2025 The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year

By ALEXANDRA BULL

Woodville-West Torrens’ rise up the ladder has been reflected in the 2025 The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year.

All eight teams are represented in the side, with the Eagles having the most representatives with six and South Adelaide five faces in the side.

Eagles’ coach Narelle Smith has been named coach of the team after her phenomenal coaching effort in which she took her charges from seventh to first with a win-loss record of 12-2 at the end of the minor round.

West Adelaide has three players named in the team, with North Adelaide, Sturt and Norwood with two and Glenelg and Central District both with one.

Eagles’ forward Klaudia O’Neill is named at full forward for the team after kicking 24 goals for the season, the second highest total in the SANFLW.

She is joined in the side by 2025 SANFLW Powerade Breakthrough Player Imogen Trengove on the half-forward flank, who adds plenty of speed and tenacity to the side.

Christina Leuzzi, picked up by the Adelaide Crows AFLW side this year, has been rewarded for her season and has been named as captain and will start in the centre, with retiring Glenelg superstar Jess Bates named as her vice-captain.

This year’s Hostplus SANFLW League leading goal kicker, Central District forward Katelyn Rosenzweig, takes her place at centre half-forward and is joined by Norwood’s Jade Halfpenny who has been named on the half-forward flank after another stellar season.

Sturt speedster Monique Bessen has been named on the wing, where her pace and skills allow her to take the game on, with Isobel Kuiper the second Double Blues player named in the team, with the bullish midfielder named as the Rover.

Laela Ebert, who was excellent for North Adelaide this year before getting selected by Melbourne’s AFLW side, has been named on the half-back flank, with South Adelaide vice-captain Tiffany King named at centre half-back and Eagles’ jet Maia Freemnatle on the other half-back flank.

For West Adelaide, exciting young forward Lucy Waye has been named in the forward pocket, with workhorse Zoe Venning starting on the wing and tackling machine Hannah Button named as one of five on the interchange.

The first SANFLW player to reach 100 games, South defender Jaslynne Smith, is in the side for the first time since 2018, in the back pocket, with dangerous North defender Jamie Parish holding down the fort at full back.

South Adelaide’s Soriah Moon has been named in the ruck for a second consecutive year after averaging 99.6 ranking points in 2025.

Panther Taya Maxwell, emerging as one of SANFLW’s best young talents, has been named on the interchange, along with South young gun Emma Charlton who is causing headaches for her opposition in every game she plays.

The interchange is rounded out by versatile Norwood utility Kiana Lee and Eagles’ star Lucy Moore.

Based on performance across the minor round, the 2025 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 Football Operations Administrator Nick Bremner, SANFL Media Producer Zac Milbank and SANFL Media and Communications Coordinator Alexandra Bull.