SANFL’s ZAC MILBANK breaks down all you need to know about the Eagles heading into the 2024 Hostplus SANFL Women’s League season.
Finished – 7th
Record – 3 wins, eight losses, 1 draw
Best and Fairest – Shineah Goody
Runner Up – Marlie Fiegert
Third Place – Annie Falkenberg and Poppy Waterford
The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year – Annie Falkenberg (Half-Back Flank, Vice Captain)
COMING
Leah Cutting (returned/Essendon VFL), McKenzie Dowrick (returned/Adelaide AFLW), Rose Clancy-Dillon (Claremont -WAFLW), Rosette Zerella (Norwood), Jessie Sanford (Central District), Erini Gikas (Sturt), Abbie Butler (West Adelaide), Sinead Saunders (Norwood), Imogen Trengove (Eagles juniors/Bute), Lucy Moore (Eagles juniors), Madison Paech (Eagles juniors), Julia Watson (Eagles juniors)
GOING
Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide AFLW), Jemma Whitington-Charity (North Adelaide), Chloe Whitington-Charity (North Adelaide), Neave Delaney (Central District), Ella Little (Work/Millicent), Tess Andrews (Mount Gambier)
Round 1
Saturday March 2
Eagles v Sturt at Eastern Parade Reserve – 1pm
Round 2
Saturday March 9
Central v Eagles at X Convenience Oval – 1.30pm
Round 3
Sunday March 17
Eagles v Norwood at Thebarton Oval – 11.30am
Round 4
Saturday March 23
South v Eagles at Flinders University Stadium – 4.40pm
Round 5
Friday March 29
Eagles v West at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval – 12pm
Excitement surrounds the return of McKenzie Dowrick to Oval Avenue after an unlucky run with injury during her time on Adelaide’s AFLW list.
The 23-year-old forward couldn’t manage an AFLW game with the Crows due to a setback in her ACL recovery but she is tracking towards a healthy campaign with the Eagles.
Boasting a booming left-foot kick, Dowrick will be hoping to rekindle the form she displayed with the Eagles in 2022, which yielded 15 goals from eight appearances.
Recruited from Bute, in the Eagles’ country zone at the top of Yorke Peninsula, Trengove has been impressing on the training track this summer.
Described by coach Narelle Smith as an ”inside-outside midfielder”, the teenager is on the verge of making her debut in the Hostplus SANFLW League this season.
One of five Eagles in the 2024 SA U18 Girls Academy, Trengove has exceptional running power which should hold her in good stead against more experienced opponents.