2024 SA U18 Girls Academy announced

By ZAC MILBANK

A 44-player squad has been announced for the 2024 SA U18 Girls Academy, which is set to kick off in December. 

Set to be coached by former Norwood SANFLW League mentor Brad Snell, the Croweaters will begin with a three-day Academy Camp at Thebarton from Monday December 18 to Wednesday December 20.

Weekly training will then start on Tuesday April 23, amid the 2024 Hostplus SANFLW League season.

SA will prepare to play four games, with three matches included as part of the 2024 AFLW U18 Girls National Championships. A fourth encounter will have the Croweaters clash against a mature-age SA U23 team on the weekend of July 26-28.

Plenty of Hostplus SANFLW League talent has been included in the 2024 squad, headlined by SA’s 2023 U18 MVP India Rasheed.

The talented Sturt forward, who can push up into the midfield, is also joined by 2023 The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year defenders Poppy Scholz (Glenelg) and Esther Schirmer (South Adelaide).

Exciting prospects Georgia McKee (Central District) and Shae Archbold (South Adelaide) have also been included after missing last season while recovering from knee injuries.

Rising coaching talent Emma Sampson, a current assistant with Adelaide’s AFLW team, has been elevated to the role of Senior Assistant of both the SA U18 and U16 Girls teams for 2024.