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ADVERTISER SANFLW TEAM OF THE YEAR BY ZAC MILBANK
South Adelaide’s determined quest for redemption has been reflected in The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year, with five Panthers and coach Rick Watts selected in the elite line-up. After losing last year’s Hostplus SANFLW grand final in agonising fashion, the Panthers have been on a mission, as displayed in their impressive 28-point second semifinal win against Glenelg at Noarlunga last Saturday. South, which earned its fifth grand final appearance in seven years in the league, had claimed the minor premiership with an 11-3 win-loss record and the competition’s stingiest defence. Beaten first semi-finalist Central District (four) and Glenelg (three) and Norwood (two), who will face off in the preliminary final, are also well represented in this year’s bestof-the-best collection. All eight clubs have at least one representative, with the Eagles (three) and Sturt (two) the other clubs with multiple selections. There’s no surprise South’s 2019 premiership mentor Watts has been rewarded with the coaching honour, while players from Noarlunga are prominent in all sections of the ground as Emily Brockhurst (forward pocket) and Esther Schirmer (full back) line-up at either end, while ruck Soriah Moon and ruck-rover Nikki Nield, who on Monday night at Adelaide Oval won SANFLW’s Best and Fairest Medal , command the centre square. Panthers vicecaptain Jordann Hickey provides versatility from the interchange. Last year’s premier Central District had captain Shelby Smith, who was chaired from the ground after the first semi-final after announcing her retirement, named as skipper of the Team of the Year, while Eagle Annie Falkenberg is her deputy. Joint leading goalkicker Katelyn Rosenzweig is a natural fit alongside
E BROCKHURST (SA), K ROSENZWEIG (CD)
FF
I RASHEED (S), J HALFPENNY (N), Z VENNING (WA)
HF
P WATERFORD (WWT), J BATES (G), M BESSEN (S)
C
T BUETHKE (N), C RIGGS (CD), L EBERT (NA)
HB
A FALKENBERG [VC] (WWT), E SCHIRMER (SA)
FB
COACH
INTERCHANGE
R WATTS (SA)
V PATTERSON (G) J EVANS (CD) G MARTIN (WWT) J MILLER (G) J HICKEY (SA)
RUCK
S MOON (SA) N NIELD (SA) S SMITH [C] (CD)
Brockhurst on the full forward line while exciting young Bulldogs Jasmine Evans and Charlotte Riggs earn their first selections. Glenelg, which headed the premiership table for the first 11 rounds of the season, had gun midfielder Jess Bates, Jo Miller and Violet Patterson selected, while Norwood stars Tahlita Buethke and Jade Halfpenny not surprisingly made the cut. Sturt young gun India Rasheed takes her place across half-forward after a stunning season while West Adelaide’s Zoe Venning (half-forward flank) and North Adelaide’s Laela Ebert (halfback flank) are flying the flags for their clubs. Two Team of the Year
debutants take their place on the wings after breakthrough campaigns, with Eagle Poppy Waterford and Double Blue Monique Bessen announcing themselves as players to watch in 2024. Based on performance across the minor round, The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year was selected by SANFL female talent manager Robbie Neill, SANFL talent coordinator female programs Bek McMahon, SANFL competitions specialist – State leagues Daniel Joyce, SANFL head of football operations Sean Toohey, SANFL football operations administrator Lucy Kroschel and SANFL media producer Zac Milbank. sanfl.com.au
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