2024 Women’s Country Footy Champions

By PETER ARGENT

Barossa Light and Gawler

With dad, Ralph as her assistant, inaugural Central District SANFLW captain Nicola Biagi led the Tanunda Magpies to a maiden Barossa, Light and Gawler flag, after a low scoring Grand Final at Williamstown Oval.

Playing the minor premiers and the 2023 flag winners, Willaston, the Magpies won a thrilling contest. New recruit to the Central District SANFLW program in 2025, Alysha Healy kicked the Magpies’ only major and was best on ground in the 1.5 (11) to 1.3 (9) two-point triumph.

Britt Watt, Neeve Delaney, Bonni Dodds and Nicol Mark and coach Biagi all played pivotal games for the victors.

Ellie Ward, who collected Team of the Championships honours at the 2024 SA Country Champs, was the Donnybrooks’ only goal kicker in the third term, while Jessie Sandford was on fire early.

In the association best and fairest count, Angaston Panthers teenager Hayley Henke won the BLG Senior Women’s best and fairest award.

Limestone Coast Women’s Football league

The Limestone Coast Women’s Football League (LCWFL) Grand Final was among the most thrilling contests and rated by many observers as one of the best games seen across the breadth of South East football all year.

Kybybolite defeated North Gambier 8.7 (55) to 8.3 (51), in a heart-stopper by four points.

The final quarter of the LCWFL season was true arm-wrestle.

North converted first, but Kyby answered with two of their own to give them a critical four-point lead.

In the dying seconds of the game, North had a shot to claim the victory, but it missed.

Kybybolite Tiger Jedah Huf was best on ground, while Taylor Ryan kicked three pivotal goals.

Tigers quartet – Maryann Thompson, Dellie Brown, Summer Batchelor and Ella Boston – who kicked two goals, all stood up for Kyby.

For the other species of Tiger at North Gambier, Alice Tentye, Georgia Gentile, Chloe Perryman and Chloe Newton were gallant.

The LCWFL League Best and Fairest winner was the classy Caroline McGrath from the Penola Eagles.

Adelaide Plains

The Adelaide Plains has a five-round competition across three junior grades from late February to mid-April participating at Under 11, Under 14 and Under 17s level.

Angle Vale were the dominant team at Under 17 level, with the Owls winning each game by large margins in the season.

Broken Hill Football League

One of the longest running women’s competitions across the country the Silver City has a strong program for 15 years.

In 2024, North Broken Hill Bulldogs enjoyed a comfortable 20-point win over the South Kangaroos, getting home with a highly accurate 8.1 (49) to 4.5 (29) on Grand Final day.

Played at the famous Jubilee Oval on Saturday August 31, the Bulldogs kicked three unanswered goals in the final term to enjoy the fruits of victory and their first BHFL women’s title.

Captain Britt Tangey with a four-goal haul was the Bulldogs’ best on Grand Final day, collecting the Chelsea Masclet Medal, followed by Rebecca Deer, Daisy Cheesman, Brooklyn Gibson and Kira-lee Guthrie.

Courtney Garnaut helped out with two majors for the Bulldogs as well.

For the beaten South Kangaroos, Tayla Frizell, Macy Edgecumbe, co-captain Abbey Stevens and Amber Evans were strong contributors.

For the second season in a row, the Jan Corey Medal for the best women’s footballer in the league was won by Abbey Stevens from South.

Riverland

After a six-round regular season, Berri played Barmera-Monash in the Riverland Football League women’s Grand Final.

Goalless in the first half, the Demons kicked all three majors after the main break to win 3.7 (25) to 2.2 (14).

Stacey Geyer, captain Kelsee Langford and Amy Shapley all had big games, with Deanna Campbell-Collard, Talissa Bromley and Dusty Mickan standing out in the 11-point triumph.

For Barmera-Monash, Shelley Priest, Holly Sharrad-Jones, Ebony Johnson and Kayla Mudge all had their moments.

Southern Football League

Second on percentage, Port Noarlunga upset minor premier Flagstaff Hill on a Grand Final day at Flinders University Stadium.

In control of general play and the scoreboard for most of the day, the Cockledivers got over the line, 4.7 (33) to 3.3 (21).

Adding to her other accolades, Philippa Worthley was best on ground, followed closely by Carli Morton who took a number of intercept marks at full back after playing as a key forward all season.

Indigenous talent Megan Weetra broke the lines, while tall and strong ruck Nasyah Turner, fresh from the National First Nations Netball Grand Final in Queensland, was important at stoppages.

Better players for the Falcons were Chloe Meyers, Kelsey Rodman, Melanie Koster and Tiana Lush.

Cockledrivers midfielder/ half back Worthley was deserving winner of the SFL Women’s association best and fairest.

Port Noarlunga Premiership coach and Southern Districts SA country Champs mentor in 2024, Phillip Marks will be the West Adelaide Bloods league assistant to Bruce Dawes in the SANFLW in 2025.

Great Southern Football League

McLaren Districts, second for the majority of the regular season, defeated the Willunga Demons in both finals to win the Great Southern Football League women’s crown for 2024.

The Eagles kicked three goals in a highly productive second term of the Grand final and would go on to win the premiership, 7.4 (46) to 3.10 (28) at Yankalilla Oval.

McLaren Districts were well served by Layla Rogers, Caitlin Ross and Lisa Whiteley in the final, while Abby Woodward was productive with three goals and Sheena Peters chimed in with two majors.

Caitlin Radbone was the Demons’ best, followed by Cleo Guilfoyle, skipper Jodie Hunt and Courtney Gutschmidt.

Willunga and South Adelaide development league football Jess Kirk won the GSFL best and fairest, from Goolwa-Port Elliot’s Indiana Quaremba, with Myponga-Sellicks’ Nari Wright third.

Hills Football League

Coached to back-to-back flags by Simon Manser, the Blackwood Football Club enjoyed its second successive triumph after a dramatic four-point win over Mount Lofty.

The final scoreboard read the Woods 4.10 (34) defeating Mount Lofty 4.6 (30) at Qube Logistics Oval, Nairne.

This was after the Woods were two goals down at lemons, and then kicked 2.4 to no score in the final term to snatch the title.

Blackwood’s leading performers included Beth Sigley in ruck, Carly Milsom at centre half back, Isabella Calvanese as a key forward and Sarah Campbell, who was brilliant in the last term after collecting the club’s best and fairest as well.

Better players for the vanquished included Lily Smart, Elsie and Charlotte Dawes, along with Aajiah Jericho, while Kate Chapman kicked two of their four goals.

Onka Valley Bulldog, Arabella Prowse, sister of Adelaide Crow Zoe, won the Hills women’s best and fairest medal.

Port Lincoln Football League

Marble Range snatched the PLFL crown against the previously undefeated Mallee Park in the Port Lincoln women’s competition.

The Mallee Park Peckers won all 10 minor round games, defeated Boston by nine goals in their semi-final, going into the decider as heavy favourites.

The Grand Final played on the Port Lincoln High School Oval was a nail-biter, with the game going down to the wire.

Marble Range were three points down at lemons, after not adding to their half-time score, before kicking two goals to one in the last term to win by less than a straight kick, 5.6 (36) to 4.8 (32).

Mid North

The Mid North Women’s League is a five-team competition held across five weeks, including teams from Port Augusta (West), the Moonta Demons, the BSR Tigers, the Lions from Port Pirie and The Roosters out of Crystal Brook.

Compiling a handful of big wins in the undefeated minor round, the Roosters won their semi-final against Moonta by 80 points, and won the Grand Final against West Augusta by 21 points, 7.14 (56) to 5.5 (35).