SA U18 Girls Squad Finalised

By ZAC MILBANK

South Australia has finalised a 30-player squad to defend its crown at the 2024 AFLW U18 Girls National Championships, starting in July.

Coached by former Norwood SANFLW League mentor Brad Snell, the Croweaters will prepare to play four games, with three matches included as part of the Championships.

SA will kick off its championship defence against the Allies on Thursday July 18 at Thebarton Oval before travelling east to confront Victoria Metro at RSEA Park in Melbourne on Sunday August 11.

A return to Thebarton Oval will round out SA’s campaign when it hosts Western Australia in Game 3 on Saturday August 24.

The fourth encounter will be a clash against a mature-age SA U23 team on Sunday July 28 at Thebarton Oval.

SA’s squad is littered with exciting talent from the Hostplus SANFLW League, including Sturt’s India Rasheed, Glenelg’s Poppy Scholz, Central District’s Jasmine Evans and Eagle Grace Martin.

All four players have earned a Powerade Breakthrough Player nomination this season, together with fellow squad members in West Adelaide utility Lucy Boyd, Tiger Violet Patterson and the Double Blues’ Monique Bessen.

Rising coaching talent Emma Sampson, a current assistant with Adelaide’s AFLW team, has been elevated to the role of Senior Assistant of both the SA U18 and U16 Girls teams for 2024.