18 Redlegs named in 2026 SA Junior Girls Academies

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.

Norwood’s Kai Ivins has been selected in the 32-player 2026 SA U18 Boys Academy.

By Josh Teakle NFC and Alexandra Bull SANFL