The AFL has today announced the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls All-Australian Team and best and fairest award.

South Australians make up more than one-third of the All-Australian team, with eight representatives from the title-winning side selected.

Piper Window was named captain of the All-Australian team which capped an outstanding season for the South Australian midfielder star. Window claimed the 2023 SANFLW best and fairest earlier this year following a dominant season for Glenelg and also represented the Australia U18 team as part of the AFL Academy Girls program.

South Australia head coach Jason Rivett was selected as the All-Australian coach.

All six team MVP winners were named in the 2023 All-Australian team. The team MVP winners were selected by the coaching staff of each program and were awarded to Marnie Robinson (Allies), Havana Harris (Queensland), India Rasheed (South Australia), Ashley Centra (Victoria Country), Kayley Kavanagh (Victoria Metro) and Evie Cowcher (Western Australia).

A total of 12 bottom-age players were selected in this year’s All-Australian team, highlighted by Queensland pair Dekota Baron and Ava Usher and Western Australia defender Evie Cowcher earning selection after being named in the 2023 AFL National Development Championships – U16 Girls All-Australian team earlier this year.

BEST AND FAIREST AWARD

Queensland ruck and forward Havana Harris was awarded the best and fairest player of the 2023 AFL National Championships – U18 Girls. She averaged 18.3 disposals (9.3 contested), three marks and 17 hitouts and polled votes in all three matches.

Harris won the best and fairest with 18 votes and finished three ahead of South Australia midfielder Shineah Goody. There was a three-way tie for third between South Australia forward Lauren Young and Victoria County duo Sara Howley and Ash Centra, who all polled 14 votes.

Harris became the third-successive player to win the 2023 AFL National Championships – U18 Girls best and fairest while competing as a bottom-age player. Goody claimed the award in 2022, while Young was the 2021 winner.

The 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls All-Australian team and best and fairest was selected by a panel comprising Kevin Sheehan (AFL Talent Ambassador – Chair), Tarkyn Lockyer (AFL National Academy Coach/Manager), Jess Smith (AFL National Female Talent Manager) and AFLW club representatives Tyson Bourke (GWS Giants), Darryn Fry (Fremantle), Cameron Joyce (Gold Coast Suns) and Ben Waller (Geelong Cats).

The AFL National Championships – U18 Girls are the highest level of state and territory representative football featuring the country’s most talented under 18 girls footballers.

The Championships were contested by six teams, with South Australia taking out the title from Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria Metro, Victoria Country and the Allies, which comprised talent from the Northern Territory, New South Wales/ACT and Tasmania.

Each team played three matches at the Championships, with games played across the country between April and August.

Please find below player profiles for all players selected in the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls All-Australian Team, compiled by Kevin Sheehan.

Back Pocket
Marnie Robinson
(Allies/Sydney Swans Academy/UTS)
Date of Birth: 08/06/05; Height:172cm
Defender who was a consistent performer for the Allies throughout the Championships and was among her team’s best against Queensland and Western Australia. Averaged 11 disposals, four tackles and three rebounds per match to win the Allies’ MVP award.

Full Back
Kiara Bischa
(Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy/Bond University)
Date of Birth: 15/04/05; Height: 171cm
Disciplined key defender who excelled in the one-on-one contests and made excellent decisions on when to mark or spoil. Was Queensland’s best player against the title winner South Australia and was resolute throughout the Championships, averaging 8.7 disposals, four tackles and 3.7 rebound-50s.

Back Pocket
Evie Cowcher
(Western Australia/Peel Thunder/Pinjarra)
Date of Birth: 03/08/07; Height: 173cm
Intercepting defender who was strong overhead, provided run from defence and used the ball very effectively by hand and foot. Was named in the AFL National Development Championships U16 Girls All-Australian team earlier in the year and looks an outstanding AFLW prospect in two years’ time. Won Western Australia’s MVP award despite having just turned 16 years of age after averaging 17 disposals, including 6.7 contested, across the Championships.

Half Back Flank
Laura Stone
(Victoria Metro/Eastern Ranges/SBL Wolves)
Date of Birth: 22/11/05; Height: 169cm
Courageous and versatile defender/midfielder who excelled in both roles and was her team’s best player in matches against the Allies and South Australia. Has dazzling speed enabled her to break the game open and use the ball effectively by hand and foot. Averaged 20.5 disposals (9.5 contested) and 3.5 tackles to show the way with her leadership for Victoria Metro.

Centre Half Back 
Poppy Scholz
(South Australia/Glenelg/Mitcham)
Date of Birth: 31/12/06; Height: 179cm
Bottom-aged tall defender who was very strong overhead throughout the Championships. Also displayed great mobility and was neat with her use of the ball. Averaged 14 disposals at 74 per cent efficiency, 3.7 marks, three tackles and six hitouts when providing support for her team in the ruck.

Half Back Flank
Zipporah Fish
(Western Australia/East Fremantle/Rockingham)
Date of Birth: 04/06/06; Height:160cm
Defender/midfielder with blistering pace who showed she was prepared to take the game on and create opportunities for her team. A bottom-aged player with an Indigenous background, she is a good decision-maker with neat disposal skills. Played some exciting football averaging 16.7 disposals at 66 per cent efficiency, six inside-50s and 3.7 tackles per game playing both in defence and through midfield.

Wing
Kaitlyn Srhoj
(Western Australia/Peel Thunder/Halls Head)
Date of Birth: 10/07/05; Height: 173cm
Winger who can also play on the inside and use her running capacity and footy smarts to consistently win the ball. Shows courage in her attack on the ball overhead and at ground level. She averaged 17.3 disposals (seven contested) and 4.7 marks. Featured among the best players against South Australia and the Allies.

Centre
Shineah Goody
(South Australia/Woodville-West Torrens/Henley)
Date of Birth: 08/11/05; Height 162cm
Classy midfielder who is a one-touch player below the knees and is exceptionally creative by hand and foot. A prolific ball winner she averaged 24.3 disposals (12.7 contested) at an elite 78 per cent efficiency with 5.7 clearances. Was runner up in the for the Championships best and fairest award winning the award as a bottom-ager last year. Is now a back-to-back U18 All-Australian.

Wing
Sara Howley
(Victoria Country/Geelong Falcons/Newtown & Chilwell)
Date of Birth: 29/01/06; Height: 173cm
Prolific ball-winning midfielder who can play on the outside or inside using her elite running ability and football smarts to accumulate the ball. A one-touch player who uses the ball well by hand and foot she averaged 25.3 disposals (10 contested) across the Championships, including having 31 disposals in a best on ground performance in Victoria Country’s win over Western Australia. Another bottom-aged player with exciting AFLW potential when eligible to be drafted next year.

Half Forward Flank
Ashley Centra
(Victoria Country/Gippsland Power/Sale City)
Date of Birth: 02/06/06; Height 174cm
Mercurial forward with clean hands overhead and below her knees who is elusive once she wins the ball. Creative as a forward, she always looked dangerous around goals and finished with four majors for the Championships. Also moved into the midfield to provide drive for her team when needed. Averaged 17 disposals and 4.3 marks to win Victoria Country’s MVP award as a bottom-aged player giving a glimpse of her future AFLW potential.

Centre Half Forward
Dekota Baron
(Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy/Broadbeach)
Date of Birth: 03/01/07; Height: 178cm
Forward who really launches herself at the ball and has strong hands which makes her a dangerous target inside 50. Averaged four marks and 17 disposals as well as 2.5 goals per game. Can also play in the ruck, where she uses her natural leap to great effect. Was also awarded AFL National Development Championships U16 Girls All-Australian honours earlier in the year playing for the Gold Coast Academy in what has been a real eye-catching year for this talented AFLW prospect.

Half Forward Flank
India Rasheed
(South Australia/Sturt/Glenunga)
Date of Birth: 29/11/06; Height: 172cm
Left-footed forward who is athletic and classy with her ball-winning ability, creative distribution and goal sense. She excelled for the Championships-winning team as a bottom-aged player and was awarded South Australia’s MVP after averaging 20.3 disposals (10.3 contested), 4.3 marks and 1.3 goals per match.

Forward Pocket
Emma McDonald
(Victoria Metro/Oakleigh Chargers/Ashburton)
Date of Birth: 18/04/06; Height: 180cm
Strong-marking forward who is also very mobile and a reliable set shot for goal. Was outstanding with a five-goal haul versus the Allies. Averaged 14.5 disposals, 4.5 marks and 3.5 goals to be her team’s most dangerous forward. Another who is a bottom-aged player with enormous potential.

Full Forward
Lauren Young
(South Australia/West Adelaide/Goodwood Saints)
Date of Birth: 16/09/05; Height: 178cm
Strong and aggressive player who excelled as a forward but can play back or midfield. Attacks the ball fearlessly and is almost unbeatable one-on-one with her overhead marking a real feature of her play. Kicked five goals to blow the game apart versus Victoria Metro and finished up averaging three goals across three matches, along with 17.3 disposals, seven marks and three tackles to again be a dominant force after winning the best and fairest award in this competition two years ago when in her 16th year.

Forward Pocket
Elaine Grigg
(South Australia/Central District/Broadview)
Date of Birth: 23/12/05; Height: 161cm
Small forward/midfielder who is both very quick and elusive. A creative player who is also strong in the contest, she averaged 18 disposals (7.7 contested) and six tackles to be a lively player throughout for the Championships-winning team. Kenyan-born, she emerged from the AFL’s multicultural program and this year added a SANFLW premiership win with Central District to her impressive profile.

Ruck
Havana Harris
(Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy/Burleigh)
Date of Birth: 01/07/06; Height: 181cm
Super athletic bottom-aged player who can use her physical assets and skill in the ruck or forward, which she did to great effect throughout the Championships. Took out both Queensland’s MVP award and the Championships best and fairest after polling votes in all three games. Impressive with her burst from stoppages and penetrating kicking, she averaged 18.3 disposals (9.3 contested), three marks and 17 hitouts.

Ruck Rover
Piper Window
(South Australia/Glenelg/Morphettville Park)
Date of Birth: 30/07/05; Height: 167cm
A hard-edged contested ball winner in the midfield. She was creative with her use of the ball particularly by hand and showed both courage and skill overhead. Led her team particularly well by averaging 17.3 disposals (8.3 contested) with 3.7 clearances and six tackles to set a high standard. Won the SANFLW best and fairest earlier this year and is now an All-Australian at under-18 level.

Rover
Ava Usher
(Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy/Burleigh)
Date of Birth:11/08/07; Height: 162cm
Elite athlete with the preparedness to take the game on. Uses her dazzling speed and evasiveness to open the game and her neat disposal skills to maintain possession. She averaged 19.5 disposals (9.5 contested), 3.5 clearances and six tackles and produced a best on ground performance against Victoria Country. This honour tops off a remarkable season in her 16th year, having won the Pool B best and fairest award playing for the Gold Coast Suns Academy at the AFL National Championships U16 Girls earlier in the year.

Interchange
Brooke Boileau
(South Australia/South Adelaide/Mount Compass)
Date of Birth: 28/01/05; Height: 170cm
Midfielder who provided consistent drive for the Championships-winning South Australian team. Averaged 22 disposals (11 contested), 4.3 clearances and five tackles per match. Produced an outstanding performance against Western Australia in the opening match of the Championships to kickstart the campaign.

Kayley Kavanagh
(Victoria Metro/Calder Cannons/Strathmore)
Date of Birth: 06/07/05; Height 169cm
Inside midfielder who excels at stoppages with her quick hands and vision real assets. A prolific ball winner, she averaged 17.7 disposals at 72 per cent efficiency, 5.7 clearances, and 5.7 tackles to win Victoria Metro’s MVP award. Produced particularly impressive performances against Victoria Country and the Allies.

Molly O’Hehir
(Western Australia/South Fremantle/South Coogee)
Date of Birth: 24/05/06; Height: 177cm
Bottom-aged tall defender who is extremely athletic and strong overhead. Shows composure and uses the ball well on the way out of defence. Averaged 13.7 disposals at 78 per cent efficiency, which included an impressive 18-disposal showing in a strong performance against Victoria Country to conclude the Championships.

Jemma Whitington-Charity
(South Australia/Woodville-West Torrens/Henley)
Date of Birth: 06/06/06; Height: 170cm
Rebounding defender who was a model of consistency throughout the Championships, using her neat foot skills to set up the play. An agile player who links up well, little got past her and her teammates in defence. Averaged 16.7 disposals at 68 per cent efficiency, 4.7 marks and four rebound-50s per match.

Mikayla Williamson
(Victoria Country/Dandenong Stingrays/ Pines)
Date of Birth: 08/05/05; Height: 174cm
Midfielder with elite speed and endurance who can break the lines to create opportunities for her team. Averaged 18.3 disposals (9.7 contested) and four tackles to be a consistent performer for Victoria Country across the three matches.

Coach
Jason Rivett
(South Australia)

Players by team
Allies: (1) Marnie Robinson
Queensland: (4) Dekota Baron, Kiara Bischa, Havana Harris, Ava Usher
Victoria Metro: (3) Kayley Kavanagh, Emma McDonald, Laura Stone
Victoria Country: (3) Ashley Centra, Sara Howley, Mikayla Williamson
Western Australia: (4) Evie Cowcher, Zipporah Fish, Molly O’Hehir, Kaitlyn Srhoj
South Australia: (8) Brooke Boileau, Shineah Goody, Elaine Grigg, India Rasheed, Poppy Scholz, Jemma Whitington-Charity, Piper Window, Lauren Young

Please click here for more details from the 2023 AFL National Championships – U18 Girls.