Walkerville Girls aiming for another SANFL season next year

Iris Newman, 16, Medindie; Caitlin Hardin, 16, Walkerville; Isabella Beaumont, 16, Walkerville Junior Football Club player; Sasha Hardin, 18, Walkerville; and Maya Fuller, 16, Wilderness boarder.

Walkerville locals aiming for another SANFL season next year

Five local girls have been dominating on the field this year, after reaching the finals of the SANFL Women’s League with the North Adelaide Football Club (NAFC) (also known as the Roosters).

While their season with the Roosters has come to a close after being knocked out during the finals, Sasha Hardin, 18, Walkerville; Caitlin Hardin, 16, Walkerville; Iris Newman, 16, Medindie; Maya Fuller, 16, Wilderness boarder; and Isabella (Bella) Beaumont, 16, Walkerville Junior Football Club member; are all aiming for next year’s squad.

All five girls have played, or still play, at the Walkerville Junior Football Club, where some of them first learnt how to play football.

Sasha and Caitlin, former Council Community Grants Program recipients, said they were part of the first year of girls’ football at the Club. And their passion for football since then has only grown.

All five girls are part of the junior training squad at the NAFC and were scouted to play up in the senior league.

Sasha said, “You don’t choose, they choose you. I believe all of us were from the junior’s program – they watched us and asked us to come out and play for seniors.”

Sasha has been playing for the Roosters in their senior team for four years, starting quite young when the team didn’t have enough players during COVID-19. Whereas, Caitlin, Iris, Maya and Bella have only played for the senior team for the first time this year.

While the seniors’ team is a mix of younger players and veterans, the girls all agree that it is an incredibly supportive environment.

Iris said, “My first game I was so scared, but then as soon as I got into it, it was so fun.

“All the girls really support us, they are like our sisters. And the elite facilities and the coaches, it is just an elite environment for us all.”

Caitlin agreed, saying, “It is just a community too. I love going out there.”

Additionally, the girls have also had success on their school’s football team, managing to bring home the shield at the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA) for Wilderness in 2024.

While all girls are playing in a local league, school league and for the SANFL, they said the Roosters have been good at ensuring they are managing their loads.

Caitlin explained, “It’s good because they balance it out, so if we are playing league one weekend, then we aren’t playing at school or local. If you are not picked for league, then you can go back and play for school or local. So you’re not overplaying and having to play three games. That would be too much!”

Which is a good thing, since most of the girls have other sporting commitments, including basketball, cross country, swimming and more!

The girls are all hopeful to continue playing for the Roosters, however, they all have their eyes set on the Women’s AFL league, with most hoping to make the Adelaide Crows Football Club, or at least a South Australian team, in the future.