2026 Eiler Medal Preview

The race is between two players and the juggernaut of the West Adelaide Bearcats it seems for the Lorraine Eiler Medal at the Basketball SA Awards this Sunday – is this the official crowning of the comeback queen In a bolt of lightning or will a flame burn bright in their team’s return to post season action?

Or are we just waiting for which of the take your pick from the red and black will go back to back for their club in 2026?

Photo Credit – As Supplied

5-Minute Read

The SA Shotclock crew have cast their own 3-2-1 each match of the season to help with the predictions below for the award…

Previous Decade Winners

2015       Callan Taylor (Woodville Warriors)

2016       Olivia “Levicki” Thompson (Forestville)

2017       Alex Wilson (Eastern Mavericks)

2018       Chelsea Brook (Sturt Sabres)

2019      Carmen Tyson-Thomas (Eastern Mavericks)        

2021      Teige Morrell (Southern Tigers)

2022     Mikayla Williams (Sturt Sabres)

2023     Mikayla Williams (Sturt Sabres)

2024 Casey Samuels (Central Districts Lions)

2025 Olivia Levicki (West Adelaide Bearcats)

Did you know???

In the Womens the club who has won the most Eiler (Halls) medals is North Adelaide with 10 followed by South Adelaide and West Adelaide with nine. Out of the 10 current clubs, everyone has posted a winner with Vikki Kelson the least recent club player to win it for South Adelaide way back in 2005.      

The Favourites

Morgan Yaeger (West Adelaide Bearcats)

New team but a reuniting with 2021 coach of the year Matt Clarke has bred familiarity for the explosive guard in 2026.

We expect her to poll either a 3 or 2 in at least 12 of her matches – but the challenge will be sharing the votes amongst a very even West Adelaide side

Known vote-getter might play in her favour while also contributing with her 20.2 points, 3.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds in the crucial times where West set up their wins in quarters.

Tayla Brazel (Sturt Sabres)

After previous injury ravaged seasons the Adelaide Lightning guard well and truly became a superstar of the competition in 2026.

The thing going for her in this race is the fact in each of Sturt’s games she has been the dominant and influential figure statistically – on that we expect her to poll either a 3-2 in 12 games plus pickup a few votes in losses the Sabres had.

It would complete a journey for the young star who we also believe is eligible for the Merv Harris and could even complete the triple threat of Eiler, DPOY and U23.

Cali Clark (Norwood Flames)

What a pickup for the Norwood Flames in 2026 that has been a real needle shifter.

The centre has been one of the most dominant and potent forces on the floor and we think would have attracted many votes this season.

From Round 5 Clark will be busy polling with eight games expected with high votes – the only issue will be the strong in season form of teammates Hinton and Becki pinching votes

The Smokeys

Chloe Hodges (West Adelaide)

Statistically one of the standouts of the 2026 season – her 15 points, 4.3 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 3.6 steals have elevated her to a new level of stardom in the league.

The question again as a new player on the scene is how well a credentialed vote receiver will she be?

That may not matter as out of all the smokey’s – shes the likely one to poll enough to be right there at the end of the count.

Keira Gardiner (South Adelaide Panthers

Like the Norwood Flames – the South Adelaide Panthers have their star Young gun centre to thank for returning to finals action in season 2026.

Gardiner with her win of the Merv Harris last year is a proven vote getter and her strong start to the season where we expect polling in six of the first half of the season games.

The other Panthers have started a little more late so that might see her not quite top the four others above.

Brittany Hodges (Woodville Warriors)

Up and down season for the MVP of 2024 but again another proven vote getter always is amongst the candidates.

Keep an eye on her patch of games in the middle of the season but think probably this year others again might steal away touching the top positions.

Keep An Eye on

Alex Ciabattoni (West Adelaide Bearcats)

Just more so to see if she’d been able to be around for the full season how close she would get to taking the award.

We expect her to poll significantly since her arrival in the league and while she won’t win it – she could easily out poll everyone in the second half of the season to finish in the top ten for the Womens comfortably.

Allysin Becki (Norwood Flames)

Similar Becki will poll plenty from her arrival time in the season. Capturing plenty of near triple doubles as well as an actual one – votes a plenty will flow her way in the second half of the season which should be enough to run into the top ten also comfortably.

Coco Hodges (West Adelaide Bearcats)

Another Bearcat should poll plenty early but you feel as the season goes along her more experienced teammates will snare votes from her. However it a sign that she’s another to watch for the future when it comes to votes in the award 2027 and beyond.

Our final prediction for the Eiler medal will be announced on Episode 36 of the SA Shotclock

Who would you pick? Leave a comment or join the debate on our Instagram and Facebook pages

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