Lani Cocks is one of nine Norwood players named in the 2026 SA U18 Girls Academy. Photo: Nelson Miles NFC
An incredible 18 Norwood players have been named in the U16 and U18 SA Girls Academies for the 2026 season.
Nine Redlegs girls have been selected in the U18 Academy which includes 46 players, and another nine Norwood players have been named in the U16 Academy of 47.
Emmerson Lihou, Lani Cocks, Sharmaine Crosby, Charlee Brooksby, Kate Alexander, Lily Thomas, Elke Cameron, Lia So and Kirralee Johns have been selected in the U18 squad.
Of the nine selected players, Cocks, Crosby, Brooksby, Alexander and Cameron have all had a taste of SANFLW football across the last two seasons.
Former Norwood SANFLW coach Brad Snell will continue in his role of State U18 coach for the third year, with preparations for the 2026 Marsh AFLW National Championships to begin with a Talent Hub Camp next month on Tuesday, 16 December and Thursday, 18 December.
All four SA U16 All-Australians from this year’s National Championships have been named in the squad, featuring 2025 AFLW U16 Championships MVP Norwood’s Lani Cocks, Woodville-West Torrens’ Maia Freemantle, Norwood’s Lara Gribben and North’s Isabella Beaumont.
A physical testing day will also be conducted in conjunction with the SA U16 squad on Sunday, February 15, at Nazareth College, before an internal trial match held on the weekend of May 9.
The Croweaters will head to Perth to take on Western Australia in Game One of the 2026 Marsh AFLW National Championships on June 13, before heading home to take on the Allies on 21 June.
The girls will then face the reigning national champions in Victoria Metro in Adelaide on June 27 and will round out their fixture when they return to Melbourne for a match-up against Queensland on July 12, with all matches now played within a five-week timeline as opposed to two months.
Mia Wood, Ella Anderson, Amelia Kelly, Isla Wigzell, Olivia Underwood, Lara Gribben, Della McCracken, Skyla James and Chelsea Marshall will be a part of the U16 Academy.
Training will commence with a two-day camp on Monday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 17.
A physical testing day will also be conducted in conjunction with the SA U18 squad on Sunday, February 15 at Nazareth College, before an internal trial match held on the weekend of the 7th of February.
South Australia will play two matches, one against Western Australia in Adelaide on April 7 and its second in Melbourne on April 17 (opponent TBC).
Norwood’s Kai Ivins has been selected in the 32-player 2026 SA U18 Boys Academy.
By Josh Teakle NFC and Alexandra Bull SANFL
| PLAYER | SANFLW CLUB |
|---|---|
| Miyu Endersby | Central District |
| Tara Lord | Central District |
| Charlotte Maurits | Central District |
| Olivia Leslie | Central District |
| Jyearah Newchurch | Central District |
| Demi Holloway | Central District |
| Indiana Nelson | Central District |
| Alana Evans | Central District |
| Georgie Fielder | Glenelg |
| Ava Walter | Glenelg |
| Charlotte O’Sullivan | Glenelg |
| Tori Evans | Glenelg |
| Polly Turner | North Adelaide |
| Isabella Beaumont | North Adelaide |
| Caitlin Hardin | North Adelaide |
| Maya Fuller | North Adelaide |
| Bridie Lukich | North Adelaide |
| Iris Newman | North Adelaide |
| Lucy Reddaway | North Adelaide |
| Emmerson Lihou | Norwood |
| Lani Cocks | Norwood |
| Sharmaine Crosby | Norwood |
| Charlee Brooksby | Norwood |
| Kate Alexander | Norwood |
| Lily Thomas | Norwood |
| Elke Cameron | Norwood |
| Lia So | Norwood |
| Kirralee Johns | Norwood |
| Emma Charlton | South Adelaide |
| Taya Maxwell | South Adelaide |
| Layla Vizgaudis | South Adelaide |
| Hope Taylor | South Adelaide |
| Marley Tape | South Adelaide |
| Lily Whiteman | Sturt |
| Skout Young | Sturt |
| Madeline Nuss | Sturt |
| Isabel Smart | Sturt |
| Erin Conn | Sturt |
| Emily Mableson | West Adelaide |
| Sarah Deed | West Adelaide |
| Chelsea Newitt | West Adelaide |
| Maia Freemantle | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Lucy Moore | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Ruby Lynch | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Julia Faulkner | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Lucy Farnsworth | Woodville-West Torrens |
| PLAYER | SANFLW CLUB |
|---|---|
| Amelia Musolino | Central District |
| Annelise Lovell | Central District |
| Isabelle Zander | Central District |
| Izabella Nisbet | Central District |
| Lily Steen | Central District |
| Peyton Moro | Central District |
| Maliah Finnie | Central District |
| Ashleigh Heggie | Central District |
| Maya Vonarx | Glenelg |
| Ruby Rose | Glenelg |
| Isabella Wilson | Glenelg |
| Jenna Baron | Glenelg |
| Nyah Schmitt | North Adelaide |
| Asha Lehmann | North Adelaide |
| Chloe Nettle | North Adelaide |
| Poppy Gneil | North Adelaide |
| Mia Wood | Norwood |
| Ella Anderson | Norwood |
| Amelia Kelly | Norwood |
| Isla Wigzell | Norwood |
| Olivia Underwood | Norwood |
| Lara Gribben | Norwood |
| Della McCracken | Norwood |
| Skyla James | Norwood |
| Chelsea Marshall | Norwood |
| Jaidee-Lee Shortridge | South Adelaide |
| Matilda Buchanan | South Adelaide |
| Emmerson Warren | South Adelaide |
| Alexis Harvey | South Adelaide |
| Tabitha Melders | South Adelaide |
| Eva Petrucci | South Adelaide |
| Quba Verwey | South Adelaide |
| Isabella Gray | Sturt |
| Rose Ward | Sturt |
| Mia Duthy | Sturt |
| Miller Thompson | Sturt |
| Lily Sandlan | Sturt |
| Helayna White | West Adelaide |
| Scarlett Blethyn | West Adelaide |
| Hayley Mules | West Adelaide |
| Anika Tran | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Airlie Gates | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Mia Goodes | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Poppy Grygorcewicz | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Kalani Nelson | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Zali Pitman | Woodville-West Torrens |
| Lylah Zatanzariti | Woodville-West Torrens |