PORT ADELAIDE has exacted revenge on the Crows for Saturday’s summer Showdown loss by taking out the first ever female Showdown.

Port’s female Under 16 Next Generation Academy side kept Adelaide goalless until the last quarter to win the game on Wednesday night at Football Park by 56-points.

The best under-16 female elite players from each of the eight SANFL Clubs were nominated late last year for the Power and Crows academy programs, which have held training sessions since November.

West Adelaide, South Adelaide, Norwood and Eagles’ best young talent represented Port Adelaide’s Female Talent Next Generation Academy while Sturt, North Adelaide, Glenelg and Central District prospects formed the Crows Academies Girls Elite Talent Squad.

Players were nominated for the Academy programs following the Statewide Super Shield U15 competition held in September 2018.

The game on Wednesday was the first of three scheduled for the next six weeks. 

Port Adelaide Coach Naomi Maidment was pleased with her side’s performance.

“Heading to Football Park on Wednesday night there was a lot of the unknown, we hadn't played together and we had never seen the opposition play,” she said.

“However, what I was sure of is the players were ready to play having been together since November.

“These girls are on a rapid learning curve into the elite environment and I cannot fault their aptitude and enthusiasm for the game.”

On a windy night, the Power girls started strongly, booting seven first quarter goals and then keeping Adelaide goalless to half time despite kicking into the wind in the second term.

They had a ten goal lead going into the last quarter and held on for a 56-point victory after some late scoring from the home side.

“What was evident from this group is a willingness to play as a team, be clean under pressure and enjoy the small wins along the way,” Maidment remarked after the game.

“The coaching group asked the girls to play to a game plan, and they executed, running away with the game.

“I was impressed with the entire squad however thought on the night there were some standout performances from Keeley Kustermann and our Captain, Gypsy Schirmer.”

Port Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy Manager Shane Grimm said the program was helping the club continue its commitment to female football pathways.

“The Port Adelaide Football Club has had a long history of developing talented footballers within South Australia and the Next Generation Academies continues to allow us to be a major part of the talent pathway within the SANFL and our Aligned NGA Clubs,” he said.

“It is exciting for the Club to expand our programs to involve talented female footballers who are now able to be involved in a pathway from community football through to the AFLW.

“It is also important that we are providing a pathway for female coaches to gain experience and move into AFLW and we are proud to have Naomi Maidment as coach of our under 16 NGA girls.”

SANFL Female Talent Manager Robbie Neill said the Academy programs replaced the previous State Academy format in 2018 to provide an elite environment for emerging female talent on a pathway to the Statewide Super Women’s League and AFLW.

“The AFL-based Academy Programs is a collaborative approach with SANFL to developing female talent pathways in SA,” Neill said.

“The program also provides the best under-age talent with a unique opportunity to experience AFL facilities and training, and to match up against the best players of the same age.”

Three matches will be played between the Crows and Power Academies, with a State U16s squad to be selected following the final game on April 18.

The SA U16 State Team, coached by SANFL’s Jason Rivett, will play Vic Country on June 9 in Mt Gambier.

 

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE              11          8            74

ADELAIDE                         2            6            18

 

Goals: Indianna Flynn (SAFC) , Sachi Syme (NFC) & Zoe Venning (WAFC) 2, Madison Schwarz (WWTFC), Alicia Gaffney (WWTFC), Kiahni Russell (SAFC) , Teliya Hetaraka (SAFC) and Jorja Hooper (SAFC)

Best Players: Keeley Kustermann (WAFC) , Gypsy Schirmer (SAFC) , Jamie Parish (WWTFC), Madisson Schwarz (WWTFC) , Teliya Hetaraka (SAFC) , Brie Nye (SAFC)

 

 

THE TEAMS

AFC                                                                                              PAFC

Darcie Brown                       Centrals                                                 Emily Smith                          South Adelaide   

Zoe Perry                              Centrals                                                 Ella Radbone                        South Adelaide

Nikki Cullen                          Centrals                                                 Jorja Hooper                         South Adelaide

Libby Fiebiger                      Centrals                                                 Indiana Flynn                        South Adelaide

Taliyah Uncle                       Centrals                                                 Lauren Clifton                      South Adelaide

Cooper Hyde                        Centrals                                                 Teliya Hetaraka                    South Adelaide

Molly Fiebiger                      Centrals                                                 Callie Wilson                         South Adelaide

Brooke Tonon                      Glenelg                                                  Gypsy Schirmer                   South Adelaide

Hattie Cox                             Glenelg                                                  Bridie Nye                             South Adelaide

Ella Little                               Glenelg                                                  Kiahni Russell                       South Adelaide

Sarah Goodwin                    Glenelg                                                  Alana Cleary                         Norwood

Neave Delaney                     Glenelg                                                  Jess Williams                        Norwood

Matilda Scholz                      Glenelg                                                  Hayley Taheny                     Norwood

Natasha Christophers        Glenelg                                                  Sachi Syme                           Norwood

Natasha Allison                    Glenelg                                                  Alana Lischmund                 Norwood

Hannah Ewings                    North Adelaide                                    Cherylee Waters                 Eagles

Chelsea Rundle                    North Adelaide                                    Avah Topp                             Eagles                    

Kate Case                              North Adelaide                                    Jamie Parish                         Eagles

Amelie Borg                          North Adelaide                                    Kelliah Maher                      Eagles

April Kerrison                       North Adelaide                                    Alicia Gaffney                       Eagles                    

Zoe Prowse                           Sturt                                                       Lauren Young                       West Adelaide

Georgia Swan                       Sturt                                                       Zoe Venning                         West Adelaide

Holly Temby                         Sturt                                                       Keeley Kustermann            West Adelaide

Charlotte Hurn                     Sturt                                                       Taylah Jane                           West Adelaide

Grace Powell                        Sturt                                                       Scarlett Griffiths                  West Adelaide

Taylor Lucey                         Sturt                                                       Chloe Schwarz                      Eagles

Kiera Mueller                       Sturt                                                       Madison Schwarz                Eagles