jemma Webster
Position: Midfield
Jemma won the best & fairest last year and has started the season well averaging 22.3 disposals per game and 6.3 clearances.
Ella Wagner
Position: Half Back Flank
Ella has worked hard on her body strength over the pre -season and she has started the season well. (named in the best players 2 out of 3 games)
Heidi Preshaw
Position: Midfield
Young player who started the season well coming up from the u18, averaging 21 disposals per game and 4 clearances.
Glenorchy
Stacey Schultz
Position: Midfielder
Stacey is a fierce competitor that runs through packs and continuously puts her body on the line. She’s known to take incredible marks and can also be very handy up forward with a beautiful kick for goal.
Arielle Cannell
Position: Midfielder/CHF
An emerging star of the competition only recently played her first senior game but has incredible game awareness and attack of the football. Very clean skills and a booming kick that offers great entries into the forward line. A very hard worker that has already demonstrated she will excel in this sport.
Rhianna Davis
Position: Full back
Rhianna is a general down back. Sets up the backline and is known for her intercept marking ability. Attacks the football at full pace and makes it difficult for any forward player to have a free run at the football. Is a really good reliable shut down player.
A player that has stood out this season:
Brandi Sokolski
Position: Half forward/midfielder
Brandi has had a fantastic start to season 2025. Creates amazing forward line pressure and bashes and crashes when she runs through the middle. Smart with her decisions and rarely turns over the ball. Another reliable member of our team and someone that puts in 100% effort always.
North Hobart
Grace White
Position: Centre Half Forward
Grace has had a terrific start to the year and her fitness level has improved form last year. Her strength is in the marking contest and over head in particular with the ability to move the game on, bring others into the game and or to finish with a goal has been impressive.
Angelica Clarke
Position: Midfield
After an outstanding 2024 campaign, Angelica has reached new heights in her footy with her ability to run out the game this year and apply that determined will to win the footy across 4 quarters no matter what the stage of the game. Some new structures around centre clearances has seen Angelica’s impact on the game develop further.
Madi Lamb
Position: Midfield
Madi has a ferocious appetite for the footy, her explosive pace and fitness sees her as an important cog in the midfield whether for the hard ball get or running wide handball receive.
Jemma Percey
Position: Forward
Moving over from Lauderdale to North Hobart in the off season, Jemma’s pre-season has been enormous. Has had an immediate impact with her best option footy approach to bring others into the game has been a highlight, along with her natural ability and goal sense.
Kingborough
Matilda Lange
Position: Midfield
Physically strong, can kick off both sides of her body, great tank for running and is the under 16s state captain and just named as an all-Australian.
Perri King
Position: Midfielder
Defensive beast, great at winning the hard ball, a tackling machine and ability to push for a contests and second efforts and formerly on the Kangaroos AFLW list.
Molly Mitchell
Position: Forward
Small crumbing forward who can play midfield, very talented footballer who can kick some freakish goals, a strong in and under player with a great tank as well.
Agnes Sakina
Position: Winger
Stepped up from Div 3 a few years ago, always looking for more opportunities, regularly seeks feedback, she is a winger who has played through the midfield due to injuries, has been winning a lot of possession but her tackling pressure and one per centers are her key highlights of her game.
Lauderdale
Emma Waller
Position: Midfielder
Emma is leading from the front as this year’s Captain – she has a great physical presence, excellent leadership and is confident and skilled at clearing the ball from stoppages. Will only get better as the season progresses.
Sophie Wheeler
Position: Wing/Forward
Sophie joins the Bombers with over 250 games under her belt. She is quick, smart and has excellent skills, both around the contest and on the run. She is dangerous around goals and will continue to showcase her skills as the season goes forward.
Lara Sims
Position: Backline
Lara has stepped up to Div 1 this year and joins the Bombers’ backline. She attacks the ball hard, has a penetrating and accurate kick out of defence, and for a small player has a big tank and gives hard physical pressure. A great on field leader.
Evie Ward
Position: Midfielder
Evie has joined our senior team from U18s, and has had a blitzing start to the season. 2 games for Lauderdale, 2 for the U18 Coates Talent League, featuring in the best in 3 games, and SFLW player of the week in R3. Evie is a possession getter, hard physical tackler and clean disposer. Very handy around goals and not afraid to take on the competition. A star in the making.
SFL Community League
Claremont
Natalie Smedley
Position: Midfield
The 2024 Cara Brooke Medallist (Div 2 best and fairest) is a player to watch not just for the Magpies but for the competition as well.
Katie Stanford
Position: Utility
A very experienced player, we know what we are going to get from her week in and week out and can play all over the ground.
Bianca Hollingsworth
Position: Defender
In just her second year of footy, she has picked up the game really quickly and continues to want to learn more and more about it to improve her game going forward.
Nat Curtis
Position: Player/coach
A veteran of the sport, but this year has taken on the role as midfield coach, her ability to help coach but also lead from the front when she goes in there as well.
Dodges Ferry
Hannah Scott
Position: Midfielder
Our captain leads from the front with her attack on the ball. Hannah has a fantastic work rate and doesn’t mind a contest.
Ellie Macleod
Position: Midfielder
If there is a pack you will find Ellie at the bottom of it trying to get the ball out to one of our running players. Every team needs in and under players willing to put their bodies on the line and Dodges is glad we have Ellie.
Jordyn Ward
Position: Defence/Forward
Jordyn’s first season with the club has started strongly. A great mark who doesn’t mind kicking a goal when forward but also stopping a goal when in defence. A true utility player willing to play anywhere.
Leah Fennessy
Position: Defence
Leah has had a great pre-season really showing great improvement. A very reliable defensive player who you know will put a lock down on her player and they will know they have been in a contest.
Huonville
Maya Lamprill
Position: Centre Half Back
Second year at the Huonville Lions. Maya is a strong attacking backman, her kicking skills
is just one of her strengths.
Mollie Ford
Position: Midfielder
Mollie is the Huonville Lions Women’s team captain. Mollie is a hard in-and-under midfielder.
Airlee Lawson
Position: Winger
Airlee is a talented player she started down back but with her speed and skills with the football saw her change to a wing position this year.
Emma Groves
Position: Centre Half Forward
Emma is an experienced player who can win a game off her own boot. Emma is a past B & F winner. Also has great footy smarts.
Hutchins
Brooke Miller
Position: Half forward/winger
Young, talented, tall, quick, great skills and very Scott Pendlebury like with movement in traffic, only 19 years old.
Mia Giles
Position: Midfielder
From the Gold Coast – getting better and better as she gets used to the pace of the competition. Very quick and hard at the footy.
Mimosa Middleton-Miller
Position: Midfielder
Improving all the time, quick, gets a lot of the footy, hard at it, very passionate, loves her footy.
Lindisfarne
Mena McLeod
Position: Midfielder
Mena’s explosive burst from a pack is second to none. She creates space and opportunity in any position she is played in. She has a strong set of skills which makes her so versatile all around the ground.
Gabriella Lee
Position: Ruck
Gab is our tall, strong ruckman who gives those second and third efforts which really opens up the game. She fights all game long all around the ground, and her big kick often finds its way into our forward line.
Elena Gaffney
Position: Winger
Gaff is our little pocket rocket who runs up and down the wing, sometimes even sneaking forward for a goal. She gets thrown around a bit but it just fuels her to keep fighting for that ball.
Zoe Henley
Position: Midfielder
Zoe has just joined our senior squad this year and is already making her mark on the comp. She’s a tough little midfielder, with the run and carry to match.
New Norfolk
Tarn Ford
Position: Forward
One of the best small forwards in the competition. Her change of speed and forward craft is second to none and she can change a game off her own boot.
Sophie Farrow
Position: Midfield
Captain on the team and leads from the front. A contested footy beast with deadly skills and a strong overhead mark.
Ellie Henricks
Position: Forward/Midfield
Has speed to burn and the ability to get in the right spots in front of goal. Is also a run down tackling machine.
Amber Rainbird
Position: Back
Amber has a footy knowledge and ability to read the play that is well beyond her years. Takes multiple intercept marks per game and applies tackle pressure and intensity at the contest.
University
Mariam Refaei
Position: Midfield
Mim is a dynamic midfielder that can play both inside and outside the contest. She won the University B & F last year. Mim loves to hunt the ball and lays a solid tackle. She is expected to have another massive year for the club.
Maisey Fraser-Easton
Position: Midfield
Maisey is an important part of the University midfield, she gets plenty of disposals and can be a big influence on a game. She also can go forward and kick a snag or two.
Mikayla Lack
Position: Backline / Midfield
Captain of the University Football Club, Mik leads by example and is a formidable player for the bows. She can do it all, ruck, play midfield, run the backline, and even kick a few goals.
Tarnith Kelly
Position: Forward
Tarni is a stalwart for the bows, she has a killer instinct for goal and helps the midfield immensely.
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