SA U18 Girls Team – Game 1

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia is set to start the AFL U18 Girls National Championships with a full strength line-up to tackle Western Australia on Sunday.

Croweaters coach Tim Weatherald will have a well-balanced side to guide against the Sandgropers at Thebarton Oval from 10.30am.

North Adelaide star Hannah Ewings will don the red guernsey for the first time since 2018, after missing the 2019 and 2021 campaigns with serious ankle injuries, sandwiching the absence of the 2020 carnival due to Covid-19.

Ewings will be joined by in-form pair Shineah Goody (Eagles) and Piper Window (Glenelg) in the starting midfield rotation while overage pair Ella Little (Eagles) and Kiera Mueller (Sturt) will start at either end of the field.

Under AFL rules, only three U16 players can be selected for each match, with Central’s Georgia Mckee, Sturt’s India Rasheed and West’s Lucy Boyd chosen for Game 1,

Fellow U16 players Shae Archbold (South), Jemma Whitington-Charity (Eagles), Violet Patterson (Glenelg) and Charlotte Riggs (Central) have been listed as emergencies, in the case of a late withdrawal due to Health and Safety Protocols.

SA will play three matches, two at home including one at the Adelaide Oval which will be a curtain-raiser to the Adelaide v Richmond AFL game on Saturday April 16.

The Croweaters will then finish off with a road trip to Melbourne for the third contest against the Allies on Friday April 22 at Werribee.

Weatherald will be assisted by senior assistant coach Bill Economou while Bek McMahon (forwards), Craig Lum (midfield) and Jason Rivett (defence) will be SA’s line coaches.

South Australia v Western Australia
Sunday April 10 at Thebarton Oval from 10.30am

F: Georgia McKee (Central), Ella Little (Eagles), India Rasheed (Sturt)

HF: Lana Schwerdt (Norwood), Lucy Boyd (West), Sachi Syme (Norwood)

C: Cheryllee Waters (Eagles), Hannah Ewings (North), Molly Brooksby (Norwood)

HB: Keeley Kustermann (West), Amelie Borg (North), Sarah Goodwin (Glenelg)

B: Kiera Mueller (Sturt), Lily Whitcombe (Sturt), Ella Boag (Glenelg)

R: Matilda Scholz (Glenelg), Shineah Goody (Eagles), Piper Window (Glenelg)

INT: Elaine Grigg (North), Tahlia Walker (Sturt), Dakota Williams (Central), Jemma Ellis (South), Charlie Scutchings (West), Millie McCarthy (Sturt)

EMG: Violet Patterson (Glenelg), Jemma Whitington-Charity (Eagles), Shae Archbold (South), Timeka Cox (North), Charlotte Riggs (Central)