Creeper rolling out the welcome Mat

By ZAC MILBANK

Incoming Norwood Women’s coach Mat Creeper is embracing a talent turnover ahead of the 2021 Statewide Super Women’s League season.

As the Lady Reds’ preseason kicked off this week, Creeper has been excited by the standard set by several of his senior players including Ali Ferrall, Jessica Macolino and Kate Fenton.

But it has been the bevy of youth emerging at The Parade which has the 45-year-old enthused as he seeks to continue Norwood’s unbroken streak of featuring in the major round.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, Creeper said the likes of Lana Schwerdt, Molly Brooksby and Sarah Branford were displaying promising signs on the training track.

While Brooksby is too young to play at senior level next season, Schwerdt and Branford loom as interesting stories as they develop during summer.

The daughter of former Crows and Central District wingman Stephen Schwerdt, Lana Schwerdt is also an elite runner like her dad, having impressed in the Legs’ 2km time trial.

A former train-on player with Adelaide United, Branford has decided to tackle Australian Football instead of soccer as she looks to develop her craft in the midfield.

Two emerging young stars from 2020, Jade Halfpenny and Alana Lishmund, have also shown they are ready to pick up from where they left off next year.

Creeper has been busy scouring for recruits given his side will lose Bella Smith to Collingwood’s AFLW team, joint best-and-fairest Matilda Zander to the Magpies’ VFLW outfit, Rhiannon Busch to Darwin and retiring veterans Jo Hill and Michele Reid.