After grinding out a gritty road win over the Tigers on Good Friday, the Panthers are gearing up for another challenge as they face the Double Blues in an early Sunday morning showdown.

There’ll be several changes to the lineup this week. 2024 leading goal kicker Emily Brockhurst is set to miss, along with reliable defender Sam Pratt due to work commitments. Captain Jordann Rugless will also be sidelined with a leg injury.

On the positive side, the Panthers will be boosted by the return of Lily Baxter, fresh from AFLW Academy duties, and Marley Tape, who rejoins the squad after representing the State U16s. Lucy Northcott is also back, following her time up north playing with Nightcliff.

Fans may see up to three debutants take the field on Sunday. Molly Jenkins (McLaren Districts), Tabi Prosser (Happy Valley), and exciting new recruit Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn (St Marys) - who has made the move from the NT - are all in line for a potential SANFLW debut. Gardiner-Dunn, a dynamic forward-mid, could inject some extra pace into the Panthers' attacking half.

A historic milestone awaits Jaslynne Smith, who is set to become the first player in Hostplus SANFLW League history to reach 100 games. Smith began her career with West Adelaide in 2017, playing four games before joining South Adelaide, her junior club when the Panthers entered the competition in 2018.

Playing as a winger for West Adelaide, she has since become a cornerstone of the Panthers’ defence, where she has played in every South Adelaide game bar one, Round 4 2022 v Norwood where she was a late out due to illness. 

Among her career highlights - alongside three premierships - is a rare personal moment: her first and only goal, scored in Round 7, 2022 against Sturt.

SANFL's Zac Milbank caught up with the milestone player on the Checkside Chats Podcast. 

The action kicks off bright and early at 9:20 am followed by the Development League Grand Final at 2:30 pm against Glenelg at the Bay. 

For those watching from home, the both games will be streamed via SANFL Now.