Norwood Football Club Women’s Team
6 May 2026
I rise today to speak about a team that represents not only sporting excellence but determination, resilience and the remarkable growth of women's football in South Australia, and that is the women's team of Norwood Football Club. For so many in our community, Norwood Football Club has long been one of the great institutions of South Australian football, a club woven into the history and identity of the eastern suburbs that generations of families have grown up supporting, volunteering for and belonging to. But in recent years, the Norwood women's program has created a chapter of its own.
The Norwood women were there at the very beginning of the SANFL women's competition as one of the inaugural SANFLW teams when the competition commenced in 2017. That fact alone places them permanently in the history of women's football in this state, but they did not just participate in history—they made history. In that inaugural season, the Norwood women became the first SANFLW premiers, the inaugural champions of the competition, setting a standard from the outset and demonstrating that women's football in South Australia would be elite, compelling and fiercely competitive.
Since then, the club has continued to build a remarkable record of achievement. The team has consistently been among the benchmark clubs of the SANFLW competition, with minor premierships, finals appearances and grand final campaigns that reflect a definitive culture of excellence. What strikes me and I think many most profoundly, however, is not only the team's success but the quality of the football itself.
Last Saturday, at the round 3 game, I had the great honour of tossing the coin before the match. It was a privilege I genuinely treasured—that 20¢ piece is in the cabinet—and one that gave me the opportunity to stand at the centre of the ground and witness these athletes up close as they prepared to compete. I have to say, I am in absolute awe of them. Their toughness and their fitness are exceptional. Their skill, composure and athleticism are just a pleasure to watch. They bring a discipline and sheer physical commitment that is deeply impressive.
There is still, in some quarters, an outdated tendency to speak about women's football as though it is somehow secondary or emerging, but anyone who watches this Norwood team and the respect on display from those in the stands understands immediately that these athletes are elite competitors in every sense of the word.
When I watch the Norwood women play, I feel genuinely excited by the energy around the team. It is infectious. You can see it in the crowds, and especially so in the young girls attending games in Norwood colours. In fact, the under 18 girls’ team were there to watch the SANFLW match the day before, winning their own grand final and becoming inaugural champions themselves. I have no doubt that watching the league team win their game—thrashing Glenelg the day before—was useful inspiration.
As we see, the Norwood women's team is not only creating entertainment and sporting success, it is creating aspiration. Young girls in my electorate and across South Australia now grow up seeing women play football at an elite level in their own communities. They can attend games at Norwood Oval and see athletes who are strong, courageous, disciplined and ambitious. They can imagine themselves in those guernseys one day.
Sport has always had the power to shape culture and expand what people believe is possible, and the rise of women's football is contributing to exactly that. The Norwood women's team has also become an important pathway for talented footballers pursuing AFLW opportunities. South Australia has developed one of the strongest state women's football systems in the country, and clubs like Norwood have played a critical role in that success.
Of course, none of this happens by accident. The coaches, trainers, volunteers, families, administrators and supporters invest countless hours to build something meaningful. In particular, I want to acknowledge Kelly Rossi from the coaching team, board member Maree Skrodzki, 2025 captain Stephanie (Simmo) Simmonds, and current captain Jade Halfpenny, who have welcomed me so warmly as an enthusiastic supporter.
The Norwood Football Club has always benefited from that extraordinary culture of volunteerism and community spirit, and the women's program is clearly carrying that culture forward with pride. I also want to acknowledge the importance of continued investment in women's football infrastructure and development. For too long, women athletes accepted inadequate facilities and conditions. The progress we are now seeing reflects years of advocacy and determination. They were, of course, right, and it was my great honour to be able to commit at the recent election that a re-elected Malinauskas government would contribute $300,000 to redevelop the women's change rooms at Norwood Oval.
The growth of the Norwood women's team and, indeed, the SANFLW competition itself has proven that, when women are given opportunity, investment and visibility, communities respond enthusiastically. The Norwood women have become not just representatives of their club but role models for a generation of young South Australians. As the member for Dunstan, I could not be prouder that this remarkable club just across the road from my office sits at the heart of our community.
To all the players, coaches, staff, volunteers and supporters of the Norwood women's team: thank you for what you are building, thank you for the inspiration and pride you bring to our community, and thank you for continuing to show South Australia every day the very best of courage, teamwork, excellence and determination.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you very much, member for Dunstan. As we know, women's sport has been increasingly noticed within our community but we have some way to go with equality and equity for facilities.